earthling wrote: ↑Tue Aug 30, 2022 5:06 pm
normalthings wrote: ↑Tue Aug 30, 2022 4:57 pm
earthling wrote: ↑Tue Aug 30, 2022 4:49 pm
It's the most recent owner peoples, a generic mall owner approaching bankruptcy territory. They haven't done a single thing to elevate it to next level.
They are milking the Plaza's history but not contributing to it. At least when Highwoods owned it they replaced the sidewalks with brick, added B&N, McCormicks buildings and attracted desirable retailers.
If the owner with the best connections to high-end retail can't make it work, I suspect others will struggle. I know one of the firms that pursued the Plaza and adjacent holdings when it was put on the market. It was not going to be a high end shopping center.....
I think the area has to change and Historic KC, Bunch, Shields, etc are preventing that.
^Yes, agree it needs to be far broader mixed use at this point, have been preaching that for years. But the weak owner needs to put it up for sale and ideally a strong mixed-use urbane developer/operator bites.
Bottom line is that the Plaza downfall is the current owner. A one-dimensional generic mall operator not able to adapt to the times.
But it's not just the current owner. Sure, they will be the ones that put the final nail in the coffin, but the Plaza has been going downhill for a long time for many reasons.
KC's wealthy is just not centered around the plaza anymore and has only gotten further and further away from the city.
All the big retail names that do have an interest in Metro KC are now established in JoCo.
KC has almost no major corporate employers in the center city.
The Plaza has few destination restaurants, very little nightlife and does not even have a movie theater now. From my experience, there also does not seem to be as much programming (live music etc).
The people (everybody from residents to organized groups) have been adamantly afraid of change to the Plaza and fight every proposed development.
The City (city of KCMO) does very little to invest in the area. (the streetcar close by will be the first major investment since the creek was redone).
Crime continues to be a problem and like most urban areas right now, crime is just getting out of control as there is almost no punishment now.
And then you add in the continued downgrade of the owners and yeah the plaza is just not what it once was.