OFFICIAL: Penn Valley Park (Ideas+redeveloment)

[midtown guy]

well, it shouldn't just be around the perimeter....75% of the park should be replaced with a hilly and gridlike neighborhood of townhomes and 3-6 story apartment buildings.  i would be ok even with beige new stuff like the buildings at Gillham Row.  it doesn't even need any businesses, necessarily - just rooftops rooftops rooftops.  that's what downtown KC needs.

The type of apartments you're talking about would be fabulous leading all the way up the hill South of the new IRS pad.  I also think a small string of restaurants with patio overlooks that were just East and North of the BMA tower that would lead to a lot of pedestrian traffic in and around the scout statue area where the Scout Statue overlook remained.  The restaurants could have outdoor seatin that overlooked the lake and the downtown skyline on the east side of the buildings.

The Suzaki plan for urban development calls for cutting out the Broadway ramp onto I-35 and putting residential in that area that would overlook the urban lake there and lead up to the base of the hill that holds the Scout Statue. Hopefully the Federal Reserve Building will open up to the open space that is the Southeast side of the area -- and it'd be nice if they improved the two ballfields so that the Fed Reserve, IRS and other such companies would be encouraged to set up more company softball leagues in the area for downtown workers.

They should also put more rooftops along SW Trafficway lining the West side of the park. 

Improving some nice walking bridges to overpass some of the major roadways (ie Broadway) would very helpful. 

[advocrat]

Penn Valley Park is big. It is not pedestrian friendly, and it has no spectacular attraction. It suffered from a bad reputation in recent years as did Liberty Memorial before it. It must be expensive to maintain.

KC Parks and Recreation obviously have their hands full with this property and others, and so it isn't much of a showcase, as is the case with most of the other other parks.

What extra feature draws people to Loose Park? A: Rose Garden. What special facility draws people to Swope Park? A: Zoo and Starlight Theater.  Why will more people be visiting Liberty Memorial in the near future? A: National WWI Museum at Liberty Memorial.  Part of an answer for the nearby Penn Valley Park can be found in the ideas proposed by posters on this board like thedream.

It sometimes seems that Parks & Recreation will not want to consider any type of development proposal, and yet let their parks, properties and public responsibility languish, or not achieve the potential each may have. 

Kansas City bandies ideas about constantly and rarely develops (e.g. Aquarium). I hope an aquarium is someday built on the Riverfront, or, directly north of RiverMarket on the second street improvements proposal.

But as for Penn Valley Park, with it's airy summit and hills and vista, I would like to see something that visitors who patronize Liberty Memorial may shuttle over to see: A BIG GLASS AVIARY.  PVP can subtract "x" amount of acreage, and concentrate on improving the rest; with emphasis on a companion water garden or something similar.  Aviary itself could be privately run, with collaboration or partnership with KC Zoo facilities (veterinary services, animal exchanges, etc.)

What a nice place this would be to visit, with sky above and solarium climate and exoctic birds that would be in a convenient and attractive locale for tourists and residents.

[midtown guy]

I was driving through the park this afternoon -- I really think it's going to look great once the Liberty Memorial stuff is complete (they're redoing the entryway to it), the IRS building is done, the Federal Reserve Complex is complete and the BMA Tower has people moved in. I still think the West area of the park will be under-utilized, but I think the largest part of the park on the Eastern side looks like it has the potential to be pretty vibrant once all of the construction is complete.

[macnw]

Why won't the city allow music events/gatherings/food exhibits in the Park. What a backdrop, with Union Station. You could easily creat a landscaped amphitheater on that hillside. Lunchtime concerts to bring people from Crown Center, IRS, Fed complexes. Weekend events to further encourage people to go to WWI museum, Union Station and Crossroads.

[tat2kc]

its not the "city". and changes/aterations to a park are under complete control of the parks and rec department. I don't remember the reasoning behind it, but the parks board has a tremendous amount of autonomy, and the city administration has very little control over it.  I don't think even the city council and mayor together could override the parks board on anything.

[knucklehead]

Just a couple of thoughts on Penn Valley park.

First, the park itself is in relatively good condition. The dog park is a good idea and should be expanded. I am way to old to skateboard, but just based on a drive by, I was not impressed with the skate board park. The skate board park in Penn Valley park should be the premier skateboard facility in the Metro area and it didn't have that look to me.

Second, after considerable thought, I believe broadway should be should be shut down through the park. Traffic should be diverted to main or the trafficway. I know that will inconvience some people, but it is the only way to improve the park.

Also, their are two options on the lawn between liberty memorial and union station. One is to turn it into a rose garden type area, to draw people onto the lawn. The second is to make it a natural ampatheater. They had one rockfest on the lawn and apparently that was to crude for the parks board (which I don't dispute, apparently the f word was used constantly by the bands). Fine, if there are no musical events suitable for the lawn then the decision is clear, turn the lawn into a garden. Surely some civic group would be willing to take on the task of maintaining a flower/rose garden on such a prominate site.

[DaveKCMO]

Second, after considerable thought, I believe broadway should be should be shut down through the park. Traffic should be diverted to main or the trafficway. I know that will inconvience some people, but it is the only way to improve the park.

what if you closed just half of broadway and turned the southbound section into a two-way street? that would also leave plenty of ROW for the fancy new light rail system we're getting. if not, you'd at least need to make a connection between broadway and 26th or 27th street (currently you can't go north on broadway from 27th and 26th doesn't go through), maybe even allowing row homes or condos to be developed in that immediate area. another option would be to somehow route southbound broadway onto southbound SW trafficway. if you don't add something new to this area, it will become a dead zone when broadway closes.

Also, there are two options on the lawn between liberty memorial and union station... The second is to make it a natural ampatheater.

the current green space there is a total waste, considering the location. look at the potential when the symphony plays in front of union station! it's perfect! very little would be needed to make the amphitheater idea more practical and would probably make the area look even MORE attractive.

[DaveKCMO]

resurrecting this thread, since talk of PVP has become trendy again. aside from the current and past proposals (chastain, BMA, the fed), what else could be done to improve our least-loved park?

[ShowMeKC]

Several things can be done IMO:

Capping over/tunneling of Broadway
Elimination of other roads cutting through PVP (except Broadway)
Renovation of baseball fields
Addition of more tennis courts/basketball courts
Addition of playgrounds
Increasing amount of trails
More trees should be planted in the more bare areas
More benches should be placed, especially along the trails
Police patrols increased, maybe add 2-3 mounted police for the park
Denser development of office/retail/residential surrounding the park should be greatly encouraged.
Hold more special events at the park
Add sculpture parks

[Highlander]

Several things can be done IMO:

Capping over/tunneling of Broadway
Elimination of other roads cutting through PVP (except Broadway)
Renovation of baseball fields
Addition of more tennis courts/basketball courts
Addition of playgrounds
Increasing amount of trails
More trees should be planted in the more bare areas
More benches should be placed, especially along the trails
Police patrols increased, maybe add 2-3 mounted police for the park
Denser development of office/retail/residential surrounding the park should be greatly encouraged.
Hold more special events at the park
Add sculpture parks

To be honest, PVP is seldom visited because there is practically nothing there outside of the Liberty Memorial worth visiting.  Closing or capping Broadway will have virtually no impact on the park, nor will putting a light rail track through the middle.....and nor would gondolas.  Closing or capping Broadway simply makes the center of the park more remote.  Gondolas might be a nice novelty hit at first but I strongly suspect that with no real destination in the park, ridership would dwindle to practically nothing in a few months.  PVP needs a destination that will attract people into the park.  Walking and bike trails would be a nice start but that will have limited appeal.  I like the ideal of an aviary as mentioned before but I think that would be better suited to shore up the zoo. 

How about a world class botanical gardens? 

Now if you really want to close Broadway, the valley it travels through with the lakes and the limestone bluff would provide a good backdrop for such a garden.  Make sure it contains a large outside section but also extensive greenhouses to ensure year-round visitation.  Something like this would cost over 100 million dollars but it would attract people to the park if done well.  It is pointless to put up an elaborate gondola system if there is nothing to attract people to the park....nobody will use them. 

I am a bit concerned about the way the periphery of the park is developing.  The south side seems to be the best hope for bringing people into the park simply because of the residential projects in that area.  The Federal Reserve project will put people in the Liberty Memorial area due to proximity but also will act as an unwanted buffer between Union Hill and the park while the IRS facility is absolutely neutral (doubtful if that will ever spur use of the park).  The west side of the park is a mess.  SW Trafficway and I-35 are effective barriers to any pedestrian flow from the nearby residential area. 

[advocrat]

Did you see Kevin Collison's article about the Federal Reserve Bank desire to kick in money to improve PVP in today's paper.  It seems that there can be a serendipitous convergence of interests and money, and allocation that will have to be spent anyway.  What I'm getting at might be assembled like this.

1. Gondola and Light rail system serves the park (see my posts today on the Transportation KCLight rail thread). Money for this comes from part of the 3/8ths of a cent ballot proposal.
2. Broadway (crumbling Broadway) will have to have maintenance and this comes from the greater City streets budget. Forgetaboutit, and use that portion to make improvements elsewhere (other roads or within the Park itself). Improve SW trafficway and feeder roads into the area
3. Federal Reserve kicks in money.
4. Certain concessions pay their way or contribute; e.g., carriage rides, Ferris wheel, Gondola, merry-go-round, Just Off Broadway theater.
5. Botanical gardens, and my dream of an aviary can both be added to the park.

Kessler's Park Plan on the Friends of Penn valley park link show a devlopment vision much closer to the elements described above.  I truly believe PVP can be a destination place for residents and visitors alike.

[tat2kc]

A botanical garden would be a perfect fit for that area. An extension of the Powell gardens in the urban setting, especially with the geography of that area, could lead to some really beautiful gardens.

[kcmetro]

While we're at it, why not an aquarium as well? Put in multiple attractions so families can spend the whole day there.

[Highlander]

While we're at it, why not an aquarium as well? Put in multiple attractions so families can spend the whole day there.

Yea, put an aquarium right next to the botanical gardens.  Multiple attractions is how you ensure success.

[aknowledgeableperson]

Why not a 9 or even 18 hole executive golf course with a driving range?

A frisbee course?

Return some of the area to a natural state with a limited nature trail?

Enlarge the dog park?

Allow parking on Broadway so it becomes more than a trafficway?

Make part of it a place for art work, with changes every three months or so, with walkways?

[bahua]

Why not a 9 or even 18 hole executive golf course with a driving range?

Yes please.

[tat2kc]

The only way the East side of the park could be developed along Main would be for a voter approved referendum to sell the parkland to a private developer. And I don't see that happening.

[ShowMeKC]

tat2kc, that part of the park isn't the park, it's the former site for Trinity Lutheran, between Wyandotte and Main.

[ShowMeKC]

I would also love to see a further expansion of Liberty Memorial.

That expansion could include:
An archway placed somewhere between the 2 roads on the mall.
A museum expansion on the west and east sides.
The west side expansion could cross the road/light rail (if built in that location) somewhat like Bartle Hall does 13th st. connecting the memorial to the park.

[swampranger]

For the anti-removal of broadway folks, we could put some major speed bumps in. Then set up some bleachers on the hill overlooking the road to watch as folks hit those puppies at 50 miles an hour. Wooh doggy!
And hey, we get some city sponsored gambling action on that... there's a revenue source to assist maintenance of the park.