Talk about dumb ideas…
The Kansas City Star recently ran a column by Steve Rose about how all that’s missing from downtown is a statue of former KC mayor Kay Barnes.
Hey, I like Steve and it’s true that downtown is better off now than before the Cordish Group built its bar zone and the Sprint arena. However, with what little Barnes actually had to do with it, I couldn’t disagree more with Steve about building her a statue.
And while it’s also true a couple of the bars like McFadden’s have been pretty profitable, most of the others have either closed or not been hits. The Power & Light District is only busy late on weekend nights or during special events.
Weeknights are dead.
There are no retail stores in sight. No Quick Trips. Just one grocery store. And the gas stations downtown still look like shoot ’em up, bang bang.
A statue for Kay Barnes? Really?
Fact is, we have damn few people here that deserve a statue.
George Brett got one and Len Dawson deserves one.
It’s a very short to non existent list.
Kay deserves at best maybe a plaque.
And unlike former Kansas City mayor Emanuel Cleaver – who won a congressional seat – Barnes failed in her effort to. Cleaver got a street named after him, but let’s face it, Barnes was little more than a mouthpiece for Cordish, nothing more.
And today Cordish costs the city $1.5 million a month in P&L payments.
Face it, the P&L is a financial loser.
Whereas Westport, has come back – without the aid of all that dough Barnes gave Cordish – and has moved to the forefront again. It’s a big time winner giving the city more than $500,000 a month.
Is downtown a winner? NO.
It’s still ugly, still a mess and has little to brag about.
The condos are still not full and some have had to become apartments. The projection of 30,000 to 40,000 residents by 2010 was way off. More like 12,00 to 15,000. And that’s not much for a major city’s downtown.
We have no pro basketball or hockey like Barnes lead us to believe.
And we probably never will – not at the Sprint Center. Nothing important has been built downtown in several years and won’t be anytime soon. Overall it’s DEAD.
The streets are a mess with that stupid new, unwanted streetcar system. I don’t have the words for that waste of money and b.s.
Overall Kay Barnes was a do-nothing mayor.
Can anybody even remember what, she accomplished during her first term?
Which is why Barnes was nearly beaten by my dad, Stan.
Plus her henchmen saw to it that I was indicted unfairly in 2001 to stop my mayoral run. Barnes was afraid to debate either me or Stan. She had zero business background – unless you count teaching a corny sex class for women in the 1970s.
As I told the KC Star at the time, “Kay’s a nice lady’ she’d make a great mayor for Prairie Village.”
Barnes just doesn’t have enough life experience in general.
To be fair KCMO has gone backwards for years. High crime, little progress with new construction – and except for the Plaza,Westport, Brookside and Waldo – it’s a major mess.
Kansas City is a city in many ways that’s going backwards.
A statue for Kay? Get real. How about a watch or a toaster or …?
While I agree that building a statue for Kay is over the top, what has Len Dawson done to deserve a statue? Because he got the Chiefs to a Super Bowl 45 years ago and now does terrible radio spots for used car dealers?
But “nothing important has been built downtown in several years and won’t be anytime soon”? One Light Tower is a 25 story residential tower that’s under construction now and will be ready in the fall, I think, and will be full pretty quickly. Then, we’ll have Two Light Tower not long after, from what I’ve read. The Power & Light Building’s revamp is finally happening. There’s a hotel under construction at 17th & Baltimore and another coming soon at 20th & Main. Those are technically Crossroads, I know, but close enough. Multiple residential buildings are under construction in the River Market, who might actually be the most frequent users of the streetcar to get to P&L + Crossroads.
I don’t think everything is perfect either, but you’re dead wrong that nothing is happening.
Agree completely Kyle. When was the last time there was a sky crane in downtown for a high rise? One Light looks awesome. Many of the things CG is complaining about are chicken or egg problems. Weeknight traffic, more grocery and QuikTrips (everyone’s barometer of progress, clearly) come from residents. And there seems to be just enough going on downtown to spur residential construction everywhere you mentioned, Kyle. Not sure a statue is in order, but leaders get credit for the good and certainly the bad that happens on their watch, whether they are the cause or not. Not sure if CG is upset that this is not happening in Westport or bitter about his dad not beating Barnes, but he is off the mark in these absolute statements by a long shot.
And here’s another apartment building going into a completely empty area currently (the Riverfront): http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2015/03/11/riverfront-apartment-construction-will-begin-in.html?ana=twt
CG, there’s no reason KCMO proper can’t grow AND JoCo too. And, like others have said, KCMO North is growing rapidly too, which means more tax revenue and residents to help support the whole city…a good thing too.
Sure there are a few things going on but overall not much for a major cities downtown. My lord look at LA and San Diego and well almost everyone else who revamped their downtown. It’s been about ten years since this project was completed. Again I feel the addition since are minor. Little population growth. It’s still kinda ugly down there, dangerous in much of the downtown spots as well. Look it cost billions to rebuild a downtown as far gone as ours. I mean far gone. A bunch of ‘storage’ buildings. And in bad shape for the most part.
Frank Morgan was on the right track 20 years ago with nice new apartments, some commercial and retail shops..just needed a ton more. The 3rd and Oak area, which are apartments, are full and pretty decent. Young people live there. However that’s nearly all that I see with the exception of a couple condo buildings, that work as far as living space. Otherwise its a ghost town. I don’t see it growing in the near future.
The future seems to be Johnson County. Low crime, massive shopping and entertainment opportunities and low crime rate. KCMO is not growing. Hasn’t for decades.
As for Kay Barnes, no my Dad losing isn’t an issue. I think being indicted for nothing was a pretty terrible low blow in 2001.
Kay Barnes statue-worthy? Never.
I find Pendergast more worthy of a statue than her.
good point about pendergast. boss tom ran the town and the town was doing pretty good in his heyday. and he handpicked a local haberdasher, pushing him up the political ladder and who eventually became a pretty damn good President.
I for one would love to see a Kay Barnes statue…….covered in pigeon shit.
come on glaze.
what were the numbers on barnes versus stan? seriously….barnes had some
people who didn’t like her…but lets be serious…was it 60-40?
I’d like to know.
As far as downtonwn….you don’t get it. Sorry dude the numbers are
astounding…and the money is flowing into kc and surrounding areas
like neverbefore.
Downtown is ready to catch on. All those towers..all those living spaces..
and as I showed in a earlier the p and li took some licks thanks to
bush’s recession but they withstood the tough times and I can tell you
the place is chaning and despite the city having to put in millions the
numbers I outlined showed that in the long run it will be successful.
May take time…but with the activity it generates…the dollars that
turn….and don’t forget this weekend what the big 12 tournament
does overall to the city..fromthe taxis to the hotels…all the restauants
all over the city….the hotels….the money generated…it goes beyond
just what the p and l does.
Then look out south…
Metcalf south…kroenke is building another town center.
Meadowbrook: larry van tuyl is going to redo that entire area.
would not be surprised to see brookside go away (golf courses are
having problems now)….
look at prairie fire…look at 135-170th the houses and building and
land going into development.
Look at the areas north of 435….all up and down roe….new hospital
the great top golf development….
You are becoming the old man out here glaze.
Look at the alt 69 path whats happening there…
look up north even….
Glaze…your wrong about this town. For the first time it’s becoming
alive again….billions in development …even a new op police station….
don ‘t get old and cranky and negative on us.
KC is starting to move again….
and watch Olathe…prime space is premium along santa fe right now…
developers are dying to get more land there…but its being bought
up fast.
And downtown will exist. We need it.
And I agree with kyle….this town is starting to really make a move.
And if we had no stateline…dividing ks and mo…it would be even
bigger and better.
You’re wrong glaze….we will never be LA…but we don’t want that
kind of town..if you love it so much…move!
As faar as kc growing…remember the state line and tht essentially they
are landlocked. But look at cerners bannister mall…look at the legends..
heard another major company from outside kc is planning 5to move there…..
KC in jumping…and no matter what you say the numbers and dollars say
you’re wrong…
Please don’t be like rest of the old timers on here….you’re smarter than
this article you wrote.
Harley I agree up North its growing, but I don’t see that in midtown. Sure in ten or twenty years it could be better, but I think its uphill. I am impressed with Westport development. I think the Plaza needs some new blood as well and that might happen. However the ‘downtown’ area has a long ways to go.
Johnson County is the past. Far out development and exurbia is a relic of the 2oth century. No one under 35 wants to live there anymore.
needto visit allthe housing developments out south…and I mean
south 160-179th street….its what olathe once was…a fast growing
area by builders like lambie and the others…
first time home buyers moving way out south to get more
house for their dollar.
harry go out there. I had no idea what was happening til
I traveled out there with the fastest growing developer in kc.
joco has so much new stuff…from jrs. former land at 107th
and nall…where top golf and another hospital have been built..
to development at the old meadowbrook with lots at 1 million
each…to 95th and Metcalf where the stan is rolling out another
multi use at Metcalf south…
it’s unbelievable…plus renovating commercial sites….
but out south (way out south) is starting to really catch on.
Glaze…what were the results of your dads election for mayor….
60-40 is not a close election!!!!!!!! and who funded stans
election…..lets get some details because if I’m not mistaken
it was funded by some people who hatedbarnes….
Harry where you get that about Johnson County. Our fastest growing part of the metro KC area? Its doubled in population over the last 20 years, nearing 400 thousand now. As Jo grows further south it may hit 800 thousand by 2020. Yes that includes Olathe and even further south. Much of the living space is a bit pricey so it does hurt to live there if you are younger due to costs, but there are plenty of 30 somethings out there now. Mostly apartments but they are all pretty full up.
Oh, and this. I don’t think the river front is in OP, but I could be wrong.
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2015/03/11/riverfront-apartment-construction-will-begin-in.html?ana=e_du_pub&s=article_du&ed=2015-03-11&u=gVKD5I33POCozAYGZIjXmBU8Dk&t=1426105946
Facts:
US Census Population Estimate for Johnson County, Kansas, 2014–566,933 (it passed 400,000 long ago).
Election results, March, 25, 2003. Kansas City, Mo. Kay Barnes defeated Stanford Glazer, a retired restaurateur. Although results were still unofficial, with 100 percent of precincts reporting, Barnes had captured 31,441 votes or 60 percent to Glazer’s 21,053 votes, or 40 percent.
“Kansas City is a city in many ways that’s going backwards.”
– if only the Chiefs could, 1969; the additions of maclin, grubb and fanaika ensure we will continue tread/keep head above water, albeit do nothing move forward; speaking of “it’s a major mess”, season penance starts six months from today, go Clarks!
:-‘ (
K yep getting Macline is a good thing, if he stays healthy…first real star wide out since Otis Taylor…could help..now we will see what Alex Smith is all about..Chiefs could win the division, its weak…10-6 might get it done.
don’t jinx us glaze. Your record is not good at all!!!!!!!!!
J mac is a great receiver in west coast offense but if they
cant get alex some more great receivers then this is all
for naught! 11 million bucks a year for a kid who overcame
some incredible odds over his life.
J mac will be a star in kc!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have to disagree, CG… Kerouac was being facetious re: Maclin & the other two stopgaps the Chiefs acquired. Further, unless you believe Bowe was a star, or just mediocre, Maclin is just like him because career wise the two are nigh on identical in production.
Each has averaged 4.5 catches per game, Maclin 64 yards per Bowe’s 61 per, and td catches Bowe 1 about every 4 games to Maclin’s 1 about every 3.
Subtract each receiver’s best season (Maclin 2014 and Bowe 2010) and they are virtually the same player.
To wit, 2014 Maclin excelled in Chip Kelly’s new Eagles offense (as any receiver does) – put Bowe in PHIL & he’d do the same. Maclin was 26 last year – the same age Bowe was when he had his best season. It’s been downhill for Dwyane since then; it will not surprise Kerouac when Maclin follows a similar course.
Maclin will not come close in Kaycee to the stats he realized last season with the Eagles., so, unless the Chiefs add another threat opposite Maclin (which Bowe really never had during his time in KC), it’s a wash as things stand, one good WR replaced with one other.
Overall, Maclin has had the more accomplished QB’s throwing to him in PHIL: McNabb, Vick, Young, ,Foles, Sanchez, Kolb and McNabb were Maclin’s QBs in PHIL… compare with Bowe’s sorry lot Smith, Cassel, Quinn, Palko, Orton, Croyle, Thigpen and Huard.
Yes some good points K. Maclin and Smith will show us if the Chiefs under Reid can do anything. Jury is out..we need to get off the ‘bubble’ team issue, which is all the chumps have been since 97.
End of post was cut off; was going to end it by saying Maclin is also not a home run hitter any more than Bowe: both receiver’s yards per catch career are in the 13’s… neither one was Otis Taylor, who averaged almost 18 yards per catch career.
Add Smith throwing up those sideways passes his sans a down the field arm, and KC could have Bob Hayes at WR and he’d be like having a Corvette with a governor on it. Chiefs 8-8 (at best) in 2015 is the early pick here, Kerouac’s.