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Residents see city's future in Vision Metcalf
By: Holly Kramer, Staff writer
Is the Vision Metcalf plan feasible?
This and other questions came from the Vision Metcalf Steering Committee meeting led by Planning Director Bill Ebel on March 20 at City Hall, 8500 Santa Fe Drive.
“This is a defining moment in history,” Ebel said. “The Vision Metcalf plan offers diversity of choice and the goal is to regenerate a main street in our city.”
About 15 committee members showed up to share ideas and ask questions.
The plan includes the following components: bus rapid transit with connections to downtown Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City International Airport; makeovers of Downtown Overland Park, 95th Street and Metcalf Avenue; increased walkability to homes, jobs, shopping and entertainment; a lifestyle shopping center; expanded office space; and a public park and civic center.
More than 4,000 citizens participated in the survey process, taking visual preference surveys and discussing ideas with Tony Nelessen and Associates.
The Vision Metcalf plan is projected to take 30 years to complete and cost between $134 million to $172 million.
Ebel said revitalization will be done in each of five subareas along the Metcalf corridor. He said new development must have mixed elements to appeal to residents and shoppers.
“We’ve been doing pedestrian-friendly development for many years,” Ebel said. “Vision Metcalf takes it to the next level.”
Ebel said development will get denser in the next 30 years under the plan.
“The plan calls for about 10,000 new residential units in all subareas,” Ebel said. “In order to do that, we will need to build townhomes, condos. It will not all be single-family homes.”
The multimodal transportation element sparked comments from steering committee member and transportation activist Wayne Flaherty.
“We need to decide when the transportation element needs to be in place,” Flaherty said. “Then we can decide about if it should be a streetcar line or a bus rapid transit system.”
Ebel said a feasibility study will be conducted to determine what transit option is best for Metcalf.
“After the study, there will be many steps involved,” Ebel said. “There will need to be funds from the federal government. It will be a lengthy process, at least seven to 10 years.”
Other key steps of the project include establishing a form-based code to determine what needs to be developed, conducting an engineering study for the power and wastewater elements and developing a financial strategy for each subarea, Ebel said.
“The city will determine how to invest in public infrastructure along the corridor, like parking structures or the Farmers Market,” Ebel said.
Steering committee member Linda Hanson, who lives just off Metcalf, said she and her neighbors are excited about the project.
“We have been active participants in this project,” Hansen said. “Many neighbors, a lot of young families have been blown away by the vision. If Overland Park doesn’t follow the vision, it will not be a powerhouse.”
Ebel said he has heard similar responses from residents.
“There is a general sense of excitement about the vision for the future,” Ebel said. “People keep saying something has to be done with this area.”
The project will go before the Planning Commission on April 14. The City Council will hold a public hearing on May 19.
For details, go to opkansas.
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This and other questions came from the Vision Metcalf Steering Committee meeting led by Planning Director Bill Ebel on March 20 at City Hall, 8500 Santa Fe Drive.
“This is a defining moment in history,” Ebel said. “The Vision Metcalf plan offers diversity of choice and the goal is to regenerate a main street in our city.”
About 15 committee members showed up to share ideas and ask questions.
The plan includes the following components: bus rapid transit with connections to downtown Kansas City, Mo., and Kansas City International Airport; makeovers of Downtown Overland Park, 95th Street and Metcalf Avenue; increased walkability to homes, jobs, shopping and entertainment; a lifestyle shopping center; expanded office space; and a public park and civic center.
More than 4,000 citizens participated in the survey process, taking visual preference surveys and discussing ideas with Tony Nelessen and Associates.
The Vision Metcalf plan is projected to take 30 years to complete and cost between $134 million to $172 million.
Ebel said revitalization will be done in each of five subareas along the Metcalf corridor. He said new development must have mixed elements to appeal to residents and shoppers.
“We’ve been doing pedestrian-friendly development for many years,” Ebel said. “Vision Metcalf takes it to the next level.”
Ebel said development will get denser in the next 30 years under the plan.
“The plan calls for about 10,000 new residential units in all subareas,” Ebel said. “In order to do that, we will need to build townhomes, condos. It will not all be single-family homes.”
The multimodal transportation element sparked comments from steering committee member and transportation activist Wayne Flaherty.
“We need to decide when the transportation element needs to be in place,” Flaherty said. “Then we can decide about if it should be a streetcar line or a bus rapid transit system.”
Ebel said a feasibility study will be conducted to determine what transit option is best for Metcalf.
“After the study, there will be many steps involved,” Ebel said. “There will need to be funds from the federal government. It will be a lengthy process, at least seven to 10 years.”
Other key steps of the project include establishing a form-based code to determine what needs to be developed, conducting an engineering study for the power and wastewater elements and developing a financial strategy for each subarea, Ebel said.
“The city will determine how to invest in public infrastructure along the corridor, like parking structures or the Farmers Market,” Ebel said.
Steering committee member Linda Hanson, who lives just off Metcalf, said she and her neighbors are excited about the project.
“We have been active participants in this project,” Hansen said. “Many neighbors, a lot of young families have been blown away by the vision. If Overland Park doesn’t follow the vision, it will not be a powerhouse.”
Ebel said he has heard similar responses from residents.
“There is a general sense of excitement about the vision for the future,” Ebel said. “People keep saying something has to be done with this area.”
The project will go before the Planning Commission on April 14. The City Council will hold a public hearing on May 19.
For details, go to opkansas.