KCRag Forum

there was an article or maybe an opinion piece advocating the demolition of the Empire. I had not realized that the interior had been gutted, and that no original interior work remains at all. I think this may increase the cost of renovation tremendously, because you are no longer restoring the interior, but completely recreating the interior from scratch. With just the stonework and the dome left, is it really worth the high cost to bring it back to life? Its basically a shell, so would it actually qualify for historic preservation funding?

Well by my calendar, Jury better have something going on tomorrow or he's out.....anybody hear anything?

well supposedly Sept. 2 and announcement was made....glad we could hear about it.....

Probably not good news....oh well drop an arena in there along with a new office tower and some shops, restaurants, etc and move on.

yeah, let's move on...good idea, wrong economy

Says Ron Jury secured financing for the Hotel President project. Building to be a Hilton Hotel assuming this plans works out.

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/s ... ily17.html

well get it going then Jury....like Hilton better than Wyndham...

http://www.marshallgroupinc.com/Current ... erings.asp

Interesting that yet another Downtown developer had to go out of state to get financing for a worthwhile project in the back yard of Commerce, UMB, and Bank Midwest. Seems like the small Missouri Bank and Trust is the only local bank that actually supports Downtown development projects.

Is Marshall more of a venture capitalist? Anywho there are plenty in the city and I see your point.

Don't forget Hillcrest Bank. They financed the Board of Trade building renovation at 10th and Wyandotte. The fact that UMB, Commerce, and Bank Midwest are not financing local projects speaks volumes.

Perhaps we should start telling our banks that we will close our accounts and move them to banks that support Kansas City projects.

Didn't know about Hillcrest Bank, where are they based at?

UMB and Commerce do finance developers elsewhere in the city and in the suburbs, appareantly just not Downtown. When urban developers still have trouble convincing banks that it is profitable to invest in the inner city, it's a shame that local banks who are already investing the core don't step up and lend a hand to some of these developers.

However, they both do deserve a lot of credit keeping and expanding their headquarters inside the Loop. Both have renovated historic buildings, as well as built new facilities. Also, Bank of America has it's regional HQ in the Loop and has been very involved with financing new housing in the inner city, especially the Beacon Hill project.

I believe Hillcrest is out by Bannister Mall. It is very disappointing that the local banks won't support projects and growth in their own backyard.

According to Collison's article today, Jury wants till the end of the year to secure this money.....man I don't know...this is REALLY dragging out.

According to the Star, Jury will be denied any further extensions for his plan. I think this might be a huge mistake. First, we have someone who has spent their own money doing work on the property. Secondly, the complaints of other surrounding developers is unfounded. If other projects are viable, then what happens to the President is a moot point.

There has been a lot of "talk" aobut other projects, whereas Jury has invested money already. The Star pointed out that Andy Uris personally tried to sabotage this project. This does not shed good light on the city and their efforts to work with developers, not against them.

Furthermore, the plans for an entertainment district/HR Block are plans at this point. How long have we been waiting for mere information about these projects. What we get is more delays. I say we give the same chance to people willing to invest money in downtown. Development takes time and effort, we need to be flexible. Let's find a way to make all these projects work together!

The owners of the Power and Light Building have a plan to renovate it and add and adjacent mid-rise office building, as well as a parking garage. They have publicly stated that they will not proceed with this project until the Hotel President situation is resolved. So there is at least one very high profile development being impacted by the Hotel President delays.

The P&L development has nothing to do with the renovation of the Hotel President. The inept owners of the P&L building are just making excuses. If the P&L development is viable then they should proceed based on its own merits, not what is going on with the Hotel President. If all developers thought like P&L, nothing would ever get done.

If P & L went ahead with their plans it might motivate a local bank to invest in the President also.

One of the reasons this area is in such bad shape today is that the city gave Stan Durwood and AMC the redevelopment rights long ago, and then let them sit on the neighborhood for over 20 years without doing a damn thing.

The city has finally realized that developers who get tax money need to be held accountable to build what they promise and do it in a timely manner. How long should they keep giving six month extensions? For a year? Two years? Five? Ten?

I agree. Ron Jury should be supported. He should get the extension. He has put forth a lot of effort and personal risk to advance this project. He has the financing, and a future tenant (Hilton). The city should give him the time necessary to put a plan together. It wasn't his fault that he lost his last financing.

I think he should also get some credit for bringing in another big-time hotel into downtown. There aren't any Hiltons in the downtown area now, so this is a new player in that location. Andi Udris certainly didn't convince Hilton to come downtown. Jury did.

Udris appears to be only helping the few big developers on the Greater Downtown Development Authority, and the Downtown Council (Executive Hills, DST, Colliers, Tower Props.). None of those developers has brought Hilton to the table in any of their development plans. Udris is representing the interests of other developers would want to buy the President Hotel and level it, so they can have the vacant parcel for parking garages. That would explain Udris's efforts to "sabotage" Jury.

Udris shouldn't be trying to sabotage any property owner downtown who is trying to improve property like Jury is trying to do with the President.

Is it just me or does this Udris guy seem like a jerk? Jury said he only needed an extension until Oct. 8 and if the ducks were not in a row by then, he would walk away from the project. What does Udris think he is going to do with the property in the next month anyway? Give me a friggin break. Besides if this Hotel rehab does not go through, Udris will have one hell of a time tearing that sucker down because of its historical significance.

I wonder if there is some behind the scenes proposals going on for that site, otherwise why would Barnes support Udris on this decision to not extend time to Jury. Barnes has been very supportive of the Hotel President and Empire Theatre, but now it seems she has done a 180. This is why nothing ever gets done in this city. You have Udris attempting to sabotage the President deal when his role is to assist developers through the maze of red tape and provide tax incentives. Has this guy done anything positive for downtown since his arrival?