New Power and Light renderings

[scooterj]

These renderings still have the old default arena rendering and show the proposed 13th Terrace. The latest plans axed 13th Terrace and put the NABC HQ and the college basketball museum on that block.

[KCDevin]

went DT at about 6:00pm today and I really could imagine that sight through the old buildings and lots/construction... I smiled, hoping that someday I may own one of those condos

[KCDowntown]

I found the above renderings on the Cordish website, and they were better quality. Plus, the second one is new.

Whole district


From arena roof


Along 14th(notice the Empire)


Along 14th again


KCDowntown

[Tosspot]

Hopefully the final drafts of the architecture will reveal something more inspiring. As it is now, a lot of it looks like nothing more or better than a suburban lifestyle center.

[KCPowercat]

Hopefully the final drafts of the architecture will reveal something more inspiring. As it is now, a lot of it looks like nothing more or better than a suburban lifestyle center.

what additional would change that opinion? I mean it's going to be a mass developed ground up development....you usually only see these in the burbs, so I have a feeling many are going to get that feeling....not really a way to get away from it.

[Tosspot]

Hopefully the final drafts of the architecture will reveal something more inspiring. As it is now, a lot of it looks like nothing more or better than a suburban lifestyle center.

what additional would change that opinion? I mean it's going to be a mass developed ground up development....you usually only see these in the burbs, so I have a feeling many are going to get that feeling....not really a way to get away from it.

I don't mean to bash and nitpick, I just believe many of those ground-level retail buildings should be higher than two stories, as befitting an urban, and supposedly "dense" neighborhood.

I like the proposals for the residential condos, but those lowrise buildings seem rather sterile-- an easy teardown in forty years-- and the last thing we want to see happen is demolition of parts of the P&L decades down the line.

I should also say that I have misgivings about the idea of dropping down a massive development out of the sky all at once-- which makes the sterility factor jump ten-fold. But again, I'll still take it, knowing that public investment begets private investment and the fact that it is the lynchpin in restoring downtown to glory.

I actually want to get my hands on one of those condos for myself.

[Critical_Mass]

I just hope it's not Disney-esque like Zona Rosa with it's false second story windows & EIFS galore.

[KCPowercat]

Please don't stop nitpicking.....I want the best district possible.....just trying to get your opinion on how they could avoid this because building up 7-9 blocks at once is hard to avoid that feeling......which I would like to avoid as well.

[ComandanteCero]

ah man, I hate it when the sidewalks have those outcroppings (like in Quality Hill). Just leave the entire lane open to parking, it might not allow for that much decorative plantings and frou frou but it goes a long way towards giving an urban vibe.

[ComandanteCero]

Hopefully the final drafts of the architecture will reveal something more inspiring. As it is now, a lot of it looks like nothing more or better than a suburban lifestyle center.

what additional would change that opinion? I mean it's going to be a mass developed ground up development....you usually only see these in the burbs, so I have a feeling many are going to get that feeling....not really a way to get away from it.

get some graffiti artists to come in and start putting up tags ASAP, lol.

[KCPowercat]

those "outcroppings" (I assume you mean the ones on the edge of the blocks) are big in streetscaping now....look at the library district. Also keeps people from parking too far up.

[Tosspot]

those "outcroppings" (I assume you mean the ones on the edge of the blocks) are big in streetscaping now....look at the library district. Also keeps people from parking too far up.

They have those outcroppings along 8th around the Red Dragon and SoHo lofts as well, though obviously a much older example.

Not to hijack the thread, but Warrensburg recently put those in as well along their "Main Street." Supposedly, beer and firetrucks wouldn't be able to turn the corner, so I heard anyway.

[KansasCityCraka]

I hope by the time they break ground they will realize that the shops need to be more than 2 stories, but if not I'll manage.

[trailerkid]

The architectural design will be similar in style to what has gone up in the River Market in the last 5 years-- Cordish has publicly said this. This style is somewhat urban looking, but also a bit plastic. I have no problem with this style of design because it is economic, it accomodates the many types of restaurants and shops that will locate there and it steers the design away from creating even tackier faux old buildings.

No problem with going only 2 stories in the district. It is an entertainment/restaurant district. What exactly do you want more floors for? There will be multiple condo/apartment towers going up around the district. What business or resident would want space above a bar district?

Again, Zona Rosa's upper floors are usable offices, retail, and residential. They are not fake windows or whatever.

[staubio]

Please don't stop nitpicking.....I want the best district possible.....just trying to get your opinion on how they could avoid this because building up 7-9 blocks at once is hard to avoid that feeling......which I would like to avoid as well.

Well, it could have easily been avoided by integrating some of the exisiting buildings into the district, but I that is a lost cause at this point.

[Critical_Mass]

Again, Zona Rosa's upper floors are usable offices, retail, and residential. They are not fake windows or whatever.

Yes, most of them are.
There are a few exceptions, like the taller element w/ residential, & the new Marshall's building, but for the most part, the "second story" is fake. Real windows, sure, but w/ plywood backing painted black, and lit w/ florescent lights at the sill, hidden from view. If the plywood wasn't there, you'd see the fireproofing coated roof deck, steel joists, and a bunch of tie wires holding the suspended ceiling below.

[trailerkid]

Again, Zona Rosa's upper floors are usable offices, retail, and residential. They are not fake windows or whatever.

Yes, most of them are.
There are a few exceptions, like the taller element w/ residential, & the new Marshall's building, but for the most part, the "second story" is fake. Real windows, sure, but w/ plywood backing painted black, and lit w/ florescent lights at the sill, hidden from view. If the plywood wasn't there, you'd see the fireproofing coated roof deck, steel joists, and a bunch of tie wires holding the suspended ceiling below.

What building are you talking about? There is the Marshall's building, the residential/DSW block, and then the block with Abercrombie that has office space above it. These are the only multi-level blocks I believe.

[Long]

A lot of the original buildings (those recently torn down and those torn down 20-30 years ago) in the P&L district were only 2-3 floors weren't they?

I like the renderings that show 2-3 story buildings in the district itself, with the residential towers in the background. It gives you a layered effect, a foreground and a background.

Not every downtown building has to be 5-10 floors. It will be ok.

[KCDevin]

Eventually they will be more than 5 floors long...

The ONLY case 2-4 story buildings should be allowed is when replacing vast areas of Parking Lots. A taller/bigger building should never be replaced by a smaller building.

[Gladstoner]

One nice thing about the short building heights is with few obstructions, the entire downtown skyline can be taken in at street level. That will provide an unmatched atmosphere to people in the district.