Downtown Homes Tour 2006

[scooterj]

Anyone know where the map can be found online?  The link reference above does not work.      I'm not starting from Barney Allis Plaza so getting a map tomorrow won't work.

[scooterj]

Never mind, though there's no direct link to it that I can find, I managed to track it down.  It's now here:

http://www.downtownkc.org//FileUploads/FINALMAP.pdf

[trailerkid]

Can somone take some pictures tonight and/or tomorrow? I don't know the rules about photography, but I know I'm not the only one wanting to see some urban living options downtown.

[scooterj]

I'm planning to visit every property and take at least 1-2 pictures of each, but they'll be cam-phone pix so the quality won't be anything outstanding.

[lock+load]

I'm planning to visit every property and take at least 1-2 pictures of each, but they'll be cam-phone pix so the quality won't be anything outstanding.

You are going to have to bust some ass.  32 properties in 6 hours, thats 11 minutes per.  Some of the properties are on the Spring Homes tour...I'm going to save those for last and check them out on Sunday if I don't make it tomorrow.

[scooterj]

Last year I got almost all in the first day and that was with lots and lots of dawdling. 

The clusters of them help.  Plus at least one, and probably three or four of them, can't even be toured.  For instance, stop #23 is currently a gated surface parking lot with a pretty picture nearby of what will be there someday.

[skim82]

Let's get some pics!!!

[lock+load]

We started at 10:00 and toured until 4:00 and only made it to 12 properties (and the Cordish office).  We only used the shuttle twice, and walked the rest of the way.

Stop 1:  Cordish office. 

We got here right after 10:00, looked at the models and enjoyed the view.  I never realized how small most of the P&L District buildings are really going to be.  They will be able to throw them up fast.  Kind of a let down after seeing the model of the new StL ballpark on Friday night

Stop 2:  Professional Building Lofts

These will be nice for the price (for those that actually qualify).  The carpet in them is hideous, however.  It looks like indoor/outdoor carpet.  A full washer & Dryer in each unit is nice.  I'd like to see buildings with a mix of income restricted and market rate units, rather than all one or the other.  The models were on the 15th floor.  I forget how many floors there are total, but there are only going to be two elevators.  That seems light, but seems to be the norm on residential conversions from what we saw.

Stop 3:  The View

We were very impressed with this property.  We ended up spending WAY too much time here, but we had a hard time getting away from the agent.  The finishes were nice, the View is nice, especially on the end units that have both east and west views.  The location leaves much to be desired however.  Great potential for appreciation here if the East Village is a success.

Stop 4:  909 Walnut

The crowds were picking up by time we got here.  I had toured these last July while they were still under construction.  The building looks great, the units look great, and the roof top terrace is awesome.  I'd like to see more like it downtown.

Had a free burger, then over to...

Stop 5: 21 Ten. 

The elevators were out, and the open units were on the 13th floor.  I thought, the stairs can't be that bad.  They were.  A good experience of what it'd be like if you lived there and the elevators went out.  Yikes.

Stop 6:  5 Delaware

Way out of my price range   These have a lot of potential.  The layout on the furnished model was nice.  I am all for openness, but I prefer all toilets have some sort of door.  The master bath was open, with the toilet tucked in a corner.

Stopped at the new River Market Bakery for a cookie (very good!) and then over to...

Stop 7:  523 Grand

We were very impressed with the first floor models here.  They look well done, and the loft bedroom area is a nice.  I'm not sure what the HOA fees are buying you here though.  I'd like to see a breakout of what the fees goto each month, not just here, but at every property.  They all seem to be in the 22-30¢ range, yet the amenities covered vary greatly.

Stop 8:  Soda Lofts

It didn't look like too many people were making the trip over here.  Very spacious places, but no bathroom upstairs with the bedroom.

A full shuttle was pulling up as we were walking out the door.  No one got off.  We decided to hop on and planned on catching the MAX down to the Crossroads.  The MAX was pulling out just as we got to Cold Storage, so we stayed on the shuttle.  I think the shuttle would have been more useful if it would have gone up and down third and fifth streets, an not up to the door of every property.  We rode it all the way to Barney Allis Plaza.  From there we walked over to...

Stop 9: 16th & Summit

These are nice.  The unit we went in had a great view of downtown from the balcony.  We rushed out because the shuttle arrived.  The shuttle drivers did a great job of pointing out all the restaurants we passed.

Stop 10:  Freighthouse Lofts

I didn't know this was the Stuart Hall Building until we arrived.  Nice building, the penthouse is huge.  I think I could get lost in there  

Stop 11:  1819 Baltimore

Almost worn out by this point, after walkin five miles Friday night and pushing that again on Saturday.  I don't remember a lot about this, other than someone else there needing to use the bathroom.  The plumbing worked

Stop 12:  Western Auto

All the vacant retail space in the Western Auto buildings is sad.  What's the deal here?  Surely something could make a go of it.  Went through three units I believe, including the least expensive unit we saw all day.  It was a ~650 sqft unit for $170k.  It was a bit cramped. It was about 3:35 when we left here.  I wanted to make it down to Union Hill, but figured we didn't have time.  So instead, we went to...

Stop 13:  The Liberty Lofts

I had thought this was the building to the east of the Post Office, but was incorrect.  They don't look to be too far along here, it looked like only the model unit had Windows installed.

Headed back over to Main to catch the MAX, and saw it pulling out as we passed Union Station.  I figured we had 15 minutes until the next bus, so we went inside US.  Wrong there.  Got to the stop with 12 minutes until the next bus was to arrive (per the schedule).  22 Minutes later the 142 showed up, so we hoped on it instead.  So much for on time service



I'd like to have visited more of the properties, but we just didn't have time.  We went to Hotel Monroe last Sunday, and plan to check out some of the other that are on the Spring Homes Tour next Sunday.  Sadly, there just isn't much out there for less than $200k in a central location.  So, it may just be another year of renting for me.  We got lots of great idea, though.

[scooterj]

I decided to walk the entire tour and almost succeeded.   Due to circumstances beyond my control I started 90 minutes late, so I ended up having to cut Union Hill out of the tour.   Did manage to hit up everything else.    A few comments on some of the properties that stood out for me...

(1) Riverbend Lofts  -  This one stood out only because even though it went condo a year ago, the models still don't look any different than they have since I started doing this tour in 2003.

(2) 5 Delaware - Great location and nice views, interesting layouts.   I wouldn't mind living here if I were rich.

(3) Cold Storage -  It was just awesome getting to go inside this place.   I posted some pictures here.

(4) Soda Lofts - This building just reeks of cool inside and out, and I really like the neighborhood, both for what it is now and for the potential it has.    Some of these units were already occcupied so I feelt like I was snooping.

(5) 1111 E. Missouri Ave - this is a single-family home, built in 1886 and recently renovated.   It looks great inside and out.   Everything looks new -- yet it maintains the character of the time period in which it was built.   A really nice back porch and upper deck with swings and ceiling fans.

(6) Metropolitan Condos - I didn't go here last year because I assumed it would be too ghetto.   Turns out the units are acctually pretty nice for what you pay for them.    Most of the units have nice views, and those that don't (the ones facing south) will one day have nice views if East Village takes off.

(7) Professional Building - Basic, standard apartments, but at terrific prices with lots of room and great views.   It's unfortunate that it's 100% income restricted though.

( 8 ) 1745 Jefferson -   The upside-down L house off I-35.    A landmark scheduled for demolition.     Pics can be found here.

(9) 2141 Bellevue - I wanted to see this mainly because I've beeen watching it go up the past couple of months and was curious.   This is an odd home, basically a rectangle sticking out of the top of a hill overlooking Avenida Cesar Chavez.   It was kinda cool having the Cinco de Mayo street party going on right across the street.    I liked the style of it, the rooftop deck, the multiple fireplaces, and the abundant electrical outlets.    With all the separate flights of stairs I think moving in would be a bitch.    I also question the construction work and wonder how that blocky edifice will hold up to a strong storm -- it went up very quickly and  did not look to me like it is sturdy construction.

(10) Liberty Lofts - This place has potential and I kind of enjoyed the grittiness of the views from here.   But now that I have walked to it I agree with other posters who have commented about it being cut off and isolated.   This buildding will basically be its own neighborhood.   Though Union Station and Crown Center are within easy walking distance, those are destinations and not day-to-day ammenities.

(11) Hotel Monroe - This was my favorite place.   Each floor contains 2 units for a total of 8 units total.  The units are long, undulating, funky, and cool.    Each one of them has a great view.   The neighborhood is packed with ammenities.    The garage has to be seen to be believed.  I will never be rich enough to get to live here.


(The rest of the stops were all places I'd seen before, so no need to rehash them all again.)

[schugg]

that 2141 belleview was built on cinder blocks I also saw it go up too, assumed a cheap house was going there when they started stacking cinderblocks.