KCRag Forum

who the heirs of the current owner of Metro North and Metcalf South?

I agree w/the new urbanism slant - possibly a 3-4 story storefront structure and bring the building out closer to the street. The 2 dept. stores would remain as anchors. I would suggest utilizing a good part of the mall as an entertainment destination - w/the Glenwood Arts already there, they have a good start. I suggest relocating the King Louie West and bring back the Pro Bowlers tour (remember the Wide World of Sports) along with an indoor outdoor ice rink, a comedy club and a few destination restaurants. Well at least it would be better than that brown box that sitting there now. While they're at it, do the same thing to the Mission Mall.

Dr. Know wrote:I agree w/the new urbanism slant - possibly a 3-4 story storefront structure and bring the building out closer to the street. The 2 dept. stores would remain as anchors. I would suggest utilizing a good part of the mall as an entertainment destination - w/the Glenwood Arts already there, they have a good start. I suggest relocating the King Louie West and bring back the Pro Bowlers tour (remember the Wide World of Sports) along with an indoor outdoor ice rink, a comedy club and a few destination restaurants. Well at least it would be better than that brown box that sitting there now. While their at it, do the same thing to the Mission Mall.

Glenwood Fine Arts was very busy when I went there...always long lines before shows. A quirky retro restaurant/diner would be perfect next door.

That mall is Johnson County's greatest White Elephant.

Time to detonate it and bring it...I dunno....a f-cking Wal-Mart or somethin....

I haven't been in Metcalf S. in over 10 years, but my childhood memories of it are:

-Eating Sunday dinner at Putsch's Cafeteria
-Tossing pennies into that tall fountain in the center from the 3rd level, trying to get my penny into the top bowl
-Orange Julius'
-The Hobby store on the bottom level across from Skaggs
-Someone always playing the organ in the organ store.
-Pushing my brother into the fountain on the second level down toward Jones. You could walk across it on big slabs but there was no protection to keep from falling in.

RAZE the mall. let Oak Park be the premier JoCo enclosed mall.

bring in some unique residential options, with a village setting. i.e. some condos and apartments and townhouses mixed in with retail and services people will use.

i really hope they dont do the faux-urbanist upscale Town Center thing. that concept will be just as dated as the enclosed mall in 25 years after 20 more are built in all corners of the metro.

it's time for someone in JoCo to do something outside the (big) box. wishful thinking.

The owners seem pretty determined to continue converting more of the mall to office space, and don't seem interested in selling to anyone else.

I haven't been to Metcalf South in about ten years either and I remember all the stores DanCa mentioned like Putch's, Hobby Haven on the lower level, Skaggs and the Jones Store along with Orange Julius and Topsy's.

It's kind of hard to imagine that what used to be such a popular shopping destination in Johnson County sits mostly vacant now. And at such a busy intersection in the heart of Overland Park.

That's the problem right there, 95th is no longer the heart of Overland Park. The map on the city's web site shows that the city limits go from 47th to 183rd. That would make 136th Street the geographic middle of the city.

It may no longer be considered the heart of Overland Park but the 95th and Metcalf vicinity still deserves some attention.

Metcalf South Mall is prime commercial real estate property and worthy of redevelopment.

It may no longer be considered the heart of Overland Park but the 95th and Metcalf vicinity still deserves some attention.

Metcalf South Mall is prime real estate property and worthy of redevelopment.

Couldn't agree more. I used to live right across the street to the south of Metcalf South in that row of duplexes that faces Sears. 95th and Metcalf may not be the center of OP, but there is still plenty going on in that area.

It's sad, because Metcalf South could be so great. Anchors of Jones and Sears, the new cinema, but nothing else of note. Plenty of other commercial, office (Sprint Towers to the north), dining, residential to support it. But this is the way of the closed mall these days.

Beltonhawk---I remember those duplexes by Sears.

You're right. Metcalf South could be a great place again if someone were to take an interest in redeveloping it.

In addition, I don't understand why these open air centers are so popular today. In inclement weather, the outdoor venues are a hassle. Like the original developer of Blue Ridge Mall said recently, "Does everyone want to shop in the rain?"

Actually, yes, I do want to shop in the rain.

i do too.

what's funny is that, if you read (inventor of the enclosed mall) Victor Gruen's biographies and memoirs and things written about him, he thought that enclosed shopping centers would shift US' culture TOWARD a more european "community" sort of culture. people would shop and eat and work and play in these new enclosed cities, and they would interact with each other in ways they could not in their subdivisions. talk about good intentions gone awry!

Staubio and Chrizow---Very funny! Good sense of humor.

Chrizow---Interesting info on Victor Gruen. I had never heard of him.

i am sure that in 1960, people viewed malls as convenient and forward-thinking - a welcome alternative to the "old fashioned" ritual of shopping on city streets. too bad they didn't foresee the wholesale abandonment of the american downtown.

unless a mall has something i cant get anywhere else, i dont go there. i dont like being cooped up in the mall with screaming kids everywhere. i like being out and about in the city - even if it is raining.

chrizow wrote:i do too.

what's funny is that, if you read (inventor of the enclosed mall) Victor Gruen's biographies and memoirs and things written about him, he thought that enclosed shopping centers would shift US' culture TOWARD a more european "community" sort of culture. people would shop and eat and work and play in these new enclosed cities, and they would interact with each other in ways they could not in their subdivisions. talk about good intentions gone awry!

And outdoor centers are bringing people closer together?

With the possible exception of Zona Rosa, new oudoor surburban villages are as bad if not worse than malls in my opinion. There is little to no difference in the atmosphere of an indoor mall and an outdoor mall other than the temp. and weather...same crappy stores, same middle class to uppper middle class sameness, same overwhelmingly white majority of customers, same bland suburban locations.

no, i wasn't making a case for outdoor centers. i was just noting the irony of the intended effect of the shopping mall and what it has done. outdoor malls are just as lame. outdoor shopping DISTRICTS however (i.e. Plaza, Coconut Grove, Michigan Ave.), are far superior, even if they do go for the same lame chain tenants.

With all the new mixed used developments and strip centers sprouting south of I-435, when will the city of Overland Park finally direct its attention toward the redevelopment of Metcalf South Mall?

Somehow, in my opinion, it seems a little silly to continue with the construction of all these new shopping centers out south when Metcalf South is sitting empty, with the exception of Jones and Sears. That's almost like building a brand new mall right across the street from a vacant one. To me, this is an example of poor city planning.
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Even if the owner declines to sell, the city can still choose to work with him by implementing tax increment financing or abatements to assist in the redevelopment or remodeling of the mall.

I'm sure many residents of northeastern Johnson County would like to have the option of another enclosed mall in which to shop besides Oak Park.

A vacant mall at 95th and Metcalf does not present the best image for the city.