OFFICIAL: Port Authority Riverfront Project

[bspecht]

JE Dunn was supposed to be part of a 12-block, 1,200 unit East Village development "modeled after Quality Hill" by Swope Community Builders (which became quite a saga itself). TIF was approved in 2006, used for JE Dunn & the EV Apartments building and expired for non-activated projects in 2016.

https://kansascity.newspapers.com/artic ... 121732190/
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[WoodDraw]

Yeah I mean the years there say a lot and then it went into land banking.

Would love a ticktock story on the east village and what happened. For awhile I remember people being super excited.

[FangKC]

At one time, McCormack Baron was interested in developing a neighborhood there similar to Quality Hill. Prior to that, the City was pitching that area for a new Federal Reserve Bank campus. McCormack Baron's plan was to eventually develop all the way to Paseo.

McCormack Baron envisions building residential units, a la Quality Hill, from Ilus Davis Park on the west to The Paseo on the east, bordered by the downtown loop's highways to the north and south.

viewtopic.php?p=138724#p138724

There was also a plan to build a new General Services Administration (GSA) building in the EV but they never got the funding approved. Any GSA building would have reduced the number of housing units to 600-800.

[WoodDraw]

I used to know more about this. The federal reserve got fucked with post Oklahoma city rules I think.

There was also a push to relocate one from mo, I think to Colorado?

This was a very bizarre time with the recession and rules and that area going back years. I just can't coherently remember it all.

[FangKC]

Most of the momentum started around 2006, and the 2008 economic crisis put the kibosh on movement.

[WoodDraw]

Most of the momentum started around 2006, and the 2008 economic crisis put the kibosh on movement.

That's my memory as well. There was awhile there where connecting the ev though the government district was a big thing.

[taxi]

There was a plan in place in 2001and possibly earlier. And the Funkhouser reign didn't help things.

[WoodDraw]

Yeah there was the recession and funk saying the only public money would go to lawyers to defend my wife.

A lot of stuff died in those years.

[dukuboy1]

shame nothing else ever came back to life. Figure it's been at minimum 13 yrs since 2010 and the 2088 recessions was in the rearview.

My guess the land banking was really counting on Royals coming downtown. Now that appears to be gone so they will have to go back to the drawing board. Great potential for development but I guess no developers have the cash do do anything anymore.

[KCPowercat]

I mean commitments of Shell HQ and Topgolf (not that I'd strive for it) are a bit different.

Reminds me of Port Covington in Baltimore, which is moving along well towards a moderate density.

Local shell office moving into a new building. Just as when JE Dunn anchored east village with their office.

Anchored? The JE Dunn building is the east village

Wonder where the baseball stadium will go?
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[KC_Ari]

Area is fenced off and site work is started for the Beer Garden being done by the same people who are finishing up the hotel.

[Chris Stritzel]

Origin Hotel progress

[Chris Stritzel]

The trail is getting close to reopening.

[FangKC]

Needs trees.

[DMNBT_RCJH]

Spent the afternoon at Berkley yesterday and I can’t remember seeing so many people out enjoying the park, the trails, the green space, etc.

Fun afternoon and cool to see it getting so much use.

[KCPowercat]

Can't wait for an actual ped connection. That main street bridge is cool as an overlook but sucks for connection. The other option through Columbus park is dangerous and almost unusable.

[langosta]

Stadium district plans to break ground after this NWSL season ends and open major components prior to World Cup 2026

[Belvidere]

Can't wait for an actual ped connection. That main street bridge is cool as an overlook but sucks for connection. The other option through Columbus park is dangerous and almost unusable.

As far as I know, they were given initial report at the end of March about the various options and we haven't heard anything since.

[Highlander]

Can't wait for an actual ped connection. That main street bridge is cool as an overlook but sucks for connection. The other option through Columbus park is dangerous and almost unusable.

Where is the pedestrian connection going to be?

What option do you have from Columbus Park? Walking down Guinotte Avenue to Lydia or NE Industrial Trafficway? Yikes.

It's rather amazing how isolated Berkley Riverfront Park is from the rest of downtown KC. You couldn't make it more isolated if you actually set out to do so.

Not sure I'd want to walk down this street:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1145333 ... ?entry=ttu

[KC_Ari]

Can't wait for an actual ped connection. That main street bridge is cool as an overlook but sucks for connection. The other option through Columbus park is dangerous and almost unusable.

Where is the pedestrian connection going to be?

What option do you have from Columbus Park? Walking down Guinotte Avenue to Lydia or NE Industrial Trafficway? Yikes.

It's rather amazing how isolated Berkley Riverfront Park is from the rest of downtown KC. You couldn't make it more isolated if you actually set out to do so.

Not sure I'd want to walk down this street:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.1145333 ... ?entry=ttu

Port KC did a study for other connections to Berkley last summer, they had a survey and polled people coming and going from the park. I don't know what ever became of that. I assume it will be used to apply for grants, etc.