Downtown Baseball Stadium

[Midtownkid]

If the IRS gets shut down and the HQ closes there next to Union Station...would that be enough space for the ballpark? I wouldn't want the old post office to be torn down, but if they could make it work with a connection to the old post office, might be cool.

[langosta]

If the IRS gets shut down and the HQ closes there next to Union Station...would that be enough space for the ballpark? I wouldn't want the old post office to be torn down, but if they could make it work with a connection to the old post office, might be cool.

That building is one of downtowns better options to compete with suburban office space complexes. Maybe not the best idea to replace that with a ballpark used just 1/3 of the year.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

If the IRS gets shut down and the HQ closes there next to Union Station...would that be enough space for the ballpark? I wouldn't want the old post office to be torn down, but if they could make it work with a connection to the old post office, might be cool.

That building is one of downtowns better options to compete with suburban office space complexes. Maybe not the best idea to replace that with a ballpark used just 1/3 of the year.

As someone who works inside that facility, hard disagree. The old PO building? Maybe.

[TheLastGentleman]

As I understand it, nobody really leaves that building all day because of the hassle of security and time it takes to walk to lunch anywhere beyond union station. I’m not sure its presence is really offering anything urban

[langosta]

If the IRS gets shut down and the HQ closes there next to Union Station...would that be enough space for the ballpark? I wouldn't want the old post office to be torn down, but if they could make it work with a connection to the old post office, might be cool.

That building is one of downtowns better options to compete with suburban office space complexes. Maybe not the best idea to replace that with a ballpark used just 1/3 of the year.

As someone who works inside that facility, hard disagree. The old PO building? Maybe.

Have you ever been inside of Aspiria?

[GRID]

If the IRS gets shut down and the HQ closes there next to Union Station...would that be enough space for the ballpark? I wouldn't want the old post office to be torn down, but if they could make it work with a connection to the old post office, might be cool.

That building is one of downtowns better options to compete with suburban office space complexes. Maybe not the best idea to replace that with a ballpark used just 1/3 of the year.

As someone who works inside that facility, hard disagree. The old PO building? Maybe.

Isn't the IRS complex like 80% parking structure?

[shaffe]

Isn't the IRS complex like 80% parking structure?

In straight up floorspace? Probably not terribly far off. There are two levels of parking that span the entire building and then three floors that are only under the northernmost third. The second floor inside of the Pennway complex isn't continuous but there are other areas not directly above the garages. I'd say it's probably 60/40 currently, not accounting for the areas in the old post office of course.

[TheUrbanRoo]

IRS site, even if it comes available, would not solve dire needs like the WSP site does. The BCBS pit and the homeless park will be perma-stuck without the Royals coming in. There will also be no better chance to kickstart a potential Grand re-do, or Union Station/Main St/Freighthouse upgrade without Royals going there either.

These are all far more important problems that will never get solved otherwise.

[Highlander]

IRS site, even if it comes available, would not solve dire needs like the WSP site does. The BCBS pit and the homeless park will be perma-stuck without the Royals coming in. There will also be no better chance to kickstart a potential Grand re-do, or Union Station/Main St/Freighthouse upgrade without Royals going there either.

These are all far more important problems that will never get solved otherwise.

I agree that WSP solves some problems unique to that site that you mention. But it's also smack in the thick of things and directly next to the streetcar line. About the only advantage of the IRS site (if that site even becomes available - I hope it doesn't), is that it's larger (and especially wider). I would certainly hope the Post Office building would not have to be torn down if it ever comes to that. But the IRS is also among KC's larger employers, I'd hate to see it go away.

[FangKC]

I wish Trump would do an executive order banning people in this town from calling that gaping, generationally vacant hole the "east village"

The area was originally called Happy Hollow.

https://kchistory.org/image/happy-hollo ... ffset%5D=0

When KMBC Radio was in the Pickwick Hotel, it produced a local program called Happy Hollow, which featured a cast of characters. It was syndicated and broadcast on the CBS Radio Network.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

As I understand it, nobody really leaves that building all day because of the hassle of security and time it takes to walk to lunch anywhere beyond union station. I’m not sure its presence is really offering anything urban

That’s putting it mildly. It’s inherently anti-urban if anything.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

That building is one of downtowns better options to compete with suburban office space complexes. Maybe not the best idea to replace that with a ballpark used just 1/3 of the year.

As someone who works inside that facility, hard disagree. The old PO building? Maybe.

Have you ever been inside of Aspiria?

Parts. They at least have workable office floor plates.

This facility is borderline purpose built for its task, and would be difficult to impossible to retrofit to any reasonable office use outside of that.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

That building is one of downtowns better options to compete with suburban office space complexes. Maybe not the best idea to replace that with a ballpark used just 1/3 of the year.

As someone who works inside that facility, hard disagree. The old PO building? Maybe.

Isn't the IRS complex like 80% parking structure?

Majority of the new building structure is. Two entire floors of parking under the entire structure, then a 5 floor total stack of parking on the north end.

I’d be thrilled if the IRS abandoned the facility if nothing else to provide the parking that’s “needed” for a downtown stadium anywhere near here.

[Highlander]

I wish Trump would do an executive order banning people in this town from calling that gaping, generationally vacant hole the "east village"

The area was originally called Happy Hollow.

https://kchistory.org/image/happy-hollo ... ffset%5D=0

When KMBC Radio was in the Pickwick Hotel, it produced a local program called Happy Hollow, which featured a cast of characters. It was syndicated and broadcast on the CBS Radio Network.

Happy Hollow was actually a Village! And I wonder what happened to the topography shown in that photo? That area is just plain flat today.

Happy Hollow was also the name of an early KC liquor store empire that allegedly had its beginnings with the KC Mafia. I wonder if they got that name from the Happy Hollow community?

[shinatoo]

Probably the same thing that happened to most of that area. It's all Loes bluffs and was cut down systematically to make it easier to get up from the river. First trenches were cut for roads and paths and eventually the land along side the roads was leveled for buildings.

[Highlander]

Probably the same thing that happened to most of that area. It's all Loes bluffs and was cut down systematically to make it easier to get up from the river. First trenches were cut for roads and paths and eventually the land along side the roads was leveled for buildings.

You are most likely correct. Didn't think that would have extended as far south to East Village but the scale of loess removal was pretty gargantuan.

KC Star archive:

https://www.kansascity.com/news/your-kc ... 56366.html

[teclis]

As I understand it, nobody really leaves that building all day because of the hassle of security and time it takes to walk to lunch anywhere beyond union station. I’m not sure its presence is really offering anything urban

I remember working there in 2008. The things that I remember most are walking underground from the garage next to Union Station and going by a bunch of pictures that GRID had taken, and then going by 3 checkpoints whenever I needed to take a piss. Oh, and also being on a timer whenever I was away from my computer. Great times!!

[Anthony_Hugo98]

As I understand it, nobody really leaves that building all day because of the hassle of security and time it takes to walk to lunch anywhere beyond union station. I’m not sure its presence is really offering anything urban

I remember working there in 2008. The things that I remember most are walking underground from the garage next to Union Station and going by a bunch of pictures that GRID had taken, and then going by 3 checkpoints whenever I needed to take a piss. Oh, and also being on a timer whenever I was away from my computer. Great times!!

GRID TOOK THOSE?!? I absolutely love going up the walkway just because of the pictures! That’s awesome!

[smh]

As I understand it, nobody really leaves that building all day because of the hassle of security and time it takes to walk to lunch anywhere beyond union station. I’m not sure its presence is really offering anything urban

I remember working there in 2008. The things that I remember most are walking underground from the garage next to Union Station and going by a bunch of pictures that GRID had taken, and then going by 3 checkpoints whenever I needed to take a piss. Oh, and also being on a timer whenever I was away from my computer. Great times!!

GRID TOOK THOSE?!? I absolutely love going up the walkway just because of the pictures! That’s awesome!

https://www.skylinescenes.com/

[GRID]

So Sherman says the Royals have a location "buttoned up"?