KCRag Forum

WoodDraw wrote: ↑Sun Sep 25, 2022 10:45 am

GRID wrote: ↑Sun Sep 25, 2022 10:22 am How could KC start a grass roots effort to convert Nichols Road into a pedestrian promenade (would need to maintain very limited access to vehicles).

This should be a top priority. Too bad nobody reads the KC Star anymore. It would be a great opinion article contribution to get the idea out.

I think asking the star to publish that might kill their last employee.

Is there an urban neighborhood here more NIMBY than the plaza? I think even the more urban moved plaza residents would be against zoning reform.

It's plaza art fair weekend, and I mentioned to someone that they try events like this on a smaller scale to see how it works and they rolled their eyes. The pandemic would have been a great time to workshop it.

I don't know the plaza community well and if there's anyone pushing for change.

im2kull wrote: ↑Sun Feb 28, 2021 11:52 am

TheLastGentleman wrote: ↑Sun Feb 28, 2021 11:50 am

im2kull wrote: ↑Sun Feb 28, 2021 11:41 am The unimaginative minds of Americans never fail to amaze me. You're given a blank canvas, and that's all you can come up with? LOL

Show us your proposal

Go google photos of any European city core. You'll find that nearly every city has a landmark pedestrian street full of activity. Tons of retail, dining, and PEOPLE. That's probably a great place to start. There's a reason virtually every city in Europe has at least one major pedestrian street.

taxi wrote: ↑Sun Sep 25, 2022 11:50 am The demographics around the plaza are changing as the original "savers" die off or move away. I imagine by the time the streetcar is running, there will be very few of those folks left and I sense a change in attitude as the population becomes younger. I can see big improvements possible to zoning and like areas but changing ownership and/or management to a company that is more ambitious and progressive will help tremendously.

normalthings wrote: ↑Sun Sep 25, 2022 2:32 pm

taxi wrote: ↑Sun Sep 25, 2022 11:50 am The demographics around the plaza are changing as the original "savers" die off or move away. I imagine by the time the streetcar is running, there will be very few of those folks left and I sense a change in attitude as the population becomes younger. I can see big improvements possible to zoning and like areas but changing ownership and/or management to a company that is more ambitious and progressive will help tremendously.

Arent shields and bunch proposing to further crack down on height around Plaza?

normalthings wrote: ↑Sun Sep 25, 2022 2:32 pm

taxi wrote: ↑Sun Sep 25, 2022 11:50 am The demographics around the plaza are changing as the original "savers" die off or move away. I imagine by the time the streetcar is running, there will be very few of those folks left and I sense a change in attitude as the population becomes younger. I can see big improvements possible to zoning and like areas but changing ownership and/or management to a company that is more ambitious and progressive will help tremendously.

Arent shields and bunch proposing to further crack down on height around Plaza?

Future Country Club Plaza buildings seeking height variances may face significantly less wiggle room, thanks to a proposed policy from a familiar alliance of stakeholders.

An ordinance would amend the Plaza Bowl Overlay District to stipulate, "In no event shall the City Council grant a (building height) deviation in excess of the lesser of 10% of the height limitations set forth in this ordinance, or six feet, or which shall add any occupiable floor space."

FlippantCitizen wrote: ↑Sun Sep 25, 2022 9:37 pm

normalthings wrote: ↑Sun Sep 25, 2022 2:32 pm

taxi wrote: ↑Sun Sep 25, 2022 11:50 am The demographics around the plaza are changing as the original "savers" die off or move away. I imagine by the time the streetcar is running, there will be very few of those folks left and I sense a change in attitude as the population becomes younger. I can see big improvements possible to zoning and like areas but changing ownership and/or management to a company that is more ambitious and progressive will help tremendously.

Arent shields and bunch proposing to further crack down on height around Plaza?

What have you seen that makes you say that? Genuinely curious, I bother both of their offices on occasion and would be glad to pass on some Plaza specific KCRag ideas.

im2kull wrote: ↑Sun Sep 25, 2022 2:31 pm I've been saying this forever. And not just in the plaza. However, almost everyone you bump into in the US wants and believes that pedestrian plazas can't succeed, so they don't. Despite the fact that they do everywhere else in the world.

im2kull wrote: ↑Sun Feb 28, 2021 11:52 am

TheLastGentleman wrote: ↑Sun Feb 28, 2021 11:50 am

Show us your proposal

Go google photos of any European city core. You'll find that nearly every city has a landmark pedestrian street full of activity. Tons of retail, dining, and PEOPLE. That's probably a great place to start. There's a reason virtually every city in Europe has at least one major pedestrian street.

Rusty Irish wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 12:38 pm Its the American suburban mentality. Its all about your car, how far you need to travel and where you can park, a misplaced fear of crime. The masses don't care about the bigger picture. Where I live just now in the UK would be classed as a provincial city, and it is not without its problems in the core, but we have virtually no tall buildings and I find our urban core to be significantly more vibrant than KC or almost any other middle ranking US city - we have a pedestrian plaza that must be closer to a mile long, other than a few occasional crossings. We have 100k students downtown, expansive transit, our three main stadiums are within three miles walking of the epicentre of the city. The more we cluster things in or close to the city it will increase the need and the appetite to leave your car at home instead.

UMKC Roo wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 1:40 pm

Rusty Irish wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 12:38 pm Its the American suburban mentality. Its all about your car, how far you need to travel and where you can park, a misplaced fear of crime. The masses don't care about the bigger picture. Where I live just now in the UK would be classed as a provincial city, and it is not without its problems in the core, but we have virtually no tall buildings and I find our urban core to be significantly more vibrant than KC or almost any other middle ranking US city - we have a pedestrian plaza that must be closer to a mile long, other than a few occasional crossings. We have 100k students downtown, expansive transit, our three main stadiums are within three miles walking of the epicentre of the city. The more we cluster things in or close to the city it will increase the need and the appetite to leave your car at home instead.

I keep trying to tell people it's not about skyline, it's about infill, infill, infill. Target every last surface lot.

FlippantCitizen wrote: ↑Mon Sep 26, 2022 10:07 pm The pedestrianization of Nichols has been consistently advocated for on the Rag. Though it is an obvious idea, I'd like to think we got to mayor Q on this one.

Highlander wrote: ↑Sat Sep 24, 2022 2:55 pm Just got back from the Plaza Art Fair. What an excellent event - KC should be proud of hosting that. The Plaza Arts Fair makes one of the strongest arguments for permanently closing off Nichols Road as a pedestrian only street. Obviously, something akin to the art fair is not going to happen every week but it was a pleasure strolling down the street and enjoying the Plaza without being confined to the sidewalk. Such an obvious choice; hard to believe it hasn't happened yet.

UMKC Roo wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 12:25 am This guy did a brilliant map of how they can pedestrianize the Plaza. It preserves parking and maximizes walking! Check it out

https://twitter.com/ThomasCuezze/status ... 42WNUA1vFQ

earthling wrote: ↑Tue Sep 27, 2022 10:06 am Some examples of what Nichols could become...
viewtopic.php?p=565582

Change vote if you'd like.