OFFICIAL - East Village

[Gladstoner]

I ran into him in San Francisco several years ago. He said he was out there because of his girlfriend but he was coming back. I saw him at the Plaza a few months later. I saw him in the River Market last week.

Damn. All of his wealth must be in frequent flyer miles.

[kcdcchef]

no shit, how does this guy go from city to city and is a bum? i am trying to make ends meet for a trip to kansas city later this month to go to renfest and a royals game, and this guy is in florida, cali, and everywhere else? not to mention he can afford a cheeseburger, which is more than i can say...............................

[ComandanteCero]

going back to topic.  Renderings have finally come out on the mixed use project in dt St.L (Bottle DistrictL......  there are some obvious problems (no through car traffic is one of the most prominent, and it's hard to tell from the renderings just how many paths will connect it to the surroundings, or if it's just going to be a superblock), however, this is the kind of design innovation we need in the east loop IMO.  If we had a masterplan that set out to include golden rules of urbanism along with innovative and modern architecture in the east loop we could have something special and distinct... a KC version of Potsdammer Platz in Berlin, or a more street grid integrated version of this project:
(the deck that goes next to the project is I-70)

[Gladstoner]

Wow, that looks like a miniature version of the new WTC in NY. Literally cutting edge stuff.

[kcdcchef]

too bad it is not a kc project.

[ignatius]

d

[omenapt]

Come on,, we should ALL be leary of glassy, artists renditions!!..REMEMBER!

[ignatius]

This has turned into a real $340M proposal!  The downtown momentum is approaching a whopping $4B.  Does any downtown in the US have this much going on at once?

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascit ... 717322.htm



First glance

■ $340 million East Village redevelopment plan.

■ 12 blocks on east side of downtown.

■ 1,183 housing units, 87,200 square feet of retail, 213,000 square feet of office space.

■ A new headquarters for J.E. Dunn Construction Co.

[ignatius]

Come on,, we should ALL be leary of glassy, artists renditions!!..REMEMBER!

Of all the large KC projects recently proposed with some level of detail, only the PAC hasn't broken ground, and it's far from dead.  This project has some heavey backers.

[tat2kc]

Why would anyone, at this stage, pay attention to the renderings? I'm more interested in the actual numbers and proposal: They are keeping some of the historic and well maintianed buildings. They're adding both market and affordable condos and apartments. They're adding retail. They designing it to be a very pedestrian friendly environment. They're filling in the east side Davis park.  That's impressive.  The mix of retail, commercial businesses, and housing is a great fit for the east side of the loop.  

[LenexatoKCMO]

The mix of retail, commercial businesses, and housing is a great fit for the east side of the loop.  

It sounded pretty heavily slanted towards the residential side but I think that is probably a pretty good call with all of the retail going in just a few blocks away and the office glut.  Most importantly it involves tearing down MC Sports - I'll take a block of residential over that hulking waste of space any day. 

[macnw]

Let's just appreciate that someone is willing to pump some life into this section of downtown. I think having Swope Community Builders is a good choice. That company does most of their work in the center city and I think this will send a message to people that downtown will not just be for the rich. Hopefully more resonalble accomodations for moderate income levels. It's time to take the energy eastward.

[tat2kc]

you are right, its not a ton of retail, but its definately a great beginnning.  I did notice that they intend to tear down the old building that Della Lamb Charter School is in.  I hope that the plan includes a site for this school. It would be awesome to have an elementary school in the area.

[ComandanteCero]

here's that other rendering.  I'll withold my judgement.  Don't like these kinds of projects, but i'm willing to wait and see.

[Highlander]

If any part of the loop needs investment, it's the east side.  I like the project but see definite pros and cons and alarm bells go off when a construction company is named as the potential anchor tenant.  Nonetheless, it would dovetail well with The View and some of the buildings recently built around Ilus Davis park and it does not have a lot of retail/entertainment to compete with P&L Live.  There will still be a pretty big gap between this project and that part of downtown that is starting to thrive; but a nice addition if it gets built. 

[tat2kc]

JE Dunn is already in the area, they need more space, so its also a way to keep them in the core.  Once again, the renderings are likely just a conceptual thing at this point.  It looks to me like it is more of a way to show the scale of the  buildings that would go in, rather than an actual "rendering".  The scale looks good. 3 and 4 story buildings, mixed in with the old church, Commerce Bank, and the other buildngs being saved is a good way to go.  I'd not worry too much about the look at this point. Its early enough in the process to offer suggestons about the look of the buildings.

[macnw]

What is there to worry about? Like what is there presently is in danger? Historic? Personally, my take is that just about anything there will be a drastic improvement. Will it be perfect? Highly doubtful, is anything? Will it open the doors to many who are shut out of the current opportunities downtown? Sure sounds like it.

[omenapt]

I should clarify my remark about concerns of "glassy architerctural renditions" was in refernce to the ST LOuis bottle district drawings in this post.  those are the ones that i would be leary of...!!!  READ : Nelson Gallery!

[trailerkid]

I realize we are working from scratch on a part of downtown that makes the pre-Cordish South Loop almost look desirable, but I'd rather see a more ambitious plan put forward. I don't think a new Dunn HQ is really anything to get excited about. I'd rather see a stronger office component tied into this vision. The East Loop desparately needs a signature tower to serve as its future.

[dangerboy]

I realize we are working from scratch on a part of downtown that makes the pre-Cordish South Loop almost look desirable, but I'd rather see a more ambitious plan put forward. I don't think a new Dunn HQ is really anything to get excited about. I'd rather see a stronger office component tied into this vision. The East Loop desparately needs a signature tower to serve as its future.

Why a tower?  What does that do for the future of the area, and how would it be better than a real, functioning neighborhood?

Don't forget that the Downtown office market isn't exactly thriving.  No one is going to do spec office construction anytime soon.  Would rather leave the area empty and hold out for a build-to-suit tenant that probably won't come for 5-10 years or more?

I think this plan is a good transition between the high rises in the core of the loop and the low rises to the east and southeast of the loop.