The Great Mall of the Great Plains to close (Kansas City: hotel, houses)

[lepoisson]

How many malls are in KC now? I can just think of Independence and Overland Park. It seems like most cities would rather have outdoor shopping areas similar to the Plaza.

[elkotronics]

There's one at Ward Parkway, too. Overland Park, I believe.

[TabulaRasa]

The trend has been away from enclosed malls to drive-up lifestyle centers for a while, now.

[lepoisson]

Originally Posted by TabulaRasa

The trend has been away from enclosed malls to drive-up lifestyle centers for a while, now.

I guess it depends on the area. I was surprised that KC only had a few indoor malls. I'm from the Raleigh, NC area and there are 4 or 5 indoor malls there.

They still like indoor malls here in Texas, probably because it's too dang hot 8mo out of the year to walk around outside.

[GraniteStater]

However, most JOCO city leaders have no issue voting yes to approve more STAR bonds for a redevelopment project for the Great Mall site when developers should be paying their own way based on economics and demand. Sales taxes will continue to rise.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by lepoisson

I guess it depends on the area. I was surprised that KC only had a few indoor malls. I'm from the Raleigh, NC area and there are 4 or 5 indoor malls there.

They still like indoor malls here in Texas, probably because it's too dang hot 8mo out of the year to walk around outside.

Brief 2015 article on the evolution of shopping center preference.

Whole article is here: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...alls-any-more/

Originally Posted by article

"But there's also a promising trend here that has less to do with economics or technology than with the kinds of places where Americans now want to spend their time (and money). Today, malls that are doing well aren't simply those that cater to the wealthy; they're outdoor "town centers" and "lifestyle centers" that much more closely resemble the old urban downtowns — community centers with sidewalks, public spaces, outdoor restaurants — that the original indoor mall decades ago helped kill.

The mall that's dying is, in fact, a specific kind of mall: It's enclosed, with an anonymous, windowless exterior, wrapped in yards of parking, located off a highway interchange. It's the kind of place where you easily lose track of time and all connection to the outside world, where you could once go to experience air conditioning if you didn't have it at home.

The mall that's viable now is different in some notable ways that go beyond the quality of its brands: It's open-air instead of hermetically sealed, its stores turn outward instead of in, it has restaurants below and apartments above, which means that some people don't even need to drive there. In place of the giant mega-block wrapped in parking, it has its own compact street grid with pedestrian plazas. It feels almost like a neighborhood. It has room for a skating rink.

The death of old-fashioned indoor malls is also the rebirth of shopping hubs that feel more like Main Street. That's a slightly different story — one about the design of retail space rather than the economics behind it — from the death of malls as we often tell it. For decades cities mangled themselves trying to replicate suburban retail downtown, razing buildings for parking garages and highways. Now the reverse is happening: Suburban malls are evolving to feel more like downtowns."

[kcmo]

I think there are far less malls, but most of the ones that have survived seem to be thriving. Here in DC, the most popular shopping centers are still huge malls that are very popular.

KC is essentially down to two major regional malls. One in Jackson County and one in Johnson County. I'm still surprised they didn't keep Metro North an indoor mall since the Northland has Zona Rosa already. A lot of people still like indoor, climate controlled malls and they will likely make a comeback in the next 20 years.

[TabulaRasa]

Originally Posted by kcmo

A lot of people still like indoor, climate controlled malls and they will likely make a comeback in the next 20 years.

I'm sure they will, as well, given the cyclical nature of these trends.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by GraniteStater

However, most JOCO city leaders have no issue voting yes to approve more STAR bonds for a redevelopment project for the Great Mall site when developers should be paying their own way based on economics and demand. Sales taxes will continue to rise.

I saw that yesterday and just laughed. Before there is even a plan, STAR bonds are being offered? In a broke state like Kansas. JoCo is over retailed. It's the main reason the Great Mall flopped in the first place. It's not only over retailed, but all the retail there is already heavily subsidized. Offering STAR bonds, which would depend on hundreds of thousands of additional sq ft of retail would be a huge long term economic fail for the city, county and state.

That area is ugly and not really a regional destination even for Olathe residents. It's flat with good highway access and it's already pretty industrial. Turn it into a light industrial park, warehouses, distribution centers etc. Nothing else will work there unless forced with STAR bonds which will cause all sorts of other problems.



Kansas is the last state in the country that should be offering STAR bond type incentives. I'm not even sure of any other states that even offer a similar incentive, especially for basic suburban sprawl projects.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by kcmo

I saw that yesterday and just laughed. Before there is even a plan, STAR bonds are being offered? In a broke state like Kansas. JoCo is over retailed. It's the main reason the Great Mall flopped in the first place. It's not only over retailed, but all the retail there is already heavily subsidized. Offering STAR bonds, which would depend on hundreds of thousands of additional sq ft of retail would be a huge long term economic fail for the city, county and state.

That area is ugly and not really a regional destination even for Olathe residents. It's flat with good highway access and it's already pretty industrial. Turn it into a light industrial park, warehouses, distribution centers etc. Nothing else will work there unless forced with STAR bonds which will cause all sorts of other problems.



Kansas is the last state in the country that should be offering STAR bond type incentives. I'm not even sure of any other states that even offer a similar incentive, especially for basic suburban sprawl projects.

I don't see anywhere that it is said they are being offered. They are requesting it; it's not being offered.


Let's discuss the Intercontintental Hotel on the Plaza asking for and receiving "blighted" status to the tune of $5 million.