KC's a nice place, and its growing, at least. But yeah, the Chiefs frenzy (along with that annoying Kelsey/Swift romance) have surely given them a bigger lift than is perhaps deserved.
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KC's downtown is pretty nice and has decent activity, but I would argue that is more because their downtown is smack dab between the thriving River Market and the Crossroads. Despite their insane ring of interstate highways, their downtown is just better connected to it's surrounding neighborhoods. The streetcar helps a ton as well.
KC also has a few large vacant buildings but they aren't in as high profile locations as downtown STL.
KC also has a few large vacant buildings but they aren't in as high profile locations as downtown STL.
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There's only a few things about KC I'm jealous of.
First is their PR. The way some STL haters act you'd think it's a Charlotte or Nashville type boomtown. It's not.
I'm also jealous of how the West Bottoms district has emerged as an under the radar hipster place. Would LOVE for that to be a model for Near North STL east of Broadway.
First is their PR. The way some STL haters act you'd think it's a Charlotte or Nashville type boomtown. It's not.
I'm also jealous of how the West Bottoms district has emerged as an under the radar hipster place. Would LOVE for that to be a model for Near North STL east of Broadway.
That's already happening. Mississippi Underground is drawing bigger crowds than any nightclub/bar in StL. This follows a typical pattern for emerging districts.Baltimore Jack wrote: ↑Mar 28, 2025There's only a few things about KC I'm jealous of.
First is their PR. The way some STL haters act you'd think it's a Charlotte or Nashville type boomtown. It's not.
I'm also jealous of how the West Bottoms district has emerged as an under the radar hipster place. Would LOVE for that to be a model for Near North STL east of Broadway.
Not sure about the crowds but I know they have a healthy flow of events. Would like to see more development in that area to really feel like it's an "emerging district".STLinCHI wrote: ↑Mar 28, 2025That's already happening. Mississippi Underground is drawing bigger crowds than any nightclub/bar in StL. This follows a typical pattern for emerging districts.Baltimore Jack wrote: ↑Mar 28, 2025There's only a few things about KC I'm jealous of.
First is their PR. The way some STL haters act you'd think it's a Charlotte or Nashville type boomtown. It's not.
I'm also jealous of how the West Bottoms district has emerged as an under the radar hipster place. Would LOVE for that to be a model for Near North STL east of Broadway.
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Yeah if you've been to The Ship in KC West Bottoms that's the sort of place pur near north riverfront could use.
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The Ship is awesome. This kind of use would be ideal for the ground level of Choutaeu's Landing as well IMO. The trains and highway make it way too loud for residential but would be perfect for a late night techno club. Close enough to be walkable from Downtown hotels too
https://www.kctv5.com/2025/04/03/kansas ... n-running/
Looks like the City of Kansas City is bailing out KCATA to keep service running for 6 more months without cuts. Good on KC. Literally saving thousands of people from having to find some alternative way to get around.
Looks like the City of Kansas City is bailing out KCATA to keep service running for 6 more months without cuts. Good on KC. Literally saving thousands of people from having to find some alternative way to get around.
https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-04-04/ka ... nding-plan
Bus fares are coming back, frequency is being cut under the new funding plan.
Bus fares are coming back, frequency is being cut under the new funding plan.
Fiserv adding a regional HQ and fintech innovation hub in KC. 2,000 new jobs at the Aspiria office complex. Nashville, Texas, Arizona, and So. Florida were also evaluated.
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Kansas City earns a D on its financial grade card. Taxpayers are on the hook
Truth In Accounting analyzed Kansas City’s 2023 financial report and concluded the city needs $1.6 billion more than it has to meet all its obligations. Those obligations include its unfunded pension liabilities. That shortfall works out to $8,800 per resident.
https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/read ... 62806.html
Truth In Accounting analyzed Kansas City’s 2023 financial report and concluded the city needs $1.6 billion more than it has to meet all its obligations. Those obligations include its unfunded pension liabilities. That shortfall works out to $8,800 per resident.
https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/read ... 62806.html
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STL is a D as well, I definitely thought we were in a better position financially lately. At least that is what the messaging has been.
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Its definitely improved since 2020 from $15,000 per to $9,800
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^^ the report notes STL City's condition improved but Kansas City deteriorated. But STL City has been moving up from more of a cellar dweller status so it;s still firmly in the D category. Both cities also are based off of 2023 financial reporting and not 2024 as some others which had more timely reporting.
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I'm going to say that in reality, it's actually an "F". Population growth in areas with existing infrastructure, which would help balance things, is far too slow to non-existent. It might be a "D" right now, but give it a few years and it'll drop to "F". Anyone in KCMO saying the city's finances are "good" are lying (in particular, Mayor Lucas).moorlander wrote: ↑Apr 22, 2025Kansas City earns a D on its financial grade card. Taxpayers are on the hook
Truth In Accounting analyzed Kansas City’s 2023 financial report and concluded the city needs $1.6 billion more than it has to meet all its obligations. Those obligations include its unfunded pension liabilities. That shortfall works out to $8,800 per resident.
https://www.kansascity.com/opinion/read ... 62806.html
Weiss/Manfredi and SCAPE win Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art competition
https://www.archpaper.com/2025/04/weiss ... f+apartmen
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https://www.archpaper.com/2025/04/weiss ... f+apartmen
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Some recent project update photos...
Tower cranes are up for the first phase of KC Current's mixed-use Berkley Riverfront project.
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Core Phase 2 at Berkley is moving along steadily.
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Two Birds One Stone at Berkley Park, a restaurant and beer garden, will open soon.
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Berkley Riverfront from the Heart of America (Route 9) bridge.
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The 3rd and Grand project continues to rise. Improvements on the Grand side of this building include a protected bike lane (which will lead to the future pedestrian bridge to the Riverfront) and a new Streetcar stop (which will serve northbound Streetcars heading to the Riverfront).
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At 415 Delaware in the River Market, a building is being redeveloped into a 51-room boutique hotel (River Market Hotel) and Italian Restaurant (Con Amore).
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303 Broadway on the west side of the River Market neighborhood (next to the Buck ONeil Bridge) is moving through the approval process once again. This time for a variance to the parking minimums. This is a 10-story apartment building with 88 apartments. PortKC recently awarded incentives to the development team.
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The Muehlebach Hotel at 12th and Baltimore is set to be redeveloped into 152 apartments on the building's 5th-12th floors as well as a portion of the 4th floor. This one's complicated since the lower floors are still owned and maintained by the Marriott Hotel, but it is practically vacant. Redeveloping this will be Flint Development. The project also sees the Downtown vacant building stock tick downwards once again.
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1818-1822 Main is slowly getting going. Utility work is ongoing at the site. this will be a 16-story apartment building with 147 units.
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The "Via" apartment project at 22nd and Wyandotte is nearing completion.
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The Weaver Townhouses at 19th and Locust are nearing completion.
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ArriveKC at 31st and Baltimore is rising quickly.
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At 39th and State Line, "Citizen" is basically completed save for a few cosmetic things to address.
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Just across the border in Kansas, "The Hudson" on Rainbow Boulevard is nearing completion.
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At 39th and Roanoke, Hickok Homes is proposing a 4-story apartment building with 73 apartments, 73 parking spaces, and 1233sf of retail space. Roanoke neighborhood NIMBYs are rallying to oppose this project because they feel it's too big and dense for their neighborhood and that corner. Hickok previously planned a 5-story apartment building on this site with 93 apartments, 101 parking spaces, and 1350sf of retail space. No incentives are to be requested.
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Tower cranes are up for the first phase of KC Current's mixed-use Berkley Riverfront project.
Core Phase 2 at Berkley is moving along steadily.
Two Birds One Stone at Berkley Park, a restaurant and beer garden, will open soon.
Berkley Riverfront from the Heart of America (Route 9) bridge.
The 3rd and Grand project continues to rise. Improvements on the Grand side of this building include a protected bike lane (which will lead to the future pedestrian bridge to the Riverfront) and a new Streetcar stop (which will serve northbound Streetcars heading to the Riverfront).
At 415 Delaware in the River Market, a building is being redeveloped into a 51-room boutique hotel (River Market Hotel) and Italian Restaurant (Con Amore).
303 Broadway on the west side of the River Market neighborhood (next to the Buck ONeil Bridge) is moving through the approval process once again. This time for a variance to the parking minimums. This is a 10-story apartment building with 88 apartments. PortKC recently awarded incentives to the development team.
The Muehlebach Hotel at 12th and Baltimore is set to be redeveloped into 152 apartments on the building's 5th-12th floors as well as a portion of the 4th floor. This one's complicated since the lower floors are still owned and maintained by the Marriott Hotel, but it is practically vacant. Redeveloping this will be Flint Development. The project also sees the Downtown vacant building stock tick downwards once again.
1818-1822 Main is slowly getting going. Utility work is ongoing at the site. this will be a 16-story apartment building with 147 units.
The "Via" apartment project at 22nd and Wyandotte is nearing completion.
The Weaver Townhouses at 19th and Locust are nearing completion.
ArriveKC at 31st and Baltimore is rising quickly.
At 39th and State Line, "Citizen" is basically completed save for a few cosmetic things to address.
Just across the border in Kansas, "The Hudson" on Rainbow Boulevard is nearing completion.
At 39th and Roanoke, Hickok Homes is proposing a 4-story apartment building with 73 apartments, 73 parking spaces, and 1233sf of retail space. Roanoke neighborhood NIMBYs are rallying to oppose this project because they feel it's too big and dense for their neighborhood and that corner. Hickok previously planned a 5-story apartment building on this site with 93 apartments, 101 parking spaces, and 1350sf of retail space. No incentives are to be requested.
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Downtown KC is in bad shape. I know you were there last month.dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑May 07, 2025https://fox4kc.com/news/downtown-kansas ... ety-issue/
It feels like our downtown is going in a much different direction than neighbors across the state
Power and Light has reached saturation point. The Crossroads, East Village, North Loop are all crammed with empty lots and vacant buildings. As long as KC's pro sports teams and business community remain outside of 435 nothing will change. Bus service in KC might be amongst the worst in the nation for metros over 1m people.
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The solution I have in mind for these guys is applicable to all cities, but not politically correct.dbInSouthCity wrote: ↑May 08, 2025Brutal for kc
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... d-max.html
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It really feels like STL and KC are going in opposite directions and I think a lot of it will become more focused this and next year. This trend started during Covid when average salary for metro KC and STL was about the same and now people here make $6,000 more a year than people in kc
An important nuance is that Kansas City’s non farm employment growth % from 2019 to present is > 2.0x St. Louis. STL however is adding higher paying jobs while KC is heavy on logistics and manufacturing.dbInSouthCity wrote:It really feels like STL and KC are going in opposite directions and I think a lot of it will become more focused this and next year. This trend started during Covid when average salary for metro KC and STL was about the same and now people here make $6,000 more a year than people in kc
With manufacturing and data centers taking over from logistics as the hottest industries in KC, there will be a flip where fewer jobs but higher paying jobs are added.
STL has done a tremendous job of growing biotech and med center employment.
The employment growth rates of both regions are largely unimpressive compared though. For example, KCs growth rate resulted in it being passed by Indianapolis and Nashville in 2023.ldai_phs wrote:An important nuance is that Kansas City’s non farm employment growth % from 2019 to present is > 2.0x St. Louis. STL however is adding higher paying jobs while KC is heavy on logistics and manufacturing.dbInSouthCity wrote:It really feels like STL and KC are going in opposite directions and I think a lot of it will become more focused this and next year. This trend started during Covid when average salary for metro KC and STL was about the same and now people here make $6,000 more a year than people in kc
With manufacturing and data centers taking over from logistics as the hottest industries in KC, there will be a flip where fewer jobs but higher paying jobs are added.
STL has done a tremendous job of growing biotech and med center employment.
KC benefits from KS being engaged in economic development (cause it’s all KS has). IL is generally poor at growth these days and that makes it very difficult for STL to have an impressive number as an MSA.
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It seems pretty clear to me that the endless sea of Kansas suburbia is throttling the Missouri side in Kansas City.