KCRag Forum

Another rendering above shows windows along sidewalk. Could the Star be showing the wrong rendering or is this the latest?

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pash wrote:It's astounding how poorly UMKC has developed Oak Street, not just with this project, but also with the previous recent-ish projects to the north. The best stretch of the whole corridor, from a pedestrian's perspective, the block in front of the mid-century administration building, which sits behind a circle drive!

Every one of their new projects has made Oak even more of a car sewer and pedestrian dead zone. And yet the area around 51st and Oak is the campus's most used pedestrian interface with the city. And it will effectively become the university's front door when the streetcar goes in.

Way to shit all over your own doorstep, UMKC.

If I recall, this was the closest stretch of urbanity to the campus. I cannot believe that UMKC/city has not made it a priority before to make 51st and oak a "campus town" with mixed use on the south side (and on oak), with multiple smaller storefronts below geared toward students and not people with BKS stickers.

One big storefront, whole foods is fine but man, how can you mess that up so badly (in that rendering).

as of saturday:

Can confirm: this thing is flippin huge. If something that size works in that location, I have a hunch that the strip mall across the street won't be around much longer.

chaglang wrote:I have a hunch that the strip mall across the street won't be around much longer.

That was Nichols' first shopping strip

(It was remodeled years later)

i will not fight to protect a racist's strip mall.

DaveKCMO wrote:i will not fight to protect a racist's strip mall.

this. can we stop praising that asshole, please? He was one of the worst influences on this city.

DaveKCMO wrote:i will not fight to protect a racist's strip mall.

I almost said it... glad someone did.

kboish wrote:

DaveKCMO wrote:i will not fight to protect a racist's strip mall.

I almost said it... glad someone did.

unfortunately, you know it will be a fight...

DaveKCMO wrote:i will not fight to protect a racist's strip mall.

What about The Plaza?

Save the Racist Strippers!

kboish wrote:

DaveKCMO wrote:i will not fight to protect a racist's strip mall.

I almost said it... glad someone did.

Almost said it too.

No doubt everyone saw the ULI meeting this week, where they handed out an award in Nichols' name. Check #ULINichols on Twitter.

DaveKCMO wrote:

kboish wrote:

DaveKCMO wrote:i will not fight to protect a racist's strip mall.

I almost said it... glad someone did.

Ok forget the strip mall, which I don't think is all that important.

You can not boil Nichols down to simply 'a racist'.

That's a bit harsh and one-dimensional.

Also, his buildings aren't racist. They deserve more thought than "oh a racist built them so they have no merit."

Nichols was a visionary. He had a different, groundbreaking view on how to build an community. I'm talking beyond the deed restrictions. His neighborhoods were the largest development by a single developer in the country at the time. The Plaza was the world's first 'shopping center' built outside a central business district...and no it did not kill downtown. Like it or not, The Plaza is incredibly charming. The architecture is unnecessarily beautiful (and costly)...and I'm thankful it was built that way. The Country Club District is the best neighborhood in Kansas City, still today. I'm not saying it's necessarily my favorite, but it is the most beautiful, cohesive, peaceful area of the 'old city'.

Image KC without any of his development ideas.

His buildings aren't racist, but that strip mall has no significance apart from it's connection to him.

His legacy is much more than just the Plaza. The Plaza is nice but is essentially bullshit in terms of architecture (imported pseudohistorical doodads) and target demographic (WASPs). It didn't kill downtown, but it was a warm up for his postwar work in the suburbs, which did kill downtown. He was out to make a buck, and if it came at the expense of the rest of the city, fine.

Anyway, the deed restrictions were penny ante compared to the work he did with the FHA in, ahem, property value retention programs. That's the really destructive work. We aren't living with the legacy of the deed restrictions as much, but the legacy of redlining is everywhere.

Chaglang, sorry you can't enjoy the Plaza. How is it more architectural bullshit than classical revival buildings or any other building that hearkens to a past architectural style?

missingkc wrote:Chaglang, sorry you can't enjoy the Plaza. How is it more architectural bullshit than classical revival buildings or any other building that hearkens to a past architectural style?

because it's a strip mall.

The Plaza's not a strip mall.

Strip malls just need a new name. 'Ranch' houses used to not be popular. They change the name to 'mid-century modern' and they are all the rage again. wal-la!