The Kansas City *Gallery*

[Zorobabel]

Originally Posted by StormShadow

I've seen a tour of Overland Park at SSP. Let's keep in mind Overland Park is the largest satellite city in the Kansas City metropolitan area. I was quite surprised when I saw the tour at SSP.

The Kansas-side suburbs, including Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, and so one, are concentrated in Johnson County, which has a population of 550,000. Actually the overall population density in Johnson County is nearly as high as KCMO, and the density in Overland Park at over 1,000 / km2 is significantly higher. Sadly, however, there is very little infill development in the area and most of the mid-rises that you see are part of corporate office parks. Maybe some day that will change.

[Zach759]

Johnson County sucks

[SteveWasco12]

Originally Posted by Zach759

Johnson County sucks

Agreed, it's a leech and the state line is Kansas City Missouri's biggest obstacle.

The state govt of Kansas and the KS suburb municipalities use tax incentives to specifically lure businesses out of the city and across state line to build crappy sprawled office parks on cheap, flat Kansas farmland. Makes me want to puke.

Originally Posted by Zorobabel

The Kansas-side suburbs, including Overland Park, Olathe, Shawnee, Lenexa, ...Johnson County, which has a population of 550,000. Actually the overall population density in Johnson County is nearly as high as KCMO, and the density in Overland Park at over 1,000 / km2 is significantly higher. blah, blah, blah

Kansas City Missouri annexed miles and miles of undeveloped land north of the city in the 70's so that it would never be landlocked. That land remains mostly undeveloped.

Kansas City Missouri's central core from the river to 75th Street - state line to I-435 (the original city) is infinitely more dense than Johnson County and is as dense as any other city in the midwest except for Chicago. There are 700,000 people within a 10 mile concentric circle of downtown.

Overland Park KS, Johnson Cty and pretty much the entire state of Kansas is a useless shithole IMO. It's easily the flatest, lamest most boring state i've ever visited. That's why the population center of KS keeps moving closer to the Missouri state line.

[Zorobabel]

Actually I have spent a total of nearly 10 years of my life in KCMO, so I do know quite a lot about it. But unlike most natives of the city, I never did develop the unnatural hatred that Missourians have for the KS-side suburbs.

And just for your reference, as you don't seem to be nearly as knowledgeable as you let on, KCMO never annexed land to keep from being landlocked (what?); it annexed land north of the city because from the 50's through the 70's that is where all the population growth was coming from--suburban sprawl. This was done in an attempt to mask the real shift that was occurring: that the urban core itself witnessed a dramatic decline in population, falling by 50% from 1940 to 1980. KCMO has increased its land area by 500% since the 1950s, yet in that same period the city's population has remained stable. You can carry that air of superiority, yet it has been low-density developments that have helped keep the city afloat.

In regards to your statement that "That land remains mostly undeveloped," well, it's an interesting assertion but also blatantly false. The area stretching from Liberty west past Weatherby Lake (a length of 15 miles) is all nearly completely filled with suburban-style housing developments, and this stretches north all the way to the junction of I-435 and HW169. There remain a few wooded areas and pastures, but the vast majority has been developed. Further, this is where practically all population growth has occurred in the last few decades.

Nice try, though.

[SteveWasco12]

You spent a few years there and pretend to be an expert on the city's annexation process and development? You are no-doubt a native kansan or somone that lived in the Kansas suburbs. Thus you never, ever became a true kansas Citian while there. IF you were even there at all. Your posts sound like you're more "google" than you are "KC".



Of course people from the city that grow up there HATE Kansas. I watched the city become a wasteland in the 80's & 90's as the STATE Govt of Kansass and every shithole Kansas suburb mortgag it's future by selling off tax incentives to purposely lure businesses and the TAX BASE OUT of KCMO. No wonder the state of KS is heading toward bankruptcy, it's catching up to them.

RE: annexation you seem unable to conclude that anything built on this annexed land would obviously be built in a suburban, sprawled style - you can't figure that out? So it would be reasonable to assume that development wouldn't be as dense as the original city is.

Secondly, only recently has KCMO truly started doing serious infill in the Northland. Additionally, you don't mention huge areas to the south and east that are swamp land and have not been developed yet.

Further, you ignorantly use OLD population numbers for KCMO to suit your attack of KCMO.

KCMO is now 485,000+ in population. Moreover, you FAIL to note that KCMO has actually added more new homes and population than Johnson County did in the past year. perhaps you should stick to providing misinformation about jakarta or wherever you may actually be?

The bottom line that you FAIL to address and which destroys your argument: Kansas City Missouri's central core from the river to 75th Street - state line to I-435 (the original city) is infinitely more dense than Johnson County and is as dense as any other city in the midwest except for Chicago. There are 700,000 people within a 10 mile concentric circle of downtown.


BACK TO THE THREAD TITLE KC "GALLERY".

[Zorobabel]

Nope, not a native of Kansas nor have I ever lived in any Kansas-side suburb in my life. Again, nice try.

I didn't mention population figures, but since you bring it up, the 485,000 figure is the Census Bureau's revision after the city of KCMO challenged their estimates. Comparing this to previous years and concluding that it is population growth is inaccurate, as it was an upward revision on previous estimates. Just for your reference.

Don't blame me that KCMO annexed land that they didn't intend to develop. Oklahoma City did the same thing. Stupid, yes, and it'd be nice if we could calculate density based on the core city excluding sprawl, but that's inexact and subjective.

I personally liked KCMO a lot. I think the P&L District has really livened up downtown. I think the H&R Block building is nice, and the Sprint Center is one of the best indoor arenas I've ever been to. The Plaza is wonderful. Pendleton Heights (where I lived) is filled with beautiful old architecture. It's a great city.

I don't know why you took such offense to my post, to be honest. My basic assertion -- "Actually the overall population density in Johnson County is nearly as high as KCMO" -- is factually correct. I don't base this on here-say.

"There are 700,000 people within a 10 mile concentric circle of downtown."

True. And that includes a lot of KCK and north JoCo.

[SteveWasco12]

Everytime I set you straight with facts you come back with "nice try".

This is a photo thread of KC, not your personal soap box.
I proved you wrong, you seem content envisioning huge swaths of undeveloped FAR outlying swamp land annexation as a city's density guide. You seem content to not even know the city's population or the fact that it (including the urban core) has grown tremendously recently.

Summation

There are 700,000+ people within a 10 mile concentric circle of downtown.

Kansas City Missouri's central core from the river to 75th Street - state line to I-435 (the original city) is infinitely more dense than Johnson County and is as dense as any other city in the midwest except for Chicago.

KCMO added more new homes and population than Johnson County did in the past year.

[Zach759]

Johnson County MO is nice. If I'm not mistaken that's where Warrensburg is~ a little irrelevant but oh well

[Towersville]

I love the last pics!! i want to go back to my city soon!!!

[SteveWasco12]

Originally Posted by Zach759

Johnson County MO is nice. If I'm not mistaken that's where Warrensburg is~ a little irrelevant but oh well

Love Warrensburg... and I think Johnson Cty MO is part of KC's CMSA if I'm not mistaken.

[SteveWasco12]

Gangster Land USA, 1930's Kansas City, Missouri

[Zach759]

Cool. Haven't seen many old pics of the city.

[Chadoh25]

Love those old photos!

[SteveWasco12]

Eric Bowers Photo http://archive.ericbowersphoto.com/blogs/eric

[Zach759]

I think the new to be performing arts center is looking good

[rollsroyce309]

Originally Posted by SteveWasco12

Eric Bowers Photo

now that's what i called an art!

[SteveWasco12]

Eric Bowers Photos
http://www.facebook.com/#!/ericbowersphoto?v=photos

[Chadoh25]

Great updates!

[Towersville]

Nice Kansas City Banner!!

[ScraperDude]

I have to move to Kansas City in the spring as my better half got a promotion (his hometown as well) and we have to move there. I don't want to leave Columbus because I love it here. Anyway I have been doing my research on KC metro using some of the forums online and I have never seen a more divided metro than KC, MO and KC, KS.
It's not just the forums but everytime I've been out there to visit almost everyone I've encountered hates the Kansas side or they hate the Missouri side.

It's almost disturbing and disheartening that I'm about to be surrounded by such a division. I've described it to my family as an American Berlin with an invisible wall.