Plaza move-ins (ongoing)

[Eon Blue]

Highwoods is probably concerned that the Plan may create uncertainty for prospective buyers and reduce the sale price.

[flyingember]

Highwoods is probably concerned that the Plan may create uncertainty for prospective buyers and reduce the sale price.

the issue is that the plan can say one thing and it doesn't mean the city will approve doing that. see the killed tower, which was to be built in line with other towers

KC has an exceptions problem to where zoning says one thing, an area plan another, and what gets approved matches neither.
area plans should feed zoning types and overlays and these designations must be followed.

KC needs to go more the direction of Houston where zoning is super permissive on what's allowed within that type of zoning. so if it's commercial there's no minimum or maximum size. residential doesn't have setbacks or style controls or density rules. if I want to buy 1/4 of a block and put in apartments zoning should allow that anywhere zoned for residential or mixed use.

then you do specific controls with overlays. like a plaza overlay should control the look and feel. a neighborhood overlay may protect historic structures and require anything new fit into the existing look. a downtown overlay may require a minimum height and parking maximums

the city would end up with a development environment that encourages developers to do what they feel works best for an area while reducing the cultural impact of changes on places deemed important to maintain.

[earthling]

Thoughts on selling The Plaza in pieces? I'm not ready to promote that but there are pros and cons to having every block (or even every building) owned by different entities.

[Highlander]

Highwoods is probably concerned that the Plan may create uncertainty for prospective buyers and reduce the sale price.

KC needs to go more the direction of Houston where zoning is super permissive on what's allowed within that type of zoning.

No KC does not. No sentence should ever say "we need to be more like Houston". The Plaza is what it is because the city and its citizens of KC have been good stewards of the area (it's one of the few things KC has done very well throughout it's history) - Houston's "plaza" is the dysfunctional Galleria area. I'd rather have the plaza any day.

[flyingember]

Houston's Plaza is the Museum District. large set of office towers, a major park, historic structures, transit corridor, college, large amount of multi-floor apartments

The Galleria is more like College Blvd. office parks and retail near the freeway loop with lots of single family homes nearby

I was at both a week ago.

also, zoning should control only what can be done. it should never say what can't be. if it's there, you can do it and nothing more
thus the entire second half to the idea.

[FangKC]

Thoughts on selling The Plaza in pieces? I'm not ready to promote that but there are pros and cons to having every block (or even every building) owned by different entities.

I think one of the biggest advantages to having the Plaza owned by one entity has been the ability to control the quality environment in a consistent manner--meaning the ability to maintain the adjacent buildings, landscaping, etc.

One of the disadvantages to breaking up the Plaza and having multiple owners is that some owners might not maintain their buildings as well as others. One landlord may not be as picky about tenants, and rent to a business that might adversely affect its' neighbor. One block gets run-down and it affects the amount a landlord can get in rent for a better-maintained building or block.

The Plaza is more than its' individual buildings. Part of its' appeal comes down to simple things like quality landscaping throughout the district. Let's say its' owned by multiple parties, and one owner doesn't plant flowers and lets the landscaping go to crap. They don't replace clay tiles that fall off the roofline, or fix a broken fountain. They don't keep the windows washed, repaint trim, or replace unsightly awnings. That affects the adjacent area.

Wouldn't happen you say?

http://kcrag.com/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=1 ... apartments

http://blog.ericbowersphoto.com/2015/06 ... emolition/

These apartment buildings are on the Plaza. Because the Plaza is a desired location to live, one would think that the landlord of these buildings would have maintained these buildings better--because people like to live on the Plaza. It shouldn't be hard to rent an apartment on the Plaza--as long as you keep the building maintained and updated. Yet, the owner of these buildings allowed them to deteriorate to the point that demolition is being considered. The owner of these apartments had property sitting in one of the more high-end areas of KC, and still let them decline. There are other, small Plaza apartment buildings that are still in good condition, and can find tenants. Many of them have been updated to modern standards, or repurposed as condos. Under the right management, these apartments should have been very desirable because of their historic charm and location.

Here are apartments on the Plaza that are of a similar scale, and they have been well-maintained and updated.

http://tinyurl.com/olkfcyc

http://tinyurl.com/o8s4vse

http://tinyurl.com/p6nkzuf

[FangKC]

Plaza expected to sell for more than $1 Billion.

Highwoods will hold on to these office buildings.

The only assets in Highwoods' Plaza portfolio that aren't being put up for sale are two office buildings it owns with joint venture partners, said Tabitha Zane, a spokeswoman at Highwood Properties headquarters in Raleigh, N.C. Those are the 291,000-square-foot Plaza Colannade, 4801 Main St., and the 261,000-square-foot Plaza West Building, 4600 Madison Ave.

http://tinyurl.com/n97t2pa

[flyingember]

4600 is Bernstein Rein's building. that parcel is most of the block, the north end has the plan for the really bad hotel design but Highwoods owns the empty lot south of that building too.
4801 Main has the library in it and includes the garage and building to the south

neither are on the plaza itself to be technical. One is West Plaza, the other South Plaza.
I'd call them plaza adjacent

[taxi]

I heard that Cecil VanTuyl has already bought it.

Deal of the century.

[normalthings]

I heard that Cecil VanTuyl has already bought it.

Deal of the century.

The Plaza, already?

[nomadcowatbk]

Is it possible that whoever buys it will turn the management over to someone like GGP or Simon?

[geeman68]

Looking forward to the Plaza Tesla Showroom!

[nomadcowatbk]

Looking forward to the Plaza Tesla Showroom!

where do they keep the cars for test drives?

[Highlander]

Is there anything going on with the former Halls Department Store building or has Highwood put this on hold pending the sale of the plaza? I drove and walked by while in KC last week and there was nary a construction truck, worker or any sign of activity in the building itself; the garage was functioning but I did not go inside - is the garage being used as the logistics center for the conversion?

[grovester]

Plaza sells, http://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/hig ... 60-million

Anyone have any info on the buyers, Taubman Centers, Inc., and The Macerich Company?

edit decided not to be lazy. Taubman owns Cherry Creek in Denver and Taubman Prestige Outlets Chesterfield, note that's "Prestige" not the other outlet mall.

Macerich owns among others Tysons Corners outside of DC.

[earthling]

Tabuman also owns Beverly Center in LA that has stores like Prada, St Laurent, Versace and Salvatore Ferragamo. Not that the Plaza can score those but it's probably good for Plaza to have owners that have relationships on that level rather than an office park developer that can only score ordinary mall stores. Hopefully the new owners are aware that people actually live around it.

[Midtownkid]

I feel like the city should set up a conference with the new owners to discuss what the Plaza is/was/should be.

I'm sure if they came here to see it before they bought it, they could see it's a mixed-use neighborhood.

[mgsports]

Wetzel's Pretzels,Cherry on Top,BRIO Tuscan Grille,Elway's,Rise Pies Handcrafted Pizza,Renzios Greek Food,Johnny Rockets,Neiman Marcus among others Cherry Creek has that KC doesn't yet.

[Midtownkid]

Wetzel's Pretzels,Cherry on Top,BRIO Tuscan Grille,Elway's,Rise Pies Handcrafted Pizza,Renzios Greek Food,Johnny Rockets,Neiman Marcus among others Cherry Creek has that KC doesn't yet.

Wetzel's Pretzels really would be the Cherry on Top MGSPORTS!

[Highlander]

Wetzel's Pretzels,Cherry on Top,BRIO Tuscan Grille,Elway's,Rise Pies Handcrafted Pizza,Renzios Greek Food,Johnny Rockets,Neiman Marcus among others Cherry Creek has that KC doesn't yet.

Isn't there a brio Tuscan Grill on the plaza?