KCRag Forum

Chris Stritzel wrote: ↑Mon May 06, 2019 11:19 pm Kevin Collison will have a story on this tomorrow. He may or may not have any new information. It's a nice project overall but I wonder how the design will change overtime.

https://cityscenekc.com/national-develo ... 0r1ux1cEvY

Here is more information about the garage.

National Developer Proposes Big Apartment Project in Crossroads

A $95 million development that would replace a Freight House District parking lot with a nine-story apartment tower above a three-level garage is being pursued by Greystar, the nation’s largest apartment operator.

The 250-unit “Tracks 215” project is proposed for a 1.1-acre lot west of the historic Freight House building, where Lidia’s and other restaurants are located, and bordering the Kansas City Terminal tracks.
...

The garage would serve not only residents of the Greystar apartment project above, but nearby office users. The existing 150-space parking lot currently serves 17 different businesses in four buildings, Sally said.

“Parking is such a commodity in the Freight House District and we’re trying to create an effective garage that can serve both apartments and offices,” he said.

Sally said the project is not feasible without the TIF assistance for the garage. The project is scheduled to be introduced to the TiF Commission Wednesday.
...

https://cityscenekc.com/national-develo ... rossroads/

^That's reasonable for TIF if it continues to serve the 4 buildings, though methinks TIF garages should allow public parking, and for nearby residents to lease.

Attracting a national developer is also a benefit especially if this is their first area project.

$95M Crossroads Apartment Proposal Clears First Hurdle, Challenges Remain

Backers of a proposed 250-unit apartment tower in the Crossroads Freight House District cleared their first hurdle Monday when a development agency approved an amendment that will yield $3.9 million in tax incentives to help build its garage.

But the $95 million “Tracks 215” project has a long process ahead before it could break ground on what’s now a parking lot west of the Freight House building along the Kansas City Terminal railroad tracks.
...

https://cityscenekc.com/95m-crossroads ... es-remain/

I don't get how this is a reasonable request in the slightest. The 150 parking spaces already exist. There is no public benefit to putting them in a garage. Building parking for the new residential, again, has no public benefit.

We should be seeking a much lower parking ratio than 1:1 along the streetcar line and we should definitely be seeking shared use parking. This does neither of those things.

This project doesn't seem to me to be "along the streetcar line".

It has two stops within a five-minute walk.

I get that. That phrase seems to reflect Main and maybe one block either way.

Your definition applies to the entire TDD, which would yield different real estate valuation results, I'd think.

Let me rephrase: We should be seeking a much lower parking ratio than 1:1 within a 5 minute walk of the streetcar line.

If I'm not mistaken, parking minimums in the Crossroads were only removed within 2 blocks of Main, so this project would need a variance in order to go less than 1:1 on parking. (And I get that that doesn't necessarily refute what you're saying, but it seems worth pointing out.)

I'd be happier about approving incentives for this project if it at least had ground floor retail to liven up the area. It sounds like the proposal is for an ugly parking podium with residential stacked on top, but this site is large enough to accommodate a garage that's wrapped by active uses along the north side. Probably wouldn't even have much impact on construction costs since it'd just be a matter of rearranging the placement of various elements. Replace one level of apartments with another level of parking and replace some parking spaces on each level with retail and apartments.

It kind of boggles me that the city has never tried to come up with any sort of design standards. Even Overland Park has a form-based code these days.

TheBigChuckbowski wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2019 1:30 pm Let me rephrase: We should be seeking a much lower parking ratio than 1:1 within a 5 minute walk of the streetcar line.

And it's a shame the city's incentive process doesn't taking that into consideration at all, which leaves it to the whims of... who exactly?

kas1 wrote: ↑Thu May 23, 2019 2:58 pm If I'm not mistaken, parking minimums in the Crossroads were only removed within 2 blocks of Main, so this project would need a variance in order to go less than 1:1 on parking. (And I get that that doesn't necessarily refute what you're saying, but it seems worth pointing out.

The minimums no longer apply between the centerlines of Wyandotte and Grand, so this exemption isn't automatic (but they could easily apply for DX-15 zoning that provides that or just request for a variance). But, because our process is overly complicated, it will be rezoned UR and they'll need a variance anyway.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

From the April 26 TIF Commission Minutes.

Chris Salley, representing the developer, addressed the Commission and stated that the project included a 150-space parking garage to be used jointly with an adjacent apartment project. He expected to present to the commission in February.

Is Chris saying that there is a second,unannounced project in the works for the Freight House District?

Like I said...

DaveKCMO wrote: ↑Mon May 06, 2019 2:25 pm The parking will support multiple projects and unlock other nearby parcels for redevelopment that aren't yet public.

A parking garage against a rail line is a perfect idea. Line that whole stretch with them.

The developer is also pitching a "green line" along the railroad tracks that would connect Westside with 18th & Vine. I guess the city owns a lot of right-of-way along the terminal railway.

DaveKCMO wrote: ↑Thu Jun 20, 2019 8:03 pm The developer is also pitching a "green line" along the railroad tracks that would connect Westside with 18th & Vine. I guess the city owns a lot of right-of-way along the terminal railway.

This idea is pretty great. I had no idea the city owned any land adjacent to the RR.

DaveKCMO wrote: ↑Thu Jun 20, 2019 8:03 pm The developer is also pitching a "green line" along the railroad tracks that would connect Westside with 18th & Vine. I guess the city owns a lot of right-of-way along the terminal railway.

None that the parcel viewer shows.

Eon Blue wrote: ↑Thu Jun 20, 2019 9:48 pm

DaveKCMO wrote: ↑Thu Jun 20, 2019 8:03 pm The developer is also pitching a "green line" along the railroad tracks that would connect Westside with 18th & Vine. I guess the city owns a lot of right-of-way along the terminal railway.

None that the parcel viewer shows.

I see that now. I know the city owned land is not contiguous, so it will also require working with private property owners and the railroads.

Looks like TIF was approved by City Council yesterday.