Looking to move downtown...help please

[KSTHANE]

Right now I live in an apartment at Roanoke and Westport Road but my girlfriend and I are looking to move to a loft or apartment downtown.  We are specifically looking for a rental unit.  I have read a lot about the different condo developments on this site but I have a hard time keeping track of which ones are already built, are still being built or are going to be built in the future (since I just recently discovered this site and a lot of the threads started two or three years ago).

Right now we pay $750/month for a pretty big two bedroom and we would like to stay at that rate or lower.  If this is going to be hard to do then just let me know.  Otherwise, if anyone knows of any specific properties with rental units and the general price range of the units I would love to hear your thoughts.  We don't have any major desires for the place we would just like it to be downtown and my girlfriend *prefers* a loft, but we'd do an apartment too.

I will be working around 10th & Grand, she works right off the Plaza on Main.

[KCPowercat]

$750/month for 2 bedroom will be tough unless you can meet the reduced income in units like pblofts.com and some Library lofts.

[Tosspot]

We currently live real damn close to each other.

[KSTHANE]

We currently live real damn close to each other.

Yeah, I've read that you frequently walk to the Quiktrip, I live in those apartments right below and behind that QT...Plaza Villa.  If you've ever seen a guy jogging around at 11 at night, that's me.

$750/month for 2 bedroom will be tough unless you can meet the reduced income in units like pblofts.com and some Library lofts.

We can't meet the reduced income requirement but it definitely doesn't have to be 2 bedroom, and we don't even NEED 2 bedroom.  We can do 1 bedroom but we don't want to feel too cramped.  I just want an idea of what places rent that have rates for less than $750, regardless of the amount of space, the amenities, or the number of rooms.

[heatherkay]

I think I would hold out and see what the Cold Storage Lofts (http://www.kc-lofts.com/bldgs/coldstorage.htm).  They're moving along at a good clip with the windows, and the view should be excellent.  Right next to the MAX park and ride and the City Market.

[KCLofts]

I think I would hold out and see what the Cold Storage Lofts (http://www.kc-lofts.com/bldgs/coldstorage.htm).  They're moving along at a good clip with the windows, and the view should be excellent.  Right next to the MAX park and ride and the City Market.

Ah crap - I need to get a picture up on that page!

[sethyg]

I live at 1518 Walnut and I love them. Looks like they have some spots available still?

http://www.kc-lofts.com/rent.php?id=1065

[Rusty]

All one bedrooms at Quality Hill Towers are under $550/month.

[kc-vino]

If you want rent that cheap you should go to the Westside where you can get a floor for that cost.  But I do know that their are plenty of places in the rivermarket for that rate.  My buddy has a place (not rent controlled) and pays $720 and has around 800-900 sq ft on 3rd and Delaware.  Also Columbus Park has some very good prices but you are dealing with more homes, but you have great access to the rivermarket.

[Moniker]

Go with Soho lofts. Be certain to haggle with them over the rental price, as they are constantly turning their loft buildings into condos. Right now, we're sitting on a corner top floor unit of the Opera House with 1350 square feet for under 900 because we've been displaced two twice and now sit in our third rental unit over a two and a half year period. We expect it to happen to our building by next year again.

All rent prices are negotiable.

[voltopt]

a friend of mine lives in a studio apartment in a turn of the century building at 18th and jefferson - they have a rooftop deck and an amazing view of the "bowl" of downtown (crossroads)
he pays i think about 550 a month, there are two bedroom units in the building as well, as well as a standard kansas city colonnade apartment sans porches to the north...

[KSTHANE]

Thanks guys.

We've got an appointment with a rental property company (that I think includes SoHo) on Saturday afternoon, they'll probably stick to showing us stuff in the river market because that's where we set up the appointment while looking around and writing down numbers.  I'm also planning on going out and exploring the westside area to find apartments and get a feel for the area.

We also want to check out an apartment we saw for lease over the top of an abandoned business in the crossroads on SW Blvd.  There would be no neighbors or anything but I think it would be cool to live in an apartment like that as long as all the basics are there.

We only plan on renting for one more year and then we'll try to buy a condo somewhere in the city.

[KC_Bondsman]

have seen the cold storage lofts.  I've been in some of there unfished or almost finsihed lofts on the upper floors. I can say that they will be very nice.  decent price for what you get. and the Main Lobby is gonna be VERY NICE.  however the place does have some good points and some very bad ones. but depending on what you looking for depends if you can over look some of its lesser qualities. but over all its goonna be a very nice place.

if you all have any questions let me know.  I've seen most of the building.

KC Bondsman

Ah crap - I need to get a picture up on that page!

[KSTHANE]

Does anyone here have an opinion about 910 Penn?  I've read some really mixed reviews about it from some apartments websites but if anyone here has an opinion I would value that.

I couldn't find a place in the River Market for less than or equal to $750/month but I want to live close to downtown so that I can walk to work.  One year of saving up and my girlfriend and I will be able to afford a condo somewhere in the area so that's why we're trying to stay pretty cheap until then.

[DaveKCMO]

Does anyone here have an opinion about 910 Penn?  I've read some really mixed reviews about it from some apartments websites but if anyone here has an opinion I would value that.

I couldn't find a place in the River Market for less than or equal to $750/month but I want to live close to downtown so that I can walk to work.  One year of saving up and my girlfriend and I will be able to afford a condo somewhere in the area so that's why we're trying to stay pretty cheap until then.

i have a friend that used to live there but he moved out because he had some noisy neighbors. shortly afterwards they did a nice clean-up job on the building's exterior. he had a great unit on the NE corner that had sweeping views of the downtown airport and the north loop.

are you opposed to quality hill towers? it's nothing fancy, but it's cheap and the management is very responsive. not a bad deal if you'll just be there a year.

[KSTHANE]

I'm not opposed to Quality Hill but my girlfriend is saying they're too small based on the square footage we saw on the website.  I'm hoping to look at both Quality Hill and 910 Penn tomorrow.

[kcdcchef]

I'm not opposed to Quality Hill but my girlfriend is saying they're too small based on the square footage we saw on the website.  I'm hoping to look at both Quality Hill and 910 Penn tomorrow.

i lived at 910 penn for like a decade, fabulous building, they have done a lot of work to it over the years, still shows its age, but for a close to 50 year old apartment building, it is in remarkable shape. the two bedrooms, if you can get one on the east side of the building, affords a remarkable view of the kansas city skyline, and all the two bedrooms are only on the north and south ends of the buildings, so, if you luck out and can find something on the 8th floor and above, on the northeastern side of the building, you have a panoramic view of the skyline from your living room and an amazing view from over the bluff from your bedroom. they are kick butt on closet space there, but a tad unconventional if you know what i mean, as in, the closet is the length of the living room, but the way they have the closet doors, it looks cool as hell. older style kitchens, probably the main drawback to the building is the kitchens, kind of small. and the other negative is laundry, laundry room in the basement, not in the units, so, you have to move FAST, you leave your stuff in a washer or a dryer for even 30 minutes past done, someone puts it on a table!

workout room is nice, all up to date workout equipment, and they have a pool may through september, parking lot, and parking garage for nominal fee. business center, dry cleaning drop off, grocery service, and on the 11th floor, this KICK FUCKING ASS penthouse with billiards, big screen tv, comfy furniture, and it is the size of 3 apartments, SOOOO big. security on premise, good management company too.

hope that helps, i am a tad biased on 910 penn, but i think it is a fabulous building, and it will be in that range for a 2 bedroom. also, the busline, you walk out the front door, and go like 20 feet to the left, and the 12th street bus stops right there, pretty frequently too, it takes a left on 12th street, and right to 12th and main, you can go anywhere in the city.

again, hope it helps!!

[FangKC]

909 Walnut advertises in the ApartmentGuide having one bedrooms for $750; Library Lofts advertises 1-beds for $515-$1395; Clubhouse Lofts have 1-beds starting at $695; 910 Penn ranges from $515-$560; at New Quality Hill (10th and Broadway), one beds start at $604 and 2 beds $686; New Quality Hill has a variety of floorplans in both newer and older buildings. SoHo South (1601 Walnut) advertises one beds starting at $695; SoHo West (8th and Broadway), one beds start at $630; Walnut Tower has 1-2 beds ranging from $390 to $640.  I believe there are still apartments available in the recently-renovated Waltower Building at E. 9th and Walnut. 

Don't forget the newly-renovated Professional Building Lofts at E. 11th and Grand. One bedrooms there start at $495, and one bedrooms with studies at $580.  Two-bedrooms there start at $545; two-bed, two bath: $620; and two-bed, two-bath with study at $600.  I'm guessing the rents of the apartments on upper floors, and with better views, go for more than on lower floors.

http://www.pblofts.com/available.html

The Professional Building apartments come with lots of windows; a washer/dryer in each apartment; stainless steel appliances, solid-wood cabinets, walk-in closets, and high speed internet service is available. One has access to a rooftop deck, and on-site fitness center. It's also two blocks from the Power & Light District, which will begin to open next summer.  By early 2008 (14 months away), a new six-plex digital movie theater, that serves bar drinks, will also be within a five-minute walk.  Four different sub sandwich restaurants are within two blocks. 

[phna]

hold out and see what the Cold Storage Lofts

If you were checking them out a couple of weeks ago you could have seen the black cloud from the Chem Central plant explosion.

Now, I am not that cynical, I used to live in Askew Saddlery lofts just up the street at 3rd and Delaware,  and loved the location. But I am not as excited about the Cold Storage lofts. While the area has improved drastically, this locations still has some blight nearby, a coal burning furnace right next door is the biggest concern. Depending on the wind you might get some interesting wafts from the Huge Asian market across the street. On the other side of the building the Heart of America Bridge brings traffic noise daily. But you do have the diner and the bike shop right across the street!

I agree, hold out and see what comes of the cold Storage Lofts.

This thread is stale so I thought I would try and see if there is any interest in the Cold Storage lofts? I sill love the River Market.