Olathe's first Mixed Use

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mgsports
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Olathe's first Mixed Use

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flyingember
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

Post by GRID »

flyingember wrote:doesn't look very mixed use to me

http://www.maefield.com/portfolio/items ... y-phase-2/
Sure it does. It's got big box retail mixed with parking lots, mixed with restaurant pad sites.
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

Post by mgsports »

Yes but that one is outdated new one has not come out yet and won't intill closer to the April Meeting. Their's going to be Residential part of it with Commercial out front like Olathe Commons is but with a bigger Zoning R4.
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

Post by Sani »

Neat. Hopefully this means more food options within walking distance of my office (bum ba dum bum bum bum bum).
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

Post by mgsports »

What kind would you like to see? McCalister's Deli? Burgerfi? Mad Greens? Black Bear Diner? Pizza Ranch? Corner Bakery? Slîms Chicken? Andy's? New to KC area?
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

Post by Sani »

Thought it would be fun to answer them all:

McCalister's Deli?
Sure, they're pretty good, maybe bette than the Jason's Deli that would be across the street.

Burgerfi?
Sure, or Larkburger,

Mad Greens?
Haven't heard of them. Salads, I assume? Why not.

Black Bear Diner?
I ate at one in Redding a couple years ago on a drive from Oregon to the Bay Area. It was pretty decent. Not sure why they'd suddenly come this far east, though.

Pizza Ranch?
Ugh, no thanks. Iowa can keep them.

Corner Bakery?
Too froufrou for Olathe, no?

Slîm's Chicken?
I stop at the one on 87th on my way home probably far more than I should. One that close to my office would be dangerous.

Andy's?
Not sure if frozen custard for lunch is really a good idea... but what the hell, why not.

I would add Which Wich. There's one on 119th east of Metcalf and it's pretty good, but obviously too far of a drive.
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

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Which Wich is looking for another Johnson County location.

Toppers Pizza is also looking for another Johnson County location to.

S. Shack would be good also.

Milio's Sandwich Shop would be good to so would Cousins Subs.

Caproitti's would good to.

Big American Whiskey Bar and Grill,Famous Dave's and so on would be good to.
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

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This appears to be dead. The lot is for sale, and KDOT is using it as a staging area for construction.
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

Post by mgsports »

Is not dead it was just approved last year the updated site plan.
https://olathe.org/news/tcc-verizon-wir ... ion-olathe at least Alden Center phase 2 Pad Sites all filled up. https://gis.olatheks.org/maps/planningdevelopment/
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

Post by Sani »

I looked on the planning development map, with all future layers turned on, and the land on the southwest side of 119th and Renner isn’t highlighted.
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

Post by alejandro46 »

Trouble in paradise apparently in downtown Olathe. Milhaus plans two new apartment projects, 240 units total called "Chestnut" and "Chestnut South" in downtown Olathe on existing surface lot and old library site. Somehow this is also going to end the "

Please press (f) to pay respects for those soon to be lost 90 surface parking spaces.

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/a ... 14019.html
Olathe has been working for years to attract private development to its downtown — something other than government buildings, the Johnson County Jail and law offices. And finally, the city is poised to get it.

But the announcement of the downtown’s so-called “first big redevelopment” has led to a firestorm with neighbors, business owners and members of the 120-year-old Old Settlers group.

Indianapolis-based development company Milhaus is proposing two, four-story apartment buildings. One would take the place of the library at 201 E. Park St. The other would take over a city-owned public parking lot at the southwest corner of East Sante Fe and North Chestnut streets.

Business owners argue their customers already struggle to find parking, especially with hundreds of county employees and courthouse visitors flooding the downtown every day.

“I worked a long time to own my own business, and I picked this area in downtown for a very good reason. Losing 135 parking spots was not one of them,” William Vader, owner of Vader’s Bar & Deli, said at a recent planning meeting. “I’m afraid I’ll be forced to take my bar and restaurant out of downtown Olathe, and that saddens me. It will be crushing to our establishments.”

Some say eliminating the parking lots could be the end to the long-held Old Settlers festival. The three-day event draws around 200,000 people downtown each year. And many festivities are held on the parking lots.

“It can close us down basically,” said Sheila Newbanks, owner of Silvers Jewelry and a member of Old Settlers. “We’re not giving up. We’re still working on it. But we’re racking our brains.”

The Olathe Planning Commission unanimously approved rezoning for the two buildings. Many members addressed the challenges, especially related to parking, but emphasized the importance of private development downtown.

“Downtown Olathe, we finally feel it’s in a resurgence,” Planning Commission Chairman Dean Vakas said at the meeting. “It doesn’t necessarily come the way you think it should come. It comes the way it comes naturally.”

The two pieces of land have not yet been sold, but according to the contract, the city is selling them for $10. Combined, the two plots are appraised at nearly $2 million. And, the developer is requesting a 10-year, 100% tax abatement and a sales tax exemption for construction materials.

While Newbanks and other business owners want to add housing downtown, they argue the city should prioritize retail, restaurants and attractions first.

“I wish they would bring something that will bring people down here,” Newbanks said. “Right now, the only entertainment people are going to have is watching people go in and out of the jail.”

OLATHE’S MOVE TO MODERNIZATION
All of the business owners interviewed said they welcome progress. Many are not opposed to the idea of apartments being built. But they worry about a lack of parking and the loss of businesses, arguing there are lessons to be learned from the city’s era of urban renewal.

Newbanks’ jewelry store used to be downtown but, like other businesses, struggled after urban renewal.

The program, partly subsidized by the federal government, began in the late 1960s to maximize private development and suburban growth. Historic buildings around the courthouse square were razed, and with those structures went several small and family-owned businesses.

“The downtown was thriving. There were clothing stores, bakeries, all kinds of shops. And then they did urban renewal and it just ran everybody out because they took away all of the parking,” Newbanks said. “We all just moved about the same time within a year of each other because there was no foot traffic. It turned into lawyers and bondsmen. And it just kind of died.”

Newbanks moved her business out of the downtown in 1991. The county administration building, courthouse, jail and some offices have supported the area for decades. But in large part, retail and restaurants have yet to return. And many argue much of the downtown’s history was lost.

“Unfortunately urban renewal took a lot from downtown, removing the character of downtown. And that’s still visible today,” said Emily Carillo, senior planner with the city.

Over the past decade, Olathe has been working to attract private development. The city elevated train tracks so they wouldn’t block traffic and completed a streetscape project. County voters approved a sales tax increase to fund a new $193 million courthouse, which is under construction directly north of the existing one.

And now, city leaders say the work is starting to pay off. The new apartment buildings are the first sign of private development returning to the area.

“It’s exciting to think about development coming to downtown Olathe that’s not government-driven,” planning commission member Ryan Nelson said at the meeting. “The challenge is we often think of downtown Olathe like how it was in the 1980s. … I think we need to acknowledge this is a challenging shift. There’s going to be a lot of adjustment. But I think for us to advance our downtown, you have to have a vision different from the past. Because what we’ve been doing since the ’80s isn’t advancing our downtown.”

‘A DEATH DEAL FOR BUSINESS’
Olathe has been marketing its two pieces of public property for the past few years, hoping for projects that will draw more people to the downtown.

Milhaus, with several projects throughout Kansas City, is proposing the apartments that will include parking spaces to be shared by residents and the public. The first building on the city-owned parking lot, being called Chestnut North, would include 70 apartments, with around 1,700 square feet of retail on the ground floor.

The second complex, Chestnut South, would require the downtown library to be demolished and relocated. The four-story building would have 170 apartments.

“Downtown Olathe has a vibrant atmosphere during the work week but lacks any Class A apartments to bring vibrancy after business hours and on weekends,” said John McGurk, with Milhaus. “We believe with its proximity to jobs and the historic center of town, both our residents and the downtown neighborhood will greatly benefit.”

Many residents said they welcome apartments downtown. But they are angry over a loss of public parking. Now, there are more than 250 parking spaces altogether at the public and library lots. The developer is proposing replacing those with around 160 spaces at the apartments.

Aimee Nassif, chief planning and development officer, has said apartment tenants will have access to the downtown parking garage, which is used primarily by people at the courthouse from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. She said tenants should have enough spots to park overnight.

But business owners said the parking garage is almost always full, and customers struggle to find parking as it is.

“About half of my clients complain to me about a lack of parking, that they are late to meetings because they couldn’t find a place,” John Hood, who owns an accounting firm downtown, told the commission. “I’ll leave Olathe. My lease is up in a couple of years. If I don’t have any place for my clients to park, if I can’t find a place to park, we will have no choice but to do that. I don’t want to do that. I love working in downtown Olathe and would hate to leave that area.”

Larry Huckleberry, owner of the Park Cherry building — one of the last late 1800s-era structures downtown — called the project a “death deal for business.”

“A lot of people in my building have spent years trying to build up their businesses. Now they’re going to have to start over somewhere else,” he said. “That block will be crushed. It simply will be economically crushed.”

City leaders argue that an influx of residents will help support existing businesses plus any new ones that open in the future.

Residents also worry about the library. Some are angry the city is moving ahead with demolishing the library before announcing plans for a new one. City leaders said there are also plans for a temporary space, but have yet to disclose anything.

“There is no question that city leadership is committed to a downtown library that is bigger and better than what we currently have,” Vakas said. “In my opinion, the current library is undersized and not an adequate facility. We can’t talk about it at this stage, but there are pieces moving.”

Local property owner Jay Lang said he worries the downtown will be without a library for years. The Indian Creek branch, for example, was forced to close in 2016 due to water main projects. The new location opened this fall.

Some have said the site of the current courthouse, which is slated for demolition, should be made into a new library or a parking garage. The county is meeting with residents and stakeholders to determine the future of that site.

THE RIGHT TIME FOR DOWNTOWN?
Business owners worry the foundation that Olathe is built on is diminishing.

And that sentiment is most apparent among members of the Old Settlers group, who worry their festival will no longer have a home.

“This is going to affect Old Settlers in a big way,” Newbanks said. “But Old Settlers is just a small part of the entertainment we bring to the downtown. And the arts and crafts vendors pay sales tax that goes to the city. Thousands of people come, and they have to go somewhere to eat and stay somewhere. We bring a lot of money to the city.”

Vakas told residents that new construction might affect the festival, but the city is committed to it continuing.

“Old Settlers Day is a part of the fabric of Olathe. Nobody wants to do anything to jeopardize the vitality of Old Settlers Day,” he said. “But over the next few years as the courthouse comes down, there will be a lot of disturbances around downtown Olathe. How we manage ourselves around construction will be determined.”

City leaders admit there will be growing pains, but support this first sign of progress.

“Downtown Olathe is changing. It’s finally happening,” Vakas said. “A decade from now, downtown Olathe is going to be significantly different than it is today.”

Property owners are urging the city to reconsider or require more parking spaces. Many also are criticizing the city for offer only $10 for the land, especially when the developer could receive incentives.

“That’s millions of dollars of advantages,” Huckleberry said.

The Olathe City Council is expected to consider the rezoning request on Nov. 19.
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

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I liked how a three day festival should mean doing nothing best of all
“This is going to affect Old Settlers in a big way,” Newbanks said. “But Old Settlers is just a small part of the entertainment we bring to the downtown. And the arts and crafts vendors pay sales tax that goes to the city. Thousands of people come, and they have to go somewhere to eat and stay somewhere. We bring a lot of money to the city.”
Some say eliminating the parking lots could be the end to the long-held Old Settlers festival. The three-day event draws around 200,000 people downtown each year. And many festivities are held on the parking lots.
The removal of 135 parking spots would have zero practical impact here. At 2.5 people per car, and 60% attendence on Sat that's 48,000 parking spots needed. Something tells me people are well used to not parking close to the event.
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Critical_Mass
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

Post by Critical_Mass »

200k people attend Old Settler's festival? That's equivalent to almost 10 Royals home games. I'm not buying it...
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

Post by kcjak »

So the future of the area is pinned to one weekend a year. Just get a damn shuttle service.
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

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Critical_Mass wrote: Mon Nov 11, 2019 2:53 pm 200k people attend Old Settler's festival? That's equivalent to almost 10 Royals home games. I'm not buying it...
Image

His quoted 200,000 people comes from a 2018 KC Star article. https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/c ... 40720.html

Regardless of whether you believe the Star or not - it is a very crowded event and 135 parking spaces would be an insignificant loss.
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

Post by warwickland »

...that number came from the chairperson of the event.

love too interject myself in JoCo controversy. also, Olathe is like the purist essence of that 435 South discount brand haughty aloofness.
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

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warwickland wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 12:08 pm ...that number came from the chairperson of the event.

love too interject myself in JoCo controversy. also, Olathe is like the purist essence of that 435 South discount brand haughty aloofness.
FYI- they renamed that magazine years ago. It's called 435 Magazine and it's targeted to all of the city now
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

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flyingember wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 12:57 pm
warwickland wrote: Tue Nov 12, 2019 12:08 pm ...that number came from the chairperson of the event.

love too interject myself in JoCo controversy. also, Olathe is like the purist essence of that 435 South discount brand haughty aloofness.
FYI- they renamed that magazine years ago. It's called 435 Magazine and it's targeted to all of the city now
it lives on in my memories

lame that its still named after the outerbelt that bypasses the heart of kansas city
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Re: Olathe's first Mixed Use

Post by warwickland »

c l a s s i c

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www.event-studio.com
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