KCRag Forum

This is a very important site in NEJoCo. Located between Nall & Roe, near 95th, it is a beautiful property that should have become the county's 'Loose Park'. The county or city did not buy it for that use, so it will be scraped for development. Too bad.

I expect it to become single family, since that is what it is zoned, but it would be an amazing site for a Park Place/Kirkwood/New Town Saint Charles TND hybrid. Prairie Village has shown no ability to encourage great design (just nimby design), so I have little hope for greatness here.

Your thoughts?

I grew just a few blocks away and my family has been members since they moved to KC in the 80s. Sad to see it go as we had lots of great memories. I was actually surprised the private equity group that originally purchased the property didn't contemplate running as a public course given that there aren't a lot of close public courses that would compete. Back in early 2000s (can't remember the exact date) there was an idea floated to completely renovate the course, move the clubhouse to the center of the property, and then infill around the outside with retirement living. There was actually a 10 story residential tower floated along with it, suffice to say, the neighborhood completely crushed that plan. The developer even came back with 3 story high end residential buildings and even then they weren't satisfied. There is significant opposition at this point to more senior living even though the community needs it, as much as they would like not having to admit it. So in all likelihood it will probably become a high income residential development.

AlbertHammond wrote:This is a very important site in NEJoCo. Located between Nall & Roe, near 95th, it is a beautiful property that should have become the county's 'Loose Park'. The county or city did not buy it for that use, so it will be scraped for development. Too bad.

I expect it to become single family, since that is what it is zoned, but it would be an amazing site for a Park Place/Kirkwood/New Town Saint Charles TND hybrid. Prairie Village has shown no ability to encourage great design (just nimby design), so I have little hope for greatness here.

Your thoughts?

First thought is it is hard to me, growing up in south KC when I-435 was the stark frontier of the OP burbs, to think of 95th as NE Johnson County. But given the Joco burbs stretch as far south as 170th - NE Joco is what it is.

Anyway, the Johnson County burbs with few exceptions have little more than a few pocket public parks. That's really too bad and this is definitely a missed opportunity. A high income residential area fits in there but it's so bland and unimaginative.

ThorsteinVeblen wrote:I grew just a few blocks away ...

I grew more than a few on this course. Either try to meet the bitches at 7-11 or McDonald's and, if you're lucky, make it to the green in 2 or 3.
I wonder what it's like to be a teenager now, with a cell phone and texting.
Now I drive a van and tell the girls, just trust me. That, my friends, is what I call VanTrust.

So...this is pretty major:

http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/opn-c ... 30736.html

Five sentences in and the dick measuring has already started.

Interesting. Would be nice to have another huge park like that in the area. Golf courses seem like such a waste of space.

KCMax wrote:Interesting. Would be nice to have another huge park like that in the area. Golf courses seem like such a waste of space.

As my good friend Al Czervick used to say, "Country clubs and cemeteries are the biggest wasters of prime real estate! Dead people? They don't need to be buried nowadays. Ecology, right? Ask Wang. He'll tell you. We just bought property behind the Great Wall. On the good side!"

I grew up in that neighborhood and my family belonged to Meadowbrook growing up. I was hoping there was a chance it would be turned into a municipal course, but this is the next best thing. It's a fine track of land, and will make a great park.

shinatoo wrote:Five sentences in and the dick measuring has already started.

Are you talking about mentioning the acreage compared to Loose Park? I think it makes sense to do that. As you can see by the first post in this thread, it's an obvious comparison.

KCMax wrote: Golf courses seem like such a waste of space.

http://youtu.be/Z4w7H48tBS8

Golf is on its way out, plus there's too many courses added in recent years

If this San Diego news piece is accurate the past two years each saw a nationwide 5% drop in active golfers. That's the entire profit margin of some industries! And golf largely has fixed coss for 10 golfers or 100. The grass is green and mowed regardless. I would expect driving ranges to stay, courses will change or die.
http://www.kpbs.org/news/2015/feb/02/to ... san-diego/

There will be an announcement this afternoon. VanTrust Real Estate and Joco Parks will be involved.

http://pvpost.com/2015/02/19/northeast- ... -230-36689

Johnson County, VanTrust reveal unique plan for Meadowbrook

The TIF district is expected to raise $12 million to $15 million for the acquisition of the parkland and for capital improvements to the new park.
Rich Muller, a vice president with VanTrust, said the company plans to develop townhomes, luxury apartments, single-family homes, senior living and a 35-room boutique inn, which would be Prairie Village's first hotel. The number of residential units and the cost of the private development are not yet available.

Perhaps...this 5 minute move-around makes more sense:
Single-family seems wasteful. Add a few more townhomes and parkland rather than more fenced-in yards.

I would bet those single family homes with near water and trail surrounding have increased values that makes them most of the project's profit.

your density ideas also have to coordinate with road conditions and storm water main capacity and water lines and such.

density doesn't happen in a vacuum.

flyingember wrote:density doesn't happen in a vacuum.

Science agrees with you.

My guess those single family homes are geared to rich, or let's say well-off, empty nesters. And they would be what was called at one time cluster homes. Exterior maintenance is provided, and maybe at a $500,000 or so cost.

My feeling is that this community will be directed to the high-end buyer/renter.

aknowledgeableperson wrote:My guess those single family homes are geared to rich, or let's say well-off, empty nesters. And they would be what was called at one time cluster homes. Exterior maintenance is provided, and maybe at a $500,000 or so cost.

My feeling is that this community will be directed to the high-end buyer/renter.

Really? You don't think they would be HUD homes?

shinatoo wrote:

aknowledgeableperson wrote:My guess those single family homes are geared to rich, or let's say well-off, empty nesters. And they would be what was called at one time cluster homes. Exterior maintenance is provided, and maybe at a $500,000 or so cost.

My feeling is that this community will be directed to the high-end buyer/renter.

Really? You don't think they would be HUD homes?

versus the alternative of putting in something like Northgate Village. $200-250k, tighter density than a suburban design.
I could see that model working well for redevelopment in JoCo. As unmaintained homes go assemble parcels and go more of a modern urban design

flyingember wrote: versus the alternative of putting in something like Northgate Village. $200-250k, tighter density than a suburban design.
I could see that model working well for redevelopment in JoCo. As unmaintained homes go assemble parcels and go more of a modern urban design

Yea...I was picturing something more Northgate Village or the rowhouses at Kirkwood, south of the Plaza. This development in Virginia could inspire a good traditional layout with stuffy traditional architecture that could please the PV clientele and make a good "place".
https://goo.gl/maps/dH23i

Official opening this weekend in Prairie Village. Crews have been working like crazy to get it ready.

https://www.jocogov.org/article/2019/05/30/11494

Meadowbook Park consists of about 80 acres, located primarily on the northern portion of the site of the former Meadowbrook Country Club. In addition to the Treeline Adventure destination playground, the park will include: a large shelter called the Grand Pavilion which can accommodate approximately 160 people; three additional picnic shelters; eight pickleball courts; a separate play and picnic area called The Groves located in a grove of Oak trees; Meadowbrook Hill which utilizes surplus soil from enlarging the park’s lakes to create a high area which will be perfect for snow sledding and other exercise pursuits throughout the year; three miles of paved trails; and an area containing low-impact outdoor fitness equipment.

Much of the programming at the site will take place at the 10,000 square-foot Meadowbrook Park Clubhouse, located near the park’s northwest corner near 91st Street. The building includes an event space for about 200 people, a multipurpose room, and a Natureplay Preschool with an outdoor playground. Other building features include a small lobby, administration area, catering kitchen, and a deck overlooking the park area.