Kansas City's Downtown Blog

The Crossroads Pizza District

Written by Derek on May 26, 2007 — 3 Comments

Yet another pizza place was announced for the crossroads area.

Pizza in the Crossroads (KC Star)

Pizza in the Crossroads

Rob Dalzell, founder of 1924 Main and Souperman, is about to open a third concept in the Crossroads Arts District.

Pizza Bella, a neighborhood Neapolitan pizza place, will use all Italian ingredients and a wood-fueled oven to get certified by the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana in Naples, Italy. The dine-in and carry-out operation at 1810 Baltimore Ave. is scheduled to open by early September. It is named after Dalzell’s 14-month-old daughter, Isabella.

“It’s always been a dream for a pizza place,” Dalzell said. “I know I can make a killer pizza, and I wanted to have a place dedicated to it.”

This makes three pizza places in the same block.
Pizza Bella (1810 Baltimore)
SPIN! (opposite 1810 Baltimore)
Art of Pizza (1800 Baltimore)

Hey! There’s no such thin as too much pizza. Even if one of those fails, there’s still two left, which is two more than the area has right now. I ate at Spin! out in Overland Park a few years back and thought the food and the concept was great. It’s the kind of place you can bring a bottle of wine to and they have a corking fee.

Now… if we could only get an Original Pizza somewhere north of Johnson County.

Posted in Food

‘The Manhattan’ Developer Fined & Sued for Asbestos Removal Violations

Written by Derek on May 23, 2007 — 2 Comments

KC developer fined (KC Star)

A Kansas City developer will pay $200,000 in penalties and fines for removing asbestos illegally while rehabbing a tower of condominiums.

Matt Abbott, 34, pleaded guilty Monday to criminal charges in connection with the improper removal of asbestos from a building in Kansas City. Abbott is the owner of The Manhattan condominiums, also known as University Tower apartments.

Interestingly, in 2005, the developers for The View (which is next door to The Manhattan) were charged for improper asbestos removal.

The View will pay fine for asbestos removal

The DNR said it had received a complaint about renovations at the former Vista Del Rio building, at 600 Admiral Blvd., and sent an investigator to the site on Dec. 15, 17 and 19, 2003.

The department concluded that the company hadn’t notified the proper authorities about the asbestos-abatement project and that it had used untrained, uncertified workers who improperly removed materials that contained asbestos.

The workers were spraying the material with a high-powered pressure washer and improperly packaging and containing it for disposal, the DNR said.

The settlement alleges that the company violated the state’s Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants law and the Missouri Air Conservation law.

I gotta imagine if The View was only charged $20k, and Abbott was charged $100k as well as settling a civil suit for another $100k, that criminal charges, if not imminent, are seriously being considered.

Abbott told Judge Scott O. Wright that he was guilty of violating the Toxic Substances Control Act and that his corporation, Manhattan K.C. LLC, was guilty of violating the Clean Air Act. The charge against Abbott is a misdemeanor and carries a penalty of up to one year in jail. The charge against the corporation is a felony.

It will be interesting to see how this impacts the rest of the project. Last I heard, only a few units were left, and with this news, I must say they might be a hard sell at this point for any knowledgeable buyers. What really irritates me is when I was looking at buying at the Manhattan, I spoke with Matt about how the Asbestos removal process went, and he flat out lied to me and my family by saying it went fine. I also feel sorry for the prior residents, who were already poor, they then had to be subjected to improper asbestos removal while they resided on the floors below.

Posted in News, The Manhattan, asbestos removal, clean air act, kansas city, manhattan condominiums

New Cordish Hotel / Condo Gets Initial Approval

Written by Derek on April 30, 2007 — Leave a Comment

Sorry for the lack of stories. I finally finished moving the last couple boxes from my old place last night and am settling into my loft in the River Market. I’ve been pretty out of touch with all the happenings in these parts over the last couple weeks, but am going to spend the next few days getting caught up and will post the stories as I come across them.

The first bit of news that caught my eye is a new Cordish & Co. project that was recently approved which allows them to build a 35 story condo / luxury hotel at 13th & Main. This project still has a few more hurdles to jump through, including approval from the mayor, but it appears to be on the right track.

Story: Cordish plan for condo-hotel OK’d

Posted in Uncategorized

100 Wyandotte To Become Largest Downtown Residential Project Since 1980s

Written by Derek on April 11, 2007 — 2 Comments

Looks like the proposed residential development project at 100 Wyandotte in the river market is finally underway

Downtown housing proposed with river view (Kansas City Star)

Biggest new residential project in downtown KC since ’80s is to be built on former rail yard in River Market.

A desolate corner of the River Market is slated to be transformed into a 326-unit, upscale apartment development beginning this fall, downtown’s biggest new residential project since Quality Hill.

The Morgan Group of Houston has completed planning for a market-rate apartment complex, tentatively called 100 Wyandotte, geared toward younger professionals.

The location is an empty 7.4-acre tract that was once a Kansas City Southern rail yard and the historical starting point of the railroad referred to as “milepost zero.” The site occupies the northwest edge of the River Market overlooking the Missouri River.

“It was a great piece of property and a rare opportunity to purchase a piece that large,” said Karen Covington, a spokeswoman for the Texas company. “We think it will be a great asset to the community.”

The new residential project, which is expected to be completed in mid-2009, comes at a time when the River Market area is enjoying a marked upsurge in investment. The old Cold Storage Building recently reopened as a 224-unit apartment building, HOK Sport occupied a new headquarters building last year, and new condominium projects have been built as well.

Click for more…

I’m absolutely thrilled at the idea of another upscale project being built next to the 1st & Main building along the river, especially one of this magnitude. With that opening in 2009, the 300+ unit Columbus Park project hopefully being near completion at that point, Bridgework Lofts phase II underway, the River Market, and downtown area in general, will become a very attractive place. If the River Market can keep up this momentum, it could become one of the most desirable places to live in the downtown area because of it’s urban neighborhood feel along with great views to the north (river) & south (downtown).

Posted in 100 wyandotte, Columbus Park, For Sale, Real Estate, River Market, condominium projects, kansas city, milepost zero, morgan group, southern rail, wyandotte

Grand Boulevard to become “Boulevard of the Americas”

Written by Derek on April 9, 2007 — 4 Comments

A GRAND BOULEVARD Rally ’round the flags (KC Star)

Grand Boulevard appears destined to become the “Boulevard of the Americas,” flying flags of more than 30 Western Hemisphere countries under a plan approved Tuesday by the park board.

Civic activist Jim Malouff has secured City Council backing and $45,000 for the project, which could get under way this year. The Downtown Council has agreed to maintain banners featuring the various flags, which will be hung permanently from light poles between Second and 28th streets.

The colorful flags “will contribute to the beautification of Grand Boulevard … and add to the ambience of downtown,” Malouff said.

The name change to Grand Boulevard of the Americas will be honorary and will not require businesses to change their formal addresses.

I think it’s an awesome idea! Anything to make downtown more unique is a great thing.

Posted in News

Collison: “Downtown’s new gem is clear for all to see”

Written by Derek on March 29, 2007 — 3 Comments

Kevin Collison of the KC Star recently wrote a very enlightening article about the current progress of the Sprint Center which is scheduled to open in October.

What’s more, people outside will enjoy the energy within when the arena is lit up at night with activity. Call me a homey, but I think this multifaceted glass bowl designed by an all-star team of local sports architects will garner some national recognition.

Brenda Tinnen, the Sprint Center’s general manager, said the $276 million arena project was on time and on budget, which is important to her boss, billionaire Phil Anschutz, whose company would be responsible for any overruns.

Tinnen also promised that Anschutz Entertainment Group is planning some “big-bang” events when the arena opens in October.

“You will see concerts that have passed Kansas City by before,” she said.

Kevin Henderson reported good progress on the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame, which is rising on the arena’s north side.

“Our goal is to become the nonstop celebratory house of college basketball,” he said.

Link to story

I drove by earlier today, and looks like the glass panels completely circle the lower portion of the stadium. It’s going to be a thing of beauty on the KC skyline when all the glass panels are in place in a couple months! Also, it looks like Ticketmaster already has the seating chart available for the new arena.

Sprint Center Seating Chart

Posted in Sprint Center

High Profile Charter School Moving Into the Downtown Area?

Written by Derek on March 28, 2007 — 1 Comment
Kipp.org

Looks like KC managed to convince a high-profile national charter school to open its doors in the downtown area in the near future.

Links
- Discussion thread
- High-profile charter school poised for KC (KC Star)
- Union Station High School? (KC Star)
- KIPP.org

Quick rundown…
- Founded & managed by the KIPP Foundation (Knowledge Is Power Program)
- It would be a charter school, meaning public and tax-payer funded, but run by a local, independent board.
- KIPP currently educates 12,000 students in 52 schools around the country.
- The state has already approved the school, so the next step is to find a location. Everything from Downtown at 9th & Grand, to the crossroads, Midtown, 18th & Vine, and Union Station have been discussed as possible sites.
- A KIPP school is far different from the education environment that most public schools have. Students are given the teachers phone number and home visits are encouraged. School days are longer, and have more days in session per year than traditional public schools.
- 80% of KIPP graduates attend college, which is rather remarkable for schools that primarily educate urban youth.

My thoughts?
While I am thrilled KC has been given the opportunity to have a school such as this, one reason publicly stated for getting this school is to try and convince young families to stay in the downtown area and personally, and I don’t think that is a very realistic vision for this project. I am a 20-something resident of Downtown KC, and once I have children of schooling age, I’m not sending them into the KCMO school district as it currently is, and I’m in the majority with that line of thinking too. In 5-10 years it might be in better shape than it currently is, but still… it’s going to take a lot to convince me not to move to the suburbs or send my children to private school so they can have a quality education. Living downtown is cool, but I’m not going to sacrifice my children for that luxury.

Posted in Uncategorized, kc star, kipp, national charter school

The 2nd Street Landscape Project

Written by Derek on March 28, 2007 — 3 Comments

Having just purchased at Riverbend Lofts at 2nd & Main, I couldn’t have been more thrilled when I came across this discussion about the 2nd Street Landscape Project. Amazingly, I hadn’t heard of this streetscaping project before, and it looks like it’s exactly what that area of the River Market needs.

Proposed items for the 2nd Street Corridor include:

  • Roadway and sidewalk dimensions that give priority to pedestrian access, but also provide
    vehicular access
  • An architectural element that could serve as a wayfinder or meeting point, with visibility
    from 5th Street, through the City Market and to 2nd Street

  • Various parking options, including parallel and angled parking
  • The addition of design elements to the existing sub-station on 2nd and Grand that
    would be incorporated seamlessly with other design features
  • The development of pedestrian plazas, particularly at intersections along 2nd Street
    where there would be limited vehicular traffic
  • An interpretive tower that would incorporate historical photos and signage about the
    history of Kansas City and the River Market
  • Public amenities, such as bike racks and park benches that would be consistent with
    other aesthetic design elements along 2nd Street

2nd St Landscapring Project2nd St Landscapring Project

Some links to PDFs with more information
http://www.kcmo.org/cimo/PAL/2ndStreetTabloid83.pdf
http://www.kcmo.org/cimo/PAL/2ndStreetEnews83.pdf

Posted in River Market

Report: Economic Impact of Downtown

Written by Derek on March 27, 2007 — 2 Comments

The Downtown Kansas City Council just released their annual Economic Impact report, you can find a PDF of it here.

Here are a few highlights on the impact of a $4 billion transformation of the city’s urban center.

downtown population growth by decade

Residential Statistics

  • 861 units completed in the last 4-5 months
  • 988 units under construction
  • 2,649 units planned
  • Since 2005, 630 affordable housing units have been completed.
  • Over 16,000 residents live Downtown.
  • Population of downtown expected to grow on a yearly basis through 2030 after negative growth from 1970-2000
  • Between 2000 and 2006, the number of residential units Downtown increased 50 percent, a $630 million investment Downtown.

KC Residential Investment graph

Most Expensive Projects Since 2006

  • IRS Regional Service Center – $370,000,000
  • Power and Light District – $350,000,000
  • Kaufmann Center for the Performing Arts – $326,000,000
  • Sprint Center Arena – $251,000,000
  • Federal Building – $200,000,000
  • Federal Reserve Bank – $200,000,000
  • Kansas City Star Printing Press – $199,000,000

Business Statistics

  • There are approximately 3,000 businesses Downtown, employing 100,000 people.
  • Approximately 35% of Kansas City, MO employees and 10% of the MSA’s employees work Downtown.
Posted in News

2007 Kansas City Urban Tour Weekend

Written by Derek on March 25, 2007 — 1 Comment
urban tour banner

Looks like it is that time of year again for the annual 2007 Kansas City Urban Housing Tour, which will be occurring on May 5th & 6th. For those that haven’t heard of it before, it is a weekend filled with activities and tours focusing on the urban housing market. If you are looking at either renting or buying in the KC area, this is a must see event as you can cram in an entire month’s worth of real estate/rental shopping in a matter of a couple days.

Sadly, I’ll miss the tour once again this year. Last year I was in Cancun, this year, I’ll be in Chicago. But, I already bought my downtown loft, so it’s probably better that I stay away from looking at all the shiny new projects that I’ll be jealous of.

More information on the event can be found on the downtownKC.org website.

Posted in Event, For Rent, For Sale, Real Estate
« Older Entries Newer Entries »