13th and Grand tower

[FangKC]

Is that the same as the Waddell building?

No. It appears that is the new architectural style-trend. I've seen variations of it on various development news sites.

So they essentially want to make another Waddell Reed building on Grand? Would it atleast have ground floor retail this time..

I wouldn't focus too much on that design. Copaken has a tendency to commission placeholder designs for purposes of marketing that never happen.

[AlkaliAxel]

No. It appears that is the new architectural style-trend. I've seen variations of it on various development news sites.

So they essentially want to make another Waddell Reed building on Grand? Would it atleast have ground floor retail this time..

I wouldn't focus too much on that design. Copaken has a tendency to commission placeholder designs for purposes of marketing that never happen.

My next question was going to be why are they even having this when they're still not even starting Strata yet

[FangKC]

Copaken markets multiple properties at the same time. They will build at whatever location depending on whether they get a fish to bite.

[flyingember]

My next question was going to be why are they even having this when they're still not even starting Strata yet

They're under no obligation to limit their number of projects to at a time.
This isn't a socialist society. If they wanted to buy 20 acres of downtown land and deign buildings to go on all of the parcels they can do this.

The city has no say in the pace of development without a signed agreement with a property owner allowing them to do so. They can't raise taxes because they're not building. They can't tell them they can't tear down an existing building.

[dukuboy1]

I thought from what I saw, after the "twisty tower" idea died ( a shame by the way) they are looking to redevelop that whole block with a few building that have different elevations but no major vertical aspects. Hopefully in the future we can see some towers and or taller buildings with some unique design to them. I agree having another building that looks cantilevered is old news but anything is better than a see of parking lots for that area.

[dukuboy1]

My next question was going to be why are they even having this when they're still not even starting Strata yet

They're under no obligation to limit their number of projects to at a time.
This isn't a socialist society. If they wanted to buy 20 acres of downtown land and deign buildings to go on all of the parcels they can do this.

The city has no say in the pace of development without a signed agreement with a property owner allowing them to do so. They can't raise taxes because they're not building. They can't tell them they can't tear down an existing building.

decaf bro....I think it was more of question of if designs like Strata and the other office building at corner of 14th and Wyandotte have no movement, but have been proposed and renderings issued and even updated, why this proposal went up. Like it notes the idea has been around for a while. Hopefully it will gain traction and we'll start to see some of these proposals become reality. It's nice for you to share that companies will offer multiple proposals at once on different parcels they own. It's my undrstanding that with this piece of land they are on the clock anyway with the city

[flyingember]

My next question was going to be why are they even having this when they're still not even starting Strata yet

They're under no obligation to limit their number of projects to at a time.
This isn't a socialist society. If they wanted to buy 20 acres of downtown land and deign buildings to go on all of the parcels they can do this.

The city has no say in the pace of development without a signed agreement with a property owner allowing them to do so. They can't raise taxes because they're not building. They can't tell them they can't tear down an existing building.

decaf bro....I think it was more of question of if designs like Strata and the other office building at corner of 14th and Wyandotte have no movement, but have been proposed and renderings issued and even updated, why this proposal went up. Like it notes the idea has been around for a while. Hopefully it will gain traction and we'll start to see some of these proposals become reality. It's nice for you to share that companies will offer multiple proposals at once on different parcels they own. It's my undrstanding that with this piece of land they are on the clock anyway with the city

your answer is always capitalism

they're on the clock with the city for incentives, they can just not build and ask for new incentives later.

[beautyfromashes]

they're on the clock with the city for incentives, they can just not build and ask for new incentives later.

That's a risky gamble that incentives will be available later. It's one prime benefit of the movement to limit incentives--developers should have more urgency or they will miss the closing window.

[flyingember]

they're on the clock with the city for incentives, they can just not build and ask for new incentives later.

That's a risky gamble that incentives will be available later. It's one prime benefit of the movement to limit incentives--developers should have more urgency or they will miss the closing window.

It could be a greater gamble if they don’t have a tenant to fill the space. Incentives don’t make a project instantly doable.

Not having a major tenant after the capital outlay could be the entire profit margin of the business and then some.

[beautyfromashes]

they're on the clock with the city for incentives, they can just not build and ask for new incentives later.

That's a risky gamble that incentives will be available later. It's one prime benefit of the movement to limit incentives--developers should have more urgency or they will miss the closing window.

It could be a greater gamble if they don’t have a tenant to fill the space. Incentives don’t make a project instantly doable.

Not having a major tenant after the capital outlay could be the entire profit margin of the business and then some.

That's some boringly conservative basketball if that's the thought. If they can't see that this market is improving and demand is strong, I don't know what would change their mind. Best to just get out of the way if you're going to sit on your hands for 50 years.

[normalthings]

To be fair, there is a 250,00sqft+ modern tower sitting with no tenant. Not encouraging for spec space but as mentioned before its kind of small for what we are shooting for

[beautyfromashes]

To be fair, there is a 250,00sqft+ modern tower sitting with no tenant. Not encouraging for spec space but as mentioned before its kind of small for what we are shooting for

W&R tenant won’t be announced until closer to completion.

[normalthings]

To be fair, there is a 250,00sqft+ modern tower sitting with no tenant. Not encouraging for spec space but as mentioned before its kind of small for what we are shooting for

W&R tenant won’t be announced until closer to completion.

What is being left as shell and what is getting built out initially?

[AlkaliAxel]

To be fair, there is a 250,00sqft+ modern tower sitting with no tenant. Not encouraging for spec space but as mentioned before its kind of small for what we are shooting for

But there could be a tenant? They just might not have said yet

[flyingember]

That's some boringly conservative basketball if that's the thought. If they can't see that this market is improving and demand is strong, I don't know what would change their mind. Best to just get out of the way if you're going to sit on your hands for 50 years.

Demand is strong for office space when businesses are not yet fully returning to the office and social trends may decrease demand for office space?

Maybe they should sell, but maybe they can't. The land could be collatoral for a loan or tied up in a lawsuit. Can't prove it obviously but don't assume that any given piece of land is unencumbered

[beautyfromashes]

That's some boringly conservative basketball if that's the thought. If they can't see that this market is improving and demand is strong, I don't know what would change their mind. Best to just get out of the way if you're going to sit on your hands for 50 years.

The land could be collatoral for a loan or tied up in a lawsuit.

Now you're trying to make them sound not just lazy or ultraconservative, you're wondering if they are shady or on the ropes financially?

[flyingember]

That's some boringly conservative basketball if that's the thought. If they can't see that this market is improving and demand is strong, I don't know what would change their mind. Best to just get out of the way if you're going to sit on your hands for 50 years.

The land could be collatoral for a loan or tied up in a lawsuit.

Now you're trying to make them sound not just lazy or ultraconservative, you're wondering if they are shady or on the ropes financially?

Why would you buy land if you couldn’t use it as collateral in a bank loan to make a lot of money off another project?

[kc-nyc]

Long time reader, first time posting. I thought I would share a concept I've been playing around with for a while.

Just like a few others have said, I've always hoped this site would end up being something iconic because of the location and more or less lack of verticality in the newer buildings downtown. I've always liked how the London Shard was supposed to mimic the times when the London skyline was dominated by church steeples, so this idea is similar to that but looking back to KC's golden age and its art deco towers. It ended up 950' tall, mixed-use program atop a retail and parking podium that relates to the street level surroundings.

These are a few precedents that I looked at:

-P&L Building
-The Shard
-Devon Tower in OKC
-One Vanderbilt in NYC
-Gran Torre in Santiago
-Leadenhall Building in London
-Comcast Center in Philadelphia

I should also preface by saying that I don't necessarily think this type of design would be the best for the site and the skyline in general. I would actually prefer something not quite as tall in the neo art deco style like the new 9 Dekalb Tower in Downtown Brooklyn, but this is just something I decided to have fun with.

Conceptual Sketch


View from the south. I don't mind that it breaks the stair-stepping, but I think it would look better with the East Village developed with some height.


From the DT airport


From the River Market. I actually like how it fits into the skyline from this view much better than from the S (IMO).


From NE


From SE




If I can find some time, the next study might be the south loop cap or a lid on Arrowhead.

[earthling]

Welcome to the rag. Very nice design, great effort. Many would probably find it a bit tall and minimizes rest of skyline but a bit taller than KCOne Place would be a great fit.

[Riverite]

Welcome! Love the design, would love to see something like that get built there, would really be the next major step for the skyline.

Maybe you could shop it around a bit to see if there’s any takers