KCRag Forum

Add students to urban revival, 3/9/2007
By Kevin Collison, The Kansas City Star

Downtown is welcoming some new urban pioneers to join the empty-nesters and single adults who’ve dominated its revival — via big yellow school buses.

Efforts are under way to open a charter school for fifth- through eighth-graders in the heart of downtown. A potential site has been identified in a historic building at 910 Grand Blvd. owned by UMB Bank. Organizers of the KIPP Endeavor Academy, which stands for Knowledge is Power Program, want to begin classes in July.

The school, which has the backing of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and Metropolitan Community College-Kansas City, would fulfill a two-year endeavor by the Downtown Council to make downtown a place where young adults might want to stick around after they’ve started families.

“To continue the revival of downtown, it’s important to show the 20-somethings looking for an alternative that they may want to stay downtown because there are educational opportunities,” said R. Crosby Kemper III, the chairman of the Downtown Council education committee.....

Edited to protect copyrights

excellent idea, probably better than a new corporate headquarters at this point.

What 20-somethings have kids that are old enough to be in 5th-8th grade??!

bahua wrote: What 20-somethings have kids that are old enough to be in 5th-8th grade??!

there are probably at least as many 30-somethings downtown as 20-somethings.

bahua wrote: What 20-somethings have kids that are old enough to be in 5th-8th grade??!

I don't think Crosby was talking about all of the twenty something people with 5th graders living DT today, but was probably talking more about showing young couples that ultimately want to have kids that that there will be viable schooling options when they get to that point. 

Our DT revival will be shortlived if all of the enthusiastic twenty-somethings moving DT right now ultimately get hitched, get pregnent, and decide they have to move out to the burbs for their kids.  I recently saw a young mother with a todler moving into our building and I thought that had to be one of the most encouraging signs I have seen DT to date.  But whats to say she sticks around in a couple years when that kid gets to be school aged?

bahua wrote: What 20-somethings have kids that are old enough to be in 5th-8th grade??!

Not the ones that can afford to live downtown!

LenexatoKCMO wrote: I don't think Crosby was talking about all of the twenty something people with 5th graders living DT today, but was probably talking more about showing young couples that ultimately want to have kids that that there will be viable schooling options when they get to that point. 

Our DT revival will be shortlived if all of the enthusiastic twenty-somethings moving DT right now ultimately get hitched, get pregnent, and decide they have to move out to the burbs for their kids.  I recently saw a young mother with a todler moving into our building and I thought that had to be one of the most encouraging signs I have seen DT to date.  But whats to say she sticks around in a couple years when that kid gets to be school aged?

I'd say it's a positive step....because yeah, my northern midtown neighborhood is almost entirely couples with no kids.  In fact, two of the young couples have had kids recently, and now are thinking of moving out of midtown because of the schools issue...providing viable alternatives for these young urbanites is essential for the continued growth of our urban areas.

I hope it works, I fear it won't.  Regardless, at least someone has acknowleged that school issues are the number one impediment KC has right now to a sustainable urban core.

KIPP has a good reputation with the schools they run. This is a very significant development. Its an opportunity also for the business community within the loop to step up and become much more involved in the education of kids in the urban core.  Parents who work downtown could use this school.  Businesses could promote volunteer service with their employees, encouraging them to spend time with the kids, as mentors and volunteers to tutor in core subjects.  The hours, 7:30-5 is great, it helps keep those kids occupied in the "after school" hours.  If we could somehow tie this in with Della Lamb charter elementary, it would be a great way to guide these kids through some of the toughest years of education.  If they can get up through the 8th grade in a safe, caring, educational environment, with great adults as mentors and volunteers, it could be a small step in changing the lives of some kids in the urban core.  Its a great, great idea!!

bahua wrote: What 20-somethings have kids that are old enough to be in 5th-8th grade??!

WHERE IS YOUR....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
..VISION?!?!?!

You know-like a vision of the future of DT.

Foreigner had Double Vision.  Think about that.

I still maintain that downtown is no place for children to live, and I like it that way. Downtown is a place with lots of bars, restaurants, and other grown-up fun. Kidding it down is the last thing we need.

bahua wrote: I still maintain that downtown is no place for children to live, and I like it that way. Downtown is a place with lots of bars, restaurants, and other grown-up fun. Kidding it down is the last thing we need.

I don't think having children there is going to make it automatically sprout up a Disney tourist attraction or anything. In my view, the more mixed the demographics across age, race, and income - the better for downtown.

bahua wrote: I still maintain that downtown is no place for children to live, and I like it that way. Downtown is a place with lots of bars, restaurants, and other grown-up fun. Kidding it down is the last thing we need.

I don't think families in Manhattan or Chicago would agree with you.  I think downtown will continue to lag behind until it becomes a place where families can make it.  Schools are an integral part of that.  One great school can do a lot to change people's attitudes and enable young people who want to start families to think about "buying in" to the downtown.  I think about how much hope Lafayette Charter has given KCMO families.  If downtown had something like that, my fiance and I might have considered much more seriously buying a loft or condo downtown.

Something vibrant urban areas need is families and children. They can't really survive or be vibrant on just single adults or couples w/o children.

ShowMeKC wrote: Something vibrant urban areas need is families and children. They can't really survive or be vibrant on just single adults or couples w/o children.

Agreed.  Saying kids have no place downtown it quite a snobbish attitude.

Tosspot wrote: I don't think having children there is going to make it automatically sprout up a Disney tourist attraction or anything. In my view, the more mixed the demographics across age, race, and income - the better for downtown.

Exactly.  As far as residential is concerned, a child friendly environment including schools opens downtown up the to largest and most stable demographic element in America: Families with children.  Think about it, most empty nesters are already 55+ before a move downtown and most elect to stay in the homes where they raised their families, so only a trickle go in the first place.  Young singles get married, have children and move out.  Being a young unmarried person post college is a short period in most peoples lives.  That essentially leaves perpetually childless couples and gays as the only permanent downtown residential demographic; and that's a relatively small demographic.     

bahua wrote: I still maintain that downtown is no place for children to live, and I like it that way. Downtown is a place with lots of bars, restaurants, and other grown-up fun. Kidding it down is the last thing we need.

Hummm well I lived Downtown as a kid. 17th and broadway. I feel that because of this with everything to do as a kid downtown, I kept out of trouble. Always had something to do. Probably the most fun thing I did was dumpster dive. The things business threw away was treasure to me. I  was there from 5 yrs old to 10 and only moved because they closes Ben Franklin school then Demolished it... Went to day care where Bartel hall is now.

bahua wrote: I still maintain that downtown is no place for children to live, and I like it that way. Downtown is a place with lots of bars, restaurants, and other grown-up fun. Kidding it down is the last thing we need.

Oh my lord!!! Just how do you suppose you 20 somethings are going to make the place grow if you dont' reproduce and keep your kids in the city? How do you think you are going to make the city grow if you don't have amenities for all people?

I'm sure those people who pay the taxes would like their money to go to ALL kinds of people, not just those who consider themselves the elite.

What stupid remarks - downtown is for everyone-I'm sorry, but if you want me to support all your amenities, you probably should not be so @!&#%#! picky.

I didn't realize that our presence and our money wasn't welcome in DT. Come on out to the 'burbs-we have no such illusions of grandeur while wanting everyone to pay for it. Plenty of bars and restaurants and all kinds of fun, not just adult fun.

Not to pile on, but I'd like my children to be exposed to downtown on a regular basis, rather than sequestering them in the 'burbs.