The Citadel Plaza project at E. 63rd & Prospect

[DaveKCMO]

The developer of Citadel Plaza is suing the City.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking ... 25762.html

good luck with those mayoral aspirations, councilman riley...

[FangKC]

Developers of Citadel Plaza Face Criminal Charges for Asbestos Removal.

http://www.kansascity.com/2010/06/29/20 ... arges.html

[cdm2p]

who is going to inherit that awful mess?

[FangKC]

I don't know, but it will probably be tied up in litigation for years.

[KCMax]

$15 million Citadel settlement advances

Kansas City taxpayers would spend more than $15 million to resolve lawsuits over the failed Citadel Plaza development, under an agreement that gained tentative approval today.

The City Council’s Finance and Governance Committee endorsed a settlement of several lawsuits involving creditors for the development, which was first proposed about 15 years ago at 63rd Street and Prospect Avenue.

[Thaine]

who is going to inherit that awful mess?

The citizens of Kansas City.

[FangKC]

Perhaps this project could turn out better than the original plan.

One of my criticisms of the whole design was that there wasn't enough residential in it.

I'm all for a grocery store (preferably a local chain owner), retail shops, and some office space.

If you think of the location across from Research Medical Center, then this project would be perfect some senior housing apartment towers, assisted living, and a nursing home as well. Seniors like to be close to their doctors. There are two drug stores already on E. 63rd Street--a Walgreen's and a CVS right across the street. There's already one bank across the street, and they could add another--and perhaps even a credit union. There is a Social Security office down the street near E. 63rd Street and Euclid, and a public library east of there.

Throw in some conveniences for residents like an auto repair center, exercise facility, private physicians' offices, dentists, optician, hair salon, massage place, movie theater, and post office. The seniors are also big on restaurants like Bob Evans, Country Kitchen, Golden Corral, Home Town Buffet, Boston Market, and Denny's. But don't put these restaurants on pads in a sea of parking spaces. Provide a small park space as well.

Put in some residential that nurses and other hospital staff can afford too.

Also, don't neglect to add a church or town onsite.

The former Citadel Plaza plan.

http://www.jsa-architects.com/portfolio ... _plaza.htm

[Stockton]

Has anybody else thought a Walmart store would be perfect for this plot? It basically has 71 frontage and 63rd street is a busy commuter corridor. It's not that terrible of an area. Anybody know if Walmart has built in a similar area in other cities?

On a side note, I've recently taken a closer look at SE KCMO south of Brush Creek and east of Brookside and Waldo and the entire area is impressively intact with neat, albeit smaller, housing stock. Don't let the condition of some of the housing visible from 71 fool you. Also, it's interesting how the beige suburban subdivision was built on the former golf course in the area in the middle of gridded streets full of historic bungalows.

And it's just a dream, but it sure would have been nice and progressive for the area to have Target and Trader Joe's at a redeveloped Landing VS Ward Parkway.

[FangKC]

There used to be a Wal-Mart near there at Bannister Mall, but they shut the store down and moved to the former Blue Ridge Mall site. I doubt Wal-Mart would open another store on the Citadel Plaza site.

However, it would be an ideal site for one of their competitors, Target--especially one that included a grocery store.

The closest ones are at State Line Road and 85th Street, and 470 and 50 Highway in Lee's Summit.

[Stockton]

There used to be a Wal-Mart near there at Bannister Mall, but they shut the store down and moved to the former Blue Ridge Mall site. I doubt Wal-Mart would open another store on the Citadel Plaza site.

However, it would be an ideal site for one of their competitors, Target--especially one that included a grocery store.

The closest ones are at State Line Road and 85th Street, and 470 and 50 Highway in Lee's Summit.

I think a Target is less realistic than a Walmart according to the local demographics, but who knows. And it wouldn't surprise me if Walmart reemerges at the Bannister site because I don't see what else would anchor that site, but I guess Target is possible. Last I heard, the first phase of Bannister (mostly retail) was supposed to be happening.

[Midtownkid]

On a side note, I've recently taken a closer look at SE KCMO south of Brush Creek and east of Brookside and Waldo and the entire area is impressively intact with neat, albeit smaller, housing stock. Don't let the condition of some of the housing visible from 71 fool you. Also, it's interesting how the beige suburban subdivision was built on the former golf course in the area in the middle of gridded streets full of historic bungalows.

Kansas City's Eastside is still full of beautiful boulevards and houses...it is just dangerous, and perceived as ultra-dangerous (and some blocks are I guess). I wish we could get KC's 'no-go zone' to shrink or to move further east, past 71. There should be a bigger push to plant trees, beautify infrastructure, and restore/redevelop areas along boulevards in KC. Many of them run through the Eastside. There is just a lot of amazing architecture and history east of Troost and most people never see it.

[FangKC]

Citadel Plaza developer Threatt gets probation for asbestos violations

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... 2012-10-15

[kboish]

10k fine and 250 hours community service for being completely ignorant of how to properly dispose of asbestos and then trying to bury it? weak.

plus, i know the article states they won't get any of the 15 mil the city paid out, but i'm skeptical...they're sleazy enough to figure out a way to get some of that.

[heatherkay]

Wouldn't there also be civil litigation? I know that if I worked on that site, without any asbestos training or control measures, that I would be lining up lawyers right now.

[KCMax]

Study: Aim for Target at former Citadel Plaza site

A new market study of 63rd Street and Prospect Avenue — the site of the doomed Citadel Plaza project — suggests that Kansas City should target Target.
The surrounding area is so economically depressed that any development would need multiple big-name anchor tenants to draw traffic from farther away, the study says

Well, good luck.

[mgsports]

CIty Target? Shopko? Burlington Coat Factory? Ross? Mega Marshalls? Grander Mountain? Mejia? Foods Festival? DIllions back? Kroger? Gerbes? Winn DIxie? Hhgregg? Bealls? Boston Store?

[chaglang]

Study: Aim for Target at former Citadel Plaza site

A new market study of 63rd Street and Prospect Avenue — the site of the doomed Citadel Plaza project — suggests that Kansas City should target Target.
The surrounding area is so economically depressed that any development would need multiple big-name anchor tenants to draw traffic from farther away, the study says

Well, good luck.

I would shop there. It's a heck of a lot closer than Ward Parkway. But I suspect Target needs more to go on that that.

[Zorobabel]

CIty Target? Shopko? Burlington Coat Factory? Ross? Mega Marshalls? Grander Mountain? Mejia? Foods Festival? DIllions back? Kroger? Gerbes? Winn DIxie? Hhgregg? Bealls? Boston Store?

Ross, most definitely.

[FangKC]

I would think given the neighborhood, that a Super Target combined with a Ross Dress for Less or Marshalls, Payless Shoes, Home Depot, a bank branch, and maybe Hobby Lobby would work there. In fact, that intersection would be perfect for a home improvement store. If you look at a Google map searching for Lowe's or Home Depot, you see that there are neither for quite a distance. If one clicks on the map in the center of the all the surrounding home improvement stores, it lands right at 63rd and Prospect. I would go with Lowe's since there is a Home Depot on Bannister Road.

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Home+Dep ... Lowes&z=11

That area is particularly underserved in shopping. It's also quite a drive to get to a movie theater, the closest ones are Noland Road, the Plaza, and Ward Parkway shopping center. Adding a multiplex there would probably be a good idea. This is why so many "urban youth" migrate to the Plaza for entertainment. There is a vast dead zone on the East Side in regards to any type of entertainment. A bowling alley might work there.

It would also be a good site to add some restaurants, and maybe a mid-priced chain hotel. People do come from longer distances to Research Medical Center, so that would probably be a sub-market just for that.

However, if I were doing it, I would also build out rowhouses, apartments, senior housing including assisted living, and a nursing home. Health care and Social Security Administration are nearby. As long as their is a grocery store, that would be a good combination for people living on-site and medical center workers across 63rd Street at Research Medical Center. There is a real lack of multi-housing in that area, since most of it is single family homes.

There are probably some medical center staff that would live there if there were decently-priced apartments with shopping on-site.

The biggest multi-housing market I see is probably for seniors, since there are many living in single family homes nearby that might want to give maintenance up, and of course the medical center workers.

If ever there were a project that required a TIF, it's this site.

[KCMax]

FWIW, there's a Sutherlands just 3 miles from there at 72nd and Wornall.