urbanSTL

BellaVilla wrote: Why are Kansas City and its Denizens obsessed with being "better" than St. Louis?

Seems like the Star frequently has articles about this. When I went there to look at Schools and told people that I'd like to end up in KC or StL they HAD to tell me all about how KC was better. Idk, just something I've noticed and don't understand. Meanwhile, I never hear anyone in StL say, well, anything about KC.

I believe the psychological term is an inferiority complex.  And in my 12 years here I have become quite accustomed to the insufferable anti-STL attitude in both the local paper and the local citizens.  It really is weird haha.  When I tell people in other cities, including St. Louis, that I live in KC they all just shrug and say "oh cool."  There are people in KC that I know that don't know I'm from St. Louis...sometimes it's just not worth saying it depending on the person.  After I first moved here, I was at the supermarket wearing a Pittsburgh Penguins t-shirt (huge hockey fan) and a lady approached me, super friendly, and asked if I was from Pittsburgh and how I liked KC.  I was still new to KC and told her I was actually from St. Louis, she literally scoffed in my face and turned around and walked away without another word.

Hell, just a few months ago I was out with a buddy and HE told some people I was from St. Louis and they just immediately started talking sh*t and whatnot.  I hadn't even said a word.  It's extremely off-putting and unwelcoming.

Does KC have anchor institutions with the clout of WashU, BJC, SLU and Mo Botanical Gardens investing into a single innovation community?

No they do not.

^ Well it is a St. Louis forum, filled mostly with St. Louis people/boosters, and most of us aren't here to discuss Kansas City.  You're welcome to share your stuff over here, no one has any problems with that, just don't be surprised if people would rather talk about the city this website was created for.

Also, my inferiority complex comment wasn't directed at you or specifically this thread either.  Bella posed the question as to why KC folks have this animosity towards St. Louis (which as a 12 year resident of KC, I can absolutely confirm) and that was my answer.  Wasn't calling you out for posting anything here, that's just my general opinion after living here for so long.

By the way, most cities have one, usually with their bigger neighbor.  St. Louis is no exception.

hobo digitale wrote: What area of KC do live?

I'll do some KC bashing to appease.  KC's fixed some things (new airport coming, improving transit) but has its violent crime issues too and does need a major research university (most research is corporate/private).  There's also too much suburban mindset influencing city development, worse in Midtown than Downtown.

Back on the Google data center, it's not a done deal, Google is also looking at other cities and it's likely at some point most every city will have a Google DC as Amazon has warehouses in about every market now.  Sci/tech services and Health jobs do appear to be KC's fastest growth though.

And disagree with the USDA move from DC to KC, the way it's being handled anyway.

No need to do any bashing lol.  Both are fine cities with plenty to offer...and plenty to fix (violent crime like you mentioned).

I'm down on the Plaza.  So I totally agree with your suburban mindset comment about Midtown (it's getting better and the eventual streetcar expansion will help a lot), but overall you're right.  Downtown is getting denser, Midtown and South...not so much.  Granted it doesn't help that many of my older neighbors on the Plaza are NIMBY's of the highest order who attempt to kill anything new down here.  It took like 7 years but I still can't believe they managed to break ground on the new 46 Penn Center.  There are lots of new apartments down here too, but they're your standard low-rise wood frame bullsh*t, the Opus development at Westport and Broadway will be a nice piece of infill though.  Opus has built some really high quality developments in St. Louis, this one should be no exception.  And I'd love to see that massive development near the Sun Fresh on Mill (Manor Square?) get off the ground, but I haven't heard much else about that since it was announced a few years ago.  One last item on my wishlist is that I'd love to see the St. Luke's campus take on more of a WashU/BJC feel, but I think KC has a better shot at creating something like that down on Hospital Hill.

The USDA thing was/is a disaster...It's nice to get the jobs, but the bad press around moving USDA out of DC has been a big turn off especially with more than 2/3rds rejecting transfers.  Granted I think that speaks more to the haphazardness and totally unpreparedness of our current regime than it does to how people feel about KC.

That new airport can't come soon enough lol.  One last addition...it may not be a lock, but I'd put money on that data center landing here.

Yeah, but St. Louisan's don't hate Chicago or Chicagoans (except for the Cubs). I've never seen a St. Louisan roll their eyes at a Chicagoan for being from Chicago.

This is true.  Honestly St. Louis' inferiority complex is really mostly with itself and it's past haha.

To be fair, you created an account for sole purpose of disagreeing with a poster. I think there is a word for that on forums.

I think it's time to move on from this.  No need for a pissing match.  Both cities are adding jobs at a pretty good clip and both are hovering around the national average for total job growth.  KC is adding a few more tech jobs while St. Louis continues to shine in healthcare (by a nearly 2 to 1 margin in total jobs), ag tech is growing massively, and STL continues to grow its manufacturing base, financial services jobs, and yes...even tech jobs, albeit at a slightly lower rate.  All good for Missouri.

^ I see no real issue with discussing other things related to KC here, provided there’s a bit of an urban/city angle. Whether that’s a discussion of what’s new and exciting or what’s broken and needs to be fixed. As long as everyone keeps it civil I think it’s ok.