Emerald City KC

01/08/2024

I am starting up a weekly “Blue Zones Club” to be held at our workshop space in The Loretto.

Are you interested?

My goal is to collectively learn, research and apply the 9 tenants of the Happiest, Longest Living people on earth. Community is one of the Tenants that I’m most interested in.

Let me know if you are interested and which Tenant you are most interested in.

There are several books and a Netflix series. The first book is the one I have read.

And it would be fun to pick one of the Blue Zone cities and take a research trip.

I want it to be more than a Book Club ❤️!

12/29/2023

I’m a bit behind on this story but am catching up. What are your thoughts?

Brooke and Dan owners of Urbavore Urban Farm (remember Bad Seed in the Crossroads) have been given 4 City Code Violations because of neighbor complaints.

They may not be able to continue their food growing operation with the legal costs they are facing.

It appears that the neighbor complaints are more about their newer sister company Compost Collective KC because of the smells and new rodents/snakes that are appearing on their property. And it seems the traffic to the farm, which is on a dead end road, has increased and neighbors are not happy about that.

City Manager Brian Platz is trying to work with them to come up with a solution but from what I can tell seems a bit expensive and will take more time than the neighbors and the BZA (Board of Zoning Adjustment) are willing to give them.

There is a hearing at the City on Jan 9 at 9 am. You can go to their farm today 5500 Bennington between 4-6pm where they have a letter of support and a notary to sign.

My 2 cents:

1. As a Climate Change Activist - we must find a solution for Dan and Brooke who are the hardest working couple who make so little $$ growing organic food for our city and now providing composting which on a bigger scale will help reduce waste and carbon footprint.

They invested quite a bit in taking over Composte Collective KC which I think may be causing the bulk of the current neighbor and code violation problems.

2. As an Urban Realtor I have actively fought for Urban Ag Codes, ADUs, Solar Panels etc… all Carbon Footprint reducing, sustainable practices, Community Building over the “It will reduce our Property Values argument” over the 16 years I’ve been in this business. Even though this is brought up by the neighbors I’m not sure how much of a Legal Leg it has for them. It’s hard to Sus out the detriments an urban farm has to surrounding properties. More on that later.

An urban farm operating a composting facility in Kansas City, Missouri, is challenging four code violations a city inspector issued in May.

04/04/2019

If you want to sign the Petition to Save The paseo, I will be at Aquarius Book Store Saturday 10 to 2.

07/01/2018

Dreaming

02/07/2017

I think it would be fun to take abandoned smallish houses East of Troost and renovate to be cute, efficient and affordable.

02/24/2015

It was really fun for me to read this article and see some of the main players who were so opposed to Emerald City because we were too different, creative and unique to see that is what is being called for now in the revitalization of Manheim.

These 6 houses that have been designed and will be built - the hope is to get 50 more built on the vacant lots. BTW you cannot buy a vacant lot now - none are for sale nor through LandBank. What a turn around.

Six Kansas City architecture firms have produced sleek, modern designs for new housing to complement the 100-year-old homes already in the Historic Manheim neighborhood. This is building on Brad Pitt’s Make It Right Foundation transformation of the formerly abandoned and decrepit Bancroft school.

02/24/2015

No more properties available through Land Bank in Manheim. Opportunity has changed dramatically.

I predicted 2 years ago when I was running the Emerald City KC Project to help revitalize Manheim Park that this would be a very hot neighborhood "even though East of Troost" because of its proximity to the Plaza/Art District and the available cool bungalows and kc shirtwaists. If you look at this Land Bank (City repossesed and owned properties) map in the yellow highlight - no properties are available. Two years ago it looked like all the other east neighborhoods.

Let me know if you would like a list of available properties for sale.

01/16/2015

Hey all my Emerald City KC peeps! Check out this Steal next to the rennovated Emerald City House! Move in Ready 4 bed 1.5 Bath 3 story $32500.