KCRag Forum

I wouldn't mind seeing some sort of outdoor cafe - tables and chairs, if for nothing more than to provide some reason for people to stick around the park longer.

Barney's cafe was that. Needs a better operator.

Still feel like the main plaza of the convention district should have a nice fountain. I mean the entire downtown core will now lack having a decent fountain in the "city of fountains".

GRID wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 12:04 pm Still feel like the main plaza of the convention district should have a nice fountain. I mean the entire downtown core will now lack having a decent fountain in the "city of fountains".

YES! I agree with this 100% and was going to post the same. I like the rendering and what they are doing to change things up. With the apartment building planned it will add more people throughout the evening and weekends making it rather busy with people.

I think a very nice fountain as a focal point and then maybe an indoor/outdoor cafe would be great and would fit in well.

Plus the design and aesthetics could be incorporated in the 670 freeway cap park to give things a uniquely downtown KC feel but cohesive.

Yeah sucks to lose a fountain. The BAP one was pretty meh but better than nothing

Downtown core has the Kemper fountain muse of Missouri, illus Davis fountain.

And it needs to be a more interesting fountain(s), hence why I suggested a global competition and select multiple designs. Seek sponsors for each, the more sponsors, the more fountains. Create a KC version of a Japanese Zen garden, crafted out of fountains. The immediate surrounding hotels/offices may be willing to sponsor.

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 11:55 am Barney's cafe was that. Needs a better operator.

Barney's Cafe when first opened, decades ago, was operated by a well established restaurant operator. The number one problem was the complete lack of consistent decent foot traffic.

earthling wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 3:44 pm And it needs to be a more interesting fountain(s), hence why I suggested a global competition and select multiple designs. Seek sponsors for each, the more sponsors, the more fountains. Create a KC version of a Japanese Zen garden, crafted out of fountains. The immediate surrounding hotels/offices may be willing to sponsor.

Maybe I don't quite understand your vision but: fountains are pretty expensive and this block's #1 goal is to support the convention center.
I think your idea is cool just not sure this is the right spot.

^Yes, can be expensive maintenance just like all other KC fountains (though some creative designs with few spouts if even one spout can be low maintenance). We have designated ourselves as City of Fountains and that goes with the territory, hence the need for sponsors per fountain. And this is the spot that has the most concentrated conventioneers visiting, so a great spot to project KC's self-proclaimed fountain city image. A convention draw in itself, like how Zen gardens are used for event spaces. As well as a great way to draw downtown residents/regional visitors to this side of downtown on a daily basis for a Zen-like garden experience, only two blocks from streetcar. Rotate some fountains every few years with others around world to keep it fresh. sort of like museum installation rotations with other museums.

This is the spot to make it happen. The number of installations can fluctuate over the years depending on number of sponsors.

normalthings wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 7:09 pm

earthling wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 3:44 pm And it needs to be a more interesting fountain(s), hence why I suggested a global competition and select multiple designs. Seek sponsors for each, the more sponsors, the more fountains. Create a KC version of a Japanese Zen garden, crafted out of fountains. The immediate surrounding hotels/offices may be willing to sponsor.

Maybe I don't quite understand your vision but: fountains are pretty expensive and this block's #1 goal is to support the convention center.
I think your idea is cool just not sure this is the right spot.

I think it would look alot better on the South Loop Cap

^Another option but that will automatically become a draw. This would create another interesting downtown hotspot with its own identity, just two blocks from streetcar stop.

earthling wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 7:50 pm ^Another option but that will automatically become a draw. This would create another interesting downtown hotspot with its own identity, just two blocks from streetcar stop.

South loop cap park with those cool steps, canyon of towers & a marvelous fountain could prob make it the best park in Midwest outside Millenium Park.

That place would scare me as being an airbnb hell hole. I would prefer a hotel there + extended living.

But I know people disagree.

normalthings wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 7:09 pm

earthling wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 3:44 pm And it needs to be a more interesting fountain(s), hence why I suggested a global competition and select multiple designs. Seek sponsors for each, the more sponsors, the more fountains. Create a KC version of a Japanese Zen garden, crafted out of fountains. The immediate surrounding hotels/offices may be willing to sponsor.

Maybe I don't quite understand your vision but: fountains are pretty expensive and this block's #1 goal is to support the convention center.
I think your idea is cool just not sure this is the right spot.

This block has always been for CC business. Actually a good spot for the funding from CC business to do something more opulent.

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 10:57 pm

normalthings wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 7:09 pm

earthling wrote: ↑Thu Aug 18, 2022 3:44 pm And it needs to be a more interesting fountain(s), hence why I suggested a global competition and select multiple designs. Seek sponsors for each, the more sponsors, the more fountains. Create a KC version of a Japanese Zen garden, crafted out of fountains. The immediate surrounding hotels/offices may be willing to sponsor.

Maybe I don't quite understand your vision but: fountains are pretty expensive and this block's #1 goal is to support the convention center.
I think your idea is cool just not sure this is the right spot.

This block has always been for CC business. Actually a good spot for the funding from CC business to do something more opulent.

The same ones struggling to recover from COVID?

Yes given it's not only a private business venture. This is a perfect time to pivot and expand on a site like this

So this image from CitysceneKC mentions two fountains. So maybe it will have fountains?

Public project. Public will want fountains

Is an opportunity for kickass/unusual fountains that are a draw and creates a peaceful sense of place. That tells visitors why KC is the City of Fountains. A generic design is fine but let's take advantage and stand out with some wow-ness, possibly with a contest and with standardized platforms designed for rotating winners over the years.

Could target 1 or 2 permanent as shown in the diagram above with smaller unique fountain designs spread about that aren't necessarily high maintenance and can be rotated over the years.

A water fountain garden experience is a wonderful idea. Send like a great idea for part of the cap