The suburban Northland part of Kansas City is like a different world. Nobody likes to talk about all of the meth addicts and other po'folks living in trailers and broken down houses across the river or the dense apartments packed with wage slaves . . . When we think of the Northland, we think of homogenized housing units, beautiful lawns and, of course, shopping malls!!!
To wit, some rather KICKASS TKC TIPSTERS bring us the details of an interesting Northland Shopping Mall deal that has a couple of KC Mayoral Race connections.
The Metro North Plan is part of an ambitious scheme to revive the nearly empty retail sarcophagus with new development and even a few CONDOS!!!
MD Management is now taking the lead on the project with a bunch of other partners in the redevelopment. They're being represented by Mayoral Candidate Mike Burke and his lawyer homies.
And here's where things get tricky . . .
Kansas City Political Consultant Steve Glorioso is working on the project as well. Given that Glorioso is also working with Mayoral Candidate Jim Rowland . . . That makes the connection rather interesting.
IN OTHER WORDS, KANSAS CITY DEMOCRAT POLITICAL MACHIAVELLI STEVE GLORIOSO IS SO CONNECTED THAT HE'S DOWN WITH TWO MAYORAL CANDIDATES!!!
Of course there's a lot of speculation about motives here but the fact is that for both Burke and Glorioso, the vast majority of their biz has nothing to do with the Mayoral race. While there is a biz relationship connection, on background, everybody notes that it's just business and not political. Meanwhile, some folks suspect that a Rowland/Burke alliance should one of them make the primary is a likely possibility -- And maybe that's not completely out of the question.
On a smaller scale, Mayoral Front Runner Deb Hermann is touting the revival of another old and busted Northland Shopping Mall.
In her latest newsletter, Hermann hopes that the revival of Antioch Mall isn't too far off:
"Also expected this week is a long-awaited positive announcement about the Antioch Mall. A local owner/developer who will work with nearby neighborhoods and businesses would be major good news for this beleaguered project."
The idea that the place can be used for anything more than an indoor track for Senior Citizens seems fanciful to me but the race for Kansas City's Mayor has always been about offering hope.
Still, so much of Kansas City's recent urban planning efforts have been centered on the redevelopment of the urban core and a concentrated push to create population density. All over the nation, gentrification and the hope that increasingly higher gas prices and new amenities will lure middle-class white people to urban centers is the dominant trend -- So much so that shopping mall revitalization seems downright antiquated.
I don't have anything in common with Northland suburbanites so maybe reviving the shopping malls is a really great idea in much the same way that Mayoral Candidate Jim Rowland is earning a lot of points for pandering to the "Friends Of The Plaza" who want to preserve the "architectural integrity" of a fake-ass Spanish-themed neighborhood founded on racial covenants.
At this point in Kansas City's Mayoral race all of this seems like misplaced priorities, strange bedfellows and an accurate preview of so many interconnected local politicos who are trying way too hard to make everyone happy.
Developing . . .
We need more casinos!
ReplyDeleteYou are kind of racist. You have good news, but you keep harping the same stupid things over and over. If I worked with you, I would need a transfer. You carry around racism and sexism in your heart. Good person, fail.
ReplyDeleteWhy do people keep hiring glorioso?
ReplyDeleteIs he that good or are politicians just scared of him?
both.
ReplyDeleteNOBODY GIVES A FUCK ABOUT THE NORTHLAND TONY
ReplyDelete"The suburban Northland part of Kansas City is like a different world. Nobody likes to talk about all of the meth addicts and other po'folks living in trailers and broken down houses across the river or the dense apartments packed with wage slaves . . ."
ReplyDeleteWow. That makes it sound ALMOST as bad as south of the river!
Seems to me pandering is a bit strong. How about consistent in his beliefs? Rowland made his preservationist position clear when he was a councilman. He is the only mayoral candidate with experience negotiating with Highwoods. Remember the Park Lane Apartment fiasco? Rowland said no and Highwoods backed off. Rumors of a big box development in Brookside? Rowland said no and Highwoods backed off. These are facts, look them up.
ReplyDeletehermann doesn't have a high school diploma.
ReplyDelete1:29, keep up the story and maybe someone will believe you. You're a sorry person.
ReplyDelete1:55 Have Deb prove it isn't true. Easy enough.
ReplyDelete1:55 Have Deb prove it isn't true. Easy enough.
ReplyDeleteShe's not a native. she was born in Kenya
ReplyDeleteUgh! Steve Glorioso. Now I'll have to go wash my hands.
ReplyDeleteDeb is a great North Land Neighborhood leader. And nothing more.
ReplyDeleteShe does not represent all of Kansas City and she won't win.
she can learn the ropes. she doesn't need a diploma to prove she is capable.
ReplyDeleteWOW. She really didn't graduate high school?
ReplyDeleteWhen you started harping on the no college degree (which is true) nobody cared. So now you are lying about a High School diploma. She has one, of course. I'm betting most people are bright enough to see what you are trying to do. Try a new tactic, something at least believable if you can't get any traction with your lies.
ReplyDeleteI don't hear any of the mayoral candidates talking about a vision and some specific public policy proposals that would be good for the entire city.
ReplyDeleteWhy don't we start with some public safety ideas?
I can't believe Kansas City is so divided that we don't even think about things outside of our own neighborhood.
ReplyDelete7:40 - Rowland has made some specific policy proposals about creating jobs and restructuring the city bureaucracy. I think his plan (I remember looking at it over the summer, it was something like 10 pages of detail) is on his website. No public safety stuff, but he is the only one so far who has said anything specific about policy and not just said that he would talk to people more (which is Burke's answer to everything). Let's hope the rest step up soon.
ReplyDeleteRowland has some domestic violence issues in his recent past. Look it up -- he is a creep!
ReplyDeleteWasn't Rowland responsible for the Costco and Home Depot at Linwood and Main? or was that some other city dude?
ReplyDeleteHe might have had a hand in it, but you're probably thinking of Jim Glover.
ReplyDeleteno diploma deb.
ReplyDeleteI know for a fact that Deb graduated (a semester early) in the winter of 1972.
ReplyDeleteIf it were true that she failed to graduate high school, don't you think it might have come up in the past two elections?
Anon 8:29 AM
ReplyDeleteIs it true that you get paid $1500 a month to do this?