KCRag Forum

I oddly don't have a problem with it. Maybe because I've been so disconnected with that neighborhood that it's not worth me caring about any more? 3 floors does seem to be their typical style. I'd say 5 stories would be a better height.

It will be as strictly adhered to as all the other plans in the city.

New Westport Master Plan Calls for Shorter Buildings, Wider Sidewalks

https://cityscenekc.com/new-westport-ma ... sidewalks/

3 story residential limit is pretty shortsighted

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Tue May 28, 2019 12:25 pm I oddly don't have a problem with it. Maybe because I've been so disconnected with that neighborhood that it's not worth me caring about any more? 3 floors does seem to be their typical style. I'd say 5 stories would be a better height.

Well for better or worse with all the new apartments and Kaw's taking over it's going to be the college party district. Such a same in between the Plaza/Westport was never developed could have been something special IMO.

Yeah it bums me out but I've kind of had the will best out of me with the leadership in that neighborhood and nobody in city hall caring enough to stand up.to them.

I think it is interesting how often people talk about Westport this way. I have lived in KC for 7 years and almost never go to WP at night - though I have been coming here during the day for years. I see it as a thriving daytime district. Maybe I am an optimist?

marieantoinette wrote: ↑Tue May 28, 2019 3:44 pm I think it is interesting how often people talk about Westport this way. I have lived in KC for 7 years and almost never go to WP at night - though I have been coming here during the day for years. I see it as a thriving daytime district. Maybe I am an optimist?

I think it does good but could be better. Once PNL opened there were a few years where things didnt look good for Westport lots of empty spaces and such. It came roaring back as a bar district for awhile with a twist as a daytime spot too. I think there was a lot of debate on what it should turn into moving forward. Anyway moving forward what happened is it didn't turn into more of a day spot or a place for the 30+ crowd at night. it's going to be more like Manhattan or Lawrence with Kaw's buying most of the bars.

Now of course I don't see all their concepts surviving and we'll be back to having debates. i'm still not as down on Westport as many on here might be. There are still some of my favorite bars in town in Westport (Harrys, Gambals, Californos, and Fidels cigar shop)

I could definitely see it operating as a daytime spot in the future. There are already a good amount of daytime people in the neighborhood, as I witness every day.. But OPUS will bring more residents, and Manor Square will have an office of 200 new employees when SHS moves in (and could have more residents if that apartment project ever actually happens). Main Street now allows 10-15 stories of height - a lifetime of development potential. And the plan calls for more height along Broadway than what is currently allowed (6 stories). These are all opportunities for more density of residential and office uses that can help support the small businesses in the neighborhood.

As for it only being a "bar district", I guess I just don't see it that way. Sure, that's definitely very common in the neighborhood, but during the day it is really a special place that offers an array of businesses that I use regularly because it's convenient. I'd love to see more residential to support those businesses, though.

I'm thinking of Soulard in STL. Plenty of residential that is integrated all throughout the district through diverse housing types.

I avoid Westport on Friday and Saturdays between 10p and 3a - unless I'm seeing something at the Riot Room or Saloon that keeps me there later. It's perfectly fine the rest of the week.

Totally agree. I'll go see some of Californos shows. But if I am in Westport late at night on a weekend, it is probably by a cruel act of fate.

The entire district isn't capped at three stories, just key sections.

chaglang wrote: ↑Tue May 28, 2019 1:21 pm It will be as strictly adhered to as all the other plans in the city.

DaveKCMO wrote: ↑Tue May 28, 2019 8:22 pm The entire district isn't capped at three stories, just key sections.

I think this is great. Protect the historic area's character and allow larger development on the larger thoroughfares. Makes sense.

^Agreed. Although I’m skeptical that a developer following that plan won’t get hassled by the Nopus crowd anyway.

Yeah, I don't have a problem with this. I do think its funny that they didn't even grandfather in the Opus project.

3 stories along Westport road doesn't bother me, but I don't understand why they would leave Central and Wyandotte at "neighborhood 3 stories". The sections of these streets currently with houses are next to the Main Street Overlay 10 stories and the current parking lots and vacant lots closer to Westport road seem more likely to develop into apartments.

Yeah. I thought that was a weird transition too, but I think that difference is stark enough that any reasonable council will allow an exception if a development were ever presented.

3 stories along 39th street and the western half of 43rd is too restrictive. "Neighborhood zone" on 39th consists of car washes, a body shop, dilapadated 60s era professional office buildings. Nothing worth preserving architecturally or scale-wise. They did make the proposal to replace one of the car washes with a five story residential project non-conforming