Midtown Area Apartment Boom

[Riverite]

I would actively support them if they were focused on saving KCs history rather than trying to save parking lots in Midtown

[FlippantCitizen]

I would actively support them if they were focused on saving KCs history rather than trying to save parking lots in Midtown

Accurate

[FangKC]

The parcels outlined in red are the ones that Price Brothers already controls. I noticed there was a kill water permit filed on the 3030 Walnut building on 4/19/2022.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0715551 ... 384!8i8192

I would wager that Price Brothers will seek to get the remaining parcels to the east of the current buildings on the NE corner of 31st and Main. Currently, they are grassy lots.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0709579 ... 384!8i8192

[alejandro46]

This building absolutely can and should be saved. There need to be some level of additional review during demolition permits of buildings older than 25 or 50 years for historic and neighborhood character. If anything, this building can be re-purposed and or reused depending on its condition.

[chaglang]

Historic KC had like 4 years to move on this, what did they actually do, if anything?

Historic KC is a toothless entity. They have never been able to evolve into an effective lobbying group so that they are proactive about things instead of reactive.

There was a moment about a decade ago when they were headed toward being an interesting, effective group with a more progressive take on preservation. Then they switched directors and it's been a lot of this nonsense since. The Plaza gets a lot of their attention because it's an easy thing to fundraise for. Stoking the outrage keeps the lights on. If I were a donor I would be asking serious questions about what my money was accomplishing.

[Midtownkid]

Drove by 31st and Main yesterday. No sign of activity on the site. Not even a construction fence.

[beautyfromashes]

Work happening at the site. Looks like pipe company, probably closing off gas, water and drain pipes. This building is coming down if our leaders don’t do anything.

[chaglang]

I'm not clear on what their options are to save the buildings.

[Karambit25]

I don't mind seeing the building go, if there was a hard replacement project in place. Saving that building could easily hold up a project with real residential density covering that block. No one is going to invest millions to keep that facade and it's not worth it. 31st and Main has been dead for 4 decades. Get real people, that building is historical and worth saving but the important thing is that 31st and Main become a major residential and retail hub.

We are building a streetcar to the Plaza and 31st and Main is a dead zone. That location is an urban wet dream and nobody cares.

[beautyfromashes]

I don't mind seeing the building go, if there was a hard replacement project in place. Saving that building could easily hold up a project with real residential density covering that block. No one is going to invest millions to keep that facade and it's not worth it. 31st and Main has been dead for 4 decades. Get real people, that building is historical and worth saving but the important thing is that 31st and Main become a major residential and retail hub.

We are building a streetcar to the Plaza and 31st and Main is a dead zone. That location is an urban wet dream and nobody cares.

Welcome to the board, Mr/Mrs Price.

[kboish]

I don't mind seeing the building go, if there was a hard replacement project in place. Saving that building could easily hold up a project with real residential density covering that block. No one is going to invest millions to keep that facade and it's not worth it. 31st and Main has been dead for 4 decades. Get real people, that building is historical and worth saving but the important thing is that 31st and Main become a major residential and retail hub.

We are building a streetcar to the Plaza and 31st and Main is a dead zone. That location is an urban wet dream and nobody cares.

Just look at this developers history. They are sitting on lots of PRIME land they are not developing.

For example, the spot where the historic Nelle's Peters building were torn down (just west of where the Nordstrom vacant lot is)

[daGOAT]

The surface lot between the rows of buildings could house a small apartment building, removing a gap in the streetwall and blending 19th and 21st century architecture. There is literally a vacant lot on the NW corner with an underused garage across the street that could house a solid TOD. If a group of goofy developers are allowed to raze and sit on that vacant lot until they decide to build a 5 over 1 with way too much parking across from that, while also being on the streetcar line, it would be ridiculous. At minimum the buildings should be dug from their foundations and moved, they would look really good along 31st Street. There are dozens of ugly non interactive buildings devoid of any charm on Main Street, if it were one of those structures being threatened no one would bat an eye.

[AlkaliAxel]

"UPDATE: A wrecking company today filed for what's called a "pre-demo inspection permit" for the four commercial buildings at 31st and Main."
-Kevin Collison

https://twitter.com/cityscenekc/status/ ... 6132812806

[beautyfromashes]

Every time there is a historic building torn down, I hear from our representatives that they tried to save it but there's not a law that keeps an owner from tearing down a building. Why is there not an ordinance that they could implement and how many buildings have to be torn down to push for some action on their part. The sad comments from our leaders when it happens seems to ring really hollow.

[Chris Stritzel]

I've heard that a significant development is currently in design for these parcels. Source wouldn't elaborate but said that it would be surprising if the parcels sat without a plan for more than 6 months. Whether or not this holds true remains to be seen.

Also, I'm surprised that, at the very least, the corner building is not included on the KC Register of Historic Places. If it were added to that list, demolition would require review by the Historic Preservation Commission instead of demolition by right.

[chaglang]

Believe that the owner's permission is needed to list the property.

There may be a development in the works, but "it would be surprising is X parcel sat vacant" is a familiar prelude to nothing. It's impossible to take developers seriously.

[Chris Stritzel]

Believe that the owner's permission is needed to list the property.

There may be a development in the works, but "it would be surprising is X parcel sat vacant" is a familiar prelude to nothing. It's impossible to take developers seriously.

From the posts on KCRag, I'd say that applies true to the Price Brothers more than others. We'll see what happens though.

[Critical_Mass]

From Thomas Friestad of KCBJ:

Distinction: Price Brothers does not own historic buildings up for pre-demo inspection at 31st/Main. Those sites (and others in Plaza) belong to PriceMgmtCo., a standalone group. Easy to miss w/ proliferation of LLCs, but relevant for preservation efforts.

https://t.co/AwQrgNaQvq

[Chris Stritzel]

From Thomas Friestad of KCBJ:

Distinction: Price Brothers does not own historic buildings up for pre-demo inspection at 31st/Main. Those sites (and others in Plaza) belong to PriceMgmtCo., a standalone group. Easy to miss w/ proliferation of LLCs, but relevant for preservation efforts.

https://t.co/AwQrgNaQvq

They're linked though. West Plaza Flats is being developed by the Price Brothers and will be managed by Price Management. May be two different entities, but they're linked.

[moderne]

There is irony in that these buildings have already been "saved" once before. Back when the Union Hill houses went up in the eighties. The corner building was in horrible shape, home of the Tower Tavern. There was a miniature tv tower on the peak of the decaying corner tower. If they were bought back to code less than forty years ago there should be no blight issue.