KCRag Forum

DaveKCMO wrote:http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... posal.html

"I didn't really endorse that, nor did I know they were doing it," Slawson said of Kansas City-based B+A Architecture's presentation. "But it is based on my vision."

Slawson said the idea for the hotel, which would be the first in the River Market's recent history, was sparked by his personal preferences and frequent travels between Denver and Kansas City.

"What we want to do is add a nice, big indoor market to complement what's already down here from a market standpoint," he said.

Kevin Collison's update on this project. There are new visuals, and some reshuffling of the buildings, plans.

https://cityscenekc.com/denver-investor ... er-market/

Super excited for the indoor market and townhouses....and retail additions.

Eon Blue wrote:If those are at the NW corner of Missouri & Grand, they were a demo threat at one point recently.

The buildings and lot I describe are immediately north of that NW corner building, but they are all owned by the same person/entity.
Do you have any additional info on the recent demo threat?

“What caught me eye in Kansas City is the same thing we see in Denver, just seven years behind,” Slawson said.

*20 years behind

JBmidtown wrote:

“What caught me eye in Kansas City is the same thing we see in Denver, just seven years behind,” Slawson said.

*20 years behind

Maybe 20 years behind in certain metrics, but I think 20 years is generous when comparing our transportation system. I personally do not see KC having, in 20 years, integrated heavy rail with a line to the airport and ~60 miles of light rail. At the current rate, our airport and transportation system can only hope hyperloop and automated cars will leapfrog other technologies and make KC more attractive as a test bed considering the lack of investment. Perhaps this is just the dejected side of me post-election, but KC is just in a really bad place for any progressive notion at the moment.

From a RM perspective, at least downtown is connected via the existing streetcar, but I find it amazing that businesses that are rolling in patrons lately are still complaining, and I've heard at least one business owner grumble that the construction process may not have been worth it (describing that it would also not be worth it for the rest of the line). I sure hope we are able to enable people who live in the RM to commute to other places in the city for work and vice-versa, but I have kinda lost faith in our potential to move things forward with any sort of expediency.

**Accidental repost.**

KC got hit hard by being functionally split between two types of development

The city didn't fall as hard as places like Detroit or NYC or LA that don't have their own suburbs but it's been a lot harder to bounce back compared to those cities because all our efforts are split into other parts of the city.

Our low point was about 20 years after NYC's and we're probably 50 years behind them at this point.

The starting point is we don't have a strong local developer scene interested in transit-friendly development. We're only just getting to that point.

Critical_Mass wrote:I can't say for certain, but it looks like something might be happening with 516 Grand. It's a single parcel that has two attached one-story brick buildings and an empty lot between them. I don't see any permits on the parcel viewer, but the Block & Co. listing (sign attached to the bldg) doesn't appear to be advertised on their website (taken down?). I walked past these buildings last week and again today and it looks like there are work crews and some dumpsters in the back alley and empty lot. They've had the front doors open both times. Not sure if they are gutting it and beginning some construction work or if they are just being used as workshops/fabrication/etc. similar to the neighboring garage attached to Icon Architects.

There is definitely some renovation work happening with these two buildings at 516 Grand. New opening(s) are being cut into the north one. The non-original storefront infill has been removed on the south building and a temporary barrier erected to close off the interior. It is setback a bit and has exposed an entrance stair to the back of the adjacent building. I still don't see any permits on the parcel viewer site. These photos were taken from the car a couple days ago:

south building:


north building:

No permits that I could find

Probably aren't doing enough work to trigger one of the permit categories. Don't need permits to hang a sign or awning or to put on a new garage door, paint or windows.

The work in that pic and how it's described requires a permit.

Yep, that is structural, particularly with a building of that age.

Somebody should 311 the work w/o permit and see what we find out.

smh wrote:Somebody should 311 the work w/o permit and see what we find out.

done

The old streetcar that was parked behind Union Station is being relocated to the NW corner of 5th and Delaware, and will be converted into an ice cream parlor.

https://cityscenekc.com/historic-kansas ... am-parlor/

.

pash wrote:Very cool. They haven't even done anything yet, but I'm already crushing on these Epoch people. It will be nice to have an urban developer in town that makes clear how embarrassed the local collection of bush-leaguers should be about their efforts all these years.

Yeah I'm ready to buy the first condo they put forward.

flyingember wrote:

smh wrote:Somebody should 311 the work w/o permit and see what we find out.

done

their answer was that the permits are all showing under the 520 Grand Blvd Address
Which returns no permits.

It's clear planning blew off the ticket and deserved the survey score they received from me

Noticed that pawn and pint the awesome game board place is moving to 613 walnut. This will be a nice addition for the river market but a loss for the crossroads

516 Grand will be the Rivermarket Barber Shop.