At a January kickoff meeting, planners asked Midtown residents to talk about what they like about living here. The input is being gathered as the beginning of a new area plan that will guide future decision-making in a variety of areas. Residents are invited to a second meeting on Feb. 28 to continue the conversation.
Even if you missed the kickoff of the Midtown-Plaza Area Plan, you can still get involved. The city planners have set a second meeting for Thursday, Feb. 28 at 6 p.m.
You can also offer your opinions online at the Midtown-Plaza Mindmixer site.
At the second meeting, the project staff will review the input from the first meeting and then break participants into small groups to discuss specific issues in greater depth.
The Midtown-Plaza Plan, when completed, will recommend guidelines and strategies for development, housing, neighborhoods, economic development, transportation, capital improvements, open spaces, and urban design.
The planning team has also released the notes from both the first public meeting and the online discussion around the Midtown-Plaza Area Plan. Here’s a summary of the reasons people gave for living and working in Midtown:
- Midtown has strong neighborhoods: Participants at the planning meeting said they like the active neighborhood associations in Midtown. They said they enjoy living among involved residents and feeling a sense of community. They also said they feel like they can be involved in decision-making.
- Midtown offers a sense of place. Many participants cited the historic architecture and historic preservation of Midtown as strong draws. They said they like the “great old houses.”
- Midtown is the cultural center of Kansas City. Residents enjoy living near amenities such as the Nelson-Atkins Museum, the Kemper Museum, and great parks.
- Midtown offers convenient transportation options. The participants said the area is transit friendly, with good bus routes and perhaps streetcars in the future. They said the central location is close to everything.
- Affordable housing.
- Ability to shop local. Residents also said they like being able to shop at small, unique local businesses.
- Attractive environment and trees
- Other reasons: Other good reasons for living in Midtown included affordable health care, being pet friendly, and the range of employment options
On Monday, we’ll have an overview of what concerns participants said they have for the future, and on Tuesday, we’ll look at what residents say they want to see in Midtown’s future.
Details
Midtown-Plaza Area Plan Public Work Team Meeting
- Thursday, February 28, 2013
- 6-8 p.m.
- at The Kauffman Foundation 4801 Rockhill Road
To review information from the initial meeting, check the Midtown-Plaza Area Plan website
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