I prefer the park layout with Baltimore closed. But for how often walnut is closed anyway for concerts in the living room, closing walnut makes senseKCPowercat wrote: ↑Wed Sep 13, 2023 10:27 pmKeep Grand open and it's a deal.DColeKC wrote: ↑Wed Sep 13, 2023 6:20 pmI would like to see Walnut closed at minimum as part of this project.Critical_Mass wrote: ↑Wed Sep 13, 2023 9:44 am I understand the fears about affecting streetcar performance with closing one or both of Baltimore and Walnut, however it seems like basically no one uses those streets today. At "rush hour" and other busy times of the day you will find Main Street choked with traffic and slowing the streetcar, but you can go one block over in either direction and it's like a ghost town (especially Baltimore). Drivers have had six or seven years now to adjust their behaviors and it just hasn't happened.
Capping the Loop
- Cratedigger
- Valencia Place
- Posts: 1904
- Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2021 3:32 pm
Re: Capping the Loop
- Chris Stritzel
- Penntower
- Posts: 2444
- Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2017 9:27 pm
Re: Capping the Loop
I’m at this meeting. Concept rendering boards focus on the eastern superblock (close Walnut) concept. If they can pull it off as rendered, it’ll be a lively place.
- neurosyphilis
- Parking Garage
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Tue Sep 06, 2022 6:18 pm
Re: Capping the Loop
Any other updates?
-
- Alameda Tower
- Posts: 1396
- Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2022 8:39 pm
Re: Capping the Loop
It seemed to me like they’re definitely closing Walnut and this is just a matter of whether they are also going to close Baltimore too or not.
Also, the park activation looks incredible. One of a kind!
Also, the park activation looks incredible. One of a kind!
- Chris Stritzel
- Penntower
- Posts: 2444
- Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2017 9:27 pm
Re: Capping the Loop
Park activation will decently be top-notch if they can pull this off as presented. I'm still partial to closing Baltimore. Next public meeting will be later this fall. Based on the timeline, they want to start late next year and open in time for the World Cup.
[/url
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2p43W7p]
Renderings...
[/url
[url=https://flic.kr/p/2p43W7p]
Renderings...
- KCPowercat
- Ambassador
- Posts: 34137
- Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
- Location: Quality Hill
- Contact:
Re: Capping the Loop
thanks for the pics. They hopefully will update the site soon.
I just don't get the closing Walnut. Baltimore is literally dead all the time right now. It makes no sense to keep that open if you are thinking of closing roads over 670. It would also be more interesting with the elevation change to close the western side.
Also they have to figure out S Truman / Baltimore better than it currently is (obviously) and what is shown in these renderings which is nothing more than dropping a couple trees in the dead zone.
Lastly I hope they address (or we hear from kcstreetcar directly) that they are comfortable with traffic patterns not impacting streetcar.
I just don't get the closing Walnut. Baltimore is literally dead all the time right now. It makes no sense to keep that open if you are thinking of closing roads over 670. It would also be more interesting with the elevation change to close the western side.
Also they have to figure out S Truman / Baltimore better than it currently is (obviously) and what is shown in these renderings which is nothing more than dropping a couple trees in the dead zone.
Lastly I hope they address (or we hear from kcstreetcar directly) that they are comfortable with traffic patterns not impacting streetcar.
-
- Alameda Tower
- Posts: 1319
- Joined: Mon Oct 14, 2002 7:16 pm
- Location: Charlotte, NC
Re: Capping the Loop
Thanks for posting all this, Chris. If this is executed anything like what's presented here, I think it will forever change people's perception of downtown.
-
- Alameda Tower
- Posts: 1396
- Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2022 8:39 pm
Re: Capping the Loop
Honestly after seeing the video rendering and details now I think it could be on par or greater than impact from the Royals going to EV
- Chris Stritzel
- Penntower
- Posts: 2444
- Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2017 9:27 pm
Re: Capping the Loop
Both would have huge, and positive, impacts on downtown.TheUrbanRoo wrote: ↑Tue Sep 19, 2023 8:27 pmHonestly after seeing the video rendering and details now I think it could be on par or greater than impact from the Royals going to EV
Regarding the Streetcar, I think that if they roll with closing Walnut, it won’t bother service that much. Walnut doesn’t get much traffic as-is and if they’re relying on Baltimore to handle an influx in traffic, it’s possible that Streetcar service won’t be affected. Grand does need to be kept open anyways, but it can be overhauled to prevent stunts from occurring.
They talked a lot about turning Truman Road South into a narrower street with personal mobility lanes and landscaping.
- KCPowercat
- Ambassador
- Posts: 34137
- Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
- Location: Quality Hill
- Contact:
Re: Capping the Loop
Their own boards said it would impact streetcar. It may be able to be mitigated though
https://twitter.com/pcarn9/status/1704292872034336914
https://twitter.com/pcarn9/status/1704292872034336914
- Chris Stritzel
- Penntower
- Posts: 2444
- Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2017 9:27 pm
Re: Capping the Loop
Even in that case, they mention the closure of Grand. Success is dependent on closing a street within the park and keeping Grand open. Converting 13th to two way would also minimally help.
- KCPowercat
- Ambassador
- Posts: 34137
- Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
- Location: Quality Hill
- Contact:
Re: Capping the Loop
Definitely keep Grand open and Walnut is more palatable. The value of closing Grand also looks like it goes away as the pavilion space can be used for those events in the park.Chris Stritzel wrote: ↑Tue Sep 19, 2023 9:12 pm Even in that case, they mention the closure of Grand. Success is dependent on closing a street within the park and keeping Grand open. Converting 13th to two way would also minimally help.
- alejandro46
- Alameda Tower
- Posts: 1358
- Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 11:24 pm
- Location: King in the North(Land)
Re: Capping the Loop
Is that a playground/aerial walk thing like a slide? Looks really great. Closing Walnut is fine but Main needs to be made like an optional Transit only corridor during certain times, like big events that will clog main with cars.
- alejandro46
- Alameda Tower
- Posts: 1358
- Joined: Fri Feb 02, 2018 11:24 pm
- Location: King in the North(Land)
Re: Capping the Loop
This should make the royals want to come downtown even more.TheUrbanRoo wrote: ↑Tue Sep 19, 2023 8:27 pmHonestly after seeing the video rendering and details now I think it could be on par or greater than impact from the Royals going to EV
-
- Hotel President
- Posts: 3424
- Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2004 8:53 pm
Re: Capping the Loop
They’re very much not comfortable with it.KCPowercat wrote: ↑Tue Sep 19, 2023 7:19 pm Lastly I hope they address (or we hear from kcstreetcar directly) that they are comfortable with traffic patterns not impacting streetcar.
I haven’t formed my thoughts completely yet, but as of now I think it’s the wrong choice. It feels like a cordish park instead of a rethinking of this space. And a little gift to Loews.
These streets were all a bit fucked this past weekend. I didn't see any thought from the city or cordish in changing their street policies. It seems to be an exceptionally poorly thought out plan without further changes.
The programming I don't trust at this point. It's just made up until we get later.
I think this project has largely lost the plot and should go back to first principles and not we have money we need to spend.
- KCPowercat
- Ambassador
- Posts: 34137
- Joined: Mon Oct 07, 2002 12:49 pm
- Location: Quality Hill
- Contact:
Re: Capping the Loop
Have we heard that officially from the streetcar authority?
-
- Oak Tower
- Posts: 5587
- Joined: Fri Sep 03, 2004 2:50 pm
- Location: Mount Hope
Re: Capping the Loop
Still only a quarter of the funding secured? Will they do only a block at a time while trying to get funding for the rest?
- beautyfromashes
- One Park Place
- Posts: 7299
- Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 11:04 am
Re: Capping the Loop
Holy tree farm!
-
- Western Auto Lofts
- Posts: 540
- Joined: Wed Feb 18, 2009 12:39 am
Re: Capping the Loop
I'd much rather have this, that could change the way everyone looks at downtown, than what we have now. Sure, we need to make sure Cordish doesn't treat it like a private park & figure out some of the road kinks, but this would be a big gamechanger.
-
- Alameda Tower
- Posts: 1396
- Joined: Sun Sep 18, 2022 8:39 pm
Re: Capping the Loop
No, they have half of it secured out of $200 mil. They also have $76 mil in pending requests that they’ll get clarity on in the coming weeks as well.