Renovations of apartment buildings along Armour Blvd.

[aknowledgeableperson]

I really, really hope that we aren't looking at surface parking along west armour for any length of time, however. That would be strike one, but it would be a big fat swinging strike at a curveball in the dirt.

Besides having vacant, derelict buildings standing there what else would you propose?

[FangKC]

Sell them to another party.

If you recall, the owner of the Cosby Hotel once proposed demolishing that building as well. The Downtown Council, among others, convinced him to just sell the property to someone that was better-suited to restore the building.

As with the Cosby, we are often told one thing, when another thing turns out to be true. Stabilizing the failing wall of the Cosby building turned out to be cheaper than the City's original proposed action--to demolish.

Yes, it was dangerous to have bricks falling off the building. However, demolition isn't always necessary. It was a temporary problem. that was solved by erecting a protective barrier until the problem could be fixed in the short-term. Again, stabilization of the "dangerous" situation turned out to be cheaper than demolition.

If Mac Properties thinks it's too expensive for them to restore the buildings, then sell them. In the end, selling might be cheaper for MAC than having to sit on the property for three years until the protective action by the City expires.

[aknowledgeableperson]

From what I remember there are no buyers out there interested in them.

[smh]

From what I remember there are no buyers out there interested in them.

False.

[beautyfromashes]

This was all about control. MAC wants to control every large apartment unit in that area. It's smart business. Lock up every major building, control those you don't want to renovate so no one else renovates and undercuts your price, and have access to future locations where you can build when all existing buildings are tapped out. I don't think they had the desire to renovate those units from the beginning.

[rxlexi]

Besides having vacant, derelict buildings standing there what else would you propose?

I would be content with the vacant buildings until such time as a higher and better use can be found, or the buildings can be restored. The parking lots will likely become the land use for the conceivable future if allowed to happen.

I would further love to see MAC develop new apartments on the land if they must demo the buildings, as they had previously proposed.

Or sell them, if takers can be found, with the caveat that I completely understand MAC's desire for control of the vast majority of units on the street, and would prefer that they maintain that control considering the reputation of buildings owned/managed by other entities.

Any of these alternatives are hugely preferable to demo for parking lots.

[LenexatoKCMO]

This was all about control. MAC wants to control every large apartment unit in that area. It's smart business. Lock up every major building, control those you don't want to renovate so no one else renovates and undercuts your price, and have access to future locations where you can build when all existing buildings are tapped out. I don't think they had the desire to renovate those units from the beginning.

I am not sure I buy it. These weren't big buildings or a big swath of land. It is hard to imagine that at most a couple dozen units was going to have a big impact on wider market price one way or the other. So why go to the trouble or expense and burn so many bridges with the neighborhoods?

[chaglang]

From what I remember there are no buyers out there interested in them.

False.

Who else was there? I know one local house flipper who was interested but was/is completely undercapitalized.

Again, it wasn't the condition of the properties that poses the main problem. It's the fact that making at least the ground floor accessible would require the removal of one bedroom (the rear sleeping porches had been converted to a 3rd bedroom) because the floor plans are extremely tight. In a small complex, that's a big hit. There are also additional requirements because it's in a local historic district. And if tax credits would be used, that's an additional set of constraints. As Loftguy has said, there are ways of making this work, but it's not as simple as MAC just selling to someone who knows how to renovate old apartment buildings. If this was another developer, we'd be screaming for them to sell to MAC.

[taxi]

I know a capable buyer who renovates similar buildings all over midtown. He tried to buy them and was turned away, with little response. He told me they had no interest in selling them.

[chaglang]

I know a capable buyer who renovates similar buildings all over midtown. He tried to buy them and was turned away, with little response. He told me they had no interest in selling them.

Out of curiosity, which buildings in Midtown?

[taxi]

Lots of them, single family, duplex, 3plex and apartment buildings. I've been in one triplex he did and it was well done. He is credible, capable and funded.

[chaglang]

Fair enough.

[FangKC]

Historic Armour apartments bruised in supposedly careful seal-up

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

[FangKC]

Some interior shots of the renovated Bellerive Apartments.

http://hufft.com/commercial/bellerive-apartments/

http://www.macapartments.com/kansas-cit ... ve/photos/

[brewcrew1000]

I think this would be a great concept to put in right by those MAC apartments, its a concept backed by the retail giant Mejier and its like a cross between a Trader Joes and Whole Foods, they are building a couple in the St Louis area and one is going in an development near downtown milwaukee
http://freshthyme.com/our-stores

[PharmStudent]

As someone who just moved from St. Louis, please do not consider a store in Ballwin as a store in St. Louis. Those people live WAY out of the city. A better Grocery store idea out of St. Louis is Fields Foods. It has a lot of organic and local products and it has some cool ideas. Like you can go in with a grocery list hand it to an attendant and sit at the bar/restaurant inside and grab a drink while somebody does your shopping for you. Or if you want to shop yourself, the shopping cart comes with a holder for your beer or wine!

[LenexatoKCMO]

As someone who just moved from St. Louis, please do not consider a store in Ballwin as a store in St. Louis. Those people live WAY out of the city. A better Grocery store idea out of St. Louis is Fields Foods. It has a lot of organic and local products and it has some cool ideas. Like you can go in with a grocery list hand it to an attendant and sit at the bar/restaurant inside and grab a drink while somebody does your shopping for you. Or if you want to shop yourself, the shopping cart comes with a holder for your beer or wine!

Yes please.

[brewcrew1000]

I just said St Louis area, i never said city of st louis. I was just making an example that they are building in urban locations like downtown Milwaukee but they are also moving out this way. Meijer is like the Walmart of Michigan and Ohio, having them move into Missouri is kind of a big deal

[warwickland]

mejier blows. tried buying a sandwich and a case of beer in one once in suburban chicagoland and felt like michael douglas in falling down.

[FangKC]

The office building at 301 E. Armour, that used to house the Housing Authority of Kansas City, has been purchased by Mac Properties and the top four floors will be converted into 56 apartments. The building will get a facade renovation as well. The bottom two floors will be rented as commercial space.

http://midtownkcpost.com/armour-office- ... -facelift/