Elements of Urbanism: Kansas City

[Metro Jacksonville]

Elements of Urbanism: Kansas City



Kansas City boasts over 100,000 office workers, 16,000 residents, and $4 Billion in investment in their downtown. Check out the current state of Kansas City.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2010-sep-elements-of-urbanism-kansas-city

[keywest09]

KC is a very nice city.  I have to ask did the picture of the lady(I use that loosely) holding the sign about Homosexuality have to be used in this?  I know it's her freedom of speech, but to see that picture in this just hits me the wrong way this morning.   Just my thoughts. 

[thelakelander]

I didn't really have any religious motive for including it.  Reading them now, I think the majority of America is on this list for at least one thing (including the sign holder).  I snapped a ton of shots (that one while driving) and when I created the article, my interest was the park and urban space she was in, moreso then the messages of her two signs.

[GayLA]

.I concur!

[keywest09]

I didn't really have any religious motive for including it.  Reading them now, I think the majority of America is on this list for at least one thing (including the sign holder).  I snapped a ton of shots (that one while driving) and when I created the article, my interest was the park and urban space she was in, moreso then the messages of her two signs.

Sorry to be so sensitive.  I do understand where your coming from.  We here in little Key West have a sign guy that holds them up all over town.  He even stands at the entrance to Key West and all the vistors get to see him.  The funny thing is he is a gay man.  Anyway Have a great day!

[hanjin1]

Man those first few picture made kansas city look desolate.

[ben says]

Kansas City...one of the most underrated cities in America.

God I love that town...

Just wish they had the obligatory picture of Arthur Bryant's BBQ!

[heights unknown]

What a vivacious, dense, and well proportioned looking downtown! If there is any city's downtown and/or skyline that I've seen in pics or in person that I think Jacksonville should look like, it's Kansas City.  I wouldn't want our downtown or core to look like any of Florida's major cities either. It also looks like there is plenty to do in Kansas City.  Looking at how small Jax's city limits was prior to consolidation, we had quite a lot of people packed in our city limits before consolidation and before the loss of most of our people and buildings within those city limits back then.  Kansas City has quite a lot of land area for a non-consoldiated city, but not a lot of people it seems within those city limits.  All in all I like the look and the picturesque feel of Kansas City.  Good looking city.

[thelakelander]

Kansas City...one of the most underrated cities in America.

God I love that town...

Just wish they had the obligatory picture of Arthur Bryant's BBQ!

Great meat and huge portions.  Went there but did not include it in the article:

[Duuuvalboy]

I love Duval County to death.. I'm Duval bred til I'm Duval dead.. BUTTTT!... Everybody Downtown is better than our Downtown.. We soooo far behind

[thelakelander]

The majority of KC's DT seemed pretty dead to me, although they do have the benefit of a ton of historic building stock still being in place.  The inner city neighborhoods like the Crossroads, River Market, Country Club Plaza, Westport, 39th Street, etc. seemed to be the urban spots to be.  However, DT's Power & Light District was pretty nice.

[finehoe]

RE: Power & Light District

If the same tiresome chains are located in everybody's renovated downtown, what's the point?  I guess the days of each city being a unique entity are long gone.

[simms3]

I might like this city more than St. Louis now (I have only been to St. Louis so I can't really tell), but wow!  This is a better photo thread of KC, MO than I have seen on any number of other sites!

[thelakelander]

I guess the days of each city being a unique entity are long gone.

I don't think so.  Kansas City's urban core is very unique once you hit the surrounding urban districts.  I continue to believe this is an issue where we really fall short in living up to our urban development potential.  There's too much focus on our DT's, imho.  Vibrant isolated DTs aren't what makes walkable cities unique and inviting places to be.  It's the ability of having seamless connectivity and synergy between several distinct walkable districts that combine to form one vibrant large scale unique urban product.  For both Jacksonville and KC, the unique pieces are there.  The question to me is how do you pull them together to make that seamless walkable connection?

[jagsfan32092]

KC is my hometown and is a great town.  If it weren't for the weather, I would consider moving back one day but unless Global Warming makes it warmer, I'm Jacksonville forever.