There goes the P&L …

Regarding the recent passage to relax the dress code of the Power & Light District, I say this to the City Council: what cowards! Those of us paying patrons were in favor of leaving the code alone. But again the city of Kansas City cowered to the threats of others.
 
Let’s all stand back and watch a great area to visit and patronize go the way of Westport, and be turned over to an underage group whose sole purpose is to intimidate the paying public.

Linda Clark
Kingsville, Mo.

Comments

[Casady]

Marc, the off street parking requirement is inane for any city trying to revitalize it's urban core. I couldn't believe it when I first heard about it. I'm friends with several business owners in the area and their expansion plans are tied because of this silly law. Here we are trying to promote mass transit, deter drunk driving yet we have laws in place that incent people to drive downtown (i.e more parking). It's wrong on so many levels.

Stone, I will see you there!

[stone]

Cas-
off topic, but I just wanted to share that I scored 2 4 night passes to Phish at Red Rocks in July/August. I can't wait. Phish having been banned from RR in '96 for ten years, it is going to be a blast

[Marctnts]

Casady,

I worked on a potential project a few years ago that was to be located on the parking lot site in front of Buzzard Beach that you were talking about. The building was going to tie into the west side of the Harry's building and extend west along Westport road to the corner and wrap a little bit. We were going to maintain a decent amount of parking behind the new building between it and the Buzzard Beach buildings.

What finally killed the project was the issue we were discussing earlier. The owner (who owns quite a few of the other buildings in the area) couldn't get the City to back off the off-street parking requirements for the existing buildings he owned, and he had to leave the entire Buzzard Beach parking lot alone since it was the only place he had to amortize spaces for all his other buildings.

Until the City backs off of their circa 1970's suburban-model code or quits bowing to Cordish pressure and begins earnestly allowing variances again, I'm afraid we won't see much more in the way of redevelopment in many parts of downtown / midtown.

[Casady]

That's the sort of home grown spirit that I look for in a city, JM. Nice idea. I've seen some shows at KC live at P&L. It's comfortable but the sound leaves the bands all but inaudible. They used to do a Memorial Day Irish Fest in what I think was the Buzzard Beach parking lot when I first moved here. That could easily be transformed into a nice outdoor venue. It's not like they would be losing hundreds of spaces.

[Marctnts]

...

[Marctnts]

Thai Place, one of my favorites. Harry's used to have great lunch sandwich specials, but I haven't seen those in a while.

Everyone always goes for the Phad Thia, but on your next Thai Place visit, try the Panang Beef Curry, it's lean beef strips in a spicy peanut curry sauce. Very rich, very delicious.

[Keith Williams3]

Well I like westport much better myself; its those that want isolation that fight to keep division.

What should have happened is take away all the glitz and glamour if that's what you want to call it and keep the tax dollars flowing then put in local businesses and infrastructure tie it in with some trolley runs to and from Plaza, Westport, Waldo, Crown Center and Brookside. After that have Block parties and promote local Talent on main stages and that could have been our KC LIVE! right there with out the Yuppie wanna be P&L.
Lost Several bars already to P&L like Paddies. Could have made Pub crawls a norm with the Trolleys and it didnt have to be for a special occasion but keep in mind that the Tax dollars would be key.

[Casady]

Good info. Thanks Marc. It's giving me just cause to put P&L on my boycott list. Not that there is much there that interests me anyway. There are a hell of a lot of places in KC that have better steaks than Ted's Montana Grill.

As for the critics of Westport, I get the impression that they don't spend very much time there. We often find ourselves dining at Thai Place or Blue Stem, then maybe grabbing a drink at Harry's, 180 or on the deck of Californo's, then catching our friends playing at Blayney's or the Record Bar. Maybe it's from growing up in NYC but I never once felt threatened, nor have I ever seen anything closely resembling the scenes described by the areas detractors. And the venues certainly have a lot more character and local feel than anywhere I've been at the P&L.

[Marctnts]

Casady,

From what I've heard, Cordish has had a BIG hand in a lot of the City's more recent forsaking of our more "local" districts. A few examples:

1. Cordish has opposed Westport's attempt to get an event license to serve alcohol outdoors and on public ROW for special events. Right now, the P&L has the only license in the state to do this, and theirs is an "always good" license, meaning that they don't need a special event to use it. When the Westport Merchants Association and a district in STL applied for one as well (and they were good with special events only), Cordish not only opposed it but threatened to sue City Hall if they supported Westport's efforts.

2. Cordish has pressured the City to enforce KCMO's old suburban-model off-street parking requirements in the Crossroads, Westport, etc. and not to grant any more variances from these requirements. When these areas began gentrifying, standard practice was to use the variance process in these areas since KCMO doesn't have a good form-based code that addresses the unique challenges of downtown areas. KCMO was good with this, and even encouraged it, since it relived pressure to overhaul their zoning in the short term. Now, with Cordish's push, it's almost impossible for a Crossroads or Westport business to comply without a significant investment in leased parking (something that many small outfits can't afford).

3. Cordish has opposed City Hall efforts to open up the City-owned garages to non P&L customers during high-traffic events downtown (B-Ball, Concerts, City Job Expos, Etc.). Apparently, they're fine with the garages being used, but only within the narrow set of Cordish requirements currently attached to them and only by P&L customers. Yet again, they've threatened to sue City Hall if any further action is taken on the garages.

4. Cordish has opposed any effort for non-P&L entities to use the PUBLIC areas within the P&L. From what I hear, this year's Paddy's Day parade ended in Westport because of the fight that Cordish put up for the last few years against having the parade go through the district. Why, in a million years, Cordish would have a problem with an event that funnels thousands of people to their doorstep is beyond be, but I tend to think it's just another power play on their part.

Cordish has been known for these kinds of strong arm tactics in other cities, and it looks like KC is just the latest city to suffer at their hands. They just can't seem to understand that what is good for the entire downtown / midtown area will be good for their investment in the long run.

[solomon]

"PW Mayor"...Don't know how it got passed me....PW is a good description for our esteemed head honcho.

This dress code was NEVER about people we all accept are not dressed in the fashion (neat and clean) we all view as acceptable. Pants around the ass worn by anyone is offensive. The fact is that this code of Cordish went far beyond this.

As usual people like NE will talk about a race card while saying blacks spoiled Bannister, Indian Springs etc.

[Casady]

I couldn;t agree with you more, Marc. Having lived in several urban areas, I have seen several once blighted areas revitalized beyond belief (Federal Hill in Baltimore, U Street/Logan Circle in DC, Lodo in Denver to name but a few). In all instances, the neighborhoods were revitalized not by outside interested building a bunch of generic restaurants but by grass roots efforts and infrastructure improvements (i.e. adding a subway/light rail stop). Crossroads is a good example here but the city seems to have turned it's back on supporting local businesses in that area (i.e witness the hard time Grinders went through to get a liquor liscense for it's outside venue or how that wonderful Cuban restaurant was not allowed to open because of some inane parking space requirement). My guess is Cordish may have had a hand in those matters since Crossroads, if allowed to develop unfettered, would take away business from the P&L.

[Marctnts]

Casady,

Here's how I think of the P&L. Imagine it as a downtown version of Worlds of Fun. Lot's of "known" attractions trying to attract the Northland / JoCo entertainment dollars. They're trying to create an amusement park in the "cool downtown" area.

The sad thing is, without a focus on the other elements that create a viable and livable urban core, they end up with the same thing on weeknights, Saturdays after closing, and Sundays that places like Worlds of Fun have. Lot's of empty parking lots.

[Casady]

What cracks me up is the P&L is nothing more than a bunch of mediocre chain restaurants and bars that are targeted toward the white, young and drunk crowd yet they are attempting to project an image of class and distiction. It's not exactly an upscale fine dining area so why is there such an obsession with people's appearances?

[Keith Williams3]

P&L will go the way it was already going with out "Thugs". NO WHERE! Because they said you can wear a nice White T-shirt as long as its no undergarment, you can were shorts just done show your behind; that's going to allow countless white, black and whom ever to get in now so that's a good thing for everyone.

What race card ok well some people have played the race card but they have that right based on the evidence set fourth but me personally I only do it subconsciously because I hope for the better. My arguments are always fairness, unbiased, one-accord........ so if that gets criticism then its the opposition that is playing the race card. Basically saying you are not on my level so there shouldn't be any fairness and so fourth.

Race card is when someone says Bannister, Indian Springs, or Westport; that's race card because African Americans frequent those joints as well as many other races at one point but it wasn't long shorts and white T's that killed those joints, it was change in how Malls where looking and ran and many other managerial decisions. Yes in poorer areas Tax payers couldn't afford to flip the bill to turn them into a Mega mall so stores pulled out and plans failed. They needed that over haul and now Indian Springs is getting one because the developer believes and trust that we are civilized people!

[NoMoreMrNiceGuy]

Business owners should just undermine the bogus race card being played and just not serve anyone that appears to be a trouble maker or gangsta. Or rather than post what someone can't wear, require a collared shirt, slacks and tie. For woman require a bra be worn, and skirts belwo the knee, no shorts.
This was just another race card whining session. P&L will go the way of Wesport, Bannister Mall, Indian Springs, etc.

[Keith Williams3]

Marctnts has a point; but heres my point. "thugs' Didn't want to hang down there anyway so you being those who opposed changing the dress thwe dress code and who were "afraid"..... never had anything to worry about.

Second it was already failing.

Third I do agree that the city council have more pressing issues to deal with.

Fourth yes it has changed and although Cordish still get to keep their original purpose of the original dress code in mind it has become more fair/unbias Brother friendly or should I say cultural friendly and it is not as contradictive.

Fifth those who cry over this will never be in the shoes of those who the dress code tried to keep out. There were and is thousands of tax paying citizens who just wanted to have a beer and maybe didn't have the nice clothing or refused to give in to a silly dress code that in a public area shouldn't be in the first place.

Sixth and done after this lol! Dress codes should be in place, if you are a sports bar why have one unless someone is just but naked, if you are Makers Mark Bar you want an upscale environment so yes have one but don't make it white t's make no T's no shorts at all unbiased.
I think it was a good change so to all who continue to cry about it, don't go down there stay in your gated communities because the district was failing long before a dress code.

[Marctnts]

Sol,

Think "whipped" and add an anatomical term before it. I'll give Kee this one, it seems to be a pretty good descriptor for our current mayor.

[Kee]

You don't know what PW is Race Card? Figures.

[solomon]

Interesting that this lady from the diverse town of Kingsville see's this as a "youth" issue. At least she doesn't hide her "they took Westport" mentality.

Hey El Mon Kee,

What is a PW Mayor?

[Kee]

What a laugh riot KC is becoming. A failing, miserable school district, recalling a PW Mayor, a Bazillion dollar arena with no anchor, a "party district" that invites you to park and get your car towed, two professional sports teams to who WIN must be a four lettered word since they avoind it so, and a huge budget deficit, yeah, up to date all right.