Ambivalence About Downtown KC Projects (Kansas City, Overland: appointed, hotel, transfer)

[chicago2kc]

It's hard for me to complain about any development downtown because downtown KC has struggled for so long. Especially when it comes to office space. We all know that residential and hotel development has been doing very well. But no major new office towers have been developed since 2004. Prior to that, it was in the 1980s. So now there are three "large" projects that I'm aware of: (1) the Strata; (2) Platform Ventures; and (3) Waddell & Reed.

The thing is, none of them will actually have much impact on the skyline. The latter two are supposed to be about 15 stories. The former is taller, but not much. If Platform and Waddell both want to be downtown, why not get someone to build a larger building on partial spec -- something in the 600-700 ft. range -- with both of them as anchor tenants. Then fill the remaining space with whoever else is interested. I feel like building the three relatively small office towers will provide needed Class A space, which is good. But it will set Downtown up for another 20-year drought with nothing anywhere near dramatic to show for this current (possible) burst of development.

I know I'm looking a gift horse in the mouth, but I'd rather see one new 40-story tower than three small ones.

[James Bond 007]

Look at it this way: There are several major cities in Europe that don't have any skyscrapers at all. So, if KC never gets another tower over, say, 300 feet, while still getting a lot of development, then that means we're just becoming more "European."

[mizzoufan77]

I just love finally seeing some office development in downtown. Seems for years it has been residential. Now it is time to beef up the daytime population and bring workers back downtown.

[Weaubleau]

There is a Reddit thread today on the highly touted South KC Cerner "biggest project evar" on how not only are people that work there not moving to the SE KC area, they are not even spending any money there at all. There apparently are internal rumors that living near the new campus is undesirable and that if you get transferred/hired in you should live Downtown/Overland Park/Midtown/Brookside/Lees Summit etc. Also, there are indications that the project will not be as big as originally planned and some of the land is being sold back.

So much for this developing a disadvantaged part of the metro. It would have been much better had this project been downtown. Bring on the downtown development. There is a reason to have jobs centrally located in a metro area. I almost feel like I have to add the word DUH.. here based on the persistent obstinacy of KC residents and developers of thinking the suburbs are some sort of nirvana for development.

[James Bond 007]

You have to remember that the Cerner campus is still only maybe 1/4 done, or thereabouts. Though I've no doubt most people working there won't live in SE KC, as long as some of them do that'll be a step in the right direction. It's not a great neighborhood so I'm not sure what people were expecting. You're not going to get techies making $70K a year to move to a crime-ridden neighborhood. Maybe some of the support staff will move there.

If they built nothing there at all, that sure wouldn't help the neighborhood.

[mizzoufan77]

Originally Posted by Weaubleau

There is a Reddit thread today on the highly touted South KC Cerner "biggest project evar" on how not only are people that work there not moving to the SE KC area, they are not even spending any money there at all. There apparently are internal rumors that living near the new campus is undesirable and that if you get transferred/hired in you should live Downtown/Overland Park/Midtown/Brookside/Lees Summit etc. Also, there are indications that the project will not be as big as originally planned and some of the land is being sold back.

So much for this developing a disadvantaged part of the metro. It would have been much better had this project been downtown. Bring on the downtown development. There is a reason to have jobs centrally located in a metro area. I almost feel like I have to add the word DUH.. here based on the persistent obstinacy of KC residents and developers of thinking the suburbs are some sort of nirvana for development.

Yes, could you imagine all that development downtown! That would have been nice!

[lovekcmo]

Kansas City's skyline is beautiful but unchanging and that is a shame.

[lovekcmo]

SE KC is a lost cause, I drove through that area this last saturday. I wouldn't live there or even stop at the Quick Trip. I would be disappointed if I were to take a job at Cerner and move here to see the location/area I would be working in. Sprint/Cener/Garmin could have done so much for the better of KC if they had built downtown.

[kcbluesprings]

Originally Posted by mizzoufan77

Yes, could you imagine all that development downtown! That would have been nice!

You all have to remember though, take a look at everywhere Cerner has built in the KC area, and the type of setting it's in. Look at the complex in NKC by the hospital, both locations in South KC, and the one over by The Legends in KCK. It's all in a campus type setting. There's really not much room for downtown KC for them to put anything. Look at how large the buildings are that they're currently erecting. Even if you double stacked them on top of each other, you'd still run out of space. Besides, you couldn't stack them too high because I believe there are height restrictions, if I'm not mistaken. If a campus is what Cerner wants to build, there's not much you can really do about it. I just appreciate the fact that they choose to stay here in KC. It's a growing company, and it's something we can be proud of.

[lovekcmo]

the crossroads area and south of the south loop 670 should be opened up so that downtown high-rise can expand south with no height restrictions. The city should invest in building new 30-50 story class A high-rises.