by Kathy Feist
Grandview residents milled around Simply Grand Kitchen and Creamery’s tight quarters on Tuesday evening, December 19th, to view three different plans for the city’s $1 million Main Street Expansion Improvement from 7th to 3rd streets.
The expansion is part of the city’s $21 million bond package Building Up Grandview.
Project designers from BHC displayed renderings of the four-block expansion including two 11-foot driving lanes with a median, additional parking, decorative crosswalks and wider sidewalks. Guests provided feedback on amenities along the street such as landscaping, signage, outdoor seating and a Farmer’s Market as well as voicing which concept they preferred.
The various options included one with maximum on-street parking, one with less parking but more landscaping and outdoor dining (streetside), and a third that eliminates on-street parking but has more landscaping. (See below)
At task is a “railroad to railroad” stretch of Main Street that includes a heavy retail district on the east end that received renovations in 2011. But on the west end near the more active KC Southern Canadian Pacific railroad tracks, city investment has been lacking. Businesses such as May Milling Company and a small retail strip that includes Simply Grand, Dunn Deal BBQ and Holloway’s Motorcycles are separated by vacant properties from the more vibrant part of Main Street.
Simply Grand opened a year ago and has slowly been attracting business in the isolated area. “I am getting new customers,” says owner and chef Mary Kay Bader. “But when I do, they always say ‘I had no idea you were here.’ I could use more help with visibility.”
The plan is intended to attract customers to the west end as well as potential new retailers.
“One of the purposes of this project is to join this [undeveloped] area to the more developed area,” explained BHC Project Designer David Smalley. “We can’t make someone come back but with amenities, people will come. And more businesses will be where people are.”
The three different plans will be posted on the City of Grandview’s website page for further inspection and feedback. Construction will begin this summer after a plan has been chosen and BHC completes the design.
In 2011, the City invested $8 million to renovate its core and attract fresh retail, new restaurants, and other business spaces. Business revenues along Main Street jumped 56% after construction was completed in 2017.
In May the state legislature approved funding in the amount of $300,000 for Grandview’s Main Street Expansion, but it was vetoed by Governor Mike Parsons in May. Grandview Alderman Joe Runyons, who once served as a state representative for Grandview, hopes the funding may be reconsidered in the upcoming legislature. “The state should invest in small local cities,” he says. “Big cities have many more opportunities to get funding.”
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This caught my attention because I live on 129th St in KCMO which is Main Street in Grandview. Every time Grandview has improved and expanded the west end of Main Street it has increased the traffic on 129th St. which is classified as a residential street but is used as a through way between Grandview and Martin City.
I am not sure what the answer is but something needs to be done and these are some ideas:
Have Grandview put in another road to redirect traffic, especially trucks over to Blue Ridge before Prospect, and make 129th no trucks. This may or may not decrease other traffic but not having semis rumbling by would be an improvement.
Massive overhaul of 129th, widening it, putting in curbs, gutters, storm drains, streetlights and sidewalks. It would be safer for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists even with increased traffic but residents might not be happy with the time and inconvenience.
Put in speed bumps to at least slow the traffic down.
I have a broken hand so I am typing one handed with my non-dominant hand so keeping it short.