Kansas City Illustrated; City Market Redevelopment Master; 1984 Presidential Debate Preparations Master

A. Our effort this time is aimed toward Number one redeveloping every property as a total property. With a mix of office space residential space and warehouse and show room space. We feel that the market should be and can be a center piece. And there are a lot of reasons for that obviously it's smack in the center. The main thing is that the that the Tennis Association has done is united everyone every one of the tenets on the market to show that we are one group of people and that we would basically won't tolerate just anyone come in and say OK this is the way it's going to be.

You know we're we're business people and we were small business people to sell produce and you know one of the the things that we've really learned is how city politics works and sometimes are a bit frightening. The distance between Kansas City's original downtown area and city hall isn't really all that great. On the other hand the communication gap that's developed between the vendors who sell their wares down in the city markets and the people who put together a very ambitious plan for the area has widened considerably widened to the point where it's threatening to sour the public's perception of that entire project. While I'm hopeful it'll be profitable for those whom you know are willing now to reinvest in the area with it with somewhat of a past. That is something people certainly remember and say we can't have that bay again.

We need sea seal that is of course referring to the ill fated river key which reached its peak in the mid 70s then hit rough economic waters and died completely. Once organized crime factions started using it as a battleground. The not for profit partnership ceiling represents the market area development corporation is not your easily stereotyped outside interest. It does contain a number of property owners from the area backed by local financier's who put together a comprehensive plan seeking to avoid the pitfalls that the key and other similar developments around the country have encountered. It fixes land uses a specific number of restaurant liquor license and uses that are appropriate for an area of this size and high sat back to adequate parking. For those kinds of uses. But it looks primarily at the development of each property as the total property just not the ground floor. Quick back. Fix up along with the riverfront development featuring an imported riverboat one of the plane's most significant aspects is its intent to unite three distinct

sections. The world the business district the Delaware business district and the City Market which lies directly between them and the town Redevelopment Corporation. The for profit subsidiary of the market area group plan to use the power of eminent domain to condemn and acquire land necessary for the project. Zealand says that in comparison to other redevelopment efforts old town had encountered only small amounts of resistance from property owners who might be affected. And then in May the conflict over the city market began. 0. 0. 0. 0. I think they should move the market just like it is myself. I really do like the Mars menu for years and years. And by changing it. I don't think you do right. I hear this one's supposed to be starting at the park now which should be closer to me but I haven't been able to bring myself to go there yet because I'm so used to coming

down here. Technically the city owns the market and has ever since it was deeded that way in 1857. All this is on it's operation ultimately rest with the city council statutorily. That's the way it has to be. But still something about the developers tone didn't sit well with the people who call the market home. The full time produce wholesalers and retailers as well as the farmers and flea market type vendors who jam the stalls on Saturday felt their turf was being invaded. People have been here for 75 years. Certain families said and they feel that this is their home. Even though the city retains ownership and control and everything that the people have done the same thing over and over again for so many years and then all of a sudden an outside developer come in and say OK this is what we're going to do. The fear was there and the lack of communication didn't stress the Zach. You know what what exactly was going to happen and

this is where the fear turned into panic and we needed more communication. Looking back we might have for same. Particular areas that would be controversial and I think the Hollow Man definition of wholesale and retail and so on was confusing. According to CNN the developer's plan has always been to increase the number of farmers selling their fruits and vegetables in the market and only to eventually relocate a few of the bigger wholesalers here to us crowded areas. Over the last She also insists that market area development did make an effort to let tenants know of their intentions. Donna see the majority of the tenets disagree claiming they first heard about things through an article in The Kansas City Star. Their shock took the form of a special election in which Joe D'ANGELO The long time president of the tenants association was voted out of

office signaling a more organized and defiant attitude within the ranks. We feel that we need to be aggressive now to to show that we didn't really realize what was here maybe it just opened everybody's eyes a little bit more because sometimes after a certain. Certain time in the same place day in and day out you know we we tend to just look straight ahead not to downgrade the developer but the developer had there. There are options and there there are things to do some of their intents were very very good. But. They did not consult with the the tenants association in any way or at least we feel that they didn't in any way and if they did they consulted with maybe one person and that one person's opinion was not the opinion of the total reflection of the market. Keeping up with the charges and counter charges being leveled by the two sides hasn't been easy. Mistrust and animosity have characterized the exchanges. For a while it did appear that a compromise had been reached with the creation of an advisory board to act as a buffer

between the tenants and any actions the developer might take regarding the market. On September 13 the city council approved a resolution containing provisions for such a board but the tenants association cried foul complaining that composition of its membership was not what they'd agreed to that they were entitled to the same number of representatives on the board as the developer. Describing that setback as the straw that broke the camel's back. Donna seeing the tenants association have begun work on a petition drive to force a citywide referendum on the entire market area plan while the council may decide to amend the resolution that created the advisory board. It's also possible the tenants will continue their drive to take the issue to the people. Which could put development activities on hold until possibly as late as spring. One of the most common sentiments you'll hear down here regarding the controversy is if it's not broken don't fix it. People probably point out that the market has stood its ground through some very lean years. It always bounced back.

It's a fresh trade in that atmosphere and. I don't know what you're a farmer you're just you just love this concept. When you go into the grocery store as their prices are a little out of reach. And when you come down here you can supply yourself for the whole week. I was raising my hand on a farm all my life. Bringing love back not a memory. The market to the extent that it's a Saturday attraction now is popular because it has the flavor. That no other facility has in the city. To destroy that would be foolish. I guess Baltimore and Cincinnati come to mind as markets that I've visited as well of Seattle that you know on an average weekday. They are so packed. You know with with rockers. In adjacent areas from 10 to 2 that it's almost impossible to get up in line and have a sandwich or whatever you might be there for in terms of bringing out. Different uses or new uses

or building on the existing uses so I would say it has to be carefully done. Sure there's going to be improvements to the market more welcome any improvements to the market but his overall management and I've taken it out of the hands of the of the city council and then the the actual people here at the City Market. We felt that that would have been detrimental to the city market. A. You.

These are some of the things the people whining Sunday's big debate are used to seeing and hearing us on the bus or. Television. Loaded. With the ongoing task of making sure the process takes care of all week long. We just have a lot of Dorian has been. Have. From all over the world so far today. We were very busy this morning even before we were able to get the door open the phones were ringing. At 9 o'clock. So these are some. Of the same. Players who. Were not. There. To win. The state of disarray that currently exist so close to the side of the debate and town parking is

a problem right now with all the construction. As it stands. We are fortunate in that the construction within the auditorium Plaza garage. Is. To the point where a larger number of spaces are available in there than they had been like during the summer. That was. Our life where. You can bet that these are some things that you didn't expect to see or hear. Apparently have to deal with as the Marlboro Country music sets up shop in the auditoriums arena ever so close to the heavily secured Music Hall. It is a concern and I understand that there are people who are concerned about it in the city who are working on the problem. Vicki hereon admits she wasn't aware that Merle and Ronnie and Ricky were going to be competing with the president and Mr. Mondale until about a week ago. And though she says the league has faced

some similar logistical problems in the past they've seldom been given so little time to deal with them. Still she sings the praises of the venerable old hall. I looked at a lot of buildings all over the country this summer and it seemed that there were always some problems there is no perfect ideal location for a debate. I think that what we have here is a really good setup that will work. It's not ideal but there is no ideal anywhere. We have some concern about how it might affect ticket sales how it might affect the attention the concert could get and as it is turned out you know we're practically sold out. NPR man Bill kitchen expects five to six thousand country fans will choose music over politics. The show has been booked for many months and the date couldn't be changed because of the number of artists involved. He said that a change in venue also was impossible because of the large amount of lighting and video gear the tour carries. While the demands of the Secret Service will add an extra dimension to staging the show kitchen says he's not about to panic.

I know that we are going to have some restrictions about getting our equipment and stuff in there but. This isn't a convention people that are real helpful and I'm sure that will have no problem getting there just that we may have to go through a little extra effort to be ready for it. One of the spaces coveted by both the Marlborough tour people and the League of Women Voters was the little theater kitchen had reserved it but ended up turning it over to the debate crowd. Earlier this week much to the relief of facilities director Langley whose life has taken a definite turn toward the complicated with the different players all involved. With the campaigns the Secret Service the League of Women Voters. The local host committee and all of the other events that are related to the debate and debate activities. Means that you've got efforts. That are not. Oh no. This combined is they could be but it's working pretty well compile things considered Langley says it could have been worse.

Black Sabbath could have been playing next door. He also points out that because the auditorium is part of a multi-use complex the staff is already well versed in running simultaneous events just not on the kind of scale that threatens to tax an entire building's power supply because of the exposure that it forms the facility and the city. And therefore any concerns about problems. I think become. Magnified. The focus of the event here though nationally is an event for the benefit. Of the citizens and the voting population. At the facility itself. It is basically a media event. We have our weak sides that. You don't. Tell. Your. Buddies. And that is. Not. Worth. My. Time. Need you.

You got. Sunday if you happen to see the words rose up there on the marquee. Don't take it as a commentary on the candidates. The name of the group the one the Marlboro Country Music roundup. Giving them the opportunity to open the big show and say they performed just down the hall from history. That place was going to be the center of my universe anyway and now it turns out to be really the center of everything and the entire free world and in the unfree world family is Kansas City big enough to hold both the boys from O.C. Ola and the two contenders for the nation's highest office. Could this event put us in the record books with an asterisk. It's too early to tell. But here's some good news. Whatever happens Howard Cosell won't be here to cover it.