Ward Parkway Mall just sighed up

[dangerboy]

it seems lot of native KCers seem to think if they see greater than 2% black patrons that the place is doomed to go the way of Bannister Mall.  Sad.  (Of course they are too polite to say it directly in this part of the country...they ask "do you feel safe there".   Huh?  As safe as I feel anywhere else, lol!  Really.) 

This.  Exactly.

[mudjack]

I really hope you're wrong. I know we have a lot of history to overcome, but I prefer to think that this will only be really f*cking difficult. The situation you describe makes it sould impossible.

[dangerboy]

Watcher's summary could apply to all of race relations in KC.  "Do you feel safe there?" or "is it safe?" is code for "is it too black?" that applies to neighborhoods and schools as well as shopping malls.

[NDTeve]

Watcher's summary could apply to all of race relations in KC.  "Do you feel safe there?" or "is it safe?" is code for "is it too black?" that applies to neighborhoods and schools as well as shopping malls.

probably not confined to just Kansas City.

[KCMax]

I think sadly,  much of the metro thinks "Kansas City = black = unsafe."

I dare say you'll see as high or higher percentage of African-Americans at Oak Park Mall or Independence Center than Ward Parkway. But its in Kansas City, which for many (including our fine news outlets) is right by the ghetto, therefore it is black and unsafe.

[Jess]

I think sadly,  much of the metro thinks "Kansas City = black = unsafe."

I dare say you'll see as high or higher percentage of African-Americans at Oak Park Mall or Independence Center than Ward Parkway. But its in Kansas City, which for many (including our fine news outlets) is right by the ghetto, therefore it is black and unsafe.

And it's bizarre.  I really don't understand how one could drive down Ward Parkway and say, with a straight face, "Yep, totally ghetto." Even the parts that aren't Brookside/Armour Fields/etc. are pretty negligibly ghettofied. 

[phuqueue]

And it's bizarre.  I really don't understand how one could drive down Ward Parkway and say, with a straight face, "Yep, totally ghetto." Even the parts that aren't Brookside/Armour Fields/etc. are pretty negligibly ghettofied. 

Here's your first mistake, assuming that people actually go to these places before writing them off as ghetto.

[dangerboy]

^And you are assuming that most people travel to the mall from the north, and not the more modest-looking areas from the south, west, or east...

[GRID]

wow, if Staples can't make it in that location, not not sure what will.

[moderne]

One of the reasons Staples called it quits at Ward Pkway was that the landlords would not fix water and mold problems. 

[LenexatoKCMO]

Well I am sure there will be lots of quality tennants lining up to get the space despite the unfixed water and mold problems.  &&&&  Seriously - I would think that in this commercial real estate environment you would want to do everything in your power to hang on to the tenants you have - especially national tenants like these. 

[Jess]

^And you are assuming that most people travel to the mall from the north, and not the more modest-looking areas from the south, west, or east...

Not really.  I drove there myself from north only when we were living on the Plaza, but in recent years, I drove from the east, Santa Fe Hills area of Waldo, which doesn't scream ghetto, either.

[KCMax]

New York & Co. will close January 23

http://www.kansascity.com/199/story/1663999.html

[tacorn]

My wife said there's a sign up for the new Five Guys. Construction is under way!

[redperro]

When is Trader Joes gonna open?>

[KCMax]

When is Trader Joes gonna open?>

Opening sometime between July and Sept.

http://forum.kcrag.com/http://www.kcrag ... 39#p459339

[Stockton]

The former Dillard's department store and parking garage at Ward Parkway Center will soon be demolished to clear the way for new businesses.

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/03/11/27 ... -ward.html

A Best Buy would be great here. Also, a JCPenney or Kohl's would probably fit the mould pretty well.

[trailerkid]

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/03/11/27 ... -ward.html

A Best Buy would be great here. Also, a JCPenney or Kohl's would probably fit the mould pretty well.

I don't completely see the need for a 1% CID tax for what is now almost entirely a big box center. Seriously, what would that be spent on?

[loftguy]

I don't completely see the need for a 1% CID tax for what is now almost entirely a big box center. Seriously, what would that be spent on?

Clean, safe and desirable.

Such as: Safety Ambassadors (security), cleaning, snow removal, landscaping, marketing.

It's simply passing on the costs for these items to the customer, rather than making it part of the rent/common area maintenance charges to the retailer.

[GRID]

I don't completely see the need for a 1% CID tax for what is now almost entirely a big box center. Seriously, what would that be spent on?

I agree with this.  Sales taxes are sky high in metro KC (much higher than anything I see out here) and that is a major reason why it will be nearly impossible to ever fund light rail etc.  Why is retail so heavily subsidized in KC?  Even most of the suburban shopping centers are heavily subsized, that's why there so much retail blight in KC.  It's out of control.