Misplaced Pages

#549450

57-580: Around 1995, the family of local businessman Art Wittern proposed the "Village at Oakbrook" to the city of West Des Moines on the 200-acre (0.81 km) site that the Witterns owned at 74th Street (later renamed Jordan Creek Parkway) and E.P. True Parkway. The village would have contained a mixture of commercial, residential, and office development that was intended to attract upscale retailers similar to those at Country Club Plaza in Kansas City . In 1999, following

114-604: A 21-story hotel and garage; however, the hotel portion of the plan did not materialize because of uncertainty about the future redevelopment of downtown. In August 2007, developer Dan Clothier announced he wanted to complete his original plan by adding an 18-story hotel tower atop a three-level garage. The $ 38 million project calls for the structure to house 200 hotel rooms or a combination of 160 rooms along with some residential units. In November, 2006, Barkley Inc. , an advertising and public relations firm formerly known as Barkley Evergreen & Partners, moved its 350+ employees to

171-639: A four-alarm fire that caused the restaurant's complete destruction as well as damage to surrounding buildings. JJ's returned in November 2014 to a new location, still in the Country Club Plaza area. In 2016 Highwoods announced plans to sell the retail complex for $ 660 million to a 50-50 joint venture of Taubman Centers and The Macerich Company . On February 2, 2018, Nordstrom announced it would be moving from Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, Kansas to

228-461: A large explosion destroyed JJ's Restaurant on the Plaza. Believed to be caused by a gas leak, the blast left at least one person dead and sixteen injured. According to a statement from Missouri Gas Energy , a contractor doing underground work struck a gas line. Witnesses had reported a strong odor of natural gas in the area most of the afternoon. The initial explosion happened shortly after 6 p.m. and led to

285-467: A major attraction for residents and visitors, and has had a civic impact on Downtown similar to that experienced by other municipalities, such as Baltimore and San Antonio . The T-Mobile Center (formerly Sprint Center), an 18,500-seat arena, was announced shortly after the launch of the Power & Light District. In 2004, a ballot initiative to fund the proposed arena through a tax on car rentals and hotels

342-419: A major flood of Brush Creek caused severe damage to the Plaza and resulted in a number of deaths. The flood prompted a vast renovation and revitalization of the area that has allowed it not only to survive but to thrive. In 1998, the J.C. Nichols Company merged with Raleigh, North Carolina -based real-estate investment trust Highwoods Properties, which now runs the Country Club Plaza. On February 19, 2013,

399-546: A massive boom in renovations and new construction. Since 2000, the estimated cost of these projects has totaled over $ 5.5 billion. The Power & Light District, also known as the Entertainment District, is a nine-block area to the immediate south of the Central Business District. Originally to be named Kansas City Live, Cordish, Inc. of Baltimore, Maryland – which developed the area – decided to name

456-478: A multi-use property of apartments, child care center, and Park University school. H&R Block , Commerce Bancshares , UMB Bank , Kansas City Southern , BNIM , Great Plains Energy , Aquila , DST Systems, J.E. Dunn Construction Group and HNTB are also among the companies headquartered in Downtown Kansas City . The Barney Allis Plaza is a park at the intersection of 12th Street and Wyandotte. It

513-483: A new location at the mall, with a planned opening in 2022. In April 2018, the parent company to the mall's Younkers department store announced it would cease operations and close all stores. The Jordan Creek store closed on August 29, 2018. On June 10, 2021, a 2-story H&M would open right next to the main atrium. On November 5, 2022, Von Maur opened in the former Younkers location. Country Club Plaza The Country Club Plaza (often called The Plaza )

570-519: A new space on the Country Club Plaza expected to open in fall 2023. The plans were cancelled in 2022. In July 2024, HP Village Management acquired Country Club Plaza in Kansas City from Macerich and Taubman Centers. The basic design of the Country Club Plaza reflects classic European influences, especially those of Seville, Spain , yet it does not include a traditional open plaza. There are more than 30 statues, murals, and tile mosaics on display in

627-457: A population of 19,899 residents, 11,790 housing units, and a median household income of $ 61,491. In 2000, the population may have been as low as 10,000 people with 7,330 units. In 2005, the population density was approximately 5,617 inhabitants per square mile (2,169/km ) in its 3.0-square-mile (7.8 km ) area. According to Local Market reports, Downtown houses approximately 20,000,000 square feet (1,900,000 m ) of office space. However,

SECTION 10

#1732901594550

684-568: A prominent oval shape, mixed with blue-green reflective glass. This is among newer, glass-walled buildings, also including the Sprint Center and the Kansas City Star printing press across I-670 . Cordish planned four residential towers as part of the project, which include a 25-floor residential tower (One Light), to the immediate north of the H&;R Block headquarters on a lot once occupied by

741-529: A site formerly occupied by Trinity Lutheran and St. Mary's Hospitals. The bank was based out of a 21-story tower in the Downtown Loop until the Penn Valley Park facility opened in 2008. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has its Kansas City offices just west of Crown Center, which houses up to 6,000 employees. Construction began in 2004 and the building was completed in mid-2006. The IRS was also to occupy

798-698: A study showing that retail sales in the Dallas County portion of West Des Moines had increased by over $ 310 million, or 503.7 percent, during Jordan Creek's first two years of operation. At the same time, sales in the city of Des Moines decreased by nearly $ 194 million (5.2 percent) while sales in the Polk County portion of West Des Moines decreased by $ 22 million (2.4 percent). Smaller Dallas County cities like Adel and Perry also experienced declines in retail sales during this period. In February 2018, Iowa-based department store Von Maur announced it would construct

855-455: A theater, grass-lined rooftop observation deck, open floor plan, and gallery space featuring art from local and national artists. Barkley adopted the rocket ship as its new logo shortly before moving into the renovated TWA space. BNIM Architects moved to the building's third floor in 2014. The Commerce Bank Tower at 9th and Main Streets housed Kansas City's largest bank until it was renovated into

912-588: Is a privately owned regional shopping center in the Country Club District of Kansas City , Missouri . Opened in 1923, it is considered to be the first planned large outdoor suburban shopping center in the United States and among the first regional centers to accommodate shoppers arriving by car. Planned in 1922 by J. C. Nichols and designed in Baroque Revival and Moorish Revival style echoing

969-420: Is about 4 miles (6.4 km) south of downtown , between 46th Street and Brush Creek to the north and south and between Mill Creek Parkway and Madison Avenue to the east and west. The Kansas state line is one mile (1.6 km) to the west. The neighborhoods surrounding the Plaza consist of upscale apartment buildings and mansions, especially those of the Country Club District built along Ward Parkway on

1026-600: Is named after the prominent Kansas City hotelier, and owner of the Standard Theater, Barney Allis. From April 11, 2006 until 2011, it hosted the Kansas City Explorers , the World TeamTennis team. The Kansas City Sports Walk of Stars was constructed at the edge of this park in 1991, and the first three polished granite slabs bore the names of inductees George Brett , Len Dawson , and Tom Watson . The Walk

1083-469: Is officially recognized by the city, and has used its common-law trademark since 1993. The Loop is the north central section of Downtown Kansas City; it is the most dense section of the city, and is surrounded on all four sides by the downtown freeway loop . Altogether, the Loop has an area of nearly one square mile. In 2006, the Downtown Loop had nearly 8,000 residents. The Downtown Loop encompasses Quality Hill,

1140-522: Is situated at the northern terminus of Ward Parkway , a boulevard known for its wide, manicured median lined with fountains and statuary that traverses the Country Club District. Nichols selected the location carefully to provide residents with a direct route to the Plaza along Ward Parkway. Nichols began acquiring the land for the Plaza in 1907, in an area of Kansas City that was then known as Brush Creek Valley . When his plans were first announced,

1197-557: The City Council . The arena vote passed decidedly. Construction began on the T-Mobile Center in late 2004. Before this, however, and even before the vote, the city sent out requests to local and national architectural firms – including HOK Sports, Ellerbe Beckett, 360 Architecture, Rafael Architects Inc. and the world-renowned Frank Gehry – to bid on the project. The first four of the aforementioned firms, however, collaborated to form

SECTION 20

#1732901594550

1254-680: The Kansas City Streetcar Authority – operates and maintains the system. Unlike many similar systems around the U.S., there will be no fare charged. The city is planning to add multiple extensions to the starter line. In 2015, the KCATA, Unified Government Transit, Johnson County Transit, and IndeBus (all separate metro services) began merging into one coordinated transit service for the Kansas City region, called RideKC. The buses and other transit options will be branded as: RideKC Bus, RideKC MAX, RideKC Streetcar, and RideKC Bridj. RideKC Bridj

1311-477: The Kansas City Symphony , Kansas City Ballet , and Kansas City Lyric Opera. By May 2015, more than 1.5 million people had attended the center. The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City is a 16-story office tower with a two-story operations center designed by Henry N. Cobb of Pei Cobb Freed & Partners. It is at Penn Valley Park on the southern edge of Downtown, to the immediate west of Crown Center on

1368-738: The Missouri River in the north, to 31st Street in the south; and from the Kansas – Missouri state line eastward to Bruce R. Watkins Drive as defined by the Downtown Council of Kansas City; the 2010 Greater Downtown Area Plan formulated by the City of Kansas City defines the Greater Downtown Area to be the city limits of North Kansas City and Missouri to the north, the Kansas–Missouri state line to

1425-664: The National World War I Museum and Memorial . Union Station and the rest of Crown Center connect via a skywalk called the Link. The River Market is Kansas City's original neighborhood on the Missouri River. The district contains one of the country's largest and longest lasting public farmers' markets, and several unique shops and restaurants. The Arabia Steamboat Museum is next to the City Market. The Town of Kansas Bridge reaches

1482-484: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel, higher-end restaurants, and upscale retailers including Gucci , Polo Ralph Lauren , FAO Schwarz , Saks Fifth Avenue , Bally , and Swanson's. Today, the Plaza is home to a number of high-end and unique-to-market stores including Tiffany & Co. , Michael Kors , Kate Spade New York , Eileen Fisher , Indochino , Free People , Tommy Bahama and Vineyard Vines . On September 12, 1977,

1539-514: The "Downtown Arena Design Team," and won the contract over Gehry's bid, with the city citing the companies had completed a variety of sports-related projects and were based locally as the reason for their selection. Since construction began, many local minority leaders have protested the construction company and contractors for not putting enough minorities in the construction and contracting teams. The contractors, however, assert they have complied with state and federal requirements and continue to meet

1596-519: The 2018/2019 season, 8 year-old Kansas City resident Hazel Laurie suggested that if the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl , the lights should remain up the rest of the year. Downtown Kansas City Downtown Kansas City is the central business district (CBD) of Kansas City, Missouri and the Kansas City metropolitan area which contains 3.8% of the area's employment. It is between

1653-534: The Central Business District, the Entertainment District, and the Government District. Districts in The Loop are: The Crossroads District , formerly a warehouse district from I-670 in the north up to Union Station in the south, is going through a period of revitalization, like much of the city. Buildings are being redeveloped for office and residential uses. Several restaurants and art galleries are now within

1710-563: The Conference Center, Meeting Rooms, and Barney Allis Plaza. This totals more than 800,000 square feet (74,000 m ). Bartle Hall was opened in 1976, in time for the Republican National Convention. As time passed, the need for more room grew. In 1994, Kansas City-based HNTB and BNIM designed an expansion that spanned over I-670 through downtown. After the project's completion, 388,800 square feet were available for

1767-805: The Performing Arts is on the northern edge of the Crossroads Arts District, just south of the Bartle Hall ballroom. Construction began on October 6, 2006, and the facility opened to the public in September 2011. It was designed by architect Moshe Safdie. The 316,000 square foot performing arts center consists of the Muriel McBrien Kauffman Theater, Helzberg Hall, and the Brandmeyer Great Hall. Its three resident companies are

Jordan Creek Town Center - Misplaced Pages Continue

1824-415: The Plaza combined some higher-end shops, such as Harzfeld's , with a mix of more mid-level retailers such as Sears and Woolworth's , as well such quotidian enterprises as a bowling alley, movie theater, and a grocery store to serve the daily needs of residents of the district. . From around 1970, competition from newer suburban shopping malls led management to reposition the Plaza with luxury hotels such as

1881-505: The Plaza for the local entertainment/performances and to watch the switch-throwing to initiate the Christmas season . A special guest or celebrity "flips the switch" each year. The Plaza's "Season of Lights" is one of the city's oldest traditions. The lights are turned on Thanksgiving evening and shine overnight through mid-January of the following year. The one or two-hour ceremony is broadcast live on local television station KMBC . During

1938-421: The Plaza was designed and built to accommodate visitors arriving by automobile, it is unlike modern shopping malls with sprawling parking lots: parking is concealed in multilevel parking garages beneath and behind the shops, or on the rooftops of buildings. The Plaza was also the first shopping center to use the percentage lease, where rents are based on a percentage of the gross receipts of tenants. This concept

1995-513: The Plaza's southern and southwestern side. The buildings are arrayed along a collection of streets at the northern edge of the Country Club District, which leads the center to blend in with the apartment and office buildings and houses that surround it. The Country Club Plaza was named for the associated Country Club District , the neighborhood developed by J.C. Nichols which surrounded the Kansas City Country Club (now Loose Park ). It

2052-671: The Riverfront Heritage Trail which leads to Berkley Riverfront Park , which is operated by Port KC. Launched by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) in July 2005, "MAX" (Metro Area Express) is a bus rapid transit line extending from downtown through the Country Club Plaza to Waldo . The MAX buses include GPS to transmit real-time data on the next pickup time to each station where

2109-545: The Transit Plaza at 10th & Main Streets and Grand Avenue between 11th and 12th Streets. On December 12, 2012, a ballot initiative to construct a $ 102 million, two-mile streetcar , to stretch from River Market to Crown Center , was approved by local voters. Construction on the line began in 2013, and the line became operational in May 2016. A new non-profit corporation made up of private sector stakeholders and city appointees –

2166-798: The architecture of Seville, Spain , The Plaza comprises numerous, large city blocks of high-end retail establishments, restaurants, and entertainment venues, as well as offices. The Country Club Plaza is named in the Project for Public Spaces ' list 60 of the World's Great Places . It encompasses a 14-block area, and includes 40 statues, fountains and sculptures; 12 towers; carriage rides and sidewalk cafes; and at one time, 180 shops and restaurants. As of 2020, there were more than 70 stores and shops in 18 separate buildings representing 784,000 square feet (72,800 m ) of retail space and 219,000 square feet (20,300 m ) of office space. The 55-acre (22 ha) site

2223-513: The area, as well as major architectural reproductions, such as a half-sized Giralda Tower of Seville (the tallest building in the Plaza). The Plaza also includes reproductions of San Francisco's Path of Gold streetlights. Other works of art celebrate the classics, nature, and historical American themes such as westward expansion , and a magnificent fountain featuring four horses rearing up on their hind legs, designed by Henri-Léon Gréber . Although

2280-477: The district after the historic art deco Power & Light Building. The present headquarters of the Kansas City Power & Light Company, a subsidiary of Great Plains Energy , is also on the district's northern side. Instead, a one-block area near the new H&R Block headquarters tower – devoted to live music venues – was named Kansas City Live! . The H&R Block building, which opened in mid-2006, has

2337-566: The district, and the area has a monthly event known as First Fridays. They feature pop-up art galleries, food trucks, live music, and shopping deals. Crown Center is a district developed by Hallmark . Within Crown Center, families can enjoy an aquarium, Legoland, and Kaleidoscope. There are several mid to upscale stores, and hotels include the Sheraton and the Westin. The district is a short walk from

Jordan Creek Town Center - Misplaced Pages Continue

2394-432: The exhibition hall. The expansion also included a grand ballroom, conference center, and meeting rooms. The facilities include Municipal Auditorium , an Art Deco venue built in 1934. It features an arena that seats 10,700; a music hall that seats 2,400; and a little theater suited for more private events. The auditorium connects via parking garage and skywalk to the rest of the convention center. The Kauffman Center for

2451-563: The first suburban center with common management and tenant selection, and the first with unified architecture. New Urbanist land developer Andres Duany noted in Community Builder: The Life & Legacy of J.C. Nichols that the Country Club Plaza has had the longest life of any planned shopping center in the history of the world. One of its oldest retailers is the Jack Henry Clothing company, founded in 1931. While

2508-523: The flagship store of the Jones Store Company. Groundbreaking on the complex began in March 2006. As of 2023, One and Two Lights are complete, and Three Light is under construction. The Entertainment District practically shares a border with I-670. Enclosed between the residential towers and H&R Block's new building will be many shops and restaurants new to the Kansas City area. The new district has become

2565-435: The former TWA world headquarters at the district's southern edge. The building had been empty for two decades and cost over $ 30 million to renovate. Barkley also reconstructed the famous Walt Disney -designed three-story rocket ship that stood atop the building during TWA's tenure. The Moonliner signified one-time TWA majority shareholder Howard Hughes ' desire to guide the airline into space travel. Other renovations included

2622-657: The four malls during the last three months of 2004. Jordan Creek also affected sales tax revenues in Dallas County , which jumped from $ 16.7 million in fiscal 2004 to $ 33.7 million in fiscal 2006. It has also spawned other new commercial developments in West Des Moines such as the West Glen Town Center near Interstate 35 and a new Wells Fargo office complex south of the mall. In May 2007, Iowa State University economists David Swenson and Liesl Eathington released

2679-462: The line stops; all buses have dedicated lanes during rush hour and stoplights can automatically change in their favor, if needed, if buses are behind schedule. A second MAX route opened on January 1, 2011 ( Troost Avenue MAX, or "Green Line"), which shares some downtown stops with what is now called Main Street MAX (or "Orange Line"). Most other KCATA routes have stops throughout downtown, centered on

2736-525: The mall. The Iowa Supreme Court dismissed the lawsuit on February 27, 2002, allowing construction of the $ 200 million complex to begin later that year. Jordan Creek Town Center opened on August 4, 2004, attracting nearly 17 million shoppers in its first year. Jordan Creek led to short-term sales declines at the three existing regional malls in the Des Moines area (Merle Hay, Valley West, and Southridge ) while accounting for nearly 37 percent of taxable sales at

2793-530: The nearby Kansas City Main Post Office building (the Post Office having moved across the street to a building next to Union Station ). The historic Freight House building in the Crossroads Arts District was built in the 1880s; it was renovated in the late 1990s, and it is now home to Grunauer, Lidia's Kansas City, and Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue . The original plan for the redevelopment included

2850-429: The positive contributions that Nichols made to Kansas City and urban development are undeniable, there is a dark history of how his influence impacted marginalized communities within Kansas City. Nichols is responsible for " redlining " and residential covenants that kept Blacks , Jews , and other marginalized people from purchasing homes and living in the more desirable areas of Kansas City. For its first four decades,

2907-579: The project was dubbed 'Nichols' Folly' because of the then seemingly undesirable location; at the time, the only developed land in the valley belonged to the Country Day School (now the Pembroke Hill School ), and the rest was known for pig farming. . Nichols employed architect Edward Buehler Delk to design the new shopping district. The Plaza was opened in 1923. It was the first regional shopping center designed with parking for automobile access,

SECTION 50

#1732901594550

2964-514: The requests of local citizens. The T-Mobile Center opened in 2007; as of June 2011, the arena does not have an NBA or NHL tenant. However, the arena has served as the venue for events such as concerts and since March 2008, the Big 12 Basketball Tournament . The Kansas City Convention Center consists of several buildings, either connected to or adjacent to each other: Bartle Hall, the Grand Ballroom,

3021-567: The success of Coral Ridge Mall in eastern Iowa, General Growth Properties chose the Wittern site for its proposed "town center" concept. General Growth unveiled plans for Jordan Creek Town Center in May 2000. Two of the Des Moines metropolitan area 's existing malls, Merle Hay Mall and Valley West Mall , promptly sued the city of West Des Moines, claiming that it was illegal to use public money from tax increment financing to make improvements around

3078-682: The vacancy of this space was at about 15%. Downtown has about 12,800,000 square feet (1,190,000 m ) of Class A&B office space, with a vacancy rate of 15.9%, and over 100,000 employees. Downtown has a total of 5,606 hotel rooms, accounting for 22.5% of the total amount of hotel rooms in the metropolitan area. The average occupancy of these rooms is about 56.5%. As of 2007, about 2,800,000 square feet (260,000 m ) of office space are under construction in Downtown Kansas City. Current investments into downtown redevelopment have exceeded $ 6 billion. Downtown Kansas City has been undergoing

3135-409: The west, 31st Street to the south and Woodland Avenue to the east. However, the definition used by the Downtown Council is the most commonly accepted. In March 2012, Downtown Kansas City was selected as one of America's Best downtowns by Forbes magazine for its rich culture in arts, numerous fountains, upscale shopping, and local cuisine such as barbecue . In 2013, the Downtown Council reported

3192-427: Was effectively passed by area voters. The project raised some controversy as Enterprise Rent-A-Car , whose owner is known for supporting a possible NBA franchise in the company's headquarters of St. Louis , lobbied against the tax and tried to sway public opinion against the arena. Some city officials, and citizens against the increased tax, also fought the project. One of the most prominent was Sandra McFadden-Weaver of

3249-609: Was novel when Nichols invented it, but it is now a standard practice in commercial leases. Several companies are based in the Country Club Plaza area, including American Century Investments , Russell Stover Candies , Inergy , Gates Bar-B-Q , Lockton , Polsinelli , and Block Real Estate Services. In 1925, a single strand of 16 colored-lights was placed above a doorway in the Country Club Plaza to celebrate Christmas . The number of lights increased annually, inspiring an official lighting ceremony that first took place in 1930. On Thanksgiving night, tens of thousands of people visit

#549450