KCRag Forum

And predictably, this is the most politically liberal part of JoCo as well.  Hmmm...

DiggityDawg wrote:
It doesn't look any different from the last look it had as the Fine Arts to me...

I don't have a quibble with the look. I oppose plans to turn it into an Uptown Theater the same reason I oppose an OP arena. No need for the suburbs to provide things downtown KC already provides.

Now, we DO need more indie theaters in KC. The Tivoli and Rio are simply not enough.

KCMax wrote:I don't have a quibble with the look. I oppose plans to turn it into an Uptown Theater the same reason I oppose an OP arena. No need for the suburbs to provide things downtown KC already provides.

Oh, I gotcha - it's the concept of what the place is gonna BE that bugs ya. I don't have a problem with that myself...doesn't sound like it's gonna be nearly as big as the Uptown anyway. I think there's room enough for 2 event places like that.

Now, we DO need more indie theaters in KC. The Tivoli and Rio are simply not enough.

Don't forget the Glenwood Arts out at 95th & Metcalf. I actually kinda wish the Tivoli would go under...you'd see the Palace take up the slack for indie movies. They can't show stuff now because of deals the Tivoli has with studios. I think the Tivoli is kind of a dump.

I thought all you guys hated Kansas, and especially JoCo. We were always a KCK family, then arrived from Turner
to RP in the first wave-1958-of cleaver style surburia. I get a lot of laughs at the still burning dislike between the 2 states that is exhibited on these boards fairly often.

KCK and JoCo north of 75th street gets a pass. Its the rest of Kansas this board seems to hate.

KCMax wrote: KCK and JoCo north of 75th street gets a pass. Its the rest of Kansas this board seems to hate.

In my case it's not the state of Kansas in itself that I hate. On the contrary, it's not a bad place overall. It even has some geological attractions that most people aren't aware of. However it is much of Johnson County I'm not fond of, especially the more southern developed areas-- which are prime exemplars of everything that is wrong with American culture. The inner ring burbs, even though they are almost entirely single-use and car dependent, are at least tolerable, and not nearly as revolting as newer developments to the west and south.

So much for Mission being KC's favorite lil' JoCo neighbor...

GE unit will leave KC for Mission

A General Electric Co. unit will move to Mission from Kansas City, the Mission building's owner said Monday.

Gabriel Murphy, president of Murphy Properties LLC, said GE's pipeline solutions business will move in early 2006 to the Mission Towers office building. The division employs about 175 people and will become the building's largest tenant, leasing 35,000 square feet.

GE will receive incentives from Kansas, Murphy said. Kansas economic development officials couldn't be reached for comment.

The GE unit, formerly called M.J. Harden Associates Inc., has been at 1019 Admiral Blvd. since its founding in 1956. GE bought the business in August 2003.

Rest of the article can be found in The Business Journal:
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/s ... 5&hbx=e_du

I think this board should have a specific subforum devoted to news related to businesses dumping KCMO for Johnson County.

I saw that.  Been in downtown since 1956, dumped it on the back of incentives from Kansas.  Just when I was feeling positive and optimistic, these small things trickle away.

staubio wrote: I saw that.  Been in downtown since 1956, dumped it on the back of incentives from Kansas.  Just when I was feeling positive and optimistic, these small things trickle away.

Makes you wonder doesn't it, if KCMO is asleep at the wheel concerning the hemorrhaging for businesses to the parasitic suburbs. You'd think the Economic Development people would be all over this issue. Even Mayor Barnes has personally expressed her dissatisfaction with this same scenario repeating itself incessantly.

Here are a few interesting reads on some of the studies and ideas being thrown around for the West gateway -- the strip-mall and more suburban part of Mission. It looks like residents and city officials want to ditch the suburban look and feel and go with something more along the lines of a Plaza West theme for the "new Mission," complete with rapid transit, more pedestrian options and mixed use buildings and more residential with many buildings between 3 and 6 stories in height. 

http://www.missionks.org/documents/City ... inder1.pdf

http://www.missionks.org/documents/City ... ommend.pdf

The plans keep some existing structures (ala Target and the Post Office), but wipe out the parking lagoons in favor of underground parking, more public spaces/parks/squares and an overall more urban environment. Looks tasty.

Matt

I forgot to mention the article in today's Star as well.

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 085998.htm

It looks like demolition has begun on some of the buildings along Rock Creek. There are also close-out signs around the mall. I haven't been in there yet, but I may have to check it out to see if there are any good deals.

Matt

Mission looks like they have the people and potential to start really turning some heads in a few years. This plan is probably the most sound to come out of suburban KC minds in years.

Mission Mall is closing in January. Most of the stores have already begun liquidation or have moved elsewhere in Mission. What sucks is that many of them can't simply fold up shop for 18 months, so they're moving to other parts of Mission permanently.

KCMax wrote: Mission Mall is closing in January. Most of the stores have already begun liquidation or have moved elsewhere in Mission. What sucks is that many of them can't simply fold up shop for 18 months, so they're moving to other parts of Mission permanently.

There were not that many stores left in the mall and some stores that have moved to Johnson Drive have seen a dramatic increase in business because nobody knew they existed in that dead mall.

The new development replacing that mall will be more than worth loosing a few businesses to surrounding cities.

KCMax wrote: Mission Mall is closing in January. Most of the stores have already begun liquidation or have moved elsewhere in Mission. What sucks is that many of them can't simply fold up shop for 18 months, so they're moving to other parts of Mission permanently.

Like where? Mission Mall is mostly stuff owned by Limited Brands. There's no other malls for them to go to.

pretty cool.  MIssionite, do you know what the time frame for this whole redevelopment is?  Will it be done by 2010 or sooner?

Props to Mission for being a suburb that actually has a clue about making a place with a future. Mission is now officially off my List of Dipshit Suburbs and now on my List of Decent Suburbs.

It seems as though much of the negative aspects of Mission's built environment were fostered through the guise of "economic development" such as the crap west of Lamar. I wonder if the demise of the Sylvester Powell reign is what is bringing in this more progressive way of looking at future development (Not saying that Powell wasn't an overall good mayor though).

Tosspot wrote: Props to Mission for being a suburb that actually has a clue about making a place with a future. Mission is now officially off my List of Dipshit Suburbs and now on my List of Decent Suburbs.

It seems as though much of the negative aspects of Mission's built environment were fostered through the guise of "economic development" such as the crap west of Lamar. I wonder if the demise of the Sylvester Powell reign is what is bringing in this more progressive way of looking at future development (Not saying that Powell wasn't an overall good mayor though).

Although basicallly a dictator, (mission had no professional city administrator until after his reign) Sylvester Powell did deliver to his people the lowest property tax mill levy of any first class city in the state of KS at around 4 mills I think. Actually I think it may have risen in recent years to more like 8 or 9 mills because of the state taking away municipal revenue sharing to pay for all thier tax cuts in the 90's. but still there is nary a city of the first class in the state with a single digit mill levy. of course mission has cramnmed almost every resturaunt known to man in a 4 block area, but hey.

Ruby Tuesdays at Mission Mall is now closed and many stores in Mission Mall are now closed. The remaining few will close in January.