Mayor Lucas and City Council Members,
I am a patron of the Country Club Plaza and am writing to express my support of Made in KC’s vision for sensible development on the Plaza. As one of the city’s most beautiful and historic districts, I want to see the Plaza continue to grow and flourish for decades to come. To me, that means sensible development: it means preserving the character of the Plaza while also allowing for new development that contributes to the vitality and economic success of the district.
I desire a Plaza that prioritizes pedestrians, local businesses, and our community. I want to see improved maintenance and safety measures. I want more things to do in addition to shopping and dining. I would welcome green space, art galleries, entertainment such as putt putt golf or bowling, a distillery or brewery, a place to hear live music.
I realize that we cannot simply freeze the Plaza in time. Some buildings aren’t set up for modern day restaurants and businesses and may need to be renovated or even replaced. I do not want to see high rises in the middle of the Plaza and I respect and agree with the intent of the Plaza “bowl” - the idea that buildings should remain lower in the middle of the district, rising gradually around the edges. If buildings are renovated or replaced, I want them to retain architectural elements that complement the existing Plaza as I know it.
Let’s not stop all development. Instead, we can promote sensible development so that the Plaza isn’t left behind in an attempt to freeze it in time. I am opposed to Plaza Bowl Ordinance CD-CPC-2022-00153.