No matter where you live, the revival of downtown Kansas City is a great investment
 

http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/op...e10769627.html

Perched where I sit in Johnson County, I can only marvel at how downtown Kansas City has been resurrected. All that is missing is a statue of Kay Barnes, the former mayor who pushed through its renaissance.

We in the suburbs can take great pride in watching this vital part of the metropolitan area become a place that draws visitors to our city and provides attractions for residents of the metro. It’s a new Mecca.

It wasn’t that long ago, in 1996, when residents of south and west Johnson County were asked in focus groups what they thought of Crown Center, and what they thought of downtown.

I watched through a two-way mirror.

As someone who has lived here my entire life, I remember taking the streetcar downtown with my grandfather. I remember going downtown to shop and to eat. It was a vital part of my childhood.

So I was stunned when so many Johnson County residents proclaimed they did not know where Crown Center was, and they had either never been downtown, or had only been there once or twice.

There was little recognition that a decaying Union Station, or a decaying downtown, had any effect on Johnson County.

Had anyone asked me back then I probably would have said that having a vibrant downtown, where people would actually choose to live, was a fanciful idea and not realistic.

Haunted houses and blight consumed much of central downtown. Not exactly a source of pride. It seemed much of downtown was lost as a magnet for much of anything except crime.

Fast forward.

Thousands of Johnson Countians and others who live far outside the downtown loop visit the spectacular Sprint Center for concerts and other events. They dine in the nearby restaurants or go for drinks at a downtown bar.

Above all, they feel safe.

Recalling the 1996 focus groups, there was a near-unanimous sentiment expressed that they would “never go downtown at night” under any circumstances. They weren’t crazy. It was not safe.

I can only imagine what a focus group of out-of-town visitors to Kansas City might have said about downtown. Nothing to do. Nowhere safe to go. A dead zone.

That was the impression conventioneers and other visitors took home after staying downtown. Kansas City was a place to avoid.

Yes, I know Kansas City taxpayers unfortunately have to subsidize the Power & Light District. It’s not my tax money, but I can tell you it’s a bargain.

It is like building an interstate highway system. It doesn’t ever pay for itself, but look at what it spawns economically. Today, Kansas City not only has a nationally renowned arena, but it has an entertainment district which, in turn, has spawned apartment living downtown. Important amenities like a high-quality grocery store and fitness club add to the sense that you can live in a self-contained downtown without constant trips required for day-to-day living. In addition, office buildings are starting to fill up, thanks to a new mindset about working downtown.

A controversial downtown streetcar corridor, inevitably to be expanded south, could be a real asset to downtown. We hope so.

Few of us in the suburbs would have ever dreamed that downtown could actually become hip.

Even with too few good public schools nearby, thousands of Kansas City residents are flocking to live downtown. It goes against what those in the suburbs imagined, but the phenomenon is real.

If those focus groups from 1996 were put together today, and people were asked what they think of downtown, I would be shocked if they wouldn’t say positive things. I would be surprised to see anything less than a consensus that the well-being of the entire metropolitan area depends on a rejuvenation of our downtown — the heart of the city.

To reach Steve Rose, longtime Johnson County columnist, send email to srose@kc.rr.com.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/opinion/op...#storylink=cpy

But I've read it's a scary place on this site no less...

You see they don't mention the precious Johnson countians visiting the plaza ROFL

P&L sucks.

It only took like 30 years

Sarcasm?

PNL has been a complete disaster and the lack of hotels has costed the millions.

I work every day downtown, and I wouldn't want to walk around there at night. I would not live there. I did not see him mention that the employee count Downtown has dropped drastically the past 10 years

I miss the lawlessness of old downtown KC. The Stables was dope. The Stray Cat was a byob venue on Grand. The Brick actually booked decent bands. The Steamboat Arabia hadn't ****ed the city market out of truly great concerts.

I guess it's a good thing overall for the city, but the crossroads is the closest I come to hanging out downtown.

Has there been a wasteful spending project that The Star hasn't liked?

I can't believe they got rid of that basketball player in tight shorts mural on Grand.

Extra trolly this morning.

Why?

P&L isn't a disaster or anything, it's just overpriced.

Still no flagship tennant for Sprint Center though......

Becasue I get tired of derelicts coming up to me on the sidewalks and asking me for $. I suspect if it were at night and nobody was around, they wouldn't be asking.

I've never once had trouble finding a room. Not once.

I think he's referring to lack of a convention hotel costing the city millions in lost convention dollars.

I'd like someone to write an insider story one day on how we ****ed up and didn't get the Thunder to come here.

I think it's really, really Meh. Pretty overpriced for a middle class guy like me.

U ever go downtown in the 80s and 90s? Hell i still wouldn't walk around there at night

KCU all mad cause Crushed Urethra doesn't play at the hurricane anymore.

Because Clay Bennett wanted to move the Supersonics to OKC no matter what. Stern let him as he could use Seattle like the NFL uses LA, a big market threat so that governments hand over taxpayer dollars to billionaires to build new stadiums.

Probably because we didn't have a billionaire oil man write a $350m check like Oklahoma City had?

Interesting. There has to be more to the story, like what kind of kickbacks did Bennett get from moving there. Because, Oklahoma City over Kansas City? Really? (not that our leadership could pull their collective heads out of their asses and land an ascending NBA team or anything, but you get what I'm saying)

Kickbacks? Bennett is from OKC. He didn't need kickbacks, he wanted a team in his home city.

Yeah, that's usually what it comes to. Money talks.

Who was the billionaire? T Boone?

LMAO

Urethra Stanklimb

That explains it further. I didn't realize he was from OKC.

No kickbacks. Bennett's sole intention when he bought the Supersonics was to move them to OKC. Stern of course saw an the opportunity of using a large market as leverage against local governments. He could entice Seattle ownership groups and use them as a threat with no intention of them actually being able to purchase a team. He did so in Sacramento.

They only problem with that strategy is that if someone has enough money they could go after the leagues no compete clause. Since Ballmer now has a team, there really isn't anybody who is interested in buying a team that has enough cash to actually bring the league to court.

Well ok then, we were never in the running, lol.

I like how he promised to never move the SuperSonics, then a year later said he was moving the team, but they could keep the name, history, and colors. Sounds like a billionaire business man.

For real though, can we focus on more important issues like saving the Buzzard Beach parking lot from Pickleman's? #savewestport

Pretty much. Now you know why all leagues don't let teams be community owned like the Green Bay Packers. Makes it very hard to threaten a community when they own the team.

P&L isn't really my kind of place, except the occasional visit to the piano bar, but of course it's a nice area and much better than the abandon buildings or whatever crap was there before. And downtown isn't dangerous... I usually park on the street, sometimes a 6 or 7 block walk from P&L, and have only been asked for change once or twice, much less seen or had issues (they should light up that little park at 12th and Walnut though).

P&L is not a bargain. Downtown is a pain in the ass. Nightmare parking, annoying one-way streets, overpriced food and drinks.

Just not for me....

Those parking garages have to be a nightmare after big events if you're looking to leave right away... never had an issue finding parking elsewhere though and being able to make a quick exit if needed.

From a financial stand point it cost the city anywhere from 15-30 million a year and will do so for the next 20 years.

No Shit parking was a headache last night and it wasn't even that busy

That isn't true and you continue repeating it.

You didn't **** up. They were never coming to KC. They would have never left Seattle if Stern and Bennett hadn't colluded to rat **** the city out of a basketball team they consistently supported.

Oh? So the 14.3 million dollar a year tax payer subsidy is just made up huh?

I thought you said 15-30?

It's projected to be about 16.5 by 2017 with 20 years to go. Now tell me how I'm wrong.

The best parking spot in Westport is the one person spot on Westport road that divides the Hurricane back entrance, The Foundry, and McCoys parking lot. There's a power pole and a utility box right there making it somewhat difficult for a passenger to get out. A lot of people don't realize you can park there because reading parking signs is a lost art in the age of massive parking lots. It's been available every time I go down there for a decade plus.

I wouldn't mention it, but I'm moving.

the allyway by the piano bar is good. The Bank is not good ya'll

So why didn't you just say 15-825m per? That's correct too.

What's up BEP?

It's funny how whenever someone mentions downtown the first image in my mind is waiting in line for Van Halen tickets outside the downtown Jones store. For a while it was me, my buddy, and some weird dude who cut the worst fart I can ever remember smelling in my life. Smell is such a powerful reminder.

/an old man remembers

And ironically now isn't it parts of Johnson County that are starting to experience some decay?

Metcalf South Mall closing, Great Mall in Olathe closing?

The shit parts of Johnson County are closing. Olathe is the St. Joseph of Johnson County

Johnson Counties problem will be the north part. Those houses are starting to age, neighborhoods are beginning to look like shit. Only a matter of time before they become low income neighborhoods.

A lot of no JoCo homes have 1-car garages and with the exception of PV, that's a really tough obstacle for today's dual-income families. Hell even one income families like mine would never consider a 1-car garage. Not in this climate.

Not White Haven though!

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oLCtkQVQO-...ite_haven1.jpg

Really, we're talking dozens of minutes a year at most. It's not like when I was a kid. At best, you get frost/snow a really small part of the year that is easily handled.

They would make less $ with a tenant.

LMAO

You're a pussy.

Please.

So you think that place was built exclusively for Garth Brooks and Fleetwood Mac concerts?

I've been working in town for month and just wrapped up a temporary project. I've been staying at 9th and Walnut. I walk down to BRGR and that area for dinner several times, even go to the Tiger Tail saloon at midnight for a beer. No problem. Maybe a bum or two shuffling around but that's it. And in the heart of the P&L there are lots of pedestrians walking around, people going to the Main Street Theater for shows, cabs waiting, etc. It's fine.

It is expensive, though. I buy my groceries at that Cosentino's market on Main and damn it cost more than whole foods.

Is this a Guru mult account?

It is one one the busiest concert venues in the nation. A concert is going bring more people to P&L nightly than a weak nba or nhl team.

I live and work downtown. It's not unsafe if you aren't an idiot.

I am confused by people saying they wouldn't walk downtown at night? Why not? I've never had any problem ever there or even seen anything that could lead to a problem.

I prefer the warm snuggly woobie feel of Gardner.

Forty-one home games a year, plus potential playoff games, and you are still going to have the venue free during road trips and from June-October.

You like soccer.

KC is awesome with food. Music is alright. Sports teams. Hot girls. Tech Nine.

Downtown, to get there from the south you need to travel through kansas city's version of the Gaza Strip... Aka 71 highway

I rolled the Paseo this morning on my way to the airport, I'm a 100x more frightened of the Walmarts in Branson.

I get scared when I'm not in my own subdivision.

LMAO I love these threads. They always bring out the "it's not safe" down there pussies.

And yet here I am...not scared of my own shadow enjoying downtown Kansas City.

Pussy.

Winter's Bone was my Boyz n the Hood.

LMAO

Just cut the hand off lolz

What does that mean? Dumb people get attacked? Why would anyone fear for their safety?

Pretty self-explanatory. Don't make stupid decisions that might cause you to become the victim of a crime. I'm not just talking about violent crime, either. I hear about iPads, or purses getting stolen from cars, and that's stupidity. My comment means don't be naive...don't walk home drunk and alone at night, don't invite people you don't know home with you, don't leave valuables in your car or wave money around with in public, don't get into fights...don't be an idiot.

It's pretty safe down here, but if you make dip shit decisions, then you absolutely increase your chances of becoming a victim.

I always walk home alone drunk nobody ****s with me. Our Joco posters are pretty scared people.

That was aimed at women and possibly small, weak men that can't defend themselves. I did see a pretty crazy shooting at Grand Slam one night while walking home drunk. Some hood rats got into it in the parking lot and started popping off shots...cops were in the lot and shot back. Iirc, one guy died. In 3.5 years of living down here, that's the craziest shit I've ever seen.