Fantasy Retrofits: Barney Allis Plaza

[Riverite]

Cap would be better, the plaza already exists in some form.

[KCPowercat]

Would you rather see a highway cap or a new BAP?

is there a particular reason this choice is being presented to us? They don't seem connected at all.

Why not sell development rights to BAP instead of trying to do this ourselves and spend 2MM on a bandaid?

This is just a personal question - not related to real world. If you had to pick between the two what would you choose?

I'd rather see a cap but BAP has to be dealt with beyond a 2 year band-aid.

[TheLastGentleman]

I wouldn’t mind part of BAP, perhaps a northern part, getting sold off for development. The city is clearly reluctant to do anything with it, so let a developer work on it. Require them to have a public element in the deed or something

[smh]

I wouldn’t mind part of BAP, perhaps a northern part, getting sold off for development. The city is clearly reluctant to do anything with it, so let a developer work on it. Require them to have a public element in the deed or something

I still think there is an opportunity to sell of long-term lease the southern (downhill) third of the site for development and use those revenues to help finance the plaza improvements. Particularly since the City is basically committed (more or less) to replacing the garage. This idea seems to have gained no traction at the ULI Tap but they also had it pegged for micro apartments as opposed to office development which is increasing in popularity in the immediate area (Platform Ventures, W&R).

But, of course, I'm no financial analyst. Just a hobbyist.

[Riverite]

I wouldn’t mind part of BAP, perhaps a northern part, getting sold off for development. The city is clearly reluctant to do anything with it, so let a developer work on it. Require them to have a public element in the deed or something

I still think there is an opportunity to sell of long-term lease the southern (downhill) third of the site for development and use those revenues to help finance the plaza improvements. Particularly since the City is basically committed (more or less) to replacing the garage. This idea seems to have gained no traction at the ULI Tap but they also had it pegged for micro apartments as opposed to office development which is increasing in popularity in the immediate area (Platform Ventures, W&R).

But, of course, I'm no financial analyst. Just a hobbyist.

What about mixed use, restaurants on the bottom with a patio that open out to the plaza or a parlor type space with small tables. Office above that

[smh]

I wouldn’t mind part of BAP, perhaps a northern part, getting sold off for development. The city is clearly reluctant to do anything with it, so let a developer work on it. Require them to have a public element in the deed or something

I still think there is an opportunity to sell of long-term lease the southern (downhill) third of the site for development and use those revenues to help finance the plaza improvements. Particularly since the City is basically committed (more or less) to replacing the garage. This idea seems to have gained no traction at the ULI Tap but they also had it pegged for micro apartments as opposed to office development which is increasing in popularity in the immediate area (Platform Ventures, W&R).

But, of course, I'm no financial analyst. Just a hobbyist.

What about mixed use, restaurants on the bottom with a patio that open out to the plaza or a parlor type space with small tables. Office above that

In an unconstrained world, I think you could even elevate a building to keep the ground floor largely open like a patio that would preserve public views of Municipal Auditorium and allow for tables and chairs in the shade/out of the rain.

[Major KC Fan]

I’d like to see both the CAP & BAP completed in the near future. If I had to choose I’d choose the CAP to solidify the streetcar line, tie the Crossroads better to the Loop & further energize the connection between the convention & P&L districts. The CAP would provide impetus for 3 & 4 Lights and encourage development of several empty lots along the south side of the Loop.

The BAP definitely needs an upgrade, for safety reasons foremost & to protect the investments made or underway in the convention district. Those include the new Loew’s Hotel, the office project at 13/Wyandotte, new W&R office tower, mixed office/apt./hotel(?) at14th & Wyandotte and the proposed combo office KC Southern & parking garage. Several hotels in the district have invested in upgrades too, including the Marriott & Crown Plaza. BAP improvements would radiate in every direction.

The current economic difficulties necessitate choosing a preference, unless further economic recovery efforts could include an infrastructure component in which a BAP project could be included.

[normalthings]

This project is coming back before council this week per twitter

[DaveKCMO]

This project is coming back before council this week per twitter

http://cityclerk.kcmo.org/LiveWeb/Docum ... 2Ao%2fpbPC

[KCKev]

I'd like to see the old fountain put back with lots of green space. That's how I remember it as a kid. Having gone to Ben Franklin school just up the road I spent a lot of time there.

[FangKC]

Plan to Rebuild Barney Allis Plaza May be Revived This Week

The planning process for rebuilding Barney Allis Plaza and its crumbling garage, believed dead a month ago at City Hall, may be revived this week with the price tag for the next step slashed substantially.

The City Council Finance Committee is expected to take up a revised proposal Wednesday that would cut the cost of planning for the next step of rebuilding Barney Allis from about $1 million to $400,000.
...
The savings were achieved by eliminating a $150,000 stipend that was to have been paid to each of four competing design-build teams to prepare a new plan for the Plaza, a total of $600,000.
...
Finally, the city will continue to work towards creating a public-private partnership to build a proposed garage at 1200 Broadway.
...
Kansas City Southern, which is next door to the lot, has an interest in partnering on a garage as part of a potential expansion of its headquarters.
...

https://cityscenekc.com/plan-to-rebuil ... this-week/

[normalthings]

Plan to Rebuild Barney Allis Plaza May be Revived This Week

The planning process for rebuilding Barney Allis Plaza and its crumbling garage, believed dead a month ago at City Hall, may be revived this week with the price tag for the next step slashed substantially.

The City Council Finance Committee is expected to take up a revised proposal Wednesday that would cut the cost of planning for the next step of rebuilding Barney Allis from about $1 million to $400,000.
...
The savings were achieved by eliminating a $150,000 stipend that was to have been paid to each of four competing design-build teams to prepare a new plan for the Plaza, a total of $600,000.
...
Finally, the city will continue to work towards creating a public-private partnership to build a proposed garage at 1200 Broadway.
...
Kansas City Southern, which is next door to the lot, has an interest in partnering on a garage as part of a potential expansion of its headquarters.
...

https://cityscenekc.com/plan-to-rebuil ... this-week/

The KCS HQ expansion is the most exciting part of this discussion. Really wish we would pursue the potential Union Pacific HQ relocation.

[KC_JAYHAWK]

Did Union Pacific just build a new HQ in downtown Omaha? Hadn't heard they were looking to relocate.

[normalthings]

Did Union Pacific just build a new HQ in downtown Omaha? Hadn't heard they were looking to relocate.

Current HQ is coming up on 20 years old. Rumor was that they were looking at relocating to a place better suited to attracting talent. Potentially to a city with existing class one HQ

UP moved from Bethlehem PA to Dallas to Omaha within a 3 year span in the late 90s.

[KC_JAYHAWK]

Did Union Pacific just build a new HQ in downtown Omaha? Hadn't heard they were looking to relocate.

Current HQ is coming up on 20 years old. Rumor was that they were looking at relocating to a place better suited to attracting talent. Potentially to a city with existing class one HQ

UP moved from Bethlehem PA to Dallas to Omaha within a 3 year span in the late 90s.

Wow, didn't realize their HQ in Omaha was already that old. Seems weird they would move from Dallas (loaded with talent), to Omaha in the first place. But that would be big if they chose KC.

[swid]

My memories are a little fuzzy on this, but UP's railroad subsidiary was headquartered in Omaha that entire time in the 90s when the corporate parent's (much smaller) HQ was bouncing around the country.

If there's any substance to that rumor (particularly if the railroad HQ were to relocate), it will take nanoseconds for Omaha and the state of Nebraska to offer some obscene incentive package to stay.

[dukuboy1]

IF Union Pacific were serious about a move KC would be a great spot. Given the history of the city as a rail hub, and the various logistics campuses/warehousing withing the area would be a perfect fit. But I'm sure Omaha will fight hard to keep it. But you never know

[normalthings]

IF Union Pacific were serious about a move KC would be a great spot. Given the history of the city as a rail hub, and the various logistics campuses/warehousing withing the area would be a perfect fit. But I'm sure Omaha will fight hard to keep it. But you never know

Omaha incentives are up in 2024. This is one of those sorts of things that KC would be a great fit for but requires our leaders to get out in front of well in advance. UP launched a large IT office in Austin due to recruiting difficulties so a move of some amount of HQ jobs in 2024 does not seem unlikely. Their current space id 1.3 million sqft so even a 25% relocation would be big. Anyone from EDC here?

[dukuboy1]

Plus by then I wonder what kind of improved infrastructure will be in place with the large data centers planned in the Northland. Google will have one and then the other big deal data center out by the airport. This may have some influence on companies looking to relocate. Plus the new airport would have been open for a while and the NFL draft would have happened here as well. And there might have been some events here during the world cup in 2022. So you could have a nice 2 year run of major national exposure to raise some eyebrows even more on KC

[dukuboy1]

But I'm not 100% the current Mayor has the chops or appetite to court these type of development deals. People may not have always liked Sly, but the guy knew how to rub elbows and get deals done, even if they maybe weren't the best deals. I think Q has the same desire but may lack enough in some areas to get it done. I like Q and I think he has done a fine job so far. I just wonder without a Schulte around if these can get on the radar like they need without the combo of Sly & Troy. We shall see.