West Bottoms Redevelopment

[AlkaliAxel]

It's all cool but it's so disconnected from the city core or anything else that it's just...sure I guess. Once again- highways. Like always, number one problem hampering downtown.

I liked GRID's idea of putting the Chiefs there better. But yeah I'll take it for more residents but I wish we could just make all the surface lots in the core disappear more.

[earthling]

^In the 30 year+ big picture, WB will be awesome as an urban residential area. A stadium would ruin it, especially one that involves parking. Football belongs in the burbs, would destroy WB's amazing opportunity that appears may actually happen. A decent bus connection is the next step.

Go visit Industry City and DUMBO in Brooklyn to see WB's potential. Have been pointing this out for over 10 years and never imagined a NYC developer would actually bite. And here it is. Hope they don't blow it.

[AlkaliAxel]

^In the 30 year+ big picture, WB will be awesome as an urban residential area. A stadium would ruin it, especially one that involves parking. Football belongs in the burbs, would destroy WB's amazing opportunity that appears may actually happen. A decent bus connection is the next step.

Go visit Industry City and DUMBO in Brooklyn to see WB's potential.

I'm fine with it, if they can get it connected to the city. Or hell, even let the residents get to the riverfront like at Berkely. Get rid of that stupid loop.

[FangKC]

I'm still skeptical about the wisdom of putting a lot of residential in the West Bottoms. The area has a long history of flooding. A levee can fail, and floodwalls can be undermined. The floodplain exists where two rivers meet. Just a few years ago, the Corps of Engineers feared that several dams on the upper Missouri River would collapse because of heavy snow melts combined with additional freakishly-heavy rains in the Upper Midwest basin. The fear that it would send a wall of water down the Missouri River basin while the river was already historically high. Had that happened, the West Bottoms would have more than likely been inundated with water. Even if the levees hold, a few days of heavy rain, while the Kansas River is up to the levee can push water back into Turkey Creek, and can push water into the West Bottoms. The Corps feared that the downtown airport, riverside casinos, and the GM Assembly plant would have also been underwater.

I would rather see these firms invest in areas on higher ground that already have good transit connections.

[normalthings]

I'm still skeptical about the wisdom of putting a lot of residential in the West Bottoms. The area has a long history of flooding. A levee can fail, and floodwalls can be undermined. The floodplain exists where two rivers meet. Just a few years ago, the Corps of Engineers feared that several dams on the upper Missouri River would collapse because of heavy snow melts combined with additional freakishly-heavy rains in the Upper Midwest basin. The fear that it would send a wall of water down the Missouri River basin while the river was already historically high. Had that happened, the West Bottoms would have more than likely been inundated with water. Even if the levees hold, a few days of heavy rain, while the Kansas River is up to the levee can push water back into Turkey Creek, and can push water into the West Bottoms. The Corps feared that the downtown airport, riverside casinos, and the GM Assembly plant would have also been underwater.

I would rather see these firms invest in areas on higher ground that already have good transit connections.

the reason for their current $500 million project. entirety of flood walls around WB are being raised 4 feet, relief pumps updated/added, and more flood wall added

The levees and floodwalls will be raised between 4 and 5 ft. along the Kansas River – beginning at the confluence of the Missouri River and extending past the Turner Memorial Bridge in Kansas City, Kan. The initiative also replaces 18 closure structures; repairs or modifies dozens of drainage structures; installs nearly 150 relief wells; and modifies or replaces 19 pump stations.

West Bottoms improvements

• Raise levees/floodwalls up to 4’
• Add 800’ of floodwall
• Install 6 relief wells
• Modify/replace closure structures
• Eliminate two pump stations
• Relocate utilities
• Improve seepage and stability

[Chris Stritzel]

It's all cool but it's so disconnected from the city core or anything else that it's just...sure I guess. Once again- highways. Like always, number one problem hampering downtown.

I liked GRID's idea of putting the Chiefs there better. But yeah I'll take it for more residents but I wish we could just make all the surface lots in the core disappear more.

I don't think the highways are as much of a problem here as the elevation change. The rest of the city sits up on a hill, and it's quite steep. I doubt many people would make that trek on a consistent basis even if the highway wasn't there.

On the bolded part: Infill will come overtime and at a steady pace (as it has been). The time for a renewed and equally special West Bottoms is now. Keep some of the grit that makes it special but blend it a bit with a mixture of dense usages.

[TheLastGentleman]

A cheat sheet of which buildings are which, and which phase.

Phase 1: (first quarter of 2023 through fourth quarter of 2025)

Demolition of Weld Wheel building, redeveloped as "the first of as many as 266 new apartments southwest of St. Louis Avenue and Santa Fe Street".



Conversion of the Moline Plow building at 1015 Mulberry into 127 apartments.



"Adaptive reuse" of 1200 Union Ave



"Adaptive reuse" of 1201 Union Ave



"Adaptive reuse" of 1215 Union Ave



"Adaptive reuse" of 1218 Union Ave



Hotel conversion of the Avery building at 1100 Santa Fe St "with as many as 50 rooms"



"Open park space" at the surface lot at 11th and Santa Fe



and "520 surface parking spaces across different sites"

Phase 2:(fourth quarter of 2024 through fourth quarter of 2026)

"Demolition of structures northwest of 11th and Mulberry streets for development of 308 apartments and mixed uses." Presumably these sites I've outlined in red.







Phase 3 (fourth quarter of 2026 through fourth quarter of 2028):

Conversion of the Crane Co. building at 1105 Hickory St. into 31 apartments



"Development of 236 multifamily units on surface parking to the east (of the Crane Co building)". So, somewhere in this space I guess





Phase 4 (fourth quarter of 2029 through fourth quarter 2030)

"Completion of remaining apartments at the former Weld Wheel site". Probably the section that's a surface lot currently



Conversion of 1320 W. 12th St into 45 apartments



"mixed-use revamp" of 1222 W. 12th St.



"mixed-use revamp" of KC Pallet Supply building at 1000 W. 12th St. This building apparently?



"construction of 72-apartment projects on surface lots northwest of Mulberry Street and Union Avenue"



"....and northeast of St. Louis Avenue and Santa Fe Street"



"demolition of a building northwest of 11th and Hickory streets for 27 new apartments." I suppose that has to be this one, though there's no building actually on the corner of 11th and Hickory.....



Phase 5 (first quarter of 2030 through fourth quarter of 2035):

"Adaptive reuse of buildings at 1323 and 1331 Union Ave., with 54 total apartments."

[daGOAT]

contrasting (high quality) modern architecture on the new construction would be striking. but tbr I'm just really happy to imagine the area with actual pedestrian infrastructure and frequent transit.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

I’m hoping all those demolitions are non-historical buildings.

[earthling]

^It doesn't seem to be, nearly all appear to be after 1950 with a couple exceptions of Weld Wheel and some small buildings?

[FangKC]

I must admit I will be sad to see the haunted houses go. That is one unique thing Kansas City does have. It was the epicenter of the professional haunted house entertainment industry. I found it to be a fun activity.

[FangKC]

Does anyone know what is happening with the Shipley Building at Genessee and W. 17th? I can't believe that building still hasn't been renovated.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0934891 ... 384!8i8192

[atticus23]

While I'll be sad to see the haunted houses go, I'm excited to see the Avery Building get redeveloped. The architecture of the Avery is beautiful. I just hope that this plan will come to fruition.

[Rabble]

I'll be glad to see the haunted houses go and I hope they end up on the Plaza.

[FlippantCitizen]

I'm floored by this announcement. Adding 1000 units just WB over a decade! This will be a huge contribution to repopulating the core. Maybe we can get this developer to chip in for the gondola, only half kidding.

[earthling]

Sad to see the end of an era but boosting downtown should be a higher priority as well as making WB functional on a daily level. The haunted houses only functional a few months/yr. Yeah, the gondola only half a joke, might actually have functional use if pulled off right.

[Cratedigger]

I'm floored by this announcement. Adding 1000 units just WB over a decade! This will be a huge contribution to repopulating the core. Maybe we can get this developer to chip in for the gondola, only half kidding.

Also psyched by this announcement. Worth thinking through ways to better connect WB to the core. I think the gondola as it was previously pitched bypassed the West Bottoms and connected to Strawberry Hill. Obviously lots of time to amend that pitch.

[earthling]

Hey Collison, if you're listening would be nice to get a comment from NY developer on what they think of the gondola proposal and if they'd be interested in participating.

[alejandro46]

Thank you Gentleman for posting those great pics togehter with addresses.

The WB has always been somewhat disconnected from DT proper. You can't blame the highways on this one. We solved that problem by streetcar back in the day, maybe a gondola, bus or streetcar again can help to bridge KCMO, WB and KCK. Even some kind of activation of 12th viduct to make it more functional for pedestrians although it's a long and steep walk I wouldn't really want to do. Yes, I know the 8th street tunnel the tunnel, cool idea but it's likely not safe and would be expensive to rebuild.

Flooding also isn't a new issue. The levees help reduce the liklihood of flooding, but may never completely prevent it every 100 years. That's why you buy insurance. We shouldn't let this area and it's historic buildings rot, it's not like it's getting flooded every 5 years.

I was never a big haunted house guy, but I appreciate them for what they are and what they aren't, which is a seasonally dependent attraction that uses a lot of square foot that could otherwise house people and contribute to the tax base. This is one of the areas in the city that really had a good opportunity to get a lot of property together and developed and rehabbed and sounds like they want to do it the right way. The infrastructure in the WB is so terrible, just basic sidewalks, curbs and street trees could do wonders.

[Rabble]

The UG is now rebuilding the levees on both sides of the Kaw and will include walking/biking trails and recreational access to the river. The Rock Island bridge is set to be an entertainment/dining river crossing. The land on both sides of the Kaw is owned by people very interested in redevelopment. So a very exciting time for the KCK side of the West Bottoms as well.

Another piece of good news for the WB is the bioswale that was built east of Liberty Street between 14th & 16th.