LenexatoKCMO wrote:
Couldn't disagree more - less than ten years ago "KCK" and "Wyandotte" were scary, four letter words for most metro residents with nothing remotely redeeming in most people's mind. Residents of KCK/Wyandotte were probably pretty universally used to hearing "why would you want to live there?" everytime they told someone where they were from. The inner-city of KCK may still be a long ways from being rehabilitated but I have no doubt that the overall image has massively improved. Just the fact that people would bother to split hairs over inner city KCK v. the rest of KCK speaks volumes - no one would have thought it made much of a damn difference before. Just people being able to say that they live or operate a business in KCK without everyone cringing was a massive first step on the road to full revitalization - if you had asked me several years ago, I would have said it was impossible.
It's the same.
If you ask people about KCK or Wyandotte County, they will tell you they would not move there and they would tell you to think twice about it as well.
I'm not talking about Donahoo and 435 or 118th and Parallel (newer areas that still get 90% of their residents from existing KCK area residents wanting to stay in KCK).
I'm talking about any of the city east of 435. Basically the entire damn city. Most people that talk up the legends like it's an amazing place wouldn't even set foot in the same chain restaurants if they were located at 89th and Parallel or 67th and State, let alone 5th and Minnesota.
That's why KCK is still very ruralish is many areas east of 435 and there is zero infill going on except the water park (hard to call that infill) and whatever hotels etc go up around it.
People take 435 or 70 to State or 110th and go to the VW area. They don't even see KCK. That area is an extension of JoCo along 435. That's all it is. "KCK" May as well be in Iowa.
Western WyCo to KCK is like Shoal Creek is to KCMO. Shoal Creek is Liberty even though it's technically KCMO.