"Arena doesn't need more parking spaces downtown"

Post by **staubio** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 6:06 pm

I am on a panel that fields questions for recent hires at my suburban employer. Today, someone asked if we all lived "around here" and what we did. In response, I gave a mini-rant about the suburbs and said I "live where I live, not where I work," extolling the benefits of the city. I said I'd never live in the city.

The girl next to me lives in Lenexa. She would never want to live in the city and deal with traffic and fighting for a parking spot.

Where do these people come from? Besides, parking is far worse in the 'burbs.

EDIT: I meant TRAFFIC is worse in the 'burbs, parking is the 'burbs

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Wed Jul 14, 2004 10:01 pm

C'mon now, these people sound elderly and not jus' lazy! I'm sure that the mayor will address the arena parking issue by building surface parking spaces for people that are handicap.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 12:05 am

handicap people need surface parking lots?

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 10:11 am

KCPowercat wrote:handicap people need surface parking lots?

Well, how many spaces do you think need to be developed for handicaps? Will there really be enough cripples to justify building a parking garage?

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 10:15 am

not sure...I'm sure there are zoning laws for it to make sure there is enough space close. I sure don't want a city block next to the arena eating up space for handicap parking but I do understand people need parking close....how much is the question.

Beltonhawk · Post by **Beltonhawk** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 10:22 am

I think having only a handicapped parking lot in front of the arena might be a wakeup call to the "park right in front of where I'm going" types.

"Hey, I've got legs that work. Maybe I shouldn't bitch about walking 5 minutes to the arena."

Will this happen? Nah.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 10:29 am

well according to the plan, there isn't parking planned with the arena...that's what this article is saying....sure the site will have some handicap parking but no major new parking....which is GREAT news.

Post by **chrizow** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 10:42 am

maybe the City should follow KCI's lead and have city employees waiting with wheelchairs at the parking garages to shuttle handicapped people and lazy people to their destinations. maybe even a tram!

after all, we wouldn't want Joe JoCo to have to walk or anything.

these are probably the same suburbadroids that walk alllllll day long in cities when they vacation in NYC, DC, Chicago, STL, London, etc. but when it comes to recreating in their own city, they want to park 5 feet from the place and walk on perfectly graded surfaces to their destination. idiots.

trailerkid · Post by **trailerkid** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 1:12 pm

I think most midwestern baby boomers in general have an affinity for sprawl and parking lots. When they were growing up, newness and innovation was very important and was everywhere. When things like shopping malls, strip malls, superstores and such were invented they were seen as a major step forward for the community because of their convenience. This is not saying that all boomers are somehow suburban advocates, but it seems to be a generational/cultural thing.

Today, it seems like we have a stronger contingency of young, middle-aged, and older people who really want to preserve historical structures and symbols. Whereas fleeing the city is still prevelant I think there is more pressure to exist in a world that is the antithesis of the surburban revolution.

Post by **chrizow** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 1:20 pm

i think it's true that some of the current generation of young people and young adults are trying to reverse suburbanization and preserve cities, etc., but i think we are the minority.

most people my age (23) i've met have no idea about urbanism, see no difference between cities and suburbs in qualititative terms (except that burbs are new and comfortable and that cities are cool but dangerous). i.e. they dont see preserving cities as a good thing. if the city they are in is fun, they'll go there. if they perceive it to be ghetto or boring or too far away, they ignore it.

i've met a lot of STL-iens who refuse to enter the City unless they are going to strip clubs or a Cards/Rams/Blues game. likewise i know a lot of KC metro folks who MIGHT go to the plaza sometimes, but unless they work downtown, they would never go.

"there isn't any reason to go there when i have everything i need in the burbs."

like it or not, most people these days dont care about architecture, urbanity, history, character, etc. they want a big new house in a quiet subdivision and "easy" access to Panera and Starbucks.

luckily there are lots of people out there who love cities and migrate to cities and support them. i just wish there were more. too many young adults buy into the anti-urban, anti-history perspectives of their parents.

Post by **dangerboy** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 6:03 pm

Any office building or parking garage that gets public subsidies or tax abatements should be be required to be available for arena parking. That should pretty cover most of the 40,000 parking spaces inside the loop.

Using the existing parking can work, but the city needs to address two big pyschological issues...

1) Vibrant blocks between the parking and arena, to make the walk feel safer and more enjoyable

2) Fewer one-way streets so the hunt for parking space doesn't require so many twists, turns, and loops around the block.

Beyond that, the arena just needs to provide event that are compelling enough to make it worthwhile for people to figure out the parking.

Critical_Mass · Post by **Critical_Mass** » Thu Jul 15, 2004 7:22 pm

chrizow-
your dad sounds like my crabby grandfather!

FangKC · Post by **FangKC** » Fri Jul 16, 2004 3:56 pm

Regarding the perception that there is a lack of parking or that new parking garages must be provided:

What a bunch of babies! I used to walk nine blocks to and from work everyday when I lived in New York City--and that was when I lived close to work. When I lived elsewhere in Manhattan, it was a lot more walking.

Downtown KC workers are so lazy that they many of them don't even have to leave their buildings and go out on the streets to get to their cars. They walk through skywalks. It's no wonder that one doesn't see many people walking the streets in downtown at 5 pm.

The fact that people attending arena events wouldn't walk a few blocks is just ridiculous. It wouldn't be like they were doing it every day. At least downtown there is something to look at while walking. In the West Bottoms, one walks blocks to get to Kemper through parked cars.