KCRag Forum

In another matter, the PIEA also approved a 20-year property tax abatement to help redevelop the historic Globe Building at 1712 Main St. into an office development. Developer John Williams plans to invest $6.8 million in renovating the seven-story building that opened in 1902.

Most of the building has been vacant for more than 10 years, it’s last tenant being Retro Inferno, an antique business that occupied the lower floor. Williams plans to reuse the building for commercial office lofts geared toward creative, tech-oriented small companies.

Work is expected to begin next month and the project completed by next spring. The abatement is 100 percent for the first 10 years and 50 percent for the remaining 10 years.

http://www.kansascity.com/2013/08/13/44 ... rylink=cpy

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Great news.

Ding Ding went the trolley. Will there be many more such announcements once construction begins?

pash wrote:Nice, a mini-Mainmark Building.

I feel like those parking lots to the north, on the east side of Main at 17th, might be some of the ripest spots in the city for new construction once the streetcar goes in. ... That whole section of the Crossroads could build out quickly if UMKC's arts campus happens.

Agreed. This is awesome news.

Is this the 7 floor building now called Retro Inferno? (Edit, OK, I re-read it, yes it is). I hope they put a garage with streetfront retail in open lot instead keeping it a lot. Might be harder to add garage later when tenants move in. Yes, I know ideally it should not need more parking with streetcar but something needs to be done with that giant lot next to it.

Edit: KC Biz Journal has more detail. They plan to use Barkley garage next door...
http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... l?page=all

moderne wrote:Ding Ding went the trolley. Will there be many more such announcements once construction begins?

I'd expect so. Block alone had four structure for sale in the Crossroads. -just on Main-

while a handful of people whine over taxes, others see this as a time to sell or a time to develop.

pash wrote:Nice, a mini-Mainmark Building.

I feel like those parking lots to the north, on the east side of Main at 17th, might be some of the ripest spots in the city for new construction once the streetcar goes in. ... That whole section of the Crossroads could build out quickly if UMKC's arts campus happens.

Off topic, but idea #10 or #11 if I were to win the lottery would be to bring a franchise or copycat version of Habana Outpost in from New York (the Brooklyn location). I would buy out the Calvert's Express Auto Service building on Main and Truman. It is probably way too big for the concept, but the front parking lot and garage door combo could make for a pretty fantastic and versatile beer garden.
http://www.habanaoutpost.com/locations/ ... na-outpost


Calvert's Street View
https://maps.google.com/?ll=39.095613,- ... 12,,0,5.78

You could subdivide the Calvert Auto building. Use one part for your restaurant, and rent out the other sections for other restaurants, bars, or businesses. One might be able to even make the parking lot a common food court situation to serve different the restaurants. The parking lot become an urban courtyard that functions as a public space the restaurants use in warmer months.





A crude rendering of the idea.

I like it. Anyone with money and expertise, feel free to steal or adapt this idea!

It looks like the renovation of this building is about to start up...

Quite a few permits for this one lately, including one to close the sidewalk starting today. There were also a handful of permits in the last couple of weeks regarding an addition to the vestibule.

KCDowntown

Downtown Development Map

Harbinger, have you heard anything about Calvert's being demoed? Or are you just hoping?

And I agree about the Plaza street wall being what we need for Truman. Only it needs to be all the way up to the street, and with commercial at street level.

harbinger911 wrote:No I haven't heard anything like that. Just a pipe dream.
Not unlike the casino dream

Seems like the streetcar causes me to dream a lot about what Main Street could actually become someday.

Oh yea dude definitely me too. I often think about what KC could be like if a lot of things come together in the next 10-20 years. KC may not have seen its glory days yet.

Anyone notice the new sidewalk being built on the crossroads side of Truman, between the road and I-70? Looks like they are building it between Main and Walnut. Good improvement, I wonder if the sidewalk with extend any further?

Walked by today and there was a project office trailer parked in the lot on the north side.

Midtownkid wrote:Anyone notice the new sidewalk being built on the crossroads side of Truman, between the road and I-70? Looks like they are building it between Main and Walnut. Good improvement, I wonder if the sidewalk with extend any further?

just between main and walnut. it's part of the main street bridge replacement.

that lady was diirrrrrrtty!

DaveKCMO wrote:that lady was diirrrrrrtty!

For those who weren't around....

Back in the 1980's, in the beginning of renovating all the vintage buildings of downtown KC, one of the biggest visual impacts to the streetscape came from cleaning the facades of the buildings. The properties had from 50 to 100 years of pigeon dung, coal soot, dirt, salt and various industrial/automobile created dust products deposited upon their grimy faces. Every building looked like the Globe and it was a pretty drab presentation.

Powerwashing was a relatively new process for such work. As were significant updates to scaffolding and heavy-duty cleaning products.

What a difference! It was common for people to make a pilgrimage to look at buildings being cleaned, while in process, so you could see the before and after.

Look closely at the buildings in the west bottoms, for reference.

I remember what a difference it made when they cleaned the facade of the Professional Building.