KCRag Forum

There's a parking area behind the new buildings. You can see the entry on the 43rd Street rendering. That's what I assumed was being referred to.

Not being sarcastic, although I did not realize the area behind the buildings was a parking lot. My original thought was just that there appears to be a lot of open space behind the structures, which I think tends to breed crime. The whole "eyes on the street" thing.

kboish wrote:I absolutely say they should move this garden and put housing there. I am 100% for urban gardening as a way to improve vacant land, but the ongoing state of that corner is abysmal and more of an eyesore than anything. It is the kind of urban garden that gives urban gardens a bad name...you can barely tell it is a garden...

I don't even have a problem with the look of the garden given its function and the state of the pit before. To me, the entire point of a garden such as this is to get use out of land that is not being used or to make abandoned spaces look occupied and vibrant. Once that land finds a use, people need to find another place to garden. It was a free offering to the community to help improve the neighborhood, and now the neighborhood will be improved even more (I hope). I have my reservations about the proposed complex and the low-income/market split, but it will clearly improve the look of this area.

Are there any other complexes around with a 60/40 split between low income and market rate? I am not super knowledgable about things like this, but wouldn't the majority low income split diminish the value of the market rate housing? If I've seen a demand from friends for places to live in the Westside, it is for affordable places in a young person's price range without income restrictions. Basically, I'd like to see the 60/40 split reversed so that there are more market rate apartments.

bobbyhawks wrote:

kboish wrote:I absolutely say they should move this garden and put housing there. I am 100% for urban gardening as a way to improve vacant land, but the ongoing state of that corner is abysmal and more of an eyesore than anything. It is the kind of urban garden that gives urban gardens a bad name...you can barely tell it is a garden...

I don't even have a problem with the look of the garden given its function and the state of the pit before. To me, the entire point of a garden such as this is to get use out of land that is not being used or to make abandoned spaces look occupied and vibrant. Once that land finds a use, people need to find another place to garden. It was a free offering to the community to help improve the neighborhood, and now the neighborhood will be improved even more (I hope). I have my reservations about the proposed complex and the low-income/market split, but it will clearly improve the look of this area.

Are there any other complexes around with a 60/40 split between low income and market rate? I am not super knowledgable about things like this, but wouldn't the majority low income split diminish the value of the market rate housing? If I've seen a demand from friends for places to live in the Westside, it is for affordable places in a young person's price range without income restrictions. Basically, I'd like to see the 60/40 split reversed so that there are more market rate apartments.

There are examples of 60/40, but not in KC, that I can identify. Cold Storage Lofts is 90/10 and not a good example because of management issues that make this comparison look bad. The entirety of the River Market was closer to a 60/40, when all developments were counted, prior to the opening of Market Station, which has shifted the hood to a 40/60.

The preponderence of low/moderate income housing in West High, is due to need in the community, and access to tax credits to assist in the development, which are hyper-critical to this renovation project.

bobbyhawks wrote:To me, the entire point of a garden such as this is to get use out of land that is not being used or to make abandoned spaces look occupied and vibrant. Once that land finds a use, people need to find another place to garden. It was a free offering to the community to help improve the neighborhood, and now the neighborhood will be improved even more (I hope)

I agree with this...though it may have been an improvement over what was there, I still think it could look much nicer and better maintained. There is so much vacant land on the westside (and the city in general) that no one should worry about moving a garden around. when we start lacking viable opportunity, then I will listen to worries about losing gardens...

As for the 60/40 split. I think this ratio will work fine. These income restrictions are SO much different than Section-8 housing I think people sometimes misunderstand how it works and what "types" of people will live there(not saying you...just in general). This project as a whole will be light years ahead of what has sat here for the past decade that with the property management company (very important) they plan to bring in with the number of market rate units...i think it will be a success.

loftguy wrote:The preponderence of low/moderate income housing in West High, is due to need in the community, and access to tax credits to assist in the development, which are hyper-critical to this renovation project.

Again, I may not know what I am talking about, but I feel like there is a demand downtown and in the Westside for all types of housing. Market rate would fill up just as fast as low-income would based on my unsubstantiated view. In the end, it is all about the tax credits, and I'm not so sure that I want something to be shoved in only because the tax credits make it more profitable to build. Granted, it has been abandoned and an eyesore for years, but it is a good swath of real estate in a unique area walkable to the Crossroads. It will probably be great and my worries for naught, but I worry they will build a schlocky place that will downgrade the ecclectic nature of the Westside or look like parking lot situated condos in OP.

kboish wrote:As for the 60/40 split. I think this ratio will work fine. These income restrictions are SO much different than Section-8 housing I think people sometimes misunderstand how it works and what "types" of people will live there(not saying you...just in general). This project as a whole will be light years ahead of what has sat here for the past decade that with the property management company (very important) they plan to bring in with the number of market rate units...i think it will be a success.

That's what I've heard, and I've been guilty of Section-8/low income misconceptions. My only reservations stems from the comment in the article that the "low income" apartments would be akin to "Villa del Sol." The apartments look great, but there are a few problem apartments. Probably just one or two bad apples that soured me on the deal.

Westside project awaits word on Kansas City, state aid.

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/p ... l?ana=e_ph

Switzer school redevelopment fails to get state housing financing and tax credits

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... 2013-01-07

Meeting tonight to discuss the repurposing of the Bingham School to a Wal-Mart Market.

KC School District to demolish Thatcher Elementary School on Independence Avenue this summer. The building was heavily damaged by fire.

http://northeastnews.net/pages/?p=17661



McCoy Elementary School, at 1524 White (off Truman Road), will also be demolished.

http://northeastnews.net/pages/?p=17661



In other news, there is some talk of reopening Northeast Middle School on Independence Avenue. The school district is reconsidering closing some middle schools, and Northeast is one that they are considering reopening.

FangKC wrote:
In other news, there is some talk of reopening Northeast Middle School on Independence Avenue. The school district is reconsidering closing some middle schools, and Northeast is one that they are considering reopening.

I bet the bus fuel cost was becoming more than the cost of keeping the schools open.

Especially for a vehicle that gets like 5mpg and idles a ton.

Halving the drive each day for 20 busses could save a fortune.

From what I can tell, the return of the middle schools appears to be more parent-driven.

The LCRA will see a proposal this week from the Foutch Brothers for the vacant school building in the Westside neighborhood. It proposes renovating the school and some adjoining buildings into 95 market-rate apts.

KCDowntown

Definitely hope something becomes of that building. Definitely an eyesore, and if I'm thinking of the right one, visible from I-35 North Bound. Also would go a long way in pulling everything together over there. Mix of really nice homes and some that need work but overall a good neighborhood with significant potential.

KCDowntown wrote:The LCRA will see a proposal this week from the Foutch Brothers for the vacant school building in the Westside neighborhood. It proposes renovating the school and some adjoining buildings into 95 market-rate apts.

KCDowntown

Is Kemper okay with that?

KCDowntown wrote:The LCRA will see a proposal this week from the Foutch Brothers for the vacant school building in the Westside neighborhood. It proposes renovating the school and some adjoining buildings into 95 market-rate apts.

Just for clarity, this is the old West High School, correct?

The original proposals are available at the following link. There are multiple versions of the proposal, with some having more surface parking than others.

http://www.kcpublicschools.org/Page/1190
Go to the "Switzer-West and Switzer Annex" section. There was also an initial plan from the Dalmark Group.

Here is a link for the plans that the Foutch Brother are submitted for the vacant West Side school building (Switzer). It contains a ton of photos from inside the structure and some preliminary building plans and elevations.

KCDowntown

I liked the Dalmark plan better because it added new construction units on the west property, and sub-level parking.

The Foutch Bros. plan doesn't do that, and puts in surface parking lots on the undeveloped part of the west parcel.

Me very sad.

FangKC wrote:I liked the Dalmark plan better because it added new construction units on the west property, and sub-level parking.

The Foutch Bros. plan doesn't do that, and puts in surface parking lots on the undeveloped part of the west parcel.

Me very sad.

I agree Fang. It is a sad, sad loss for the West Side and the city that we do not have a greater use under way on this site.

For the record, Dalmark is not developing Switzer/West High today as result of the school district repurposing team manipulating the outcome. Fact.