Westport

[earthling]

I guess I better make the story juicier then. This tower is going to be called "One Kaw". "Two Kaw" will go across the street where Kelly's is now after they bulldoze it. Kelly's will resurface though with a new ground floor space in the tower, but it will be renamed, Johnny and Kelly's.

Guys the towers will be at least five stories taller come on, also all the designs are the same. There will be a crow on each sign as well

Connect the two towers with a flying Kaw-way and you've got yourself a deal.

Add Harry's teardown with 3rd building and skywalk for some XXXtra kickass awesome sauce.

[earthling]

[earthling]

The project would significantly increase the density of the city’s best-known historic neighborhoods, adding 220 apartments in two, mid-rise buildings and a 190-room hotel. It also would include 20,000 square-feet of restaurant space and 7,200 square-feet of other retail.

A rooftop park is proposed for the garage.

Documents filed with the City Planning Department indicate the permitted height along Pennsylvania Street planned by the developer would be 90 feet, approximately eight stories, and along Mill Street to be 126 feet, about nine stories.

https://cityscenekc.com/big-westport-mi ... and-hotel/

[Riverite]

I’m so excited to see this get started

[earthling]

Looks like an atrium dividing the hotel, hard to tell, would be interesting to see more detail. Like the two tone dark brick on the taller curved building facing Mill. Would do similar two tone for the front facing Penn as well or at least give the hotel a different identity than the residential. And awnings would be a nice touch over sidewalks.

The backside facing Mill would ideally be configured in a way for potential retrofitting future street front retail - with hopes that the stripmall across street is also redeveloped into streetfront multi-use in future. That would create another pedestrian friendly stretch of activity for Westport.

[Riverite]

I really hope the build on the parking lots across the street on pennsylvania

[earthling]

^The dynamics of Westport could really change when that happens. There'll be such as reduction of public parking for Westport that it might finally lean more towards a residential district than metro party bar district. Should still be inviting to metro but hopefully party bar aspect toned down a notch or two.

[Riverite]

^The dynamics of Westport could really change when that happens. There'll be such as reduction of public parking for Westport that it might finally lean more towards a residential district than metro party bar district. Should still be inviting to metro but hopefully party bar aspect toned down a notch or two.

I think that would be good, i feel like westport has gotten really stale and needs a bit more life. I think residents would push for more variety (leading to the eventual loss of kawville)

[kboish]

One thing that would improve Westport is if Kellys would make their street seating/bar area nicer and get rid of all the orange jersey barriers and chain link fences in the district. I am all for the outdoor seating and dont even mind the street closure, but it looks like garbage as is.

[earthling]

Missed this key point...

He said the developers are not planning to seek tax incentives to help finance their plan.

https://cityscenekc.com/big-westport-mi ... and-hotel/

[Riverite]

Missed this key point...

He said the developers are not planning to seek tax incentives to help finance their plan.

https://cityscenekc.com/big-westport-mi ... and-hotel/

That should help push it through quickly

[earthling]

^And counter to claims that KC Class A MF can't be built w/out incentives.

[Riverite]

^And counter to claims that KC Class A MF can't be built w/out incentives.

Yep just need to build denser which I’m happy with

[atticus23]

I'm so excited to see this still has life!

[normalthings]

^And counter to claims that KC Class A MF can't be built w/out incentives.

I’m not sure about that. They have a big existing garage here that they are taking advantage of.

[earthling]

^Good point.

[normalthings]

To be seen if it starts. Ashland and Atlas 404 are incentive free but have taken half a decade to get going in the case of the later. This project benefits from an existing parking garage double the size of code requirments. They can probably build another apartment building nearby that is served by this garage. Not sure if "hyper scale projects can be done without incentives and if a big garage already exists" is really us "winning"

[DaveKCMO]

I support that project for sure. Does anyone think it will stop the silliness that goes down there at night on weekends?

As long as the rest of Westport ownership remains the same, I doubt it. People keep doubling down on "entertainment district" as if that's not the root cause.

[GRID]

Missed this key point...

He said the developers are not planning to seek tax incentives to help finance their plan.

https://cityscenekc.com/big-westport-mi ... and-hotel/

That's because they have an existing garage. The primary reason these projects need incentives is to help offset the cost of building structured or underground parking. Structured parked is the most expensive part of these types of developments and is what makes them so hard to make the numbers work.

It's the same reason why there are new apartments going up next to the Kemper Arena parking garage. That garage is no longer needed for the arena, so the city worked out a deal to use it for new apartments making that project doable. Now there are more apartments going up on the KS side that will also use that garage. If that garage was not there, those apartments would not be there without major incentives from the city to build a new garage.

It's also why the Hyatt House (which is now stalled) also did not seek incentives. They are going to lease a nearby existing garage.

So it's not like this means developers won't need incentives in the future.

Incentives for urban projects in KCMO are still 1000 times better than incentives for suburban projects which are common in the KC area. And it's also better than suburban sprawl which are heavily subsidized indirectly through low density infrastructure.

If KCMO becomes more urban and walkable and transit friendly and less car dependent, then incentives are worth it till it reaches a critical density and price point that the incentives are no longer needed. KC is still a ways from that though.

It's nice to see this developer not seeking incentives when they have a garage though. Unlike the proposed Bravo Hotel which also has an existing garage but they are also seeking incentives.

[moderne]

Glad to see this happen, but the appearance reminds me of an old multiple winged hospital conversion. Like the designer took inspiration from 31st and Baltimore.