Very interesting and well done video of the current drive alone Troost

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by WiseOwlSaysHoot

That article is subscriber content only, but yes that project. The incentives have already been granted and construction work has already started. I don't think the anti-incentive group can do anything to stop this. Same with the frivolous streetcar suit.

And right on cue, we have some articles come out yesterday about a large redevelopment project on Linwood, just off of Troost:
‘White elephant’ building on Linwood will become midtown apartments | The Kansas City Star

And about development heading toward Troost on 63rd St:
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascit...oward-the.html

And an article with a reminder of the amazing things Mac Properties has accomplished in a relatively short time on Armour - rehabbing 24 buildings with 1,500 units - in what were mostly run-down, low-rent or section 8, or vacant buildings. All of this done in less than 9 years, when many people thought it would never happen - and there is much more on the way from Mac, including new construction and mixed-use development. So to say that the Crossroads can't change in 10 years, or that the Eastside won't ever change is very pessimistic.

Kansas City

I know the incentives have been granted, but that won't stop these people from trying to stop them and it will leave a real sour taste in developers mouths about future redevelopment projects if they think they will have to deal with this crap.

I know about all the projects approaching the east side. The city is also assisting in the redevelopment of a retail center on Linwood.

Linwood Shopping Center redevelopment inches forward | The Kansas City Star

And Mac, (what an amazing job they have done) is actually working on cleaning up all four corners of Armour and Troost.

Armour and Troost redevelopment plan moves forward | The Kansas City Star

And the mayor has recently released a great plan to start redirecting revenue to redeveloping areas east of Troost. A fantastic plan that keeps momentum going in areas were developers are interested while planting seeds to push that momentum east. I just don't know if the east side people will get the plan as they only want incentives east of troost.

Kansas City Mayor James Proposes Fund For East Side Development | KCUR



I'm not doom and gloom here. I see the progress KCMO is making. Yes, it's slow, and what is happening is only effecting very small pieces of the east side. But again, at least KCMO is trying. KCMO is doing WAY more than KCK is. KCMO would be pushing all development to the very far northland and using incentives while ignoring their entire urban core other than a couple of very small projects if they were like KCK. But they are not doing that, they are trying.

My point is that the Crossroads is really still in the infancy stage of redevelopment. If these groups don't stop development there, you will see some nice infill over the next ten years. The 12 story Arterra project won't go up without incentives, it will stay a dirt patch. Most buildings in the Crossroads have been restored, but the entire area is still very underutilized and needs a lot of infill or it won't mature in a truly vibrant "neighborhood". If the city helps fill out the crossroads rather than stopping now and no longer offering incentives, you have a much better chance of that redevelopment migrating east in a much more comprehensive way than just a handful of projects over large area over several years.

I think KC is going in the right direction, but it can't stop doing what it's been doing for years. I may be somewhat pessimistic about KC, I'm sorry, I have been one of the biggest followers and supporters of urban development there for 30 years. Things do move slow in KC. Residential is starting to take off in the downtown and that's awesome, but if you travel, you would know that what KC is seeing is normal right now for large urban cities. Actually, KC is a bit late to the game. Also, there is almost no office development. I would imagine that KC, (like usual), will be about 10-15 years late to the idea of offices and companies really staring to come back downtown. They are coming to downtowns in a big way around the country and single use suburban office parks are struggling while KC is building some of the largest suburban office parks in the country right now with almost no interest in downtown.

So while there are some great things happening in KCMO, there is reason to still be pessimistic at times. Visit Charlotte, Austin, Denver, Minneapolis, Nashville, DC, Seattle, Portland, San Diego, Atlanta, Boston, Orlando, Miami, Philly etc etc. KC is still a very slow growth city. Even rustbelt or industrial midwest "flyover" cities like Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Columbus, Louisville, Indianapolis etc have at least as much going on as KC, most have more going on. because so much of KC's commercial development is still going up in far flung suburbs.

[WiseOwlSaysHoot]

It is hard to take your claim of being "one of the biggest supporters of urban development" seriously when you lived in Blue Springs.

Yes, I do travel, and have lived in other larger cities, and I do know about their developments. I know that KC doesn't have nearly as much development going on as high growth metros like Austin and Charlotte. KC is a slow to moderate growth region and I don't think there is anything that can be done to make it grow as quickly as sunbelt metros. I'm glad it is not growing that quickly and we don't have to deal with skyrocketing prices, traffic, and the loss of the soul and identity of the city.

Yes, KC was very late to the game in re-investing in the urban core, but if you look at where the city came from and how much progress has been made over the last 10 years, the difference is astounding. Considering the obstacles that the city has had to overcome, I think KC is proportionally doing as well or better than most of it's midwest and rust belt peers, and I would choose to live in KC over almost all of those cities, or the high growth sunbelt metros.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by WiseOwlSaysHoot

It is hard to take your claim of being "one of the biggest supporters of urban development" seriously when you lived in Blue Springs.

Well, it's true. First off, I only lived in Blue Springs for a very small part of my time in KC. I also lived in Hyde Park, South Plaza, East Side, Waldo, Watts Mill, Northland near Platte Woods, Lee's Summit, Southeast KCMO near Bannister Mall. I was and probably still have more knowledgeable and am more involved in KC's development scene than 99% of KCMO residents. I moved to blue springs for family reasons and public schools, I lost the argument of urban schooling to my wife and at the time we couldn't afford private schools. So yes, I had to go way out east for good schools, because I refused to move across state line. We wanted to remain Missouri (preferably Jackson County) residents. While I was there, I was just as involved, if not more involved in KC issues like light rail, union station, downtown redevelopment etc and then I also go involved with Blue Springs. My kids were basically raised in KCMO, but went to Blue Springs schools (at least after elementary). They are very knowledgeable of urban KCMo and say they are from there, not Blue Springs. If you have as much passion as I do, I don't care if you live in Blue Springs, Belton, Olathe, Shawnee or Gladstone, people like me are what KC needs and it probably needs them more in the suburbs than in the River Market. Notice, I don't know where you live. And I don't care. I can tell you have great passion for the city as well and that's all that matters.

Originally Posted by WiseOwlSaysHoot

Yes, I do travel, and have lived in other larger cities, and I do know about their developments. I know that KC doesn't have nearly as much development going on as high growth metros like Austin and Charlotte. KC is a slow to moderate growth region and I don't think there is anything that can be done to make it grow as quickly as sunbelt metros. I'm glad it is not growing that quickly and we don't have to deal with skyrocketing prices, traffic, and the loss of the soul and identity of the city.

Yes, KC was very late to the game in re-investing in the urban core, but if you look at where the city came from and how much progress has been made over the last 10 years, the difference is astounding. Considering the obstacles that the city has had to overcome, I think KC is proportionally doing as well or better than most of it's midwest and rust belt peers, and I would choose to live in KC over almost all of those cities, or the high growth sunbelt metros.

I agree 100% KC in the last ten years has done wonderful things. That doesn't mean there are things that the city and metro is still dropping the ball on. I'm not just talking about sunbelt cities. There are only a few cities in the country that don't have at least as much going on as KC does right now. KC is doing quite well in residential and starting to catch up rapidly but it's still way behind in many other areas. I will never understand how people in KC get so defensive. I'm not saying the city is a terrible place. If it was a terrible place, I wouldn't still care as much as I do about the damn place. It's a great city that still has a hell of a time reaching its potential. I'm the one that creates all the comprehensive feel good threads about KC development and attractions and what not on this forum. Yet I also talk about KC's negatives. The lack of regional cooperation, the lack of urban recreation, the fact that the regional business community has completely ignored the fact that downtown has gone through a multi billion dollar transformation and continue to go after incentives for suburban office parks.

And in regards to this thread, the fact that urban KCMO is still going to need to offer incentives to maintain the current relatively slow redevelopment of the city before shutting down those incentives because the area is "thriving". It's more complicated than that in KC. The east side needs help, but there is a state line on the other side of urban KCMO that makes things very different.

I'm sorry if that offends you or anybody else.

Oh and go get your own $150 dollar a year membership to the Kansas City business journal if you so much better than me .