OFFICIAL: 4646 Broadway (George Birt tries the Plaza)

JBinKC · Post by **JBinKC** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 12:18 am

George Birt has a new development that is being planned for the Plaza. He joined us at our Plaza/Westport neighborhood meeting this evening for a small presentation. Specifically, it is a 12 Story, 30 unit glass building on a parcel of land between 46th St. and 46th Ter on Broadway. He is working with an architecture firm out of Denver (name escapes me). The early drawings/models of the building look absolutely beautiful. It is all glass, tiered on three levels, and each unit has a glass balcony. It is going to be designed as loft space with floor to floor windows. Parking is in a garage beneath the building. Prices will be $300K-$600K.

The landlord next door is up in arms about the development, as are the old folks in the neighborhood...but they can't stop this one, if it gets the necessary funding it already has a lot of people on its side (city hall and highwoods in particular). I hope it moves forward. It is currently in the "concept design" phase.

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 12:21 am

AWESOME!

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 12:22 am

Coundn't you snag a rendering or something?

Is the the land north of Valencia Place that was originally slated for a hotel or the land that was to be "The Mansions" condos?

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 8:46 am

those older people that live between westport and the plaza seem to be against everything.

KCLofts · Post by **KCLofts** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 3:32 pm

This is good news, but I worry that George may be beginning to lose focus. He's 3 or 4 years into the 10-year plan for River Market
West. He just announced the 10-year plan for River Market East.

Tha plans for the Lighthouse lofts, to be built next to Conover Place, have been on paper for about two years. This project was/is supposed to break ground soon.

There's quite a bit of work to be done down here in the Market. Other firms are appearing rapidly that perhaps could have spearheaded this new project. I'm certainly not against any new urban housing, but I fear that plans for the River Market might not get completed if resources are spread too thin.

JBinKC · Post by **JBinKC** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 6:52 pm

Sorry for the lack of media

. I'll ask my wife if she remembers the name of the architecture firm heading this up. It will be just up the hill from Pottery Barn/Barnes and Noble, literally directly in the middle of Broadway between 46th St and 46th Ter.

Yeah, the old people around here can be both good and bad. On one hand, they don't accept change, and on the other, they don't accept change...if you know what I mean.

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 7:01 pm

wow another skyscraper for the plaza...
that makes 21 skyscrapers which are u/c and proposed for KC

Post by **dangerboy** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 11:35 pm

Birt is a good guy, it's always good to see more non-Highwoods developers working around the perimeter of the Plaza. Odds are against the Plaza-Westport neighborhood remaining single-family forever. There is just too much growth on either side. The current owner-occupied houses will stay for now, but the land is becoming too valuble for the current rental property to remain, especially if they can get $300k for a condo, versus $600/month for an apartment.

JBinKC · Post by **JBinKC** » Thu Jan 15, 2004 12:05 am

Actually St. Lukes, city hall, and the neighborhood association have created a neighborhood plan that will down-zone most of the core housing lots to r1/r2, which is single family. The stipulation is that St Lukes and other developers (i.e. George Birt) can develop on the main roads surrounding the area.

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 9:58 am

New tower has nimbys linig up. I like the tower, it would be a nice contrast for the plaza. If you try to copy the plaza's archtitecture too much, you are going to cheapen it.

Condos proposed north of the Plaza
By KEVIN COLLISON
The Kansas City Star

Courtesy of Ron Reid Associates PC
An artist's rendering of the high-rise condo building (right) that developers propose to build near the Country Club Plaza, behind Valencia Place. The existing Townsend Place is at left.

A 12-story condominium tower proposed for just north of the Country Club Plaza would insert a sharply contemporary look to the district's skyline.

Developers want to build a glass high-rise on the hillside overlooking the Plaza that would offer its residents floor-to-ceiling windows. The 30 loft-style condos would sell for $350,000 to $750,000, with two $1 million penthouse units. The designers want to make a distinct break from the style of many of the buildings erected around the Plaza in recent years.

â€œIt would be silly to try to mimic the character of the Plaza,â€

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 10:11 am

46th & Broadway....what's there now? sounds like nothing. I know somebody who lives in one of those buildings that are trying to stop it.

I don't think she has much of a shot of rebuffing this zoning variance.

Best part of the story? The end. "will not be using any tax incentives"

Nice plan, go for it Birt.....get more condos on the Plaza so the price drops for us who can't afford the 750,000 condo (yet)

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 3:54 pm

who cares about NIMBY's?! It didn't work with 2555 Grand, so it shouldn't work with this.
nm, I don't care, as long as it is built 100% like it is.

Also, does George Birt have a website? All I get on google is the actor (I have no idea who he is).

GRID · Post by **GRID** » Thu Jan 22, 2004 11:59 pm

I really like this design. It will really add a nice contrast to the plaza and help define the perimiter of the Plaza like Plaza West, American Century, and Plaza Colenade.

I am pretty critical of architects, but I think these guys did a nice job with this one. Finally KC gets a contemporary residential tower and believe it or not, the Plaza area is probably the best location for such a building.

Not only that, the developers do not want a TIF or anything and the building is not too tall for the plaza plan.

If anybody would like to see this development take place, please show up at the meeting at city hall. I know how it is when only the NIMBYS show up for a good project that the silent majority would support.

Board of Zoning Adjustment at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday. The board will meet in the Kansas City Council chamber, 26th floor, City Hall.

rxlexi · Post by **rxlexi** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 9:21 pm

nimbys? pardon my ignorance...

KCDowntown · Post by **KCDowntown** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 9:30 pm

not in my backyard

rxlexi · Post by **rxlexi** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 9:35 pm

nimbys? pardon my ignorance...

KCDowntown · Post by **KCDowntown** » Fri Jan 23, 2004 11:24 pm

Not In My BackYard - people who don't want anything to change in their neighborhood, so they protest new developments such as 4646 Broadway

KCDowntown

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Sun Jan 25, 2004 7:20 pm

Any guesses when this will go to the city council?

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 7:44 am

JEEZ I HATE NIMBYS,
Start construction, if they picket, just throw em in the street, they aren't worth crud...
[quote]Condominium plans fizzle at board meeting

By KEVIN COLLISON The Kansas City Star

Plans for a 12-story condominium tower north of the Country Club Plaza died Tuesday when the Board of Zoning Adjustment couldn't agree whether to reject or support the plan.

After almost three hours of testimony by supporters and opponents of the $17 million proposal, board chairwoman Theresa Otto proclaimed: â€œThis is a difficult case.â€

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Wed Mar 10, 2004 8:48 am

the plaza-westport neighborhood group needs to realize where they live. If they want a cozy little neighborhood with no highrises, might want to move further out.

It's called density people....this doesn't break any height restrictions that I'm aware of, it's just the variance of being too close to the building to the north.

They fight EVERYTHING.