KCPowercat wrote: ↑Sat Jan 18, 2025 8:19 am
Those lots are free on weekends just for that
I think there is "one" lot (on the northern most edge) that is free parking and River Market adjacent. The others that Highlander is referring to are (I believe) closed to public parking.
A total joke seeing all of that wasted space. If we're going to have a chunk of downtown that size devoted to surface parking, at least make it usable on busy Market Saturdays.
Assuming the owners don't want the liability and/or cost/complication associated with public parking or a pay system. Frustrating.
the point is they are opening it up for free parking as requested. it's never full because KC can't park more than a block from their destination.
yeah we all hate the north loop surface lots. hence why I've suggested multiple times new royals stadium there and merry that with a north loop removal. We can't think that big here.
KCPowercat wrote: ↑Sat Jan 18, 2025 8:19 am
Those lots are free on weekends just for that
I think there is "one" lot (on the northern most edge) that is free parking and River Market adjacent. The others that Highlander is referring to are (I believe) closed to public parking.
A total joke seeing all of that wasted space. If we're going to have a chunk of downtown that size devoted to surface parking, at least make it usable on busy Market Saturdays.
Assuming the owners don't want the liability and/or cost/complication associated with public parking or a pay system. Frustrating.
Is there signage to that effect (free parking on weekends)? There are two lots west of Main that fit the description of "northern lot".
It does seem a waste to see so much parking absolutely unutilized. It's literally a block from the North Loop stop on the street car (and in reality, not even that long of a walk to the City Market).
Commerce owns the blocks in red. They don't own the blocks/parcels in yellow. Develop the yellow blocks/parcels first. It will put pressure on Commerce to sell its blocks. Development plans have been proposed for the SE and SW corners of 9th and Wyandotte in the past. I don't know if they will happen, but there have been proposals and there still could be movement.
There is also an opportunity to develop east of Main, but there will need to be partnerships that work out parking for the AC Hotel and Hampton Inn who control surface lots there.
Developing on both sides puts even more pressure on Commerce to sell or develop.
Most of those lots dont even fill up on weekdays, they are completely unneeded by commerce. They need to develope them or the city should eminent domain them.
Those surface lots owned by Commerce were once the “cheap” parking options for employees. Oddly enough employees had to pay monthly parking for garages or lots regardless. That changed during COVID & WFH rise. But also Commerce KC had some serious egg on their face when employees in STL at their main campus area, the tower in Clayton got to park for free. Would love to see empty lots get developed
dukuboy1 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 19, 2025 1:19 am
Those surface lots owned by Commerce were once the “cheap” parking options for employees. Oddly enough employees had to pay monthly parking for garages or lots regardless. That changed during COVID & WFH rise. But also Commerce KC had some serious egg on their face when employees in STL at their main campus area, the tower in Clayton got to park for free. Would love to see empty lots get developed
I understand that they wanted to see how the whole WFH trend went before making any decisions. Similar to Crown Center, they a) don't want to be left without "much needed" parking b) have always viewed their empty land as prime office development parcels. I am not totally sure how we shift the mindsets. Maybe district parking? Or getting Commerce into a new building?
My guess is they’ll just sit on them as they have for decades. Maybe they’d sell or partner with a developer. I mean Commerce does have a track record of selling to developers with the last 10yrs. That new hotel on the Plaza at 46th & Wyandotte. That used to be a branch with drive through & a small parking lot. They sold to developer
I doubt they build a new building downtown. In fact the original trust building has been undergoing a floor by floor rehab for last 2 yrs.
*They did sell their tower to a developer to become apartments.
Last edited by dukuboy1 on Mon Jan 20, 2025 12:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Commerce's parking gulag has grown with the addition of the two blocks of surface lots on the east side of Main. That is where the former motel building was that took up two blocks. It was demolished in 2007.
Wow, I do not remember that building, especially if it was torn down in 2007. My guess is it was pretty derelict by then. Goes to show I didn't spend much time on that side of Main .
Commerce owns that but I do not think they own the lot that is up the hill at 7th & Walnut.
Regardless, once the 8th & Grand projects gets going (really hoping it does) I have a feeling a lot of these empty lots will become valuable enough to sell for development. 8th & Grand can really serve as a catalyst for the North end of downtown, both in new projects ready to go up in vacant lots & surface lots as well as some rehabs of existing buildings. Just got to get that first domino to fall.
dukuboy1 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2025 12:11 pm
Wow, I do not remember that building, especially if it was torn down in 2007. My guess is it was pretty derelict by then. Goes to show I didn't spend much time on that side of Main .
Commerce owns that but I do not think they own the lot that is up the hill at 7th & Walnut.
Regardless, once the 8th & Grand projects gets going (really hoping it does) I have a feeling a lot of these empty lots will become valuable enough to sell for development. 8th & Grand can really serve as a catalyst for the North end of downtown, both in new projects ready to go up in vacant lots & surface lots as well as some rehabs of existing buildings. Just got to get that first domino to fall.
During my first job out of college downtown in 1996 I used to park in the garage parking under that motel. It was a mess.
Went to an event there in the early nineties, it was indeed a mess including non working ac. In its' day it was quite popular-- the convenience of a motel with the location of a DT hotel. It was the only Sheraton brand in KC and convenient to the then DT airport. Ridiculous that a structure built as part of mid century urban renewal was in turn allowed to devolve into blight and be razed.
dukuboy1 wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2025 12:11 pm
Wow, I do not remember that building, especially if it was torn down in 2007. My guess is it was pretty derelict by then. Goes to show I didn't spend much time on that side of Main .
Commerce owns that but I do not think they own the lot that is up the hill at 7th & Walnut.
The windows had been covered for years before that. I don't know when it last operated as a motel.
They purchased the Grand Opera House, at 7th and Grand, at some point. The former theater had been converted into a parking garage. Commerce (Tower Properties) demolished it. There is a whole thread on it.
Last edited by FangKC on Mon Jan 20, 2025 6:01 pm, edited 1 time in total.
moderne wrote: ↑Mon Jan 20, 2025 3:19 pm
Went to an event there in the early nineties, it was indeed a mess including non working ac. In its' day it was quite popular-- the convenience of a motel with the location of a DT hotel. It was the only Sheraton brand in KC and convenient to the then DT airport. Ridiculous that a structure built as part of mid century urban renewal was in turn allowed to devolve into blight and be razed.
Highlander wrote: ↑Fri Jan 24, 2025 10:25 pm
One way to sort out the North Loop since a cap is not likely or even plausible would be to follow the Netherlands lead on highway conversions:
Having a watercourse in place could attract residential high rise to the north end of the loop
Fully agree. Saw someone saying this on twitter a few months ago for Charlotte, but I instantly thought this would be a way better fit for the North Loop.
It would neat if they could create a tunnel for 70 to pass through to where it connects up with I35 interchange. Revamped East loop & fill in the current trench with street grid. But that will never happen but would be best case
dukuboy1 wrote: ↑Fri Jan 24, 2025 10:44 pm
It would neat if they could create a tunnel for 70 to pass through to where it connects up with I35 interchange. Revamped East loop & fill in the current trench with street grid. But that will never happen but would be best case
.