Of course the east side will be covered by a new building some day, why spend big bucks on a facade that will face an alley? This surface lot is surrounded by parking structures, the one directly north, on the same block, built less than five years ago.
If KC can't get an office building built next to a brand new YMCA, in the heart of the real downtown, then we have problems regardless of the amount of shiny crap is being built in the Crossroads.
That surface lot is owned by the YMCA and will be parking for members and staff. Any deal to develop the site will have to include parking spots for this purpose. Since the YMCA is non-profit, they don't have a big property tax bill, so they have no incentive to give up the surface lot.
But if a developer proposed a 20 story office/apartment tower, with a bridge or tunnel link into the Y, don't you think the YMCA would be glad to give up the surface lot? The Y chose to be downtown, in a downtown environment, and not everyone sees surface parking as a precious commodity.
But if a developer proposed a 20 story office/apartment tower, with a bridge or tunnel link into the Y, don't you think the YMCA would be glad to give up the surface lot? The Y chose to be downtown, in a downtown environment, and not everyone sees surface parking as a precious commodity.
I thought the Y is downtown because people payed for the Y to be downtown. They just follow wherever people are willing to pay for them to go.
But if a developer proposed a 20 story office/apartment tower, with a bridge or tunnel link into the Y, don't you think the YMCA would be glad to give up the surface lot? The Y chose to be downtown, in a downtown environment, and not everyone sees surface parking as a precious commodity.
I thought the Y is downtown because people payed for the Y to be downtown. They just follow wherever people are willing to pay for them to go.
Which is why they would prefer to have a building next door full of potential customers.
The nice looking west side is due to the donation of the property owner across the street who wanted to keep the historic look of that intersection intact(too late for the Marriott side).
The nice looking west side is due to the donation of the property owner across the street who wanted to keep the historic look of that intersection intact(too late for the Marriott side).
I seem to remember that when the Lyric block was being discussed as the PAC location, the Marriott people stated that if it happened, they would rework their north side to include a new entrance and improved look.
The Business Journal of Kansas City reports that the new downtown YMCA will open on a limited basis from June 7 to August 13 to child day campers ages 5-12. A full opening is expected by the end of the year.
The medical clinic in partnership with Truman Medical Centers is no longer planned.