The Citadel Plaza project is back in the news. I won't go into all of the minutia and ongoing controversy. That's better left for guys like Tonys Kansas City, who love him or hate him, has stayed miles ahead of the media on this one. There are funding issues, Peter robbing Paul, to the tune of 20 million I think. In a nutshell the Citadel is a development that is supposed to feature retail, housing, commercial business, all rolled into one big pretty package. It will be located at 63rd and Prospect. Let me repeat that, 63rd and Prospect. It's all about revitalization, bringing commerce to the city's troubled east side. It will resemble those cookie cutter shopping districts that pepper the metro, but with rampant crime. And if this thing gets built, it will fail miserably. Not because the economy is in the tank, although that wont help. The reason it will fail is because of its location. Because of crime. Big time retail chains wont stay in an area where they are used as an atm for criminals, period, end of story.
The reason that the east side of Kansas City is so economically and developmentally depressed is crime, and complacency. The tools that call the shots in city hall, the morons who are trying to find a way to dole out 20 million dollars to a developer who will build this silk purse from a pigs ear, then walk away, they don't "get it". The city will figure out a way to raise 20 million to build something that will ultimately fail, but they couldn't figure out a way to adequately fund the Police department. In a two week period there were over one thousand crimes reported within two zip codes in a 5 mile radius of 63rd and prospect, according to the KCPD crime map. City leaders think it is an awesome idea to invest 20 million for a retail area, in one of the most economically depressed and crime plagued areas of the city proper. Are you fuckin kiddin me? This plan makes as much sense as opening a titty bar in Iran. Build a retail shopping area in a section of the city where unemployment and crime rule the day. Who is going to support the businesses naive enough to open shop on 63rd and prospect? The folks who live there certainly don't have an over abundance of cash to freely spend. The whites who still have money to spend are not about to risk getting their face shot off, or their car jacked on the east side when there are countless retail outlets in their own neighborhood.
The Citadel is the cart before the horse. Clean up the neighborhoods, get crime in check, make it a safe place to live, then invest in retail outlets. Not the other way around.
You are absolutely spot on (as usual). While I am all for creating new employment opportunities for those who need it, why on earth would anyone shop/live at 63rd and Prospect when the Plaza, Brookside, Waldo and Ward Parkway are literally within 10 minutes of of that spot? Many retailers in those other areas are already struggling to make money. How would this place be any different? They need to get rid of the crime first. Spend the $20 million on cops and neighborhood programs instead of a doomed strip mall.
ReplyDeleteThis is nothing more than an example of political do-gooders (liars) gone wild. It will NEVER work in that location.
ReplyDeleteI don't know this might just be racist. Are you trying to tell me that some white is going to tell people in "urban" areas that they commit more crime and can't handle something nice? You do know the crime rate is inflated in those zip codes because the cops are prejudice and race profile. It's not because of poor values, lack of respect for education and authority. That's just what whites like to tell you. The "urban" core doesn't need more cops to inflate those numbers anymore. Keep the cops out. We need those crime numbers down.
ReplyDeleteThe KCMO City Council spends money based on high and mighty political & moral ideals when they should be using some common sense to decide whether a given project is worthwhile and has any chance of succeeding.
ReplyDeleteThat Citadel Plaza is on the cusp of approval speaks volumes about Kansas City MO government.
Citadel is a total waste of money.
One of the easiest ways to reduce the crime rate is to reduce the number of reasons that people get arrested. If the crime is victimless, it shouldn't be illegal.
ReplyDeleteAdding more police won't do shit.
Spot on, MM.
ReplyDeleteI'm always amazed at the stupidity of development proposals in economically depressed areas. Building something in the middle of a blighted zone is like adding one drop of water to a desert. Development grows and expands from a solid base. Without a solid landmark or attraction to anchor onto, you might as well be whizzing in the wind. Take the development on the west end of KCK that grew from an economic foundation established by the NASCAR track and fed by a major highway interchange. What the heck is at 63rd and Prospect? Nothing.
The only high and mighty ideas that this project is about is the one that says "If you give your friend government money, then he will kickback some to you".
ReplyDeleteIt's about kissing ass and making sure Terry's friends get their cut. It's only fair seeing as all the other council members have already hooked their own friends up.
nothing like armchair quarterbacks who know little but speak loudly. They said the same thing about the Costco/Home Depot plaza at Main and Linwood. Very successful. At 63rd and Prospect you have drive by traffic on 71 and you have all the employees at Research Hospital. What will make the Citadel a success is the retail that goes in. Put an IKEA there and it will be huge. Put boutique shops there and it will certainly fail. It must have a regional draw because the demographics there are not as strong as the demographics at the Shops at Linwood & Prospect.
ReplyDeleteI see you.
ReplyDeleteYou miss my point or ignore it , and you make some good arguments. Not for nothing but Home Depot isnt doing to swell lately. They arent looking to put a home depot or costco in at citadel either, so its not a fair comparison. And while you may disount this as the armchair QB talking, Prospect creates a different response from the suburbanites than Main in midtown. Its that whole east of troost thing that we pretend doesnt exist.
I agree that people will go to IKEA even if it's in Baghdad. But if it's projected to be such a huge success they shouldn't have a problem getting private capital.
ReplyDeletewhat does "stupid proof" mean anyway
like bullet proof.
ReplyDeleteThe Costco/Home Depot comparison is very faulty. That development happened on the west side of town, which as MM pointed out doesn't hold the east-of-troost stigma. And more importantly, it grew with multiple development bases to support it, the Plaza and Westport on its south side and Union Hill and Crown Center to the north.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, the idea that the staff at Research Medical Center and commuters on 71 Hwy are going to somehow support a development at 63rd and Prospect is faulty. The Research employees will only patronize a store or restaurant in their area for only as long as their lunch break will allow, just like what happened to all the failed retail businessses in Downtown KC in the 1980's and early 90's. Commuters aren't any better. The reason they're whizzing by on 71 Hwy is because they're in a hurry to get downtown or back home to Lee's Summit. The last thing they want to do is stop and go shopping in rush hour traffic, and they're sure as heck not returning to that location after dark or on the weekends when they have much more convenient and certainly much safer options near where they live.
And that's the whole point isn't it. How safe does anyone feel at 63rd and Prospect? Who wants to go to a location where their safety is in question? And more importantly who wants to buy a home in such a location? Without people with lots of disposable income residing in that area, any retail development is bound to fail. It was only after the lofts and condos took off in Downtown KC and created a solid localized residential population that business development began to succeed Downtown. With only poor, desperate people in blighted neighborhoods surrounding 63rd and Prospect, that development has no chance. And FYI, I work in the construction and development industry.
I think the Midtown development has a great deal of comparison - regional drawing power. People got off at Banister to go to Home Depot. You don't think if there was a Lowe's at Citadel, people wouldn't go there? As for the dangerous location - it is perception and not reality. Before you trot out the crime stats, I have spent plenty of time on the Eastside and have shopped from Troost to Prospect on 63rd. I live to tell the tale. Yes, the area has poor people, but there also is a very affluent enclave at the Citadel, halfway between Troost and Prospect on 63rd. You all spout about poverty and crime as if you know anything about living in those neighborhoods. I do. I doubt you do.
ReplyDeleteI spent 20 years in midtown, just moved away from there two months ago. You say perception, I say reality. Good luck with that Ikea.
ReplyDeleteWhy would you trot out Bannister and Home depot? That area only proves what crime and poverty can do to retail. Might as well drop 20 mill out the door of a plane, it would be a better investment, thats my opinion.
An Ikea at 63rd and Prospect? Sure! Why not? I bet it would be a HUGE succes!
ReplyDeleteI'll take it a step further.
In one of those reciprocal "sister city" arrangements, I think "Harold Pener Man of Fashion" should open up a location in Denmark.
I predict an equal level of success for Mr. Pener.
It's a Win/Win.
I just drove by the Bannister retail complex this past Saturday. Every time I do so I nearly wreck my car gawking in amazement at the retail wasteland, acres of deserted parking and empty storefronts.
ReplyDeleteJohnson County KS recently opened a big soccer complex. I can see the KCMO, city funded, Bannister soccer complex going straight down the tubes due to safety and security concerns. Nobody is going to risk putting their kids in danger if they have a similar, safer option 15 miles to the southwest.
For the same reason, Citidel Plaza will be a complete failure. Safer shopping and dining options are abundantly available. It's a red herring in search of financing and KCMO's city council appears ready to bite; hook, line and sinker.
Very pithy, XO.
ReplyDeletereally do you think the ikea people are going to drive down to that area and say to themselves, "what a perfect location for an eclectic home goods store!"
ReplyDeletewho in the hell are they going to get to work @ an ikea location down by research hospital? based on the local labor market of the part of the city the citadel is doomed right out of the gate.
i predict citadel will have the same boring chain stores as every other mall - only the amount shoplifting is going to be "off the hook." call me a prophet.
any increased traffic on 71 is really going to screw up my commute from the suburbs into downtown. dang it.