Westport

earthling · Post by **earthling** » Fri Aug 28, 2015 2:24 pm

Given 95% of KC metro developers have a suburban mindset, it doesn't surprise me. Hope they seek public/neighborhood input on the design.

archiKC · Post by **archiKC** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 8:55 am

JLowe2018 wrote:Wait...maybe I missed it...but what is so bad about this project?

Simply put, its the pitched roofs. Pitched roofs are traditionally a single family home element that been used in suburban apartment designs for the last 50+ years to make their residents feel as if they are living in one big house, and fit in with the surrounding single family home owners. Historically, urban apartment buildings have had "flat" roofs. You can find examples of this all over the city.

AlbertHammond · Post by **AlbertHammond** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 9:11 am

archiKC wrote:
JLowe2018 wrote:Wait...maybe I missed it...but what is so bad about this project?
Simply put, its the pitched roofs. Pitched roofs are traditionally a single family home element that been used in suburban apartment designs for the last 50+ years to make their residents feel as if they are living in one big house, and fit in with the surrounding single family home owners. Historically, urban apartment buildings have had "flat" roofs. You can find examples of this all over the city.

This is a terrible explanation of what makes a good or bad urban apartment building. Pitched roofs are not a problem. It's all about the detailing, the building's materials and the relationship/presence to the street. Get those right and it works, pitched roof or flat roof. Just look at any number of great '30s era tudor style apartments around town to prove that a pitched roof is not the problem.

There are plenty of flat roof apartments around town that are absolutely dreadful.

loftguy · Post by **loftguy** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 10:37 am

Architects and builders: A Truth. Never create a 'flat' roof. Give it as much pitch as you can build and put as little as possible in the path of water flow to earth.

Regarding the rendered plan, AlbertHammond put it well. The rendering is as though taken from a 1980's small apartment plan book, that was used in Johnson County's everywhere. A hodgepodge design. It reflects a developer with no understanding of urban community context and contemporary consumer demands. Same old...

earthling · Post by **earthling** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 11:59 am

^that

archiKC · Post by **archiKC** » Mon Aug 31, 2015 1:41 pm

AlbertHammond wrote:
archiKC wrote:
JLowe2018 wrote:Wait...maybe I missed it...but what is so bad about this project?
Simply put, its the pitched roofs. Pitched roofs are traditionally a single family home element that been used in suburban apartment designs for the last 50+ years to make their residents feel as if they are living in one big house, and fit in with the surrounding single family home owners. Historically, urban apartment buildings have had "flat" roofs. You can find examples of this all over the city.
This is a terrible explanation of what makes a good or bad urban apartment building. Pitched roofs are not a problem. It's all about the detailing, the building's materials and the relationship/presence to the street. Get those right and it works, pitched roof or flat roof. Just look at any number of great '30s era tudor style apartments around town to prove that a pitched roof is not the problem.

There are plenty of flat roof apartments around town that are absolutely dreadful.

Fair enough

kcjak · Post by **kcjak** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 8:12 am

The Pitch reports that Local Pig (Westport) will be closing September 12

http://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/archives ... ptember-12

earthling · Post by **earthling** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 9:23 am

I'm wondering if Westport is getting too many restaurants - more coming with the lot across street adding a few. I hang out in center of Westport almost every evening walking dog and while hit restaurants are nearly packed everyday (like Beer Kitch, CharBar, McCoys), the others are competing with each other. There isn't enough daytime workbase to support all of them for lunchtime much less evening dinner. That lot across street might have been better to be garage/retail at base with fairly large office above to give a little more daytime employment base for at least helping lunchtime/happy hour.

Would rather see more eats/bars than obnoxious party nightclubs but Westport's recent success with attracting more restaurants lately may have peaked and may need a residential/office base to increase proportionally.

earthling · Post by **earthling** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 9:31 am

BTW, check out Blind Tiger on E end of Westport near Harling's. Very 'midtown' bar with well above avg bar eats. Have been a few times and is one of my favorites in Westport for small eats. Everything they do is procured in small batches with high quality ingredients - they'd rather have something not available on menu for a day than make crap. The lamb pita is very good, spiced better than usual and zesty. The meatball and Italian are well above avg. They use Farm-to-Market breads. Craft beers are pricey but $1 off for happy hour.

And pool tables, pinball, darts, other bar games in other room. Rooftop deck is comfy too. Pool tourney's on Monday's I think. Yo fellow Midtowners... use it or lose it. This is exactly what Midtown needs in every hood.

edit: found menu...
http://www.blindtigerkc.com/menu.html

Nice to see E end of Westport continue to improve. Midwest Cycle also moved next door to Thriftway. Anyone know what is going in old Cycle space at 39th/Main?

AlbertHammond · Post by **AlbertHammond** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 11:06 am

kcjak wrote:The Pitch reports that Local Pig (Westport) will be closing September 12

http://www.pitch.com/FastPitch/archives ... ptember-12

I have always felt this spot will never succeed as retail or restaurant until they calm Mill Street. It is too wide, too fast and too exposed to urban heat. It does not need a turn lane at Westport Road. Either bring the curbs in to create a narrower street or add parking along it. Also, add street trees. As it is today, that street demotes the adjacent buildings to also-ran status. Dreadful. You'd be surprised how many people walk along Mill to points north and west, but they all look very unhappy about it.

Post by **DaveKCMO** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 11:27 am

first time seeing the new construction on westport road between pennsylvania and mill. it's going to be fine. worth nothing the manor square garage wasn't even full, despite the art fair going on (which eliminated lots of street parking).

get over yourself, westport.

earthling · Post by **earthling** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 12:49 pm

^The issue isn't so much parking, a different issue may be there are too many restaurants/bars and not enough employment/residential base nearby to keep all of them busy enough to survive. See 4 posts above.

kcjak · Post by **kcjak** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 1:08 pm

earthling wrote:^The issue isn't so much parking, a different issue may be there are too many restaurants/bars and not enough employment/residential base nearby to keep all of them busy enough to survive. See 4 posts above.

No business will survive if they're going to close due to competition. Put out a quality product, good atmosphere, decent prices and friendly/efficient staff and business will be there. Folks going to McCoy's have to find parking just like people going to Port Fonda. The bigger question is will people support a chain like Qdoba when there's a similar business right across the street in Freebirds.

earthling · Post by **earthling** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 2:00 pm

I'm thinking in terms of the number of net restaurants relative to the employment/residential base - not that the one's that have better product survive. Assuming the visitor base stays consistent, not all of them can survive assuming all with great product unless the residential/employment base grows proportionally. Downtown has a significant residential base growing, Midtown/Westport does not.

I walk central Westport many times a week walking dog.. many places that are pretty good are still pretty dead on weekday evenings except the most popular ones. More won't help unless office/residential base grows proportionally, which is why the recent lot might have been better with office space above (or even residential if enough want to live within the late night ruckus). More restaurant space only was a poor use of that lot.

shinatoo · Post by **shinatoo** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 4:56 pm

He was pretty clear that he closed Port Fonda because he didn't read his demographic well. He wasn't criticizing Westport, he was criticizing himself.

He plainly said that Westport businesses need to cater to a late night crowd and he didn't attempt to do that. Nothing wrong with Westport, just wasn't right for him.

grovester · Post by **grovester** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 5:05 pm

Local Pig?

Post by **DaveKCMO** » Mon Sep 14, 2015 10:36 pm

earthling wrote:^The issue isn't so much parking, a different issue may be there are too many restaurants/bars and not enough employment/residential base nearby to keep all of them busy enough to survive. See 4 posts above.

maybe not HERE, but it was what defined that discussion elsewhere. period.

Post by **WSPanic** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 8:21 am

shinatoo wrote:He was pretty clear that he closed Port Fonda because he didn't read his demographic well. He wasn't criticizing Westport, he was criticizing himself.

He plainly said that Westport businesses need to cater to a late night crowd and he didn't attempt to do that. Nothing wrong with Westport, just wasn't right for him.

We're talking about The Pig, right? Or is PF closing too?

shinatoo · Post by **shinatoo** » Tue Sep 15, 2015 9:13 am

WSPanic wrote:
shinatoo wrote:He was pretty clear that he closed Port Fonda because he didn't read his demographic well. He wasn't criticizing Westport, he was criticizing himself.

He plainly said that Westport businesses need to cater to a late night crowd and he didn't attempt to do that. Nothing wrong with Westport, just wasn't right for him.
We're talking about The Pig, right? Or is PF closing too?

Sorry, I need an editor. NOT PF!

mgh7676 · Post by **mgh7676** » Wed Sep 23, 2015 12:20 am

I noticed a banner up in front of the former Little Egypt spot on Broadway today that said "Wing's Cafe Opening Soon".

According to a KC Star article from July, the spot is set to open in September. I'm pretty pumped for some wings in Westport, as far as I know, there weren't really any options.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/business ... 55703.html

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