Downtown Homes Tour - May 1st & 2nd

KCN · Post by **KCN** » Sun May 02, 2004 4:59 pm

What type of place will the cheapest rent ($680/mo) get you at clubhouse?

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Sun May 02, 2004 5:31 pm

I don't know, they had 5 units available for tour on floors 11-15, rangng from a 1 bedroom 1 bath to a 3 bedroom 2-1/2 bath with 580 sq-ft balcony. The only one I heard the price of (it was either $1800 or $2000) was one of thee two larger unitss on the 15th floor. Some of the units have 22 foot celinings with loft bedrooms, one would be more accurately considered a split level.

One of the units that was open was in the former gym and had a polished concrete floor. Another was in a former racquetball court and had the original wood racquetball floor. One off the split-level units had a huge bathroom that appeared to have been a former shower room or perhaps a steam room.

I've been watching them build the balconies the last 3 or 4 weeks, they've basically been creating them by removing the outer wall of the building at the top level and constructing a new outer wall about 15 feet back from it. Those are going to be a terrificly attractive ammenity. Especially when KC Live becomes reality.

Czar · Post by **Czar** » Sun May 02, 2004 6:00 pm

What grade would you give the 2004 Downtown Homes Show??? After walking around a couple hours both days I would give it a solid C. Weather was spotty on Sunday and they changed the main staging ground to Barney Allis Plaza. Anyone catch 3 Dog Night on Saturday.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Sun May 02, 2004 6:05 pm

Czar wrote:What grade would you give the 2004 Downtown Homes Show??? After walking around a couple hours both days I would give it a solid C. Weather was spotty on Sunday and they changed the main staging ground to Barney Allis Plaza. Anyone catch 3 Dog Night on Saturday.

Event coordinators are now held responsible for weather?

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Sun May 02, 2004 6:19 pm

I give it a B+. I saw nothing wrong with the starting point being Barney Allis this year, it's a logical choice and rotating the starting point among various neighborhoods is fine as long as there is adequate parking. Saturday's weather was great and Sunday's wasn't bad, just a few very brief very light rains.

I only have two complaints. The activity "tent" at Gilham Row was nice, but since Barney Allis was the junction point where you'd switch between the north and south shuttles halfway through the tour, having some food and drinks there (other than the lone hot dog vendor on the corner) would have been nice. My bigger complaint is that the shuttles weren't coordinated very well. Some drivers were good and stopped at every building on the tour, but others would blow right on by unless someone was standing in front or someone on the shuttled asked the driver to please stop. Also we didn't start at Barney Allis since I live next door to one of the tour stops so we boarded the shuttle for the first time in the River Market. But despite standing in front of one of the buildings on the tour the first two shuttles that we saw did not stop, they just blew right on by on 3rd. I finally had to step out in front of the third shuttle that came by, holding a tour map in the air, before one stopped.

The NICEST thing about the tour though was seeing so much foot traffic on the streets downtown.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Sun May 02, 2004 6:31 pm

scooterj wrote:I give it a B+. I saw nothing wrong with the starting point being Barney Allis this year, it's a logical choice and rotating the starting point among various neighborhoods is fine as long as there is adequate parking. Saturday's weather was great and Sunday's wasn't bad, just a few very brief very light rains.

I only have two complaints. The activity "tent" at Gilham Row was nice, but since Barney Allis was the junction point where you'd switch between the north and south shuttles halfway through the tour, having some food and drinks there (other than the lone hot dog vendor on the corner) would have been nice. My bigger complaint is that the shuttles weren't coordinated very well. Some drivers were good and stopped at every building on the tour, but others would blow right on by unless someone was standing in front or someone on the shuttled asked the driver to please stop. Also we didn't start at Barney Allis since I live next door to one of the tour stops so we boarded the shuttle for the first time in the River Market. But despite standing in front of one of the buildings on the tour the first two shuttles that we saw did not stop, they just blew right on by on 3rd. I finally had to step out in front of the third shuttle that came by, holding a tour map in the air, before one stopped.

The NICEST thing about the tour though was seeing so much foot traffic on the streets downtown.

They need to recruit food vendors and truly make this a big event. Allow downtown restaurants first right to set up a stand on BAP (kinda like Plaza Art Fair).

Couldn't you pull the cord and stop the bus? This seems to be a major complaint. As they projects are so scattered and so numerous, I sympathize with the bus drivers. How do they know where everyone wants to stop?

More and more people go to open houses who have no intent of purchasing and this even seems like it could really be a strong downtown community event. Those who just like to browse homes can entertain themselves downtown while downtown itself gains a major spotlight every year from people who might not venture there very often.

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Sun May 02, 2004 8:00 pm

trailerkid wrote:Couldn't you pull the cord and stop the bus? This seems to be a major complaint. As they projects are so scattered and so numerous, I sympathize with the bus drivers. How do they know where everyone wants to stop?

Well, each of the numbered stops along the shuttle routes seem to me like pretty logical guesses as to where the drivers should stop.

One of the south route drivers did make it a point to stop at every location, the guide spoke briefly about the location, and they checked if anyone wanted off. But one of the north loop drivers ran through so fast that by the time people on the bus got their bearings and knew they were near a place they wanted to see, the shuttle would already be well past the location and the driver told the people they'd have to wait for the shuttle to loop around again.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Sun May 02, 2004 8:18 pm

scooterj wrote:
trailerkid wrote:Couldn't you pull the cord and stop the bus? This seems to be a major complaint. As they projects are so scattered and so numerous, I sympathize with the bus drivers. How do they know where everyone wants to stop?
Well, each of the numbered stops along the shuttle routes seem to me like pretty logical guesses as to where the drivers should stop.

One of the south route drivers did make it a point to stop at every location, the guide spoke briefly about the location, and they checked if anyone wanted off. But one of the north loop drivers ran through so fast that by the time people on the bus got their bearings and knew they were near a place they wanted to see, the shuttle would already be well past the location and the driver told the people they'd have to wait for the shuttle to loop around again.

And I suppose walking is completely out of the question?

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Sun May 02, 2004 8:47 pm

trailerkid wrote:And I suppose walking is completely out of the question?

Pardon me, but I walked quite a lot. First I walked the River Market section. I then used the shuttle to get to Barney Allis. I walked from Barney Allis to Clubhouse, walked over to P&L to show my group the view from my office, walked from there to Library and 21 Ten, then walked back to Barney Allis. Took the shuttle to 1819 Baltimore and then walked all the Crossroads units, only picking the shuttle up again at Western Auto for the two-leg journey back to the River Market. I did plenty of walking.

I used the shuttle only to get between far flung neighborhoods. I didn't paticularly feel like walking to The Views but the shuttle driver apparently didn't feel like driving there either. The other problems I mentioned happened to other people on the shuttles.

Not everyone has the ability to walk it, by the way. There were some elderly people on the tour. There was one woman who could barely go up and down steps yet she still wanted to see the tour. The tour is for all to enjoy, not just the young and fit.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Sun May 02, 2004 9:28 pm

scooterj wrote:Not everyone has the ability to walk it, by the way. There were some elderly people on the tour. There was one woman who could barely go up and down steps yet she still wanted to see the tour. The tour is for all to enjoy, not just the young and fit.

I guess the people who can't walk don't seem to be the ones complaining.

Did you try communicating your desires to have the buses stop at each block to the maniacal shuttle drivers?

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Sun May 02, 2004 9:37 pm

Forget it. I try to point out one minor flaw that should be worked out to make the event better in the future and you get all bent out of shape and act like the event was absolutely perfect and anyone who thinks there is room for improvment is a whiney little spoiled brat who is not worthy of being downtown. This coming from someone about as far away from downtown as you can get and still be near KC. It's like you're taking it personally. Did your organize the event yourself or something? Did you even go to the event? Christ.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Sun May 02, 2004 9:40 pm

scooterj wrote:...anyone who thinks there is room for improvment is a whiney little spoiled brat who is not worthy of being downtown.

I didn't say it...you did.

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Sun May 02, 2004 10:12 pm

Good grief. Your ridiculous sarcasm communicated your opinion.

Like I said, forget it. Obviously the event was absolutely flawless, a shining pinnacle of perfection, there is absolutely no way it can possibly be any better.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Sun May 02, 2004 10:16 pm

scooterj wrote:Good grief. Your ridiculous sarcasm communicated your opinion.

Like I said, forget it. Obviously the event was absolutely flawless, a shining pinnacle of perfection, there is absolutely no way it can possibly be any better.

Maybe next time they can have the bus stop at every parking spot along the street.

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Sun May 02, 2004 10:29 pm

How about next time they have no shuttles at all. Everyone must walk the entire course. Or, if they are unable, they can ride bicycles. If they absolutely must used mechanized travel due to some medical reason, then they can hop on frilly little Vespas to get around.

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On a completely non-sarcastic note that hopefully won't create yet another argument, anyone have any guesses as to how long it will be before the West Bottoms has something to add to the tour?

carfreekc · Post by **carfreekc** » Sun May 02, 2004 11:49 pm

scooterj wrote:How about next time they have no shuttles at all. Everyone must walk the entire course.

Hey now, there's an idea for the newest run/walk in KC! It could be a combo run/walk/scavenger hunt. First person to get a stamp (or something) from each housing stop and get to Barney Allis first wins. Running or walking only! Of course, each stop would have water. We could call it the Downtowner.

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Mon May 03, 2004 12:37 am

The first person to get back to the starting tent with a punched card proving they got to every property wins a free 1 year lease in their favorite unit of the tour!

carfreekc · Post by **carfreekc** » Mon May 03, 2004 12:39 am

Now that might get people moving!

(Of course, you'd have to station race watchers to make sure people weren't cheating by being dropped off in cars between locations, especially with a nice prize like that!)

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Mon May 03, 2004 7:58 am

I'd give it a B.....like was stated, I'd like to see more going on at Barney Allis plaza...I went late on Sunday and obviously it was all being torn down but looked like there wasn't much there anyways.

tat2kc · Post by **tat2kc** » Mon May 03, 2004 8:38 am

my fav development ended up being the Riverbend lofts, even though it is not new. They are going to be converted to condos, so I wanted to look at the property again in this light. The units were decently sized, averaging about 1000 sq ft. The folks there said that the avg prices should be near 130,000 for the average unit (1,000 sq ft). If you buy
"as is" the price should be a bit less than this. One of the reasons that the price is set this way is because the tax credits and assisstance they got when they converted the building helped recoup some of that cost. Since they've been rental for a while, they've been able to make significant reductions in the debt, which allows the prices we were quoted. When my lease is up in the spring of 2005, we'll be moving into that building, and leasing unitl the conversion happens, then buy our unit as is. It sounds like a great deal to me! I'll need to really sit downt and talk with the developers when the move date gets closer to make sure that the prices we were told are, in fact accurate.