KCRag Forum

the american royal coyld do all of that without needing a new arena.

why haven't they?

There is also a competing proposal from the Foutch Bros. that requires far less public funds.

mgh7676 wrote:Maybe I missed this in another thread, but it seems to be a pretty great idea for development in the West Bottoms.

ut the American Royal has gone another step and laid out an ambitious idea to re-energize the entire area. The vision would utilize the new event center as the engine of redevelopment that anchors a broader community effort to attract agricultural and animal health headquarters to the area as well as epicurean retail shops and farm-to-table restaurants.

The vision imagines “opportunities for micro farms, cottage dairies, creameries, specialty food shops, wine tasting rooms, year-round farmers markets, juice shops, bakeries, candle makers, etc.” Where better to connect a neighborhood to fresh food and events than the West Bottoms of Kansas City?

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/reade ... rylink=cpy

This worked well previously...in the City Market!!

A few takeaways from this Pitch article:
http://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/archives ... n-ox-space

Stockyards Brewing Company moving into half of old Golden Ox space, hoping to lure a restaurant into the other half of the space. Foutch Brothers proposal is not dead. And my favorite, there is a market-rate apartment (230ish unites) proposed for the Golden Ox's south parking lot is now.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/business ... 41102.html

City approves plan to redevelop 5 building cluster in West Bottoms into 250 apartments. Will include some ground level retail.

Construction should start within 90 days.

I know that block, one of my favorite photo locations is across the railroad. Hopefully they get really good soundproofing.

http://kcur.org/post/kansas-citys-west- ... iscovering

Roundtable discussion about the Bottoms' current and past uses and its future. I've always maintained that the beauty of the place is that its a ruin. What will a vibrant, suburban West Bottoms be like? Trying to check my cynicism and wait.

Thanks for the link, Winchester. I enjoyed that.

flyingember wrote:I know that block, one of my favorite photo locations is across the railroad. Hopefully they get really good soundproofing.

they did for the faultless renovation, so it's possible.

mgh7676 wrote:A few takeaways from this Pitch article:
http://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/archives ... n-ox-space

Stockyards Brewing Company moving into half of old Golden Ox space, hoping to lure a restaurant into the other half of the space. Foutch Brothers proposal is not dead. And my favorite, there is a market-rate apartment (230ish unites) proposed for the Golden Ox's south parking lot is now.

More on Stockyards:

Stockyards Brewing Co. to Open Brewery, Tap Room in West Bottoms

Wayne Reeder is going to develop an additional building in the West Bottoms.

Developer Wayne Reeder, who's expected to complete the first residential loft conversion project on the West Bottoms' gritty north side, is already planning a second.

Reeder said he is planning to start construction within 180 days on the 120-unit Artist Lofts, which will be located in a vacant six-story building at 911 Wyoming St. Built in 1917, it includes 83,000 square feet of former warehouse space.

...

Reeder said rents will start at about $450 a month — a fraction of what tony new units are now going for in nearby downtown projects.

http://tinyurl.com/mmcbpc6

911 Wyoming

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Wait, a *parking lot* in the bottoms sold for apartments.

I did not expect that.

Ohio developer has contract to buy 6 contiguous WB buildings, targeting residential...

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... gs-go.html

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And what's more amazing, is it hasn't been a notable residential district since 1951.

No other part of downtown has been residential free that long.

Is there something coming from the city I don't know about? I don't see how the West Bottoms can possibly be seen as a viable residential neighborhood in its current state by investors. The infrastructure is abysmal.

WB has for years attracted makeshift low brow warehouse conversions that arty types lived in - many like gritty/raw WB. However downtown area has reached the point where big ticket developers are now interested in WB. Rehab developers are running out of buildings from RM to Xroads, so appears WB is next. It helps that flood issues have been resolved but there may have to be structural reinforcement of some form with some of those buildings - certainly completely redo wiring, but that's common with big ticket warehouse conversions anyway. There will always be some that like the gritty/raw vibe of WB (I could live it), but it's going to attract a relatively higher income demographic now. The cheap makeshift art loft thing is essentially over.

Same happened to DUMBO in Brooklyn in the 90s, WB is very similar.

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That would tear out A LOT of buildings