KCRag Forum

Zona Rosa has a code of conduct... It should also have pedestrian etiquette and driving lessons posted as well! I guess KC drivers aren't used to driving with people around and people aren't used to sharing the sidewalk with other pedestrians!

kansasfarmboy wrote:
I get tired of seeing PUNKS, trashy looking kids with their ass crack and underwear showing, to bad they dont step out in the road when im coming down..

^^^ I won't even comment on this ^^^ Get a life.

What's interesting is that many of the tenants at Zona Rosa are teentail. Much of stuff they sell promotes just what Zona Rosa is trying to avoid (Hot Topic-- obscene messages, goth; Express-- selling revealing clothes to girls; Pac Sun-- baggy, skater style).

Wireless Internet access is supposed to be available throughout Zona Rosa. It's provided the locally-owned Flash Network, and the first 15 minutes are free. After that it's around $5.00 per day.

It's Wi-Fi, which you can use with your laptop or PDA. WAP would be used on a cell phone. My impression from reading the info Zona Rosa's web site was that it is meant as a convenience for visitors and would mainly be available in the public areas like parks and restaurants. they don't say anything about it for the condos

I live in the Northland. Just off 45 Highway.

We have quit going to the shopping center or Barrywoods theater on weekend evenings because of the teenagers and young adults.

They are too dangerous. Running in front of cars, taunting drivers, running back and forth across busy Barry Road in the dark, screaming and yelling. Someone is going to get hurt up there. There are never any evident police or security nor any order at all.

Kids are running and screaming in the stores there as well. It isn't pleasant. They loiter in large groups on the sidewalks cursing and shouting.

I hope Zona Rosa does better at this.

For those who are talking about stores catering to teens, that is just fine, but the teens need to act like civilized humans. The behavior outlined above is unacceptable.

i'll give everyone the Chrizow Money-Back Guarantee that ZR will be overtaken by the Northland's bored youth immediately.

they can either loiter in public or in somebody's parents' driveway...i think you can guess how that choice turns out 99% of the time.

hence: bored youth loitering/smoking/skateboarding/cursing/etc.

yknow, the things we all did as bored kids from the suburbs.

Getting back on topic.... Zona Rosa has really done a good job creating a (buzzword alert) "sense of place" there. After spending some time there it's actually disorienting to get drive back on Barry Road and re-enter the land of strip malls. While in Zona Rosa you can actually forget (at least a little bit) that you are in the middle of suburbia.

Zona people are saying that people are beating down the doors of the loft apartments, even though they don't even have leasing and rent information finalized. Now they just need some neighborhood retail for the future residents (convenience store, grocery, dry cleaner, etc).

Johnson County is taking notice of Zona's early success, and it's potential to encourage proposed New Urban developments in that county. Kudos to KCMO and the Northland for taking the lead in New Urbanism.

Zona Rosa, a new mixed-use complex in Kansas City, Mo., is attracting thousands, including planners and staff members in Johnson County cities where similar projects are in the works.

"Those of us that are looking at new urbanism city centers and town centers think that Zona Rosa is going to be good for the metro area, because it'll help acquaint the community and developers with the concept of this trend," he said. "If it's successful it will show us all that these types of developments can be successful."

Johnson County Sun:
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?news ... 5725&rfi=6

Went there Saturday...I honestly have to wonder what all the fuss is about..

It's a bunch of shops that are 15-20 minutes from another place where you can find the SAME THING.


Yeah, it's nice I guess, but I don't see what everyone is all giddy about...

WN...most of those stores are new to the northland area.....that with the fact it's not just a strip mall with big box stores makes it a little better.

I guess I was actually turned off by the cramped streets. If you want to live in a small town, MOVE to a small town...

Different strokes for different folks I guess..

Yes, I'm pumped that St. Joe is getting new stores, but I don't think I would be juiced for it if the stores were already pretty closeby anyway...

I would say that if I'm headed for KC for a day of shopping and a nice meal, I would skip right past the traffic nightmare that is ZR and head for the Plaza...It's only another 20-25 minutes or so for us..

Not dogging it, but I've heard enough people RAVE about it that I have to wonder why..

The one place we wanted to go was so packed you couldn't get in, and had to stand in the street because that is where the line was out to...

I'll take our gawd awful stores with parking lots up here...and be happy!

Do I have it correct that there is one way in and one way out of that place? Brilliant..



Anyone saying Dick's Sporting Good sucks lives within 45 minutes of one I'm guessing..Try MCSports on for a change..

WN...ZR stores and Plaza stores are nowhere the same...maybe like 2 stores are the same but overall ZR is a class below.

Fair enough...but I think you get it...If we want "upscale" shopping (and you know how much I shop at places OTHER than HD or Lowe's)...it's not that great..

I guess whether a place has parking lots or streets really doesn't matter much to me.

I had heard some things about the place that made me think it was gonna be some sort of mecca...but it reminded me of why I don't like shopping too much...

I suppose the stores are a lot like Town Center, and given a choice between the layouts, I would take TC.

Aren't a lot of those stores, or some like them, located in Metro North? DSW reminded me of a supersized Famous Footwear.

dangerboy wrote:Getting back on topic.... Zona Rosa has really done a good job creating a (buzzword alert) "sense of place" there. After spending some time there it's actually disorienting to get drive back on Barry Road and re-enter the land of strip malls. While in Zona Rosa you can actually forget (at least a little bit) that you are in the middle of suburbia.

Zona people are saying that people are beating down the doors of the loft apartments, even though they don't even have leasing and rent information finalized. Now they just need some neighborhood retail for the future residents (convenience store, grocery, dry cleaner, etc).

I'm confused, isn't Zona Rosa in KCMO city limits? If so then the sense of place should be downtown, or the plaza. KCMO doesn't need a sense of place, Olathe needs a sense of place.

I'll just do without congestion...and I see that place becoming a nightmare...

The new shopping center in St. Joe has more access points.

....sorry-I couldn't bring myself to post in the other thread after all the kfb drivel.

Made my first trip to Zona Rosa yesterday. My impressions aren't too favorable.

My grandson and I were shopping for clothes for him. We first went to Metro North which was quite busy for a Monday afternoon. We bought the things we wanted there and walked the length on both levels in the process. Busy with shoppers carrying bags of merchandise.

By contrast, we drove to ZR and were able to find a SHADY parking place with no trouble at all.

A few people were walking on the sidewalks, but most were "cruising" in cars. Lots of young people, but no packages. Looking, not buying.

I waited for my grandson on the sidewalk within view of the entrance to Dick's. In the whole 10 minutes, not one person went in nor out. NOT ONE. Same with Barnes and Noble.

Being a career retailer, I know that the place can't survive on lookers, it will need buyers too.

The store mix is too slanted towards the younger set. I'd rather go to Oak Park or the Plaza which both have something for everyone.

My Barnes and Noble relationship has now gone because I used to go there when going to movies. Amazon is much easier and cheaper too. They will miss that after movie traffic. The store looks to be huge on the outside though.

We ate at Bravo. A nice restaurant. Nice atmosphere, nice staff, mediocre food.

All in all, I'm not impressed. We spent about $300 yesterday and the majority of it was spent at Metro North and I let grandson pick what he wanted. I never limit him either on locations or $$$ spent. Now and then, we discuss appropriateness, but otherwise, he is the shopper, Grandma is usually just the wallet. And even after DSW, we had to go back to Famous Footwear for his shoes.

We are going to go back maybe tomorrow to a couple of shops some of his friends told us about, but I'm betting that he won' t find stuff there either. I'm keeping an open mind.

Huh, I've been there in the middle of the day 2-3 times and it has been packed with all sorts of people... young, old, families, etc. ... to the point of the sidewalks almost spilling out into the street.

"Packed" doesn't = sales.

But I didn't see either.

I agree that that the stores are geared toward teens, who look and don't buy, but whenever I go there, I see many people walking with bags full of goodies. And you got to remember that Dicks pretty much has three main entrances and Barnes and Noble as well.

A movie theater is also being built near the fountain next to Bravo. Its a walk from the movie theaters to Barnes and Noble but you need to stretch your legs after a movie anyways.

also it was a monday, right? come on, the plaza isnt that busy (by comparison to wed - sun) on mondays