KCRag Forum

shinatoo wrote: ↑Tue Jul 19, 2022 3:36 pm There is plenty of room for both. I don't want to quote Yogi Berra but it almost getting to the point of "Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded."

dukuboy1 wrote: ↑Tue Jul 19, 2022 5:32 pm I agree, creating a stand alone "farmer's market" here seems to be a bit much. I agree that the City Market (River Market) is a great weekend attraction and tourist location. Plus lots of development around it makes it great and getting better every year.

A farmers market there would be no different than then the one in Parkville, of downtown OP, just a spot. Why not create a space but do something more unique with. Host a weekend artist fair every week. Isn't their a building their owned by or connected to the Arts right near by? Plus the location to the Crossroads would be a natural tie in, especially a way to make 18th dense and vibrant all the way down to Grand. I mean the American Jazz Museum is there, a uniquely original form of American musical art. I'd go that route and let the River Market handle the City(Farmer's) Market

The plan calls for E. 18th Street to be closed to traffic from The Paseo to Highland Avenue. It’s a two-block stretch that includes landmarks like the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the Gem Theater, jazz clubs and restaurants.

The city hopes to hold farmers markets, festivals, concerts and other events on the pedestrian plaza.

People who live in the area say the plan would bring more people to the area, but also make the district safer by reducing speeding and dangerous driving.

Cratedigger wrote: ↑Tue Jul 19, 2022 11:54 pm I really don’t think this is aimed at replacing the River Market’s City Market.

Seems like it is more around making 18th and Vine pedestrian focused. Which imo is a great thing.

This article from a year ago may explain in more detail the goal here?

The plan calls for E. 18th Street to be closed to traffic from The Paseo to Highland Avenue. It’s a two-block stretch that includes landmarks like the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the Gem Theater, jazz clubs and restaurants.

The city hopes to hold farmers markets, festivals, concerts and other events on the pedestrian plaza.

People who live in the area say the plan would bring more people to the area, but also make the district safer by reducing speeding and dangerous driving.

https://fox4kc.com/news/kansas-citys-1 ... -approved/

AlkaliAxel wrote: ↑Tue Jul 19, 2022 3:44 pm

shinatoo wrote: ↑Tue Jul 19, 2022 3:36 pm There is plenty of room for both. I don't want to quote Yogi Berra but it almost getting to the point of "Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded."

That's not true, and it's also incredibly inefficient. If it is too crowded- then expand on the synergy at the site! Go into the newly available Steamboat building now and set up more stalls. You don't "just make a new one on the other side of town"...you expand upon the existing synergy you have to make something truly great. And they have plenty of room to do that.

In a macro sense, what you're suggesting is like saying it's a good thing that we have an inefficient two medium sized counties in Johnson & Jackson county instead of if they were combined together and created one county with real density.

shinatoo wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 9:08 am
Access to the area on the weekends is the issue, not the size of the market. Not a "major" issue though.

We should probably just have one grocery store for the whole county too?

You do realize there are Saturday farmer's markets all over the city already? City Market, Brookside, North East, Raytown, Shawnee, KCK and Strawberry Hill, Parkville, Independence.

AlkaliAxel wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 12:11 pm

shinatoo wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 9:08 am
Access to the area on the weekends is the issue, not the size of the market. Not a "major" issue though.

We should probably just have one grocery store for the whole county too?

You do realize there are Saturday farmer's markets all over the city already? City Market, Brookside, North East, Raytown, Shawnee, KCK and Strawberry Hill, Parkville, Independence.

Imagine if we expanded on City Market and tried to make something that rivals Pike Place Market. We're already the best of our kind in the Midwest, probably one of the best in the country. The River Market with City Market is the most attractive asset in the city. It needs to be expanded upon and possibly renovated some so it can be KC's standout gem the way Pike Place is with Seattle. It's something that might actually make KC somewhat of a destination finally.

So my point is all the other farmers markets in the metro aren't helping that. People *need* grocery stores. We don't need to have 30 outdoor markets. We especially don't need other ones adjacent to downtown. They really really need to consider taking that Steamboat space and expanding the market in there & also having the rooftop be part of the market.

shinatoo wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 12:41 pm

AlkaliAxel wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 12:11 pm

shinatoo wrote: ↑Wed Jul 20, 2022 9:08 am
Access to the area on the weekends is the issue, not the size of the market. Not a "major" issue though.

We should probably just have one grocery store for the whole county too?

You do realize there are Saturday farmer's markets all over the city already? City Market, Brookside, North East, Raytown, Shawnee, KCK and Strawberry Hill, Parkville, Independence.

Imagine if we expanded on City Market and tried to make something that rivals Pike Place Market. We're already the best of our kind in the Midwest, probably one of the best in the country. The River Market with City Market is the most attractive asset in the city. It needs to be expanded upon and possibly renovated some so it can be KC's standout gem the way Pike Place is with Seattle. It's something that might actually make KC somewhat of a destination finally.

So my point is all the other farmers markets in the metro aren't helping that. People *need* grocery stores. We don't need to have 30 outdoor markets. We especially don't need other ones adjacent to downtown. They really really need to consider taking that Steamboat space and expanding the market in there & also having the rooftop be part of the market.

I got your point. I agree expanding City Market would be great. A market at 18th and Vine will have almost zero affect on City Market.