KCRag Forum

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The Royale Inn at Independence Boulevard and The Paseo could soon be a thing of the past if City Councilman Scott Wagner’s ordinance passes the full council.

Filed on Jan. 14, the ordinance authorizes the city to allocate $2.7 million for the acquisition and eventual demolition of the aging motel located at 600 Paseo Boulevard. One idea to replace the motel — an area where most Northeast residents feel is a maven for drugs, prostitution and other illicit activity — would be adding green space. The acquisition of the motel property is a strategic point in the Paseo Gateway Plan that is set to revitalize the Paseo Boulevard from the I-35 exit ramp all the way down to Truman Road, creating a true gateway to Kansas City’s urban core. Bobbi Baker Hughes, Director of the Independence Avenue CID, is excited about the progress.

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The council will vote on the ordinance at its Jan. 28, meeting. The news was revealed at a recent Northeast Alliance Together [NEAT] meeting by J.C. Alonzo, of Shockey Consulting Services, who was giving the organization an update on the Paseo Gateway Project. Alonzo said it’s important to open the gateway for a better connection to the city because there are residents in the metro area who don’t travel outside their neighborhood.

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The ordinance advances an option originally signed last March by Brinshore Development LLC., to acquire the property from the current owner, DevRam LLC.

... the Kansas City Council approved $2.7 million to purchase and demolish the other property, the Royale Inn, at 600 Paseo.

...“This is an amazing opportunity to actually do something,” Ray told the committee, adding that the intersection is a major city connection to downtown as well as to the Northland.

Councilman Scott Wagner, a former Northeast neighborhood leader who now lives in the Northland, said residents have been trying since 2003 to improve both the safety and economic development potential of the Independence/Paseo intersection and the area around it, and this is a big step forward.

The city has an option to negotiate a final purchase of the Royale Inn for $1.8 million from Devram LLC, and the closing should come later this year. The negotiation and purchase avoid a lengthy and possibly even more costly condemnation process.

The council authorized up to $900,000 in additional funds for asbestos removal, other environmental remediation and demolition. The money would come from a bond sale this year, paid back with capital improvements sales tax money.

The motel’s removal is just one part of much bigger plans to transform the Independence Avenue corridor both west and east of the Paseo.

The public is invited to provide feedback Wednesday on five alternatives for reconfiguring the Paseo from the Interstate 35 ramps to Ninth Street. The meeting is from 5 to 7 p.m. at the KCUMB campus, Butterworth Alumni Center, 1750 Independence Ave.

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Eon Blue wrote:There is an open house public meeting on Wednesday, February 3 at KCUMB to discuss the Paseo Gateway project at 5:00 pm-7:00 pm. The meeting is being held at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, at the Butterworth Alumni Center. The city will be presenting 5 options for the reconfiguration of the Paseo and Independence intersection.

DaveKCMO wrote:

Eon Blue wrote:There is an open house public meeting on Wednesday, February 3 at KCUMB to discuss the Paseo Gateway project at 5:00 pm-7:00 pm. The meeting is being held at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, at the Butterworth Alumni Center. The city will be presenting 5 options for the reconfiguration of the Paseo and Independence intersection.

please voice your support for alternative 2 (combining into a single intersection). this is the best crossing for pedestrians and cyclists, is compatible with streetcar, and allows continued access to cliff drive.

alternatives 3, 4, and 5 are all a disaster. alternative 1 splits the configuration into two roads, leaving lots of stranded green space that no one will ever use.

DaveKCMO wrote:

Eon Blue wrote:There is an open house public meeting on Wednesday, February 3 at KCUMB to discuss the Paseo Gateway project at 5:00 pm-7:00 pm. The meeting is being held at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, at the Butterworth Alumni Center. The city will be presenting 5 options for the reconfiguration of the Paseo and Independence intersection.

please voice your support for alternative 2 (combining into a single intersection). this is the best crossing for pedestrians and cyclists, is compatible with streetcar, and allows continued access to cliff drive.

alternatives 3, 4, and 5 are all a disaster. alternative 1 splits the configuration into two roads, leaving lots of stranded green space that no one will ever use.

DaveKCMO wrote:"this little graphic is all you get!"

love,
kc parks

FangKC wrote: Now that the issue is resolved, I wonder what the chances are that any developer will rebuild anything on the site of Speedy Cash, and the adjacent retail and apartment building that were destroyed?