Status and future of the River Market area??

[kcjak]

At least we've reached the point where developers don't get some sort of sweetheart deal to develop the property in exchange for the city giving them the land for $1.

[KCMax]

If this is successful, could you see this offered anywhere else?

[DaveKCMO]

If this is successful, could you see this offered anywhere else?

yes, anywhere the city owns vacant or underutilized land. so, pretty much anywhere.

[KCMax]

Populous founder: We didn't want to leave the River Market

"We designed this (River Market) building. A lot of our folks here grew up in this building. We had personal attachments to it," Santee said. "We would have loved to stay here, we just weren't provided the opportunity to do that in a way that would make it successful."...

Santee said the firm's market is "blossoming" but that, along with greater competition in its markets, is pushing Populous to keep its fees low in order to win projects. He said the firm could not reach an agreement that would allow the firm to be competitive at 300 Wyandotte St., so it had to look elsewhere. Santee said the Board of Trade building was a "plan B" but he thinks the location on the Country Club Plaza will help the firm in the long run.

[rxlexi]

Interesting notes later in the article re: the decision to move beyond simply sports architecture now that the non-compete agreement with HOK (in StL) has expired.

Might mean some significant growth at the new HQ, and a larger national stature.

[taxi]

I've been out of town a lot this summer, but I still try to keep up with what's going on. Yesterday I noticed 2 new places in the N/NE corner of the City Market. I can't believe I didn't know about them.
Anyone have any info about the Brazilian market/restaurant and the tamale place, next door? I plan to try them right quick.

[Eon Blue]

I've always been pleased with the Brazilian place. I don't have the most sophisticated palate, but I'd recommend it.

[geeman68]

I've been out of town a lot this summer, but I still try to keep up with what's going on. Yesterday I noticed 2 new places in the N/NE corner of the City Market. I can't believe I didn't know about them.
Anyone have any info about the Brazilian market/restaurant and the tamale place, next door? I plan to try them right quick.

The Brazilian market/restaurant is very good and they are really friendly. It gets a bit crazy in there and wait times can be hit or miss but if you have time to kick back its great. I've not had a chance to try the tamale place as of yet. Also, in that area, is Yoki which is the Japanese inspired home goods store. They just hosted a "Hello Kitty Day" which drew thousands of people out.

[loftguy]

The 'tamale' place, is a restaurant called Bites. Specializes in upscale sandwich offerings.

Reviews:
-best sandwich ever
-too much money for a sandwich
-good tamale

The Taste of Brazil has been an over the top success. Have a huge following and are busy most all open hours.

Yoki, in the north end of the building above the Arabia, is a great variety store, filled with Japanese goods. Great prices on fun products in a store that has been designed by someone with talent.

[rxlexi]

Does Taste of Brazil serve beer/liquor? I noticed a few weeks ago that they had a couple big flatscreen tvs outside on their patio/booth area for the World Cup games - I thought this was a great idea and would bring a new dimension to that end of the market if serving adult beverages.

I've always wanted the interior of City Market to be as fine a place to go chill with a good beer or wine as it is for foodstuffs. A la Naschmarkt in Vienna.

Carollos does offer beer/wine and beer by the bottle that I've enjoyed outside with food, but I always feel vaguely dirty doing so.

[KCtonic]

Nguyen Pho + Grill opening in August
http://www.recommendeddaily.co/nguyen-p ... in-august/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nguyen-P ... 4133824571

[mean]

RM/CP area could certainly do worse than another pho place.

[brewcrew1000]

I wonder if Spike Nguyen is closing the Pho Hoa restaurant on Independence Avenue (behind the Capri Motel), and moving the operation to this site?

No idea if he is the owner of this new establishment, but he already temporarily closed Pho Hoa for remodeling, to be reopened as a second iPho Tower. I haven't been by since ~ late April when an employee behind the bar told me this was to happen starting the following week. They may have already reopened.

Isn't it the case that Nguyen is like the Thai/Vietnamese equivalent of Smith or Jones? This is to say that I don't think it is the same guy.[/quote]


I guess it was just a case of having the Nguyen last name.

[KCMax]

Yea, Nguyen is a very common name. This is a different guy.

TRIVIA: Nguyen is the most common name in the U.S. that has never been used by a Major League baseball player.

[loftguy]

For any who might wonder, Nguyen is pronounced 'Win'.

.....and for our more entrenched bigots, it is pronounced 'Murphy'.

[smh]

For any who might wonder, Nguyen is pronounced 'Win'.

.....and for our more entrenched bigots, it is pronounced 'Murphy'.

That's some throwback bigotry!

[flyingember]

RM/CP area could certainly do worse than another pho pace.

There's this restaurant idea that one vegetarian in a car makes the restaurant decision on where to eat, and BBQ isn't that. You can eat vegetarian at most restaurants that serve steak, but a BBQ restaurant is kind of about smelling the meat when you walk in, and if you don't eat meat that can kind of conflict.

We need to have some other food than just BBQ that KC is known for, and good ethnic food can be that.

If Pho became a thing that draws people downtown I'd consider that a good thing.

[mykn]

For any who might wonder, Nguyen is pronounced 'Win'.

.....and for our more entrenched bigots, it is pronounced 'Murphy'.

I had a professor in college that pronounced it like "when". Are there multiple pronunciations or was this guy just crazy?

[smh]

For any who might wonder, Nguyen is pronounced 'Win'.

.....and for our more entrenched bigots, it is pronounced 'Murphy'.

I had a professor in college that pronounced it like "when". Are there multiple pronunciations or was this guy just crazy?

Question: Is there a difference between "win" and "when"? Not to my Ozarkian ears.

[flyingember]

For any who might wonder, Nguyen is pronounced 'Win'.

.....and for our more entrenched bigots, it is pronounced 'Murphy'.

I had a professor in college that pronounced it like "when". Are there multiple pronunciations or was this guy just crazy?

Question: Is there a difference between "win" and "when"? Not to my Ozarkian ears.

yes and no

depends on where you live and how you pronounce vowels. letters <> pronunciation. culture does.

for why go to this page and look at the chart on the right. each character in it is a different vowel sound.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internatio ... bet#Vowels