KCRag Forum

I like Houston as an example since I saw a lot of their midtown, which is about the same distance from downtown as this.

There's a relatively large residential complex along McGowan. It's called Camden Midtown.

It's all 3-stories tall. It has strong street facing security since it's not the nicest part of town but you'll find units almost right up to the sidewalk that surround three sides of a parking garage. It's a whole lot better than having a car dealer next to a train line like also exists on the same block. I've walked by it a bunch of times and it's very pleasant and is scaled perfectly for people. If it was built today I imagine it would be taller and have retail built in but nothing is wrong about what was built.

Beacon Hill needs a project of this scale to bring more people to the corridor. It needs to build that critical mass a grocery store requires and then the other side of US 71 becomes way more realistic to rebuild. This small area is going to be part of proving that people will live on Troost.

And there's nothing wrong with building 3-story structures that are easy to build and easy to fill relative to their cost and coming back and expecting something taller the next few blocks down

The thing about this location though is that it should be a no-brainer to put higher-density apartments and retail here. It's a clean-slate parcel (no older buildings to accommodate or remove); the entire block is available to deal with structured parking; and there is a fairly large employee base just a couple blocks away (with the hospitals). They are a huge employer. They also employ many younger, single people who want apartments nearby.

A secondary note is that a 6 or 10-story building at that location would also have pretty decent views from the upper-floor apartments--especially facing west and northwest.

FangKC wrote:The thing about this location though is that it should be a no-brainer to put higher-density apartments and retail here. It's a clean-slate parcel (no older buildings to accommodate or remove); the entire block is available to deal with structured parking; and there is a fairly large employee base just a couple blocks away (with the hospitals). They are a huge employer. They also employ many younger, single people who want apartments nearby.

A secondary note is that a 6 or 10-story building at that location would also have pretty decent views from the upper-floor apartments--especially facing west and northwest.

In a perfect world, I might agree. However, I just don't see any developers taking that risk on a project that would need fairly high rents to succeed. Longfellow Heights is about $1/sq ft and the high-end homes in Beacon Hill aren't a fair comparison. If a few 3-story apartment buildings are successful in the area, that might change things, but if this is the first parcel to go for this kind of development, I just don't see any way a 6-10 story building can happen, even 4-5 stories might be pushing it without a major grocery store brand on board or something.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/ar ... =twt_staff

Kansas City Public Schools wants to move its central offices out of downtown.

The district said in a statement Thursday that it has entered into a sales contract with the Nazarene Publishing House to purchase several buildings at 29th Street and Troost Avenue.

While the sale is not final, school officials said the contract is part of a plan to relocate the district’s central offices and consolidate district headquarters, maintenance, operations, security and engineering facilities into one location from two.

It would be 200 employees according to the district's release.

Does Beacon Hill include the relatively new housing in the vicinity of 26th and Flora and Paseo? That stuff is just a god awful hybrid of suburban and projects-style architecture. Having a home that faced that huge stone wall on the west side of Flora would dampen my entire outlook on life - not only is it hideous and unsightly, it would also echo all the noise from US71 highway which is just to the east of the development. Otherwise, I've liked what I've seen on Beacon Hill but that 26th and Flora area was done so poorly that I think it would be a big deterrent for wanting to live anywhere in immediate proximity.

Two new foundations being dug along West Paseo Boulevard where it rounds the corner from E. 24th Street. Photos taken Dec. 14th. West Paseo Boulevard is up the hill to the west of Paseo Boulevard. It runs only from E. 24th to E. 27th streets.





Here are the location of the parcels.

FangKC wrote:This new house is being constructed on the SE corner of E. 26th and Tracy.



On this lot.

Update showing progress on this house. Photo taken Dec. 14th.

FangKC wrote:New house being constructed on the east side of Tracy Avenue just south of E. 24th Street.



On this lot.



The renovation on the older house to the right also seems to have been completed.

Update showing progress on this house. Photo taken Dec. 14th.

FangKC wrote:Finished house on the NW corner of Beacon Hill Lane and Tracy Avenue.



New foundation being poured directly north of this house on west side of Tracy Avenue.

Update showing progress on this second house, which was just a foundation weeks ago. Photo taken Dec. 14th.

FangKC wrote:Two new foundations being dug along West Paseo Boulevard where it rounds the corner from E. 24th Street. Photos taken Dec. 14th. West Paseo Boulevard is up the hill to the west of Paseo Boulevard. It runs only from E. 24th to E. 27th streets.



Here are the location of the parcels.

In this updated photo, you can see the metal rods sticking up at the foundation has been poured.

FangKC wrote:

FangKC wrote:New foundation being poured directly north of this house on west side of Tracy Avenue.

Update showing progress on this second house, which was just a foundation weeks ago. Photo taken Dec. 14th.

Update on construction of this house.

FangKC wrote:

FangKC wrote:New house being constructed on the east side of Tracy Avenue just south of E. 24th Street.



On this lot.



The renovation on the older house to the right also seems to have been completed.

Update showing progress on this house. Photo taken Dec. 14th.

Construction update.

FangKC wrote:

FangKC wrote:Two more houses are being added north of these new houses (shown above) on the west side of Tracy Avenue at E. 26th Street.

Construction update.

FangKC wrote:Another new foundation being poured on the west side of Forest Court.

Construction update.

FangKC wrote:

FangKC wrote:Another new foundation being poured on the west side of Forest Court.

Construction update.

FangKC wrote:Another new foundation being poured on the east side of Forest Court.

Construction update:

Two new houses going up on the west side of Forest Court north of 24th Street. One is just a foundation at this point. The other is being framed in.

The houses that UC-B Properties are building on Beacon Hill (and Longfellow too) are selling as fast as they can build them.

http://uc-bproperties.com/for-sale/sold/

On Crime Caucus tonight on KCPT, it was reported that Truman Medical Center has canceled plans for a grocery store at 27th and Troost.

met a couple on a walking tour this weekend that bought one of the new beacon hill homes. they relocated from the suburbs and love it!