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Make The Plaza Walkable Again

The Plaza envisions a more walkable future, OP hosts their Fall Festival next month, and a new skyscraper attracts wealthy suitors.

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KC Daily
August 14, 2023

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Community

Make The Plaza Walkable Again

Urban Lab KC

Mayor Lucas tweeted last week a new plan for the Country Club Plaza that could make Nichols Road a zone strictly for pedestrians.

  • Grab Your Walking Shoes: The plan, created by Urban Lab KC, envisions a newly rendered Plaza that would remove Nichols Road in lieu of a walking path with a large fountain in the center.

  • Proponents: Those in favor of the new plan, including Mayor Quinton Lucas, say that nixing traffic and creating an outdoor shopping center could lead to lower crime, higher sales, and more room for retail space.

  • Trend Setters: The Plaza, celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, was America’s first planned pedestrian shopping center.

No formal proposals have been submitted, and there seems to be no timetable for when these changes could take effect. More research would likely need to be done before a formal proposal goes before local officials.

Events

Fall Fest Fever

Visit Overland Park

The Overland Park Fall Festival, a festival featuring dozens of local merchants, live music and demonstrations, and local food trucks, is just around the corner.

  • Artisan Fair: One of the main attractions of each year’s fall festival is the Artisan fair. Featuring almost 100 local artists and craftsmen, you could get lost for hours simply looking at each booth’s offerings.

  • Live Performances: Not only will the festival feature live music from the area, but each year you are sure to see street performers of various kinds that bring variety and character to the fest.

  • Foods: You can grab fresh local foods at the OP Farmer's Market, and there will also be food trucks and local restaurants with street-side options.

The Fall Festival will take place in Downtown Overland Park on September 29th from 5 to 8 pm and on the 30th from 8 am to 5 pm. Not only is this a perfect excuse for parents to get their kids out of the house, but dogs are welcome too.

Development

KC Skyscraper Attracting Big Names

Lux Living

Lux Living's 27-story project at 14th and Wyandotte appears to have transformed from solely apartments to a mixed-use tower with 200 hotel rooms due to strong interest from notable hotel operators.

  • Big Names: After originally being conceived as an apartment project, Lux Living's development shifted to include a hotel component. Plans shifted after hotel brands such as Kimpton, Hard Rock, JW Marriott, and Virgin Hotels all showed interest in possibly partnering on the project with Lux.

  • Big Opportunity: With a prime location next to the historic Power & Light building, the new building would allow one of the suitors from the list above the opportunity to serve plenty of guests in a brand-new building just as the city’s 2026 World Cup showcase.

  • Big Inspiration: It would appear that local suitors for the project are taking ideas from the Loews Hotel building which has found massive success offering high-end hospitality in the heart of Downtown.

To read more about the shift from pure apartments to mix-use, check out this article from CityScene KC.

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