Misc Crossroads News

[chrizow]

i note that the Dialectic CEO's email states that he also lives in the Xroads and that he and his wife feel unsafe. while folks on this forum may think he is being dramatic, it doesn't sound like this guy is "afraid" of downtown since he lives downtown and maintains a business downtown.

[Cratedigger]

Different area of the crossroads but a company that uses the parking garage at 22nd and central has had so many breakins and enough assaults that they've asked employees to have a buddy when going to/from the garage

I know multiple people that live and work in the crossroads, who are very much not burbs people, that still frequently do not feel safe when walking in downtown KC.

Edit: grammar

[DMNBT_RCJH]

Not surprising.

I fear the last 20 years of good work in urban cores will be for naught over the next five.

Why?

Theft and Assualts, primarily.

When the largest employer on the Plaza has one of their major clients robbed and assaulted in a Plaza parking garage, you can bet they will be looking to Leawood/OP when their lease is up in 7 years.

[MidKC]

This doesn’t seem all that newsworthy. Certain demos have been afraid of cities and fleeing to the suburbs for decades.

What demo is afraid of cities?

I think fleeing to the burbs is a natural American progression of life as you start a family and no longer find a downtown urban setting conducive to that lifestyle.

A quick look at his Twitter, the tone of his email, and him unnecessarily calling out the chambers other initiatives makes the demo I’m referring to clear kind of clear.

[dnweava]

Not surprising.

I fear the last 20 years of good work in urban cores will be for naught over the next five.

That said, to say no company feels their employees are safe downtown is an absurd statement.

I was literally thinking about that this weekend after a trip to crown center/union station. We spend $billions improving downtown only to let the homeless take over and make it all for nothing?

It was absolutely insane how many homeless people were everywhere. Most kept to themselves but some where legit scary yelling at the air, on drugs or something, mentally unstable, etc and I didn't feel safe having my family around that. The skybridge been CC and US was filled with them and made the walk extremely uncomfortable. I lived downtown for a decade so it didn't exactly bother me but I don't freaking need to bring my wife and (special needs) child around that. The city needs to get that sh#t under control or I'm staying in the burbs with my family.

[DColeKC]

This doesn’t seem all that newsworthy. Certain demos have been afraid of cities and fleeing to the suburbs for decades.

What demo is afraid of cities?

I think fleeing to the burbs is a natural American progression of life as you start a family and no longer find a downtown urban setting conducive to that lifestyle.

A quick look at his Twitter, the tone of his email, and him unnecessarily calling out the chambers other initiatives makes the demo I’m referring to clear kind of clear.

Educated, high income earning middle-aged white men?

I just didn't know certain types of people are "afraid" of cities. I mean this guy lives in one of the light buildings.

I guess we shouldn't listen to him because of his demo? Straight white man. Too bad he wasn't just slightly different so we could take it more seriously.

[im2kull]

It was absolutely insane how many homeless people were everywhere. Most kept to themselves but some where legit scary yelling at the air, on drugs or something, mentally unstable, etc and I didn't feel safe having my family around that.

This is every night in the CBD for the past year now. I can't count how many times I've been woken up multiple times from different random unstable people loitering around at 4am on weekdays yelling and screaming and cursing at thin air. Folks like that should be hauled off and incarcerated or on med holds until they're not a threat to anyone else. The car alarms and break-ins are getting wild. Trash fires. All that.

[DMNBT_RCJH]

It was absolutely insane how many homeless people were everywhere. Most kept to themselves but some where legit scary yelling at the air, on drugs or something, mentally unstable, etc and I didn't feel safe having my family around that.

This is every night in the CBD for the past year now. I can't count how many times I've been woken up multiple times from different random unstable people loitering around at 4am on weekdays yelling and screaming and cursing at thin air. Folks like that should be hauled off and incarcerated or on med holds until they're not a threat to anyone else. The car alarms and break-ins are getting wild. Trash fires. All that.

It's very block specific. I see or hear none of that on the corner of 14th and Baltimore. The Merriman’s do a great job managing the (presently vacant) 1400KC, likewise with North Pointe and the KCPL apartments. I do hear the loud engines though. With the potential of the 4 light and 14th Wyandotte additions, it will arguably the best three block area in all of KC. The area also benefits greatly from an extremely narrow Baltimore and extremely narrow 14th. No room for activities.


But three blocks away off of Grand street....completely different story.

[KCPowercat]

Not surprising.

I fear the last 20 years of good work in urban cores will be for naught over the next five.

Why?

Theft and Assualts, primarily.

Is there stats to back this statement up? I'd be most interested in per capita. Back when nobody lived downtown but a few of us, raw crime numbers were probably down, there was nobody/nothing to commit crimes against.

This thread has taken a dark turn in this page.

[KCPowercat]

Not surprising.

I fear the last 20 years of good work in urban cores will be for naught over the next five.

That said, to say no company feels their employees are safe downtown is an absurd statement.

I was literally thinking about that this weekend after a trip to crown center/union station. We spend $billions improving downtown only to let the homeless take over and make it all for nothing?

It was absolutely insane how many homeless people were everywhere. Most kept to themselves but some where legit scary yelling at the air, on drugs or something, mentally unstable, etc and I didn't feel safe having my family around that. The skybridge been CC and US was filled with them and made the walk extremely uncomfortable. I lived downtown for a decade so it didn't exactly bother me but I don't freaking need to bring my wife and (special needs) child around that. The city needs to get that sh#t under control or I'm staying in the burbs with my family.

What do you propose the city do? Is it really worse than when you did live downtown but now you just see the world through a different lens (both age, not being around it daily, and family)? I'm not casting any opinion on you, these are legit questions I have as someone who has lived downtown I'm guessing longer than anybody on this site. I see changes as well (some better, some worse) but I wonder about these things.

[DMNBT_RCJH]

Why?

Theft and Assualts, primarily.

Is there stats to back this statement up?

This thread has taken a dark turn in this page.

Well, Gregory Tree was just on KCTV5 spewing his concerns.

You should know that a lot of people, including successful business people, don’t make decisions based on statistics, but on “vibes” and “anecdotes.” I’m just pointing out that there’s bad vibes and bad anecdotes.

You leaving out the other part of my post, which is real and should be a real concern for the city, is telling. Losing that employer on the Plaza would be a major hit.

I’m going to disengage at this point. I’m a downtown resident, and I’ve enjoyed living here, but to brush off people’s concerns (not saying that’s what you’re doing) is not a good way to further draw people in to downtown work + play + live.

[KCPowercat]

Theft and Assualts, primarily.

Is there stats to back this statement up?

This thread has taken a dark turn in this page.

Well, Gregory Tree was just on KCTV5 spewing his concerns.

You should know that a lot of people don’t make decisions based on statistics, but on “vibes” and “anecdotes.” I’m just pointing out that there’s bad vibes and bad anecdotes rn.

You leaving out the other part of my post, which is real and should be a real concern for the city, is telling.

This discussion isn't about the plaza, not sure how it's telling I took it out? I wanted to focus on you saying thefts and assaults is why we're throwing away 20 years of work over the next 5 years.

Who has bad vibes rn? Downtown has never been higher vibes.

I'm all for business speaking up for concerns like this. Needs more attention it appears.

[DMNBT_RCJH]

Is there stats to back this statement up?

This thread has taken a dark turn in this page.

Well, Gregory Tree was just on KCTV5 spewing his concerns.

You should know that a lot of people don’t make decisions based on statistics, but on “vibes” and “anecdotes.” I’m just pointing out that there’s bad vibes and bad anecdotes rn.

You leaving out the other part of my post, which is real and should be a real concern for the city, is telling.

This discussion isn't about the plaza, not sure how it's telling I took it out? I wanted to focus on you saying thefts and assaults is why we're throwing away 20 years of work over the next 5 years.

You’re right, and I apologize for bringing it in.

[Cratedigger]

To bring this back on topic, hopefully some of these issues can be aided by the Crossroads Community Improvement, District the area is putting together.

It’s frustrating that the community is taxing themselves extra to do a job that should already be done by the city and KCPD.

[dukuboy1]

I personally have not experienced issues working downtown & going out in the surrounding areas. Vagrants & homeless is an issue. I’ve had to help others on the streets who were being harassed to chase them off. Nothing violent thank goodness. With the rise in population downtown & lack of security/police increasing with that residential increase has created an opportunity for crime. Usually the homeless on the streets suffer from metal illness be-it a health issue or byproduct of substance abuse. There are just enough vacant lots & vacant buildings mixed in amongst the development to provide them a place to gather & commit crimes. Plus most of the free public transportation allows them to access the area from points beyond. KC is no different than other big cities trying to figure out what do with the homeless issue. Obviously a more consistent & diligent security/police presence would help. Deterrence is a real thing & visible presence can go a long way. Increase in dollars to found facilities & programs to help those homeless with mental illness would be good. Get them off the streets & into some kind of treatment. No easy answers. And those who think just moving will help avoid it, it does but eventually they follow. I see panhandlers in the burbs & homeless pushing carts there as well. Just better policing helps reduce the criminal impact.

[ericwyner]

This doesn’t seem all that newsworthy. Certain demos have been afraid of cities and fleeing to the suburbs for decades.

What demo is afraid of cities?

older conservative white men, the Fox news demo

[DColeKC]

This doesn’t seem all that newsworthy. Certain demos have been afraid of cities and fleeing to the suburbs for decades.

What demo is afraid of cities?

older conservative white men, the Fox news demo

So I guess younger liberal men, the cnn demo, is afraid of rural areas?

It’s such a ridiculous way to look at this. As someone who lived downtown for years, I enjoyed the experience and the diversity of people I got to know. There are many more conservatives living downtown than you may think and they’re typically not scared of the city from my perspective.

Regardless, I think it’s asinine that his race and assumed political affiliation was brought up in an attempt to discount his valid concerns.

As mentioned above, important decisions are being made by personal experience rather than polls. If the city doesn’t focus on making downtown safe, we will see a decline in our progress. We don’t need a stat sheet to know we have a homeless issue. We don’t need a crime map to know we have a theft issue. We don’t need to value one’s opinion more or less based off of how they look or who they vote for.

[WoodDraw]

This forum has gotten very reddity and twittery

[dnweava]

What demo is afraid of cities?

older conservative white men, the Fox news demo

So I guess younger liberal men, the cnn demo, is afraid of rural areas?

It’s such a ridiculous way to look at this. As someone who lived downtown for years, I enjoyed the experience and the diversity of people I got to know. There are many more conservatives living downtown than you may think and they’re typically not scared of the city from my perspective.

Regardless, I think it’s asinine that his race and assumed political affiliation was brought up in an attempt to discount his valid concerns.

As mentioned above, important decisions are being made by personal experience rather than polls. If the city doesn’t focus on making downtown safe, we will see a decline in our progress. We don’t need a stat sheet to know we have a homeless issue. We don’t need a crime map to know we have a theft issue. We don’t need to value one’s opinion more or less based off of how they look or who they vote for.

Downtown is the exact opposite of diverse. Every building I lived in was essentially 25% educated white empty nesters and 75% educated white people in their 20-30s. The "suburban" area I live in now is FAR more diverse in terms of ages, races, education levels, etc.

[DColeKC]

This forum has gotten very reddity and twittery

God forbid we have serious, unfiltered conversations in here. Let’s all just be fake and dance around the issues.