Crown Center: urban disaster, shining star, or in-between

[knucklehead]

It is sad when there is new housing North of crown center on Gilliam but the bureacrats at Hallmark are too conservative to fill in between that new housing and crown center.

Union Hill and the Gilliam developments have increased the value of the crown center "north 40" but Hallmark is to lathargic and bureaucratic to take advantage of it. So they just let land set vacent. They are too lazy to even free ride on the benefits produced by others.

If not now, when are conditions going to be right to develop that land?

This is a good reason for raising property tax assessments. Maybe if property taxes on the land were higher, Hallmark might actually build something on it.

[FangKC]

Yes, one would think with Union Hill being so desirable a location to live that Hallmark would see the potential. Hallmark also has a built-in market for housing--their employees.  No commute to work. A desirable location that is convenient for many of the City's amenities.  On the MAX route.  Hallmark could also work with a local bank to help their employees get mortgages.

If I were the grand poohba of Hallmark/Crown Center, I would focus on 27th Street and turn it into a mixed use corridor.  I would build condo towers with retail in the base and place garages below grade and above grade--but facing the cemetery and not the street.  A very large garage could be placed under a building on the steep grade at 27th and Gillham.  Even now, mortgages are at low rates historically, and affluent baby boomers are approaching retirement age.  I don't see when market conditions are going to be much better for selling housing.  Having high-quallity housing nearby would only serve to make the commercial and office space more marketable.

[FangKC]

In the next 50 years, this is my vision of what the 27th Street corridor should become.

[FangKC]

Here is my vision of development in the greater Union Hill neighborhood with the intent on creating higher densities of residential, commercial, and retail. This will help support any future light-rail corridor and increase downtown population to support nearby amenities.  A much larger population in this neighborhood will also increase utilization of Penn Valley Park.

I have rerouted Grand Avenue to create more space for construction of buildings.  I've also moved 27th Street a few yards to the south to increase buildable space on the north side of the street along the Hallmark garage near Gillham.  Widening 27th St., and placing a green median, creates a boulevard facing buildings. Part of McGee south of 27th has also been removed to provide more space for buildings.

[DaveKCMO]

Just talked to an AMC friend.  They are still trying their best to make the Main Street a 21+ only theater.  The plan is to have a bar in the lobby like the Screenland.  In lieu of 21 only it will be like the Plaza Palace. 

or they could just patrol the theaters like they used to, so people would shut the f* up. why not completely automate the concessions and box office and focus employees on ensuring a quality viewing experience?

[FangKC]

Or hand out tasers to the audience as they enter the theater.  Anyone annoys anyone else, they get zapped.

[Theiler]

Or hand out tasers to the audience as they enter the theater.  Anyone annoys anyone else, they get zapped.

I second this motion...

[KC0KEK]

It is sad when there is new housing North of crown center on Gilliam but the bureacrats at Hallmark are too conservative to fill in between that new housing and crown center.

Union Hill and the Gilliam developments have increased the value of the crown center "north 40" but Hallmark is to lathargic and bureaucratic to take advantage of it. So they just let land set vacent. They are too lazy to even free ride on the benefits produced by others.

If not now, when are conditions going to be right to develop that land?

This is a good reason for raising property tax assessments. Maybe if property taxes on the land were higher, Hallmark might actually build something on it.

Is that new housing all sold? Or nearly all sold? If not, Hallmark might want to see demand catching up with supply before adding more.

[cknab1]

Here is the latest press release from Hallmark on the Cinema.

Already home to two of the most esteemed live theatres in the region (Coterie and American Heartland), Crown Center will begin work later this year on a new performance arts facility, tentatively labeled Off Center Theatre. The theatre will be located on the third level of the Crown Center Shops, in the area currently occupied by the Crown Center Cinemas. A closing date for the Crown Center Cinemas will be determined in the coming weeks.

“When the Power & Light entertainment district opens less than a mile from Crown Center, it will have a state-of-the-art movie theater complex, which will make the Crown Center Cinemas less relevant,” says Bill Lucas, president – Crown Center. “We took this as an opportunity to build on our positive reputation with the Coterie Theatre and American Heartland Theatre to further differentiate Crown Center in the area. We’re continually evaluating the retail and entertainment needs in the area to improve attendance and increase revenue at Crown Center attractions and stores.”

The new theatre will offer another dimension to Crown Center’s cultural experience, Bill adds. “While American Heartland focuses on Broadway-style theatre and the Coterie caters to young audiences, our new theatre will focus on smaller acting troupes with edgier, off-beat shows. It will coordinate nicely with the atmosphere of the nearby Crossroads District.”

The new space is a potential home for theatre groups from throughout the area. It will include a stage with 250 seats on three sides. Four of the current movie theatre bays will be removed to make way for the stage. The plush seats, which are just a few years old, will come from the current movie theatres. The current concession stand will remain largely unchanged, though theatre patrons also will be able to purchase espresso, wine and other items not currently available at the movie theatre. The current box office will be accessible for will-call tickets and for theatre groups who wish to sell their tickets at the door.

“There are some fantastic performing arts groups in this area who have a difficult time finding space to stage their productions,” says Rick Brown, manager of marketing programs – Crown Center. “We hope to develop a core of four to five groups who use the space regularly. It could also be used in conjunction with festivals, like Oktoberfest and the Kansas City Irish Fest. The possibilities are very exciting.”

[KCMax]

This is a great development. Sounds like the P&L development is getting CC to modernize. More competition means greater choices for consumers.

[DaveKCMO]

can't wait to check out the the plans for the condos that will replace the tennis courts and see how they interact with main Street.

ditto. if there was street-level retail and a sidewalk we might be able to remove the "urban disaster" part of this thread title...

[DaveKCMO]

has anyone ever noticed a recorded performance of the kc symphony synchronized with the fountain on the crown center plaza? i was eating my panera salad outside tonight and heard "please clear the fountain area... a recorded performance of the kc symphony will start in 30 seconds" around 7 pm. the crown center website has a video of the fountain synchronized with "carol of the bells", but this was obviously not a christmas tune.

[anniewarbucks]

I have been reading this thread kind of fast but with Crown Center it is truly a city with in a city. Some of the improvements for the future would be to place more retail down the link hallways in the hyat Regency Hotel, The Westin Hotel and over (correct me if I am Wrong) the UMB building. These areas are as bland as strawberry icecream without the strawberrys. With the futuristic look of these, you would have thought that they would have tried some retail in them by now.

[LenexatoKCMO]

I have been reading this thread kind of fast but with Crown Center it is truly a city with in a city. Some of the improvements for the future would be to place more retail down the link hallways in the hyat Regency Hotel, The Westin Hotel and over (correct me if I am Wrong) the UMB building. These areas are as bland as strawberry icecream without the strawberrys. With the futuristic look of these, you would have thought that they would have tried some retail in them by now.

The only portion of the Link that goes through the Hyatt passes heavily used meeting rooms that they would never give up for retail.

[DaveKCMO]

a few life-savers that i found available at crown center customer service (2nd floor, near halls):

- you can fax any document locally/toll-free for just $1 (LD faxes cost $2)
- you can buy ATA bus passes starting this week

the fax thing alone is a godsend. kinko's downtown charged me $5 for a three-page LD fax!

also, the only commerce bank ATM between the loop and the plaza is located in between the shops and the westin lobby.

[myxomatosis]

Here is the latest press release from Hallmark on the Cinema.

Already home to two of the most esteemed live theatres in the region (Coterie and American Heartland), Crown Center will begin work later this year on a new performance arts facility, tentatively labeled Off Center Theatre. The theatre will be located on the third level of the Crown Center Shops, in the area currently occupied by the Crown Center Cinemas. A closing date for the Crown Center Cinemas will be determined in the coming weeks.

According to the Crown Center site, it closes August 2.  I saw a movie in there yesterday afternoon, and it was dead.  I know it was in the middle of the week, but I thought there would be more people (kids).  I guess they were having more fun in the fountains!

[anniewarbucks]

The only portion of the Link that goes through the Hyatt passes heavily used meeting rooms that they would never give up for retail.

I understand that but there is wasted space in the hallway of these rooms that small pushcart retailers could set up a nice little business (shoe shine, bracelet and necklace retailers and even suivenier type of retailers to name a few) and capitalise on the people going to the meetings. I also know that the right angle in the Link going between the hyat and crown center is a very good area to put in pushcarts. There is even offices along the link that could be converted to retail if need be.

[DaveKCMO]

Two Crown Center high-rises go on the market

The offering involves buildings at 2555 Grand Blvd. and 2600 Grand Blvd.

The four-year-old building at 2555 Grand, anchored by Shook Hardy & Bacon LLP, contains 692,000 square feet on 24 floors. The other building, containing 279,000 square feet on 14 floors, is occupied by many tenants and opened in 1991.

The listing follows the Aug. 10 sale of another large office building at 2345 Grand Blvd. The buyer, Franklin Street Properties Corp. of suburban Boston, paid $75 million to a partnership of Hines Interests LP and GE Real Estate. The purchase also included a four-story office building to the south.

is CC trying to raise capital to build more buildings to the south?

[anniewarbucks]

I have drawn a picture of where future retail can go in crown center. the areas are highlited in red along the link.assuming that these areas are unocupied.

Map copied from Crown Center Web page and edited.

[justin8216]

just been busy at work. and this forum is rather boring nowadays, vanilla if you will. but with regards to the strip mall at village west, it will fade like all other fad retail. i never said it would not get huge and out of control, like all fad retail, but it will fade in time. it will not last as long as a crown center or a country club plaza. sorry, it just wont.

Crown Center? What? Crown Center is little more than the Hallmark Corporate offices glorified cafeteria.