Columbus Park & the Old Northeast
Saw a wonderful home in the Old Northseast this evening. It's a wonderful brick two story with wide plank floors, exposed brick and a sleek open kitchen. The home owner, a master plumber, made the remodel his project and I have to tell you, the plumbing work in the basement is impressive.
After touring the new listing, I cruised around this historic section of Kansas City. Naturally, I met some interesting people and took a few photos with my iPhone. A lot of these photos were taken around Columbus Park. Columbus Park is about half way between City Market and the Old NE on the map at the bottom. They are two different neighborhoods but with many similarities. To me, it seems that Columbus Park has evolved sooner than the Old NE.
Much of the architecture in the Old NE and Columbus Park is from the 1800's and early 1900's. (You know I love craftsmanship from that period!)
We were talking about how the Old NE in KC is a bit like Brooklyn New York. One of the people I ran into while cruising around was actually from Brooklyn originally. She moved several times since coming to Kansas City, finally settling in the Columbus Park part of town because, to her, it feels like home.
There were a lot of people going into cafes and I thought about stopping at Garozzo's but then remembered I had dinner cooking at home. This Vietnam Cafe is pretty popular.
I like the way these buildings are situated so close together with different proximity levels to the street. If I lived in the red brick two story, I could just run next door to Pandolfi's Deli!
Does this make you think of Brooklyn, New York? Just a little? Oh, not enough traffic?
The old guard has moved on. Back in the day, the Old Northeast was the neighborhood Al Capone stayed in when he came to Kansas City. Pendergast had friends here who helped him build his political empire.
Nowadays, the Old Northeast is attracting artists, musicians, young families, and students attending Kansas City University. They are bold and experimental with their color selections! (I kind of like it but it doesn't appeal to everyone's tastes.)
Speaking of bold and experimental, this it the first photo I've ever altered before publishing. It actually came out a bit too dark but I really wanted to use it because of the street with buildings from the 1800's through the 1960's and the castle-looking tower from eastern downtown sticking up in the background. (No, not Tiffany Castle, that tower in the photos is very tall!) So, I altered the exposure, tint, and saturation. What do you think?
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So, does this atmosphere in KC remind you a little of Brooklyn in NYC? 
We have several universities in Kansas City; this is Kansas City University on Independence Avenue. The school offers graduate programs in biomedical science, bioethics and osteopathic medicine. It was founded in 1916 and has about 1,000 students enrolled. {Not to be confused with the University of Missouri at Kansas City or Kansas University which both have larger student bodies and offer allopathic medical degrees.) If I were a student here, I would want to buy the home I saw this evening. It would be a 4- block commute to work!
I don't know the name of this building but it is just east of Kansas City University and I like the clock tower and curvature of the building. I'd say it was built around 1910, wouldn't you?
So, long ago, the Old Northeast was out in the country and only a few wealthy people lived here. Then, in the 20's - 50's, it was a thriving neighborhood full of young families, hopes and dreams. Sometime in the 70's, families began moving out of the city and the neighborhood buildings lacked enough young people to care for them.
Today, in 2011, the neighborhood is in transition. Residents who have lived in 
the same home for generations are dying and no one in the family wants the house. Some of these homes have not been painted or redecorated since the 40's. They are selling for extremely low prices.
The old businesses have moved on and are being replaced with a diverse number of new restaurants and unique shops. Many old buildings have been converted into apartments or lofts; some into single family residences. Artists and musicians find the neighborhood charming. It's inspirational; it's on the edge. No one knows which way it will go for sure. Where is it located?
The Old Northeast is less than 2 miles to the City Market; minutes to downtown, the Power & Light District, Federal & City Offices, the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Convention Center, American Royal and the Sprint Center. Cliff Drive Park encircles the northern boundary. There are multiple small parks within the neighborhood. It's a hop, skip and a jump over the river to North Kansas City and Kansas City North. Columbus Park, closer to City Market & downtown, has already gone through most of its' gentrification while the Old NE seems to be just in the early stages. The question is: will it go all the way?
It's about 10 miles, or 20 minutes, to Brookside, past the Plaza, Hyde Park, Westport and the Nelson. [Unless you ride with me and I stop to take photos and talk to people!]
It's about 4 and 1/2 miles (10 minutes) to Cerner's NKC Campus. The Downtown Airport is mostly Private Pilots; Kansas City's International Airport (MCI) is way up north of the City - about 20 miles. So what do you think? Would you live in this neighborhood? Do you think property values are going to go up? Is Columbus Park & the Old Northeast part of Kansas City like Brooklyn, NY?
Maria Morton [816-560-3758] Leading Edge Society 2010 . ♫ FireWaterKC ♫ The Rule of 72 ♫ Five (5) Ways To Increase The Success of Your Property Marketing Efforts ♫ ♫ Kansas City Real Estate Home Values By County Years 2001-2011 ♫
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