Eastside about to boom? Or should I say re-boom?

[KCgridlock]

We should be talking more about this. Between Beacon Hill, Vine St, Muni Stadium and others all along Troost, Paseo, Brush Creek, Bruce Watkins etc. we are going to see a major rebirth of this area. I think this will be some of the most important developments in occur in KC in a long time. Bringing back entire sections of the city that have been left behind decades ago. I'm all for stadiums, transit and zoos, believe me. But if the Eastside returns to glory with all the boulevards, the fancy roads and bridges and the location near KC's urban economic and cultural spine (RiverCrownPlaza), this could trully mark the rebirth of KCMO and the entire metro area.

Housing projects on KC's East Side promise new unity
Jim Davis
Staff Writer

When real estate agent Cathy Brown tells people why they should live on Beacon Hill, she can speak with authority.

Brown is building the new East Side subdivision's first house and expects to move in by September.

"This is about as close as you can get to Downtown in a 430-unit subdivision," Brown said.

Construction of the first 18 houses will begin in the summer, said Brown, whose CB Properties has been hired by Beacon Hill's developers to list their property.

She reports strong interest from people who want to move from smaller units in places such as Union Hill.

"We have a lot more to offer with three bedrooms and three baths," she said.

This movement carries significance that could resonate throughout Kansas City. More than $100 million of construction on Beacon Hill and elsewhere on the East Side will provide single-family housing that isn't available in the loft-driven development in the Crossroads, River Market and Garment District.

"Downtown housing is for young professionals and empty nesters," said Bill Brown, regional managing director in Kansas City for Fannie Mae. "Opportunities on the near East Side are more family-oriented."

Brown, no relation to Cathy Brown, said he sees Kansas City's long-segregated neighborhoods becoming more racially mixed. The traditional dividing line between whites and blacks along Troost Avenue has been pushed east as far as Prospect Avenue, Brown said.

Fannie Mae, a quasi-government housing lender that is the nation's largest source of home mortgage financing, is helping finance Beacon Hill and other East Side housing initiatives.

Brown traced these projects' widening recognition to the completion of Bruce R. Watkins Drive in 2001. As more people from other parts of metropolitan Kansas City travel through the East Side, he said, they have an easier time envisioning what it would be like to live just a few blocks from Crown Center and Hospital Hill.

"They're seeing gorgeous vistas," Brown said. "Without Watkins, these people would never have seen these neighborhoods. I'm seeing increased confidence levels among people who want to give up their commute."

Yet the completion of the roadway, which uprooted communities in its path and took 50 years, is emblematic of the sometimes-glacial pace of redeveloping established parts of Kansas City.

"It's just very difficult to do this urban-core stuff," said Leonard Graham, president of Taliaferro & Browne Consulting Engineers Inc., a partner in the group that is serving as Beacon Hill's master developer. "I can see why developers have a tendency to migrate to the suburbs."

City codes aren't designed for the East Side's street grids and century-old public infrastructure, Graham said.

Beacon Hill is to be done in six years. Its houses, some exceeding $350,000, will be pricier than units being developed in the adjacent Vine Street District.

Vine Street Place will contain nearly 50 houses costing $140,000 to $185,000.

Also planned are rental apartments in the Vine Street Lofts. Increasing demand more than doubled this component's size; it will contain 140 units in two buildings. Occupancy is planned for late next year. Sixty percent of tenants will pay market rates; the rest will be subsidized.

Mike Grube, a senior vice president with Bank of America Community Development Corp., said three model houses have been built. Further construction on the site of the former Municipal Stadium at 22nd Street and Brooklyn Avenue will follow new streets and curbs, which are to be done by the end of the month.

Making the area more pedestrian-friendly will make it easier for new residents to patronize restaurants, clubs and other attractions that have opened and are planned in the 18th and Vine Historic District.

Al Fleming, CEO of the Jazz District Redevelopment Corp., which is overseeing 18th and Vine, said he wants more people to live in surrounding neighborhoods because they'll become the best customers of places such as the new Peachtree Restaurant at 18th Street and The Paseo.

Fleming said he expects a second restaurant, Strange Frut, to open in the summer, along with a jazz club and coffeehouse. He also is negotiating for a barbecue restaurant and sports bar.

They're part of about $15 million in development that also has brought 119 new apartments to the district. A second phase of construction, valued around $9.8 million, will include an additional 79 housing units. Opening is planned for summer 2004.

Development has come more slowly than Fleming had anticipated. The economic slowdown has stymied financing for areas such as 18th and Vine, he said.

To raise awareness, a new group called Friends of the Vine has convened networking sessions. The most recent such event took place May 20 at the Peachtree. Invitees included Wayne Cauthen, Kansas City's new city manager, and Rick Hughes, new CEO of the Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Kansas City.

The East Side can become a showpiece, its backers agreed.

"The whole goal has always been to build a neighborhood," Graham said. "We're not just interested in building houses. We want to build a community."

Reach Jim Davis at 816-421-5900 or jdavis@bizjournals.com.

[KC ROO]

you are right this area will really help to bring back the entire urban core opening up new housing opportuities in areas usualy overlooked. another big boost for the east side will be occuring with the vineyard and 39th street plan, this plans involves the stabilazaiton of the vineyard neighborhood, redevelopment of the old Holy Temple Homes site, near the VA hospital, into a community of new single family and townhomes, and the redevelopment of the seven oaks shopping center and apartments, the apartments will be torn down with new townhomes built in its place, the existing shopping center will be torn down and rebuilt closer to the street to create a more pedestrian friendly feel. There is some opposition in the seven oaks shopping center redevelopment though mainly from the operaters of Leon's Grocers a long term resident of the center, hopefuly this will be worked out because the lack of good retail could hinder the development on the eastside.

[macnw]

Where are all the websites for these projects on the eastside. I can find very little in regards to 18th and Vine, Beacon Hill, Vine St Place or any other projects on the east. Seems like having some info would make people more aware of what actually is going on. Black Economic Union was supposed to have a website at http://www.beukc.org, but there is no information.

[KC ROO]

There are very few if any official websites for these projects, I am doing an internship at the Housing and Econominc Development Corperation, they are really the driving force behind the Becon Hill Development and the Vineyard and 39th street efforts so that is where my information is coming.

[kcmajik]

this really does have me excited - i used to drive paseo down to the plaza and my grandma would always tell me that "this is the street you always took goin' south through here. There were NICE homes over there and it was very busy." which is quite a reverse of the present situation. i think it would be splended to get it restored to it appropriate setting.

[trailerkid]

Some more promising news for the East Side...

Two KC groups join for house loans on East Side

Two Kansas City community development corporations are collaborating to provide loans for house purchases and improvements on Kansas City's East Side.

Neighborhood Housing Services of Kansas City and Swope Community Builders said Monday that they expect to provide $2.5 million annually to low- and middle-income residents through the new NHS Paseo East Banking Division. The loans will be for house purchases and improvements in the area bounded by 39th and 63rd streets between Paseo Boulevard and Interstate 435.

Plans call for the loan program to start this month. The new mortgage banking division will be at Neighborhood Housing Services. Mortgage loan officer Marquetta Brown can provide more information about the program at 816-822-7703, ext. 212.


© 2004 American City Business Journals Inc.

[KCMax]

Wow that sounds really awesome. I would love to look into buying a home in one of these neighborhoods but I know my girlfriend will be concerned about crime, safety, etc. Are these neighborhoods safe? How can I assauge her fears?

[chrizow]

as with any urban area, the East side of KC is very spotty.

some neighborhoods are literally warzones. this is usually the result of one or two drug houses on the block starting (and attracting) trouble.

most neighborhoods are just good hardworking (or retired) people who either cant move out, or simply want to stay in their neighborhood.

so yeah, not all "bad" neighborhoods are created equal.

i know that some yuppietastic rehabbing fun is to be had in troostwood and some other east-of-troost spots that have good houses.

but yes, living in these neighborhoods comes with its risks. you may not be ducking bullets like those on some blocks, but property crimes and auto theft can get bad over there.

if i were looking to move to the core and own a home without paying Brookside prices, i'd move to a fixer-upper in hyde park or even right across the state line in SE KCK. some of my friends from college are trickling into the KCK hoods just north of KU Med. cheap payments, cute houses, good location, not as much crime.

[dangerboy]

Beacon Hill is supposedly the largest urban housing redevelopment currently under construction anywhere in the country. 400 houses is similar to a good-sized suburban subdivision. Like the article said, this is a great opportunity to keep some of the loft crowd in the urban core as they move into the single-family housing phase.

I guarantee that once there are homeowners paying $300,000-plus to live in the area, there will be significant pressure on the city to keep up with basic services like police protection.

[troostwood]

As a guy who recently went through the process of moving to Troostwood, I'll tell you I first scoured Hyde Park. The picking is pretty thin for a house left with a good foundation over there. Of course there's always availability, but you're not going to find a bargain, as the prices have risen considerably in the last two years.

There's more to find to the south, north and east of Hyde Park, including Troostwood. By the way Troostwood isn't yuppie-oriented at all, in my estimation. It's just that in the congregate the homes have been kept up -- the foundations are thick and sit on a limestone ledge. So there's less risk in investing. The people moving in aren't all lawyers, etc. Lots of university die-hards, etc.

Speaking of lawyers, however, a friend of mine who is a development lawyer who lives in Troostwood told me that Troost is no longer the real dividing line between black and white, or of a comfort zone.

He believes the dividing line has, culturally speaking, shifted to Bruce Watkins. I bring this up because I can see some truth in what he says. Although I'm pretty sure no one over 45 agrees with him.

I think it's great that they have housing development projects east of troost. I think the more decent housing available for ownership the better, no matter your demographic.

But Bruce Watkins, especially from Cleaver II north, will in the long run drive a residential resurgence, perhaps living up to the hype. It's just so fast. I can get to the river market where my sister's boyfriend lives, curb to curb, in 11 minutes. I can get to Lee's Summit in 23 minutes (not between 4:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.).

One thing that i think has to happen however: Van Brunt Boulevard has to be be shined up. It's a great thoroughfare ruined by crumbling curbs, inconsequential traffic lights, and a pathetic joke of public art by the VA hospital. (Those colored rings that look as if they have fallen.) That street could be fast and safe. Right now it's fast and unsafe. It could also be pretty.

Beacon Hill needs to happen and be repeated. However, I would like to see something even more affordable mixed in -- Coops or something. $140,000 homes are still out of reach for a lot of people, even most people.

[trailerkid]

as with any urban area, the East side of KC is very spotty.

some neighborhoods are literally warzones. this is usually the result of one or two drug houses on the block starting (and attracting) trouble.

most neighborhoods are just good hardworking (or retired) people who either cant move out, or simply want to stay in their neighborhood.

so yeah, not all "bad" neighborhoods are created equal.

i know that some yuppietastic rehabbing fun is to be had in troostwood and some other east-of-troost spots that have good houses.

but yes, living in these neighborhoods comes with its risks. you may not be ducking bullets like those on some blocks, but property crimes and auto theft can get bad over there.

if i were looking to move to the core and own a home without paying Brookside prices, i'd move to a fixer-upper in hyde park or even right across the state line in SE KCK. some of my friends from college are trickling into the KCK hoods just north of KU Med. cheap payments, cute houses, good location, not as much crime.

I'm not sure about all these characterizations....

I don't know anything about the East Side, but characterizing it as a "war zone" seems a touch over the top. Unless you can zero in on a specific problems, locales, groups of people; it continues to instill fear about an area of KCMO that also has a large African American population. Basically ends up sounding like another random report about "bad things" from the TV news. Many shootings, auto thefts, murders, rapes, or whatever happen everyday in the much less dense "white" 'burbs also. I'm pretty sure that is not what goes on in KC's East Side 100% of the time.

[chrizow]

tk, read my post again.

i said the east side is "spotty." there are good areas and bad areas and areas in-between. random violent crime is usually a result of the drug trade, so if there is heavy drug activity on a given block, that block will seee some serious violence.

there are some neighborhoods that are indeed warzones, although not as bad as they used to be. for just one example, my old college roommate grew up in Blue Hills (roughly 55th and just off Paseo) and reports that he and his siblings would sometimes sleep in the bathtub because they thought it would protect them from the bullets they heard EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK from the asshole gangs on the block. you dont get that shit anywhere else in the metro, except certain parts of KCK.

most neighborhoods are not warzones of course, but you are deluding yourself if you think that the East Side of KC is a picnic. while it's true that crime can (and does) happen anywhere, the East Side of KC has more crime than anywhere in the metro. if you look at a map showing the sites for murders in KC (i've seen these before), you'll see that easily 90% of them took place in East KC.

like i've said many times, 98% of people in these more poor areas are good people. it just takes a few jackasses on the block to make the neighborhood unsafe.

so yeah, the East Side of KC isn't uniformly ghetto or violent or anything like that. but there are some rough spots there, rougher than any suburb in the metro could ever be.

[rxlexi]

I should add, Chrizow, that crime in KC reached a very high level in the late 80's thru mid 90's, due for the most part to drugs, like you mention. However, in recent years, though parts of the east side are still 'no picnic', things have improved considerably, especially in many of the fringe areas nearer to Troost. Many of these neighborhoods were quite down and out even 10 years ago, but have now come back to the point that they are stable and enjoyed by a mix of residents that have taken interest in making their neighborhoods safe again.

[trailerkid]

Unless I'm a total dolt, I didn't see anything mentioned concerning the symposium for future development of the East Side. Without baiting the anti/pro Funkhouser nonsense does anyone know of any ideas generated at this symposium? I applaud Funkhouser for taking to the lead for the East Siders, but where is it going? How do we bring these East Side neighborhoods back?

Like Grid said at the beginning of this thread some years ago, there is sooo much potential in these areas. 

[DaveKCMO]

you didn't see anything on this board. thanks for bringing it up. there's plenty of stuff we haven't tried, and i fear the end result is that we'll have to take something to jeff city in collaboration with STL (not intrinsically bad, just painfully slow).

[bahua]

Offer tax breaks to new developments and drive/price the residents out with gentrification.

If the plan is something else, I'd love to see it, and I'd love to see it work. I don't have a whole lot of faith though.

[DaveKCMO]

Mayor launches effort for inner-city investment

Mayor Mark Funkhouser began what is expected to be a several-month planning effort to encourage investment in poor city neighborhoods with a symposium Monday.

“As long as I’m mayor, I intend to have my focus on economic development in distressed neighborhoods, largely in the urban core,” Funkhouser told the group at the downtown library. “For better or for worse, whether it’s one term or two, this is not a one-time thing for me.”

More than two dozen people were invited to the daylong symposium being billed as “New Tools for Economic Development.”

The group included neighborhood activists, development officials, Kansas City Council members and corporate executives, including Mike Chesser of Great Plains Energy and Ollie Gates of Gates Bar-B-Q.

The discussions will continue through the summer and are expected to result in an development plan for economically distressed areas of the city.

[voltopt]

Offer tax breaks to new developments and drive/price the residents out with gentrification.

If the plan is something else, I'd love to see it, and I'd love to see it work. I don't have a whole lot of faith though.

I hope the plan is something else.  There is truly very little remaining of residential value in the traditional black area of town, which is 15th to 27th, Troost to Prospect.  I don't think its possible to gentrify it - it would be more like a complete rebuild.  Most of the area is fields of abandoned lots, with quite a few 1950s/60s era warehouses and distribution centers mixed in. 

If an area on the east side exists that still retains some of its residential character and potential for basic services, it would be the traditional "south central" area, which is 27th south to 43rd, Troost east to Benton/Indiana.  This is an area that could be truly affected by gentrification (or reclaimation, or whatever one wants to call it).  I have mixed feelings about white anger and resentment towards gentrification.  Its understandable that in cities like San Francisco and New York and Chicago there are many disdavantaged people in well built neighborhoods being forced out because of rising taxes and land values, and that they don't have anywhere to go.  But Kansas City is a little bit different - our urban area (or traditional city area) was abandoned so quickly and so efficiently that in many parts there is very little of value left.  And if somehow Kansas City is able to repopulate certain disandvantaged but well built neighborhoods, I don't think they will do so at such a quick rate as to render the existing residents as homeless.  Kansas City does not have a housing shortage in any sense of the word - there is an abundance of cheap property for many, many square miles.  Even if yuppies, the middle class, or whomever populate and rebuild the areas along troost and the paseo through midtown as a sort of gentrified reclaimation, I sincerely doubt the rest of the city would be unable to absorb any potential migrations. 
I think we should save the gentrification talk for when it actually becomes an issue - for now Kansas City, despite its progress in downtown development and midtown/near east side residential development, is predominantly poor, completely underutilized, thoroughly neglected, and efficiently abandoned.  There is plenty of room for everyone - real estate speculators, the disadvantaged, the young professionals, the middle class, the thrill seeking college graduates, immigrants, etc..