But just wait till the new stadium is built! Think of all that parking!!! That's what downtown needs! /sarcasmjstriebel wrote:I don't like being envious of KC, but it's hard not to be. Our city leaders should be embarrassed. But they're probably not.
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Might want to wait and see what actually gets built out. We've seen plenty of pretty renderings before.
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^ Very true, but I think the Cordish towers are pretty much assured as long as the demand and subsidies continue; that office tower might be the more challenging. Overall, it looks like KC has more downtown residential activity than we do and maybe a bit more on the office side.
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I've heard that Cordish has a tenant who wants some office space in Two Light as well. Less than 30,000 square feet for this particular tenant, but it's still new office space.
It's easy for us to be envious of KC; they seem to have some good momentum going on right now. But let's not forget that there's a lot going on in STL, too. The whole Central Corridor is being transformed as we speak, and Clayton will soon see two or three new towers going up. If we can just get Downtown moving again, then we'll be looking pretty good.
The powers-that-be in the St. Louis region apparently do not have a serious stake in downtown St. Louis' ascension. They are too focused on the suburbs - Clayton, Chesterfield, etc.
On top of that, Franny Slay doesn't have a serious plan for downtown. CORTEX is great, but downtown needs to be stimulated.
Downtown development is about leadership pushing the envelope to make things happen.
I'm sorry, while downtown does have some projects underway......Blues Museum, CityArchRiver, Arcade, 700 Market, Station Plaza etc......it's largely Snoozeville in comparison to the rest of the country.
Instead of waiting for developers to come you...........you need to go the developers OFTEN then help them make a project work.
What is the city doing to attract businesses and corporations?
Franny and his team, in my opinion, are snoring.
On top of that, Franny Slay doesn't have a serious plan for downtown. CORTEX is great, but downtown needs to be stimulated.
Downtown development is about leadership pushing the envelope to make things happen.
I'm sorry, while downtown does have some projects underway......Blues Museum, CityArchRiver, Arcade, 700 Market, Station Plaza etc......it's largely Snoozeville in comparison to the rest of the country.
Instead of waiting for developers to come you...........you need to go the developers OFTEN then help them make a project work.
What is the city doing to attract businesses and corporations?
Franny and his team, in my opinion, are snoring.
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I like KC, but I don't feel like it holds a candle to StL overall. KC reminds me of what StL was like twenty years ago, where there were some isolated pockets of interesting areas but otherwise mostly dead space. Present-day St. Louis has many more appealing urban neighborhoods.
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^ I agree we have a greater number of interesting areas overall than KC and many of our peers, but when it comes to downtowns I think it is becoming clearer and clearer that while we are making some progress with ours, the pace of that growth is slipping behind others.... in some cases pretty dramatically.
1909 Butler Bros. Building in KC getting a 30 unit, market-rate residential rehab:
Not nearly as big a building as ours, but I assume it was named after the same company. Also, this snippet about the developers' downtown holdings is interesting with respect to the residential versus retail occupancy rates...
While downtown housing is booming, Bennett said his company’s experience with more than 30 buildings — including Soho Lofts, Freight House Lofts and Library Lofts — has been that retail is far harder to fill. He said they have 98 percent occupancy in more than 500 downtown apartments, but 75 percent occupancy in their downtown commercial space.
Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/business ... rylink=cpy
Not nearly as big a building as ours, but I assume it was named after the same company. Also, this snippet about the developers' downtown holdings is interesting with respect to the residential versus retail occupancy rates...
While downtown housing is booming, Bennett said his company’s experience with more than 30 buildings — including Soho Lofts, Freight House Lofts and Library Lofts — has been that retail is far harder to fill. He said they have 98 percent occupancy in more than 500 downtown apartments, but 75 percent occupancy in their downtown commercial space.
Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/news/business ... rylink=cpy
KC is going bonkers with residential in Greater Downtown....
Another warehouse conversion in the challenging West Bottoms (parallels to the North Riverfront)
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... sions.html
First tower (12 stories) in Crossroads District
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... lding.html
Another warehouse conversion in the challenging West Bottoms (parallels to the North Riverfront)
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... sions.html
First tower (12 stories) in Crossroads District
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... lding.html
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^ I would describe what has happened in Downtown STL with the loft and apartment conversions over the past 15 years, as bonkers. I hope STL can finally complete/convert all of the rest of the existing building stock, so we can see more new construction. KC is doing well, but I think if you take the last even 5 years, we've outpaced them by a lot, with regards to new and rehabbed apartments. Anyone have any numbers to back that up? I'm just guesstimating. . .
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^ To be honest I was really taken for a loop when the Downtown Partnership scaled back our projected population to 8,000 and only adding about 300 a year.... supposedly KC has reached 20,000 downtown but that is probably for a larger Greater Downtown area so it isn't always easy to compare.
I would say though that KC, like a lot of other cities, has really kicked things up into a higher gear the past few years while we've kind of just staid static and have a higher percentage of subsidized units.
I would say though that KC, like a lot of other cities, has really kicked things up into a higher gear the past few years while we've kind of just staid static and have a higher percentage of subsidized units.
Looks like KC will finally get a large convention center hotel.... an 800 room Hyatt.
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The city isn't backing the bonds but will be providing substantial subsidies.
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... hyatt.html
Back in our end of the state, our main convention center hotel is seeing some nice renovations.
The city isn't backing the bonds but will be providing substantial subsidies.
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... hyatt.html
Back in our end of the state, our main convention center hotel is seeing some nice renovations.
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In all fairness our convention center hotel was built 20 years ago. They are playing catch up.sirshankalot wrote:We're getting our asz kicked.
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sorry about that.... here you go:stlien wrote:Can you share the link to where you got the pictures?
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... hyatt.html
True. Cleveland also is constructing an anchor convention hotel as wel; and some peer downtowns don't have a decent-sized grocer stores like Culinaria yet. But the amount of progress our peer cities are making in their respective greater downtown areas seems to be surpassing ours and in many cases much of the redevelopment is being advanced by streetcar or brt. I really think advancing Saint Louis Streetcar (or BRT) should be a main priority.downtown2007 wrote:In all fairness our convention center hotel was built 20 years ago. They are playing catch up.sirshankalot wrote:We're getting our asz kicked.
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The convention center is big news here in KC. People are really excited about it.
It should definitely improve the skyline around here. Looks like it'll be one of the two or three tallest buildings in KC.
It should definitely improve the skyline around here. Looks like it'll be one of the two or three tallest buildings in KC.
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^ Have you seen how many feet/stories?
Here is the Cleveland Convetion Center hotel (a Hilton) under construction that I referenced above, btw:
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Here is the Cleveland Convetion Center hotel (a Hilton) under construction that I referenced above, btw:
Arterra 21, New Hyatt Convention Hotel, One Light, Two Light, 1914 Main, Marriott (Baltimore St), streetcar and possible Office tower...I'd say Downtown KC is on a roll....
It's a good looking building. Looks like LED lighting will crown the building.
However, I'm willing to bet the design might change again. St. Louis' changed multiple times before it was actually constructed.
Nonetheless, it - along with the One Light residential towers - should be pretty transformative for the downtown Kansas City skyline.
Ballpark Village has to get on the ball.
However, I'm willing to bet the design might change again. St. Louis' changed multiple times before it was actually constructed.
Nonetheless, it - along with the One Light residential towers - should be pretty transformative for the downtown Kansas City skyline.
Ballpark Village has to get on the ball.
That's somewhat true, but the Renaissance Grand & Suites complex was completed in 2003 - only 12 years ago.downtown2007 wrote:In all fairness our convention center hotel was built 20 years ago. They are playing catch up.
However, the rebranded Marriott St. Louis Grand (minus the 165-room Suites) is still going to be the largest convention center hotel (and hotel) - by rooms - in Missouri.
The Renaissance Grand & Suites hotel/meeting complex had 1,083 sleeping rooms. Now with the Lennox Hotel/Renaissance Suites becoming a 165-room Marriott Courtyard, that leaves 918 rooms in the main towers. It's still larger than Cleveland's or the one proposed for Kansas City.
SideBar: Houston is now adding 1,000 rooms (29-stories) to its current 1,200 rooms. Also, downtown Houston is about to catch up to downtown St. Louis' 7,500 hotel rooms. Downtown Houston is adding about 3,500 rooms in time for 2017's SuperBowl.
Its amazing to see the development of Kansas City, from The Plaza to the River Market...theres developent popping up everywhere, and now it seems as if the Crossroads district in between the CBD and Crown Center are getting high rise hotels and apartments...fill-in projects...The skyline of Kansas City will certainly look different within 10yrs if not sooner! = )