Living without a Car : Is it possible in Kansas City? (Walker: neighborhoods, movie theater)
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Thanks, X.
That's good to know about the taxis.
Did you sister from Germany find it easy to adjust?
German cities tend to be ahead of US cities in many respects: transport, walkability, solarcells, etc.
She knew what to expect coming back from Europe after 7 years so didn't have high expectations. Bus got her from point A to B where she needed to go and had no complaints. She also used a cab more often than most in KC would (some old ladies in my condo building completely rely on cabs). My brother biked around a lot along with bus. I ride bus often and work/live between Plaza/Downtown. Owning a car is a luxury and convenience to me, not an absolute necessity. If my car needs to go to a shop, I can get to work and get to all things I need. KC is below avg for transit but is still doable w/out a car.
Streetcar coming might help but frankly for those already willing to ride bus, it may not make much difference and hopefully it won't cut bus service to keep it running. Should draw attention to transit timid though. Bike stations are nice too, looking forward to midtown to UMKC area getting them this summer.
Streetcar coming might help but frankly for those already willing to ride bus, it may not make much difference and hopefully it won't cut bus service to keep it running.
...to discuss walkable neighborhoods as part of the Kansas City Public Libraries series on What Makes a Great City.
Leinberger noted in particular Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza, a 15-block shopping district with over 150 stores. As he explains in the speech above, Country Club Plaza “was the first regionally significant, walkable urban place built from scratch in this country. And you had to wait over 50 until the next one showed up…And it was just in a whole different specturm, a whole different universe. That was what Country Club Plaza was when it was first built.” By learning from these goals, Leinberger explains, Kansas City can join towns across the country helping their downtowns thrive.
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/more: http://www.smartgrowthamerica.org/20...ublic-library/
Here's an Older property (1920, renovated) that looks rather livable
At least one Apartment inside it, is for sale:
807 W 48th St. /APT 504, Kansas City : $135,000 : On Zillow
Bedrooms: 1 bed
Bathrooms: 1 bath Condo: 1,100 sq ft : that's $122 per sf.
Year Built: 1920
Last Sold: Apr 2006 for $148,000
- Description Totally renovated condo, walking distance from Country Club Plaza! Brand new kitchen, ss appliances, marble tile, granite countertops, new cabinets. Updated mechanicals. New bathroom with marble tile and refinished hardwood floors throughout. Original character intact in this 1920's poet building.
(neighborhood): WS-83 / trans.-55 / SS-97
-------------------------
Area Transit, #19 bus?-- : ??? blocks
Coffee, Latteland Expr.-- : 0.11 mi
Cinema, The Palace----- : 0.17 mi
Groceries, Coal Vines--- : 513 ft
Bike rental : relay rides- : 0.33 mi
Park: Jacob L. Loose Pk-: 0.51 mi
KS Public Library------- : 0.53 mi
KC Art Institute-------- : 0.83 mi
Restaurants, Bars : (all w/in 0.2 mi):
JJ's, Ingredient, Barumba, Zocalo, BBS,
Capital Grill, Blanc, Bo Ling's
TRANSPORT connections seem to be the Main issue here
I live on the Country Club Plaza (and used to live a building over from the one you picture,in another of the "Poet" buildings, a set of 1920s apartment buildings), but in a rental unit, not one that had gone condo). There are plenty of vintage rehabbed buildings, on the Plaza, and newer construction in adjacent areas.
Again, I would really warn you off relying too heavily on the walkscore information...once again, what you posted isn't completely accurate and is somewhat dated.
I don't know the 19 bus, but the 51 bus has a stop very near that building and goes downtown. On the other side of the Plaza are numerous Max stops, the express bus, right along a main arterial. The Plaza is not challenged, in terms of public transit. The Plaza is also one of the more walkable neighborhoods in town.
There are several parks closer than Loose Park, but they are not listed. I don't know what's up with their groceries category, but this is the second time you've posted something that listed some random business as a purveyor of groceries when it's not...Coal Vines is a pizza place, not a grocery store (absence of a truly walkable grocery store is one glaring deficit of the Plaza, IMO...there are several that are easily driveable, but nowhere to run and grab something quickly on foot). Of the restaurants listed, JJ's no longer exists (as of about ten days ago, though, fairly recent development), having burned down in a huge gas explosion that killed one person. Barumba doesn't appear to exist anymore (looks like it might have been in the building that is now Zocalo, but in my memory, that site hasn't been anything other than Zocalo and Mi Cocina for at least five years).
I live on the Country Club Plaza (and used to live a building over from the one you picture,in another of the "Poet" buildings, a set of 1920s apartment buildings), but in a rental unit, not one that had gone condo). There are plenty of vintage rehabbed buildings, on the Plaza, and newer construction in adjacent areas.
Again, I would really warn you off relying too heavily on the walkscore information...once again, what you posted isn't completely accurate and is somewhat dated.
I don't know the 19 bus, but the 51 bus has a stop very near that building and goes downtown. On the other side of the Plaza are numerous Max stops, the express bus, right along a main arterial. The Plaza is not challenged, in terms of public transit. The Plaza is also one of the more walkable neighborhoods in town.
There are several parks closer than Loose Park, but they are not listed. I don't know what's up with their groceries category, but this is the second time you've posted something that listed some random business as a purveyor of groceries when it's not...Coal Vines is a pizza place, not a grocery store (absence of a truly walkable grocery store is one glaring deficit of the Plaza, IMO...there are several that are easily driveable, but nowhere to run and grab something quickly on foot). Of the restaurants listed, JJ's no longer exists (as of about ten days ago, though, fairly recent development), having burned down in a huge gas explosion that killed one person. Barumba doesn't appear to exist anymore (looks like it might have been in the building that is now Zocalo, but in my memory, that site hasn't been anything other than Zocalo and Mi Cocina for at least five years).
I appreciate your feedback, and I am happy to have you correct errors from Walkscore.
But I really have no independent way to check the information from Walkscore, so I am posting what I find there, and if it gets corrected - that's fine for me.
It's a good starting point and even if some of the data is inaccurate, since it is better than nothing. But anyone reading what I have posted from there, should be a little cautious when using it.
Even with all the changes, it still sounds like a very suitable neighborhood, for someone who intends to live carfree.
Any thoughts on that exact building. Would you buy there, if you had the cash?
Once owned, how easy would it be to rent out?
^However KC along downtown/midtown has more to offer just along that stretch than several small towns he is considering. There is quite a bit along a 75 block stretch along MAX line. There are many people who live in the city w/out a car, including a lot of retired people in my condo. It will be inconvenient w/out a car in some cases, which is true in most cities, including what OP is considering. My brother came from Philly and lived in KC w/out a car for several years on Plaza and in River Market, so did a sister coming from Germany, living on W Side of Plaza. It was doable but they did borrow my car a few times a year. People who are accustomed w/out a car don't think the same way as car dependent people and are generally not interested in suburbia anyway.
BTW, KC has a lot of cabs for its size. There are cab stands in all the city hotspots. Can't easily hail a cab from anywhere but can call from cell and have one in a few minutes in city core.
Its really a mindset.This time last year I was in NYC and had to get into traffic 30-45 minutes to get somewhere a mile or less away on time. Even with all that aggravation I would still not live anywhere with out personal transportation except maybe Seattle or Chicago.
People who don't want the aggravation never drive and never have too. I was surprised when I first met people from NYC who couldn't drive a car. I guess I got too much wanderlust.
People who don't want the aggravation never drive and never have too. I was surprised when I first met people from NYC who couldn't drive a car. I guess I got too much wanderlust.
Public transport alternative, including rail, are important to allow people to bet around.
Many folks, like me, think the US needs more rail... and more buses too.
There's plenty more of everything like that outside the US.
Do you see where "the problem" is?
Is also walking distance to a CVS, Library, Plaza shops/eats/movies and a lot of local neighborhood eats to SE. Some condos are Hemingway, Sulgrave, Regency, Alameda Tower, Kirkwood, Wornall Plaza. Many people live along this strip w/out a car.
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