Podcasts about Country Club Plaza

   Let's all stop complaining about umpires and recognize what's really important.  Cole Ragans.  The Royals ace is the single most important player in the series for the Royals and if he's great, the Royals will beat the Yankees.  If he's not, they won't.    Is Arrowhead haunted?  A surprising study shows that it's really hard to catch the ball at Arrowhead at night.  Who knew?    The NFL was filled with just ridiculously bad coaching Sunday and reminds us that Andy Reid used to be bad at game management.  He's so good at it now that all you see is other teams blowing games.    College football is wild after 6 of the top 18 teams lose this week... this is getting fun!    Donald Trump goes back to Butler, Pennsylvania with some famous friends.  If he wins this state... it's all over.   The Country Club Plaza is getting a real makeover and it sounds great, Gary Woodland is honored in KC with other pros and a creepy thing is happening right in the middle of Kansas.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was driving on Southwest Trafficway, heading to my office on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City. When I walked inside the world had changed. My colleagues were huddled around TVs watching the horrific, surreal footage from the terrorist attacks in New York. About a month later I was in New York for business meetings and I saw the destruction first-hand. Everyone was wearing facemasks because the air was still heavy with soot. At Ground Zero, some parts of the remaining tower structures were still burning from the intense heat. You could feel the grief and the fear. But there was also a remarkable sense of resilience. People were pulling together, helping each other, doing their part. And, little by little, the city, the country – and, yes, the markets -- began to recover. On today's show, my cohosts and I discuss our memories of that terrible day before zooming out for an analysis of how major historical events can affect the global economy and individual investors.

   We've all been here before with Donald Trump as he seems to be in hot water for comments at the National Association of Black Journalists.  But we know how this ends, so why feed into it?  Then, we'll play a perfect bit for you on what the campaign should focus on with advertising and how to brand the Dem party.    The final details of the sale of the Country Club Plaza are shocking as the Texas group involving the Hunt family get it for a massive discount.  Thanks Mayor Q!    Bobby Witt Jr's big July is one for the ages and the Royals are making changes to get better.  This is fun.    KU's Athletic Director just crushes it talking about Big 12 expansion.  Travis Goff is filled with confidence that he's doing a great job.  Donna Kelce goes all lib on us, we'll explain how.    And Patrick Mahomes gets asked about money and handles it better than any athlete I've ever heard.  

Kansas City's Country Club Plaza is under new ownership, more than a year after its previous owners defaulted on loan payments. The new Dallas-based management group has some big and expensive plans to revitalize the struggling shopping district.

HP Village Management bought the Country Club Plaza last month after its previous owners defaulted on loan payments. The shopping district's new owners have big plans to improve the area — including increasing security, attracting local tenants, and making it friendlier to pedestrians.

Kate Marshall, Country Club Plaza Council President | 7-1-24See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Ray Washburne, the CEO of HP Village Management, LLC, joined KRLD's David Johnson to discuss his group's purchase of Country Club Plaza, a Kansas City shopping center that is the oldest in the United States.

Frank Starkey and his family are one of those rare breeds of Floridians that actually have deep roots in the Sunshine State. We talk about how they sought to owner their grand-dad's wishes as they ultimately developed the family cattle ranch in New Port Richey. A big part of their work was the Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) called Longleaf. And later, the Starkey Ranch project.Here's a funny real estate video about Longleaf: (funny to me, anyway)If you listen to Frank, you'll learn how an architect has a whole different perspective on the present and the future, and why he thinks he has a luxurious lifestyle now in downtown New Port Richey. You can see some of his current efforts at this link to his website.This is episode number 50 of The Messy City podcast - thanks so much for listening. If you're new to this, welcome! I look forward to the next 50, as we explore the issues and people who love traditional human settlements, and are trying to create them. I love talking to the do-ers, to the creators, and everyone who has skin in the game that's trying to build a more humane world.Find more content on The Messy City on Kevin's Substack page.Music notes: all songs by low standards, ca. 2010. Videos here. If you'd like a CD for low standards, message me and you can have one for only $5.Intro: “Why Be Friends”Outro: “Fairweather Friend”Transcript: Kevin K (00:01.18) Welcome back to the Messy City podcast. This is Kevin Klinkenberg. I'm happy today to be joined by my friend and fellow new urbanist, long time participant, Frank Starkey, joining us from Florida. Frank, how you doing today? Frank Starkey (00:20.337) Howdy, Kevin. Doing great. Happy to be with you. I've been... Kevin K (00:22.908) I didn't even check. I assume you're in Florida at home, but you could really be anywhere. Okay. Frank Starkey (00:25.617) Yeah, I am. Yeah. Yep, I'm in our we recently moved into a townhouse that Andy McCloskey, who used to work for me, built in town here and we just bought one and we're very happy here. It's really nice. Kevin K (00:40.348) Cool, cool. And you're in New Port Richey? Frank Starkey (00:45.169) Yes, Newport Richey is on the northwest side of the Tampa Bay region. It's part of the region. We're in that suburban sprawl miasma that characterizes all Florida cities. And we're about 25 miles as the crow flies from Tampa, basically from downtown Tampa, and probably 15 to 20 miles from Clearwater and 30 miles from St. Pete. So we're And we're right on the Gulf. We have a river that runs right through town that river miles from where we are out to the Gulf is maybe five river miles. So you could easily kayak and paddle board right out there or upstream pretty quickly you're into the Cypress freshwater wetlands. So we've got a lot of good nature around. Kevin K (01:39.516) Do you ever do that? Do you ever get out on a kayak or whatever and get out there on the river? Frank Starkey (01:43.089) Yeah, it's been a while. But if you go up to there's a preserve that the city owns that's up in the freshwater area. And if you're in there, you think you're in the Tarzan. A lot of the Tarzan movies and shows were filmed in Florida swamps and you feel like you're in a Tarzan movie. You can't see that you're in the middle of town. And if you go out to the coast, the barrier island and right where we are. They really start and go south from here. So from here on up through the big bend of the Panhandle in Florida, the coastline is all marshes and salt flats and grass wetlands. It's a much prettier coastline in my opinion than the more built -up barrier islands. But you can go out and kayak for days and days out in the coastal areas and see all kinds of wildlife and water life. So it's pretty cool. Kevin K (02:40.124) That's cool. That's really cool. Well, Frank and I have been talking about trying to do this for a while. We'd hoped to hook up in Cincinnati, but schedules just got in the way, as is typical for that event. But I really wanted to talk with you today, Frank, because you hit on a couple of my hot points, which is that you're an architect and a developer. Frank Starkey (02:51.313) you Kevin K (03:06.332) And I know as a designer that you also care a lot about the kind of issues that we talk about routinely within the world of new urbanism and urban design, which is, you know, creating beautiful walkable places. So I just think it'd be interesting. You know, I talked to a lot of people who come into the world of trying to be developers. You and I probably both talked to a lot of fellow architects who we try to encourage to be developers. Frank Starkey (03:06.481) Mm -hmm. Kevin K (03:33.948) And so it's fascinating to me how people come to that. So I wonder if we could start just a little bit by talking about like your path and where, you know, how you got to this point. You, did you grow up in Florida or were you in Texas? Is that right? Frank Starkey (03:51.761) Now I grew up in Florida. I went to college in Texas, but I grew up on a cattle ranch just east of here, in an area that's now called Odessa. It was a 16 ,000 acre, beef cattle ranch that our grandfather had bought in the 1930s. And we were about 20, 20 miles from downtown Tampa and Newport, Richie was our hometown because of the county we're in Pasco County. And so we came to, you know, church school. shopping was in Newport, Ritchie. But I also kind of had an orientation towards Tampa because we were sort of closer that direction. And then my extended family all lived in St. Petersburg. My parents had grown up there and then my dad grew up in Largo on a branch down there that his dad had before the one in Odessa. I... Kevin K (04:41.564) So it's like the rare species of old Florida people, right? So. Frank Starkey (04:45.361) Yeah. Yeah, but man, I have a weird, I've always come from a very mixed, I mean, just a very much kind of background, culturally, geographically, economically. My great grandparents were from, mostly from the upper Midwest. And so we kind of, and my great grandfather on my dad's side. was William Straub, who was the publisher of the St. Petersburg Times. But I later found out that he was instrumental in getting the city to hire John Nolan to do a plan for the remainder of St. Petersburg. He was instrumental in getting the city to buy up a mile of its waterfront to create a continuous waterfront park along the bay in downtown St. Petersburg, which is the crown jewel of the city in terms of civic space. So I kind of grew up and then that that kind of orientation towards parks. He also helped the County, Pinellas County establish a park system, which was one of the earliest ones in the country. And so I kind of this park orientation and public space and civic life and civic engagement was a strain through my whole childhood. You know, my whole is kind of a generational thing in our family. And so that's one thread and. Living in the country, we didn't have much in the way of neighbors. The area of Odessa in those days was pretty poor. So I rode the school bus with kids that had virtually nothing and went to school in the suburbs of Western Pasco, which was where the kids were mostly from the Midwest. Their grandparents had worked for Ford or GM or Chrysler and then they... moved to Florida and the grandkids, you know, the kids moved with them. And so those were the kids I grew up with. And so I, you know, I didn't feel like I grew up in the deep south. People, but I, but I was close enough to it that I understand it, but I don't consider myself a, you know, capital S southerner, my accent notwithstanding to the degree that a good friend of mine, Frank Starkey (07:07.793) I grew up in Plant City on the east side of Tampa, which is much more in the farming world part of Hillsborough County. And he was much more deep south than I was, even though we grew up, you know, 40 miles apart. So it's just a very different cultural setting. So I grew up with, you know, upper Midwest heritage who had been in St. Petersburg since 1899. And then, you know, poor kids, middle -class kids, and then eventually wealthier folks. So I just kind of had this really all over the place cultural background that's not nearly as simple as, I mean, all of Florida has a tapestry of, a patchwork of different kinds of cultural influences. South of I -10, north of I -10, you're in South Georgia or Alabama, but. the peninsula of Florida is very culturally mixed up. Kevin K (08:11.228) So the old canard, I guess, was that the west coast of Florida was populated by people who came from the Midwest and the east coast was from the Northeast. Does that hold true in your experience? Frank Starkey (08:22.129) Yeah, that does hold true, although there were a lot of New Yorkers in Boston, not so much New England, but still a lot of New Yorkers found their way across. So I grew up around a lot of New York Italian descent folks, as well as Midwesterners. So I, you know, it's a wonder I don't have a New York accent or a Michigan accent or a Southern accent, because those were the kind of the three, more about more, you know, Northern accents than. than Southern accents from immediately where I grew up. But yeah, I -75 goes to Detroit and that I -95 on the East Coast goes to New York. And so that means that has an impact. Kevin K (09:06.844) Did you ever know about the Kansas City connection to St. Pete then with J .C. Nichols down there in downtown St. Pete? Frank Starkey (09:17.329) And tell me about it. I mean, I, because Bruce Stevenson's book, I think touched on that because they, they had an APA convention down here back in the 1920s. Kevin K (09:20.54) Well, that's it. Kevin K (09:28.54) Yeah, J .C. Nichols who developed the Country Club Plaza here, starting really in the 19 -teens, later in his life, he was asked to, or he bought property in St. Petersburg, in or near the downtown area. And the whole concept was they were going to essentially build like another version of Country Club Plaza there in downtown St. Pete. Yeah. And so I think like a small portion of it got built down there. Frank Starkey (09:32.785) All right. Frank Starkey (09:51.665) Really? Kevin K (09:57.564) And then maybe the real estate deal fell apart or something like that. But there was, yeah, that was a big push at some point. Yeah. Yeah. Frank Starkey (10:03.633) or the Depression hit. Interesting. Now, I wasn't aware of that. I didn't know that he had bought and had plans to develop here. That's interesting. The other, St. Petersburg's, well, the Florida Land Bus was in 1926. So Florida real estate speculation really ended then, and then it didn't pick up again until after World War II. So that might have been the death of it. Kevin K (10:13.084) Yeah. Yeah. Kevin K (10:27.164) Yeah. Yeah. So you find yourself growing up on a ranch then, pretty much in Florida. What takes you to architecture? What takes you to architecture and then to Texas to go to architecture school? Frank Starkey (10:35.505) I'd have been becoming an architect. Frank Starkey (10:42.289) For whatever combination of reasons, one evening when I was in about fourth grade, I, dad recollected this years later. I asked dad at the dinner table, what do you call a person, what do you call a person who designs buildings? Not as a riddle, just, and he said, it's called an architect. And I said, well, that's what I want to be when I grow up. And I never had the sense to question that decision again. So. Kevin K (11:00.54) Yeah. Kevin K (11:09.276) That's how it sounds vaguely familiar. Frank Starkey (11:11.853) you So, you know, whether it was Legos and Lincoln Logs and the Brady Bunch. And when I was a kid, we had a cabin in North Carolina that dad had the shell built by this guy who had a lumber mill up there and he would build a shell for you for $5 ,000 or something. He built that out of green poplar wood. The whole thing was immediately warped and racked and sagged and did everything that. green wood will do, and we immediately put it in a building. But dad spent all of our vacation times up there finishing out the interior of that. So I was just around that construction. And dad was also being a counter rancher, and he knew welding. And he was always tinkering. And in addition to fixing things, he was also inventing implements to use on the ranch and things like that. So he just had a hand building. ethic that, you know, he just kind of had. So whatever made me decide I wanted to design buildings, as I grew up from that point on, I just was all about it. And so by the time I got to high school, I couldn't wait to get into working for an architect. And I was an intern for an architect in Newport, Ritchie, when I was in high school. And then I went to Rice University in Houston to go to architecture school. So after I, and I did my internship here, which is part of the program at Rice for the professional degree. I did that in New York City for Pay Cop, Read and Partners. And another ironic thing was I learned, I had a really great classical architecture history professor in college at Rice who in his summers led, he and his partner who was a art history professor also, a fine arts. Frank Starkey (13:10.289) They led an archaeological excavation outside Rome of a villa from the dated that basically dated a time period of about 600 years straddling the time of Christ. And I've spent the summer after my freshman year on that dig. So I had a had a really strong exposure to classical architecture and urbanism throughout my school. And when I worked for PAY, I worked on James Freed's projects. At that time, we were working on what became the Ronald Reagan building in Washington, D .C. It's the last big building in the federal triangle. And so it's a neoclassical exterior with a very modern interior. It's kind of like a spaceship wrapped inside a federal building. And the other project I worked on a little bit that year was the San Francisco Main Library, which is in the Civic Center right down in the Civic Center of Francisco with the City Hall and the old library. The new library is a mirror of it that's a neoclassical facade on, well, two wings of a neoclassical facade that face the Civic Center side. And then on the backside, which faces Market Street, there's a much more modern interpretation of that commercial core district facing along Market Street. So I worked on these buildings with Sirius that took, you know, this was at the end of the Pomo era of the 80s when everybody was making fun of classical architecture in, the architects were having fun with it or making fun of it, however you look at it. And Fried was taking it more seriously. It was still a updated take on neoclassical architecture. in some of the details, but it was really a fascinating exposure to the actual practice of designing classical buildings, working for one of the most famously modernist firms in the world. So. Kevin K (15:21.628) Yeah, no doubt. No doubt. Yeah. That's pretty wild. Was rice, I mean, we're about the same age, was rice kind of like most architecture schools, generally speaking, in their emphasis on looking at modernist design as the holy grail that you must pursue? Frank Starkey (15:28.433) Mm -hmm. Frank Starkey (15:38.769) Yeah, interestingly, like my childhood and the cultural mix that I described earlier, Rice was sort of in this period at that time where it was between deans. There was a series of, it's too long a story to explain here, but the previous dean who had been there for 15 years or something, O. Jack Mitchell, announced his retirement the day I started classes. And... So he was a lame duck. And then it was, you know, we basically went through a series of searches, deans, dean passed away, interim dean search, a new dean, and then he resigned. So the whole time I was in college, we really didn't have a dean. And the faculty that Mitchell had built was very, I'd say ecumenical. They kind of, we had some diehard theoretical postmodernists and we had. At the other end of the spectrum, we had a guy who did a lot of real estate development who was super practical and we always made fun of him for caring about mundane things like budgets. And I know he was, I made him a laughing stock, which I wish I'd taken more of his classes. But anyway, and then a really good core faculty who had a real sense of, and real care about urban design and. Kevin K (16:46.428) Well, yeah, exactly. Frank Starkey (17:04.401) My sophomore class field trip was to Paris and we did studies of, you know, in groups, each of us studied at Urban Plus. So I really had a strong urban design and contextual sensibility through my architecture class, all my architecture classes. In the background, there was this whole drum beat of postmodernist, post structuralism and deconstructivism. that was going on. I never caught into that. It always just seemed like anything that requires that much intellectual gymnastics is probably just kind of b******t. And it also, I was involved with campus ministries and fellowship of Christian athletes and church. And so I had a sense of mission and doing good in the world. And it also just, it just didn't work with that either. So I didn't really go in for that stuff, but the urban design stuff really did stick with me. And then the classical architecture and Vignoli, which I mentioned to you the other day, that really did kind of stick to me as a methodology. Kevin K (18:29.436) Man, I went for it hook line and sinker, man. It was, yeah. Yeah. I mean, I thought deconstructivism was like the coolest thing at that time period. And I bought the whole program for some period of time. And frankly, until I ran across some of Andreas's writings and then started learning about seaside. And that's really what kind of broke it open for me that I started to. Frank Starkey (18:32.433) Really? Frank Starkey (18:40.465) -huh. Frank Starkey (18:52.273) Mm -hmm. Kevin K (18:58.556) see things a little bit differently and all, but I, yeah, I was, I was in deconstructivism was funny because you could just kind of do anything and you know, you could call anything a building basically. Yeah. Frank Starkey (19:07.537) Yeah. Yeah, yeah, the author is dead long live the text was the, and so you could just, yeah. And to me, it was just pulling, it was just pulling stuff out of your butt and I just. Kevin K (19:22.636) totally. Yeah. Yeah. It was all b******t, but it was, I guess, fun for a 19 or 20 year old for a little while. So, all right. So fast forward then, did you come back to Florida then pretty much right after school or? Yeah. Frank Starkey (19:25.809) Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Frank Starkey (19:38.929) Yeah, I did a gap year after college and then ended up in Austin for another year and then came back to work with my brother. So by that time, we had seen, because of where the ranch is situated, it's sort of in the crosshairs of growth patterns coming from Tampa to the south and Clearwater to the southwest. and Newport -Ritchie from the west. So it was, the growth was coming from, at us from two directions. Granddad and you know, this 16 ,000 acres that's 20 miles from downtown Tampa, as you can imagine in the 20th century is going up in value pretty dramatically from 1937 to 19, you know, to the late century. And in the early seventies, he started selling and donating land to the state for preservation. Kevin K (20:24.22) Mm -hmm. Frank Starkey (20:36.177) and so we had, you know, again, that whole park ethic, and the, so we were selling, kind of selling the Northern parts that were away from the development pattern, off. And it was partly for the state tax planning purposes and also just, but primarily to put the land into conservation. So there would be something left of native Florida for people to see in future generations. That was his. His goal. My brother had my brother six years older than me and had gone to University of Florida and gotten a finance degree. And he came back after college, which was when I was like my senior year in high school and started working for the granddad was still alive and he was working for the estate, helping with that planning. And granddad passed away while I was in college and we had the estate tax to deal with. And we ended up selling some more land to the state for conservation. And he also started learning the development. process. We knew that as much land as we could sell to the state as possible, we were not going to be able to sell at all and we were going to have to develop. Somebody was going to develop land on the ranch. And our family wanted to see that it was done in a way that was, you know, that we would be proud of that, that put together our, you know, our family goals for civic engagement, environmental preservation, and, you know, and also. It was the whole family's sole asset. So it's everybody's retirement fund and principally our parents and our cousins. So we have cousins who are half generation older than us. So we were accepting that development was inevitable and wanted to be more in control of it. So Trae had been talking to me for a while about coming back and working with him on the development stuff in the ranch. So that's what I decided to do in 1995. And the decision point for me, Kevin K (22:09.468) Yeah. Frank Starkey (22:34.449) was, you know, I had set up my career trajectory to become a consulting architect and design buildings for other people. And I realized that I had this opportunity to, you know, have a bigger imprint on developing a neighborhood that could perhaps set a pattern. By that time, I had become knowledgeable about new urbanism and what was going on at Seaside. And And at that point, I think some of the other projects were starting to come out of the ground. So this was 1995. So I was like, well, I, you know, I've got too much opportunity here. And, and with what, what I know and what I have to bring to the table, it just seems like the thing I'd need to do. So I came back and we started working on development on the southwestern corner of the ranch, which was sort of the direction that was the frontline for development. So in 1997, we held our charrette for what became Longleaf, which is a 568 acre traditional neighborhood development that we broke ground on in 1999. Our first residents moved in in 2000. And that was the first TND in Pasco County. And in my opinion, it was the last TND in Pasco County. Because the county loved it so much that they... Kevin K (24:00.38) You Frank Starkey (24:04.721) passed the TND standards ordinance, which it would never comply with and that no other developers ever wanted to do. And so nobody really has. They've kind of just, it's been compromised with, right? That's a whole other story. Kevin K (24:20.14) Yeah. Well, that sounds, I mean, we may need to get into that at some point, but, so you started this in 2000 and really in earnest 2001 or so. And obviously there was a little, little bump in the economy right then, but I guess kind of more of a bump compared to what came later. So talk about like those first, maybe that first decade then, like what all did you build and how much of this were you actively involved in the design of? Frank Starkey (24:24.529) Okay. Frank Starkey (24:39.377) Yeah. Frank Starkey (24:49.425) It's fascinating looking back on it how compressed that time frame was because we sold we we developed the first of four neighborhoods In the first neighborhood we did in As I said 99 2000 and then we built the second neighborhood in 2002 2003 we sold the third and fourth neighborhoods in 2004 which You know, six years later, we look like geniuses. If we would have been, if we'd been real geniuses, we would have waited until 2006 to sell them. But we got out before the crash, obviously. So we did well there. We were, I was, you know, Trey and I, because we had a view of building a career in real estate development, we thought we should do everything. We should touch every aspect of the process ourselves at least once. So we knew how everything worked. But then we never scaled up our operation big enough to hire people to fill in those specialties for us. So we really both kind of ended up doing a whole lot of the work ourselves. So our master, our designer was Jeffrey Farrell, who did the the overall plan for Longleaf. And he wrote the design code, but we collaborated on all that very closely, because I knew enough about what urbanism was and architecture. And so I administered that design code with our builders. He detailed out the first neighborhood. He and I detailed out the second neighborhood. collaboratively or sort of a 50 -50. And you know what I mean by detailed out, just, you know, you take a schematic plan and then you have to put it into CAD and get it, get to real dimensions and deal with wetland lines and drainage and all that stuff. You get, s**t gets real about, you know, curbs and things like that. So that kind of, those details. And the third neighborhood I detailed out, but we sold it, but the developer who bought it built it out according to what I had done. So I was... Frank Starkey (27:15.281) very involved with the planning side of it. And of course I had been involved with the entitlements and then I administered the design code with all of our builders. So I was dealing with there and we had, we didn't have sophisticated builders. We didn't have custom, we weren't a custom home builder project. We were small local production builders. So these were builders who built 300 houses a year. We weren't dealing with. David weekly, you know, a national home builder who was doing nice stuff. Nor were we dealing with the 12, you know, you know, a year custom builders. So we didn't have much sophistication on the design side coming from our builders. So I did a lot of hand holding on the design of that. I always tell if you're a architect who's going to be your. Kevin K (27:46.716) Mm -hmm. Frank Starkey (28:13.169) is going to develop a T and D. I will tell you under no circumstances do what I did. Always hire somebody else to be the bad guy because as the developer you just can't look the home builder in the eye and say let this customer go. And so even though they're asking you to do something you shouldn't. So you need somebody who can be your heavy for that and it's not going to be you as the developer. But anyway, so I did that and And then I designed some of the common buildings and then had them. I wasn't licensed yet. And so I had those CDs done by somebody with a stamp. So I always said that I, you know, between the larger planning of the ranch and the strategy there, and I also got involved in community, you know, regional and county wide planning efforts and committees and things like that and planning council. So I kind of worked at the scale from the region to the doorknob. Which, you know, is fabulous as an architect because I've found all of those levels, I still do, I find all of those levels of design and planning fascinating. Kevin K (29:17.084) hehe Kevin K (29:30.78) So let's talk about the mechanics of being a land developer for a minute and how you did it. So you obviously own the land, and then you came up with the master plan. So then how many steps did you take? You took on the burden of entitling probably the whole project in phase by phase. And then were you also financing and building infrastructure as well, and then basically selling off finished land? Frank Starkey (29:36.433) Mm -hmm. Kevin K (29:59.26) finished parcels or finished lots to other developers or builders. Frank Starkey (30:04.177) Yeah, what we, so dad on the land free and clear, he contracted the land to us under a purchase and sale agreement whereby we would pay a release price when we sold a lot. So, you know, it's favorable inside family deal. We paid him a fair price, but it was a very favorable structure that allowed it, and he subordinated it to. to lending for, we had to borrow, we don't have cash as a family, we didn't, none of us have cashflow from, you know, we don't have some other operating company that spits off cashflow. So we had asset value, but no cashflow. So we had to borrow money to pay for infrastructure, I mean, for planning and entitlement costs and engineering. And so that was our first loan. And then we had, We set up a community development district, which is a special purpose taxing district that a lot of states have different versions of them in Florida. It's called a CDD. It's basically like a quasi -municipality that a developer can establish with permission from the county and state government to establish a district, which is then able to sell tax -free government -style bonds to finance infrastructure. So it's an expensive entity to create and then to maintain. But if you're financing a big enough chunk, which in those days was like $10 million, it became efficient to have the care and feeding of the district in order to get the cheaper money. So you could get cheaper bond money for financing infrastructure. You could not finance marketing or... specific lot specific things you could for example, you could finance drainage, but you couldn't finance still so some of the Terminology was a little bit You kind of had to do some creative workarounds, but basically our so but we it also meant you had to still have a source of capital for those things that the district would not finance so we had an outside Frank Starkey (32:28.497) Loan structure in addition to the CDD financing and that was how we financed the construction of the development and then sold the lots to individual home builders We had three builders under contract in our first phase and each of them was committed to a certain number of lots and they had enough capital access on their own to finance their the construction of their houses a lot of them would use their buyers financing and use do construction permanent loans to finance the vertical construction of the houses. But the builders had the ability to take down the lots. So that was the deal. I don't know if that structure is still done very much or if there were many builders in that scale that still do that in Florida or in this area. It seems like most of those builders got just crushed. in a great recession and never came back. I'm not really aware of any builders that are in that scale, in that size range anymore. I mean, if there are, there's maybe a dozen where there used to be 100. Kevin K (33:40.86) Yeah, so they either got smaller or a lot bigger basically. Frank Starkey (33:45.681) No, they mostly just flat got killed and just went out of business. And they may have resurrected themselves. Yeah, they may have resurrected a smaller or gone to work for somebody else or retired because a lot of them were older. Of the builders that we had, yeah, I think they probably did get smaller in fairness, but they were gone. And we were out of, as I said earlier, we were long out of long leaps. And the... Kevin K (33:47.836) Yeah. Frank Starkey (34:13.969) Crosland was the developer that bought the third and fourth neighborhoods and they didn't they brought in all new builders. So they brought in David weekly and inland, which was a larger regional builder. And then Morrison, I think one of the other large, larger builders who did rear loaded T and D project product. Kevin K (34:38.108) So how much heartburn was that for you and your family to go from this position where you're like asset rich but cash poor to and then all of a sudden you're taking on pretty large debt to do this development piece? I mean, what was that like? Frank Starkey (34:54.801) Well, you know, you just you don't know what you don't know when you're young and ambitious. So it was it was there. I did. There were some real Rolade's cheering moments. I think, as I recall, the most stressful times for us were before we started construction. And it was it was frankly, it was harder on Trey because he was he was starting a family at that time. So he had. He had literally more mouths to feed than I did. I was still single and so, and I didn't have the stresses on me that he did. And once we got under development, we weren't so much, you know, the stress level shifted to different, you know, kind of a different complexion. And, you know, fortunately when the recession hit, We were done with long, we didn't have, you know, we weren't sitting with longleaf hanging on us. So that was good. but we were in the midst of entitlements for the Starkey Ranch project, which was the remainder of the land that the family still had that had not been sold to the state. And we were taking that, there was about 2 ,500 acres. We were taking that through entitlements starting in 90, in 2005. And I would say that we got our, our entitlements. not our zoning, but we got our entitlements package approved, in essence, the day before the recession hit. So, so we had borrowed again, borrowed a lot of money to relatively a lot more money to pay for that. And that also involved the whole family, because that was the rest of the ranch that that the part that long leaf is on dad had owned individually, free and clear. The remainder of it. had been in granddad's estate and that went down to children and grandchildren. And so there were seven different owners of that. And we had spent some time in the early 2000s putting that together into a partnership, into one joint venture where everybody owned a pro rata share of the whole, but we had other shareholders to answer to. And so that was a whole other level of stress. Frank Starkey (37:16.913) due to the recession because our bank went, you know, did what all banks do and they called the loan even though we hadn't gone, we hadn't defaulted. We would have defaulted if they'd waited six months, but they blanked first and they sued us and we spanked them in essence, but we, at the end of the day, but it was two years of grinding through a lawsuit that was hideous and that was really the most unpleasant. Kevin K (37:29.82) Hahaha! Frank Starkey (37:46.257) level of stress, not because we were going to lose our houses, but because we were, it was just was acrimonious and not what we wanted to be doing. Plus you had the background of the whole world having ground to a halt. So fighting that out through the dark days of the recession was, that was pretty lousy way to spend a couple of years. Kevin K (38:12.284) Yeah, so then how did you all come out of that situation then? Frank Starkey (38:17.009) We ended in a settlement. The settlement, the worst part of the settlement to me was that we had to, long story, but some of the, we had retained ownership of downtown Longleaf with the commercial core, mixed use core of Longleaf. And that wasn't completed development yet. And because we had that collateralized on another loan with the same bank, we ended up having to cut that off as part of the settlement. So. we, you know, we had to, we amputated a finger, not a hand, but still it was, it was, you know, it was our pointer finger. So that was, that was hard, but, but we lived to fight another day, which again, you know, fortunately it's better to be lucky than good, right? We were, that makes us look like, you know, we did pretty well coming out of the recession. So after the recession and after getting that settled out, and there was a couple of other small pieces of land that we had, Kevin K (38:52.124) hehe Frank Starkey (39:15.121) collateralized to the bank that we handed over, but basically got them to walk away from pursuing us further. We got that worked out and then we had to then figure out how to sell the land. Our joint venture partner, which was to have been Crosland on developing the ranch, they had gone to pieces during the recession, so they weren't there anymore. And the only buyers at those coming out of that were big hedge funds and equity funds. And they were only, their only buyers were national home builders and the national home builders, even the ones like Pulte who had tiptoed into traditional neighborhood development product before the recession. They were like, nope, nope, nope, backing up, never doing that again. They're. Kevin K (40:10.46) Yeah. Yeah. Frank Starkey (40:12.593) So everything that we had about TND and our entitlements, they're like, get that s**t out of there. TND is a four letter word. We will not do that. So we kind of de -entitled a lot of our entitlements and cut it back to just a rudimentary neighborhood structure and interconnected streets and some mix of uses and negotiated to sell it to one of these hedge funds or investment funds. who developed it with a merchant developer and sold it to national home builders. And they pretty quickly undid what was left of our neighborhood structure and developed it in a pretty conventional fashion. They did a really nice job on it and it soldered a premium to everything around it. They did a really great job with their common area landscaping, but they gutted the town center. They didn't even do a good strip center in lieu of it. They just did a freestanding public and a bunch of out parcel pieces. They squandered any opportunity to create a real there out of the commercial areas. They did beautiful parks and trails and amenities centers, but they just didn't get doing a commercial town center. Kevin K (41:36.444) What years was that when they developed that piece? Frank Starkey (41:40.337) We sold it to them in 2012 and I guess they started construction in 13 or so and it was really selling out through 2020. They still got some commercial that they're building on. I don't know if they've got any residential that they're still, I mean, it's kind of, its peak was in the 17, 18, 19 range and it was one of the top projects in the country and certainly in the Bay Area. and got a lot of awards. And yeah, so I don't, I can't complain too much about it because it sounds like sour grapes, but basically they didn't, I always just tell people I'll take neither blame nor credit for what they did because it's just not at all what we, there's very little of it that is what we laid out. So because that, so we, having sold that in 2012, that left me and Trey to go do what we wanted to do. All of the, you know, the rest of the family for that matter. And, Trey was ready to hang it up on development for a while. So he kept a piece out of the blue out of the ranch and settlements and started the blueberry farm. And I went and decided to do in town, small scale development. Ultimately ended up in Newport, Ritchie back in my own hometown. And then and that's that's what I've been doing since basically since 2015. Kevin K (43:06.844) Yeah. So I'm curious about a couple of things. So with the completion of the sale of all that and the development of both Longleaf and Starkey Ranch, I guess I'm curious how your family felt about the results of all those. Were people happy, not happy with the results? Was there... I'm just kind of curious about that dynamic because it's an interesting thing with a family property. And then... I guess secondly, with you being somebody who carried more a certain set of ideals for development, what did you take away from that whole process, especially with Starkey Ranch and anything, any useful lessons for the future for others relative to an experience like that? Frank Starkey (43:38.321) Mm -hmm. Frank Starkey (43:56.209) Couple of thoughts. As far as the whole family goes, we were, well, our cousins don't live here and they were less engaged in it intellectually and just personally. The four of us kids had grown up here and this was our backyard. They had grown up in St. Pete and one of them lived in North Georgia. And so it was, they just weren't as... emotionally invested in it. Not to say they didn't care, but it just didn't, it wasn't their backyard that had been developed. And you know, and we all are proud that three quarters of the ranch of the 16 ,000 acres, over 13, almost 13 ,000 of it is in conservation land that will always be the way it was when we were kids. Except there are no fences, which is very disorienting, but anyway. It's still, you know, that's the way granddad saw it when he was young and it will always be that way. So that's, we're all excited about that. And we pay attention to that more than we do to what happened on development. I think even long leave the, what, you know, the, the people in the surrounding area think we're sellouts and, people who have lived here. for five years or 10 years or 15 years are still just shocked and dismayed by the rapid pace of development. Well, it was a rapid pace of development, but we've been seeing it coming for 130 years now as a family. And I mean, it's why we put land into conservation going back to the early 70s when granddad started selling that. What people can see is the part along State Road 54, which is the visible stuff. which 10 years ago was a lot of pastors with long views and pleasant looking cattle who were money losing proposition as a agricultural business. But people don't see that. They just thought, it's a pretty pasture land. And how can you turn that into houses? It's so, you greedy b******s. So yeah, we get a lot of flak still to this day. I mean, and I've got a. Kevin K (46:12.092) Yeah. Frank Starkey (46:17.425) Trey's wife is a county commissioner and she gets all kinds of grief for being corrupt because people see our names on everything and they're like, well, they must be corrupt. No, you've never met any less corrupt people. And so there's kind of public blowback to it. I've said what I've said, what I just told you about how the development of the ranch did not comport with what we envisioned for it. And I don't, I don't shy away from saying that. I don't go around banging a drum about it. cause what's, what's the point of that? And a lot of people might think I just sound like sour grapes, but it, you know, it's, we, I think we all had our ugly cry about the ranch at some point. I mean, I remember when we were, we, the first closings of the ranch were in 2012 and it was a phased state down, but you know, they, they take a chunk at a time. So we stayed in our office, which was the house that we had grown up in at the ranch headquarters, right where the cattle pens and the horse barn, the truck barn and the shop and all of the ranch operations were. And the day that, eventually we had to move everything out and all that, almost all of that got torn, all of it got torn down. I remember having, I went out and stood by a tree and cried my face off for a while. Kevin K (47:46.044) Yeah. Frank Starkey (47:46.673) You know, it still chokes me up to think about it. And we all did that. I mean, but it wasn't an overnight thing to us. Whereas if you lived in a subdivision in the area that, by the way, had been a cattle ranch 20 years ago, you didn't, you know, you're not building, you're not living in a land that was settled by the other colonists. It seemed shockingly fast, just like overnight. my God, all of a sudden they're, they're. They're scraping the dirt the grass off of that and you know three weeks later. There's houses going up It's just shocking and and really disorienting we'd said we had seen it coming literally our whole lives We always knew that was going to be the case. So it was there was going to be something there our Feelings about the what what what it was compared to what we would like it to have been or another You know, that's what we have to wrestle with but the fact that it's developed We always saw that coming and people don't really understand that until because you just, you know, because it just it's perceived so differently. If you just drive by and see it developed one day when it wasn't, then if you grow up with an aerial photograph on the wall of dad's office and you know, we just know that that's not always going to be that way. Kevin K (49:05.82) Yeah. Yeah. Well, let's talk for a minute about what you're doing now then with the stuff in Newport Ritchie and the smaller scale infill stuff. What was like the first one, after shifting gears and doing that, what was like the first project you took on on your own? Frank Starkey (49:25.561) Much more much more fun topic. Thank you for shifting gears. I should have let you do that sooner Kevin K (49:30.204) Yeah. Frank Starkey (49:33.617) The, so Newport Richey is a pre -war town that was laid out in 1911 by Wayne Stiles, who I'm starting to learn more about was a pretty cool town, kind of B -list town planner who worked with people like John Nolan and the Olmsted brothers and was contemporary to them. Got a very competent little city plan for a small town and it has building stock in the downtown. the main street and Grand Boulevard downtown that dates to the 1920s and to the 1950s and 60s, kind of about half and half. And so it always had these good urban bones, some decent building stock, nothing great. It was never a wealthy town, so it doesn't have big grand Victorian houses down at Boulevard or anything, but it's got some good characteristics. But it had economically just cratered, just for years and really decades of disinvestment. moving out to the suburbs. It wasn't white flight in the traditional sense, but it was economically, it was the same just reallocation of wealth from the historic city into the suburbs and leaving the city behind. So in 2015, there was a, so downtown Newport, which he has a little lake, a about a five acre really lovely little. city park, a riverfront, and the central business district is right next to it. And then there's a pink Mediterranean revival hotel building from 1926 in that park. It kind of ties it all together. It's all the same ingredients that downtown St. Petersburg has, just in miniature and in bad shape. And St. Petersburg, believe it or not, which is now the best city in Florida, was really down in heels for most of my childhood. The Vanoi Hotel, which is their big pink hotel, was a hulking, you know, it looked like something out of Detroit when I was a kid, broken out windows and chain link fence around it and weeds and looked like a haunted hotel. So the Hacienda was kind of in that shape almost. And Downtown was doing, was, you know, just kind of sitting there with some honky tonk bars and a lot of, you know, just kind of moribund. Frank Starkey (51:54.705) commercial space. The city had bought out the First Baptist Church, which overlooked that lake right downtown when the church decamped out to the suburbs like all the other capitals in town. Even God's capital moved out to the suburbs. And the city bought it and tore down the church buildings and put a for sale sign on it, put it out for RFP a couple times, got crickets in response. Because no self -respecting developer would look at downtown New Port Richey as a place to develop. And I looked at it and as Robert Davis and Andres 20 will point out, we developers and architects and urbanists, we live in the future. You know, our brains are in what can be, not what is here now. And you've heard Andres say that the present is a distortion field. So I wasn't bothered by the fact that the neighborhoods around it weren't the greatest neighborhoods. They weren't terrible. Kevin K (52:39.8) Yeah. Yeah. Frank Starkey (52:48.177) And I looked at it and said, well, this is a pretty good gas piece of property. You got through overlooking this nice lake. There's a park. There's a downtown right there. We can work with this. So I asked the city to put it out for an RFQ, which they did. And Eric Brown, your buddy and mine, and one of your former guests on the podcast recently, was the architect for the buildings. And Mike Watkins, whom you also know, was the planner. I had them come in and do a Charette to develop a design for an apartment project on that former church property. And we negotiated a deal with the city to buy that property and we were off and running. So that was the first project. Just announcing that and showing, you know, as people were, some people were rightly skeptical that it would just end up being another low income housing thing because. This is Newport Richey. It's an economic shithole. Why would anybody put anything nice here? And surely, surely, even if you think it's going to be luxury, or if you're just saying it, it's obviously just going to, there's no way it can end up being anything but low income housing. And, but a lot of other people were excited to see that somebody was putting some investment in town. And it just kind of started to change people's thinking. Then we took on a commercial building downtown that when I was a kid had been a, IGA grocery store where we did our grocery shopping and it had, fallen into, you know, another moribund state as an antique mall that just needed to be fixed up and, and refreshing them live and up or something new. So we bought that and, did a severe gut job on it. divided it up into five tenant spaces, brought in a natural grocery store that was in town, but in a much terrible location. And a new microbrewery, the first microbrewery in town, and a taco place, and a kayak paddleboard outfitter, and a CrossFit gym. Kind of a dream lineup of revitalizing. Yeah. The kayak place didn't last very long. Kevin K (55:04.636) It's like the perfect mix. Frank Starkey (55:11.665) They were pretty much pretty ahead of the market and also just work. It wasn't their core business. They just didn't really know how to do it right. And then the taco place ended up getting replaced. The CrossFit gym outgrew the box and went to a much bigger location. And then we replaced them with an axe throwing business, which is killing it. So no joke, no pun intended. And then the microbrewery is still there. natural food store is still there. And then in the paddle boarding space, we now have a makers, a craft market that is multiple vendors that are, you know, like cottage industry makers selling under one roof. And we have a new bar and hamburger place and the former chocolate place. And they're also doing really well. And so between those two projects, it really, and then, you know, it's other, businesses started opening, new businesses opened downtown that just kind of had a new approach. They weren't honky tonks, they weren't just kind of appealing to a kind of a has -been demographic. And I just started changing the attitude. And the most remarkable occurrence was at one point, and this was around 2018, I just noticed that the online chatter in the general discussion among locals about Newport Richey kind of flipped from overwhelmingly negative people just running down the town, just saying this place is terrible. You know, get out while you can. There's nothing but crack heads and, and prostitutes and you know, it's just terrible. And to, Hey, this place is pretty cool. It's getting better. There's, it's got a lot of potential. And the naysayers started getting shattered down by the people who were more optimistic and positive about the town. And it just kind of hit that Malcolm Gladwell tipping point pretty quickly. And the attitude of the town and the self -image of people in town just has been significantly different ever since then. And then that's, of course, paid dividends and more investment coming to downtown. Now you can't find a place to rent for retail downtown. Frank Starkey (57:38.641) We actually have the problem now that there's too much food and beverage and the market isn't growing enough because we've got to bring in customers from outside of the immediate area because it's just not densely populated enough town yet. But that's so that's kind of where things started in New Port Richey. Kevin K (57:56.604) That's really, that's a great story. It's kind of, it's so indicative of also like what Marty Anderson has talked about. Let's sort of like finding your farm and a place that you care about and working there and making it better. And that's really cool. When it came to all this, were you self -financing? Were you working with investors? How was that process? Frank Starkey (58:13.169) Yeah. Frank Starkey (58:22.321) On the central, which is our apartment and on the 5800 main, which is the project that had been the IGA store, I have a financial partner on that. Who's another local who had made done well for himself in banking and lived away and moved back and was wanting to invest, but also to do some invest locally in a way that helps, you know, give something back to his own town. And that was my attitude as well. So our, our. Capital has been him and me on those two projects. And then I've got two other buildings that, one other building that I have a co -owner on and then another building I own solely by myself. So I've got a total of four projects. And all of the projects that I have are within one, two, three blocks, four blocks of each other. I was, you know, you mentioned the farm. I was very intentional about farm. I said, okay, my farm is New Port Richey. My farm yard is downtown and my barn is our office, which was right in the middle of all that. And the so that's, you know, and then now Mike and I live three blocks from all of that stuff. So we have we our new townhouse is three blocks east of downtown. Since 2018, we lived in a house that was four blocks south of downtown. So all of it was walkable. And even when downtown had just a couple of restaurants that were mostly just diners, one place that was pretty decent for lunch and salads and things, and a couple of pretty mediocre to crappy bars. I have a lot of friends here now and my office is here. And I immediately realized this is the most luxurious lifestyle I have had since college because the ability to walk everywhere and just live your life on foot is luxurious. It's just delightful. And my best friend now lives well in our old house, lives a block away. And we got to be friends living in town here and living a block from each other. And we would just ride bikes. And there was a whole other crew of Kevin K (01:00:24.284) You Frank Starkey (01:00:49.041) the people we'd ride bikes up the river in the evenings and maybe stop for a beer or maybe not and just enjoy the town. He really showed me just kind of, I smacked myself in the forehead one day when he talked about how nice it is to ride up the river during the sunset. I was like, wow, you mean you can just enjoy living in these walkable places? Because I'd always spent so much time trying to build them that I didn't spend much time just... f*****g enjoyment. Kevin K (01:01:19.676) I know, I know. It's a crazy thing. It's like it shouldn't be like a rarity or anything like that. We wish it was available to everybody, but it's wild. That was the thing about living in Savannah and that was like the hard part about leaving Savannah was, I think for a lot of us who have our ideals about walkability and everything, you kind of go back and forth about, do I want to spend my time? Frank Starkey (01:01:30.257) Yeah. Frank Starkey (01:01:37.489) Yeah, I bet. Kevin K (01:01:48.38) you know, working real hard and trying to create this as much as, as I can and, and live in a certain place where I, I guess have the economic opportunity to do that. Or do you also maybe just say, yeah, at a certain point, screw it. I just want to live somewhere where I can be, you know, do the things that I talk about all the time. So. Frank Starkey (01:02:06.513) Yeah, exactly. And it is hard to live in a place that's already kicking butt and do the things to make a place kick butt. So. Kevin K (01:02:20.124) Yeah, and in so many of these places, the places that we admire, and if you didn't get in early, you can't afford it at a certain point anymore anyway. So it's kind of a crazy deal. So as an architect, then would the infill projects, I mean, I know you worked with Eric and Mike and some others, but do you do any sketching or work on any of these sort of, is it a collaborative deal or do you at this point just be like, well, Frank Starkey (01:02:28.369) Right. Kevin K (01:02:46.268) I'm going to be a good client and be kind of hands off and just help direct my architects. Frank Starkey (01:02:50.865) I try to, I'm trying very hard to just be a good client and direct my architects. I'll let you ask Eric on whether I'm a good client or not, but that's probably been the project where I have been the most, I've left the most to the architects to on the design side. On the, the one of the commercial building that I owned by myself was a, building that didn't have any windows, two stories right on one of our main streets on a corner. So two full facades with essentially no windows. And it needed new windows storefront and upstairs. So it basically just needed a whole facade because there was just a big windowless bunker. But it had existing structural columns or structural considerations for where I could put windows. And it ended up being a interesting, challenging facade composition project. Anyway, I designed that building. And also it was a double high space where the second floor was just a mezzanine. And we closed in the second floor to make it into a mixed use building. So that because it had always been a nightclub or restaurant and it was too big as being a story and a half to for that, for this market to support because the upstairs are just kind of. You know, just sucked. So I was like, this needs to just be a regular size restaurant on the ground floor and then offices above. So I did the architecture on that, including the build out for the restaurant. I had some help on that on the layout, but I did the design, interior design stuff on that. I wish I had, I love the facade design process. And that was a really fun project. And the result was, you know, it's, it's unusual because of the constraints that it had. So, but it's, I think it's a fun, it's a good result. but if I were doing more projects, I mean, I really feel like I don't do architecture every day. So I'm not, yeah, certainly I'm not going to do construction drawings because I don't have that, capability just cause I don't, I mean, I have the technical ability to do it. Frank Starkey (01:05:15.249) and I am now licensed, I could sign and seal it, but I don't want to. And I haven't signed and sealed anything yet. So my goal is to be more of a client than I am an architect. Kevin K (01:05:27.868) So in all this stuff and going back to even your initial work with Longleaf and others, you've obviously tried to create well -designed places and beautiful places. I know you said you had some thoughts kind of based on one of the other podcasts I had where we were going back and forth and talking about beauty in buildings and the value of that versus sort of utilitarian values as well. How have you tried to balance all that and really create? beauty and do you find it at conflict with also making real estate work? Frank Starkey (01:06:04.753) I don't find beauty in conflict with making real estate work at all. I think it's critical. I don't think that things have to be built expensively in order to be beautiful. And my comment to you in my email was about y 'all had had a discussion on this, your podcast before last. about and you had said you can't legislate beauty no code in the no amount of code in the world is going to result in beauty and I've always thought about that because I agree with you that codes by their nature don't result in beauty that that human love results in beauty I mean that's you know because that's a it's a it's a spiritual outcome not a I mean, it's an outcome of the spirit. I don't mean that metaphysical terms, just, but it's something that comes from a level of care that's not, that doesn't happen from just conformance. Kevin K (01:07:10.94) Yeah, it's a value you bring to a project basically. It's something you really care to do. Yeah. Frank Starkey (01:07:16.529) Yes, that said, the American Vignoli and other handbooks that were used by builders, not by architects, but by people who were just building buildings and designing them, designing and building buildings by hand in the 1800s and early 1900s. resulted in scads of what we consider beautiful buildings with a capital B because it codified, maybe not in a sense of regulation, but in a sense of aspiration and guidance. It codified a way to arrive at competence with beautiful principles underlying it. And I wonder, it's... It's a hypothesis. I've not proved it or even set out to prove it. But if you could require that people follow the American Vignole as an example, or something else like that, where the principles of proportion are codified and they're followable, then I think you probably would still have to have some coaching. But I think you would get a whole lot closer than you can in the, because it's more like a playbook than it is a rule book for producing a competent design. Competent in the classical sense. Kevin K (01:08:54.556) Yeah. Yeah. Kevin K (01:09:02.236) Yeah, I think that's fair. It's more like coaching people about people who care. If you want to do good things, here are simple rules and patterns to follow that are not going to get you the Parthenon necessarily, but they're going to get you certainly at a minimum like a B building, like a B or a B minus building if you follow these rules. And if you do them really well and execute the details well, you could end up with an A plus building. Yeah. Frank Starkey (01:09:34.641) Yeah. Yeah, and it's something that McKim, Mead, and White can follow that and come up with something spectacular. But the same underlying principles are in every garden variety inline building on a street. Because individual urban buildings and places that we love are individually not spectacular. It's the accumulation of be buildings that are singing in the same key that makes a good chorus. Not everything can be a soloist anyway. Kevin K (01:10:11.996) And certainly, a lot of the people who produced the buildings in that era that you described, late 19th, early 20th century, I mean, there were a whole lot of just illiterate immigrants to the United States, ones who were building all that. And they didn't need 200 pages of construction drawings to follow it, but they did have patterns and illustrations and guides that they could follow. Frank Starkey (01:10:25.041) Yeah. Kevin K (01:10:42.46) and just some kind of basic standards. Yeah. Frank Starkey (01:10:43.217) And also a general cultural agreement on what looks good and what doesn't. And that's what I think you can't recreate from start, I mean, from scratch, because it's got to, that culture builds up and accumulates over decades and generations of practice. Kevin K (01:11:09.148) No doubt. Have you seen with the buildings that you have done in Newport, Richey, has there been other people who've looked at what you've done and tried to essentially say, kind of continue to raise the bar with good looking buildings? Frank Starkey (01:11:24.209) Unfortunately, I can't say that has happened yet. There hasn't been that much new construction in New Port Richey. And I don't, I can't think of any off the top of my head that have been done since we built the central, for example, which is really the only new ground up build. There's another apartment project and apartments and mixed use downtown, but it was designed in 2006 and then it was stalled and it finished about the same time we did, but it has nothing. you know, didn't follow others at all. We did have a lot of people. And this is something I would recommend, which I did accidentally. I didn't put really good drawings of the buildings into the public before they were built. I made a real now here's a blunder. There's a my blunder was I allowed the elevations of the buildings. to be the first thing that got into the public view because they were required as part of the permitting process. And an elevation drawing of a building is the architectural equivalent of a mugshot. It's representative and it's accurate, but it's accurate, but it's not representative. So it doesn't show you what a person looks like. It shows you just facts about their face. And so it shows you facts about a building, but not what it's gonna look like. So people saw the elevations. of what Eric could design, which were intentionally very simple rectangular boxes with regular, very competent, beautiful classical facades, but they looked really flat, they looked really boxy, and they looked terrible. They couldn't be at elevation, there's no depth on it. So people were like, holy s**t, of course he's building, I mean, they look like barracks. And so people lost their minds. I'm like, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. So we quickly put together some 3D renderings. based on a quick sketchup model, we illustrated the hell out of them with landscaping and showed what a view down the street would look like. And it was a much better view. And that's really how you perceive the buildings. And so people were like, OK, well, if it looks like that, I guess I won't oppose it so much. But they were still rightfully skeptical. And so I s

   The stars have aligned for an ad to vote yes on April 2 for a new Jackson County stadium tax.  We're talking Kelce, Mahomes, BWjr, Justin Reid, George Karlaftis, Salvy and Andy Reid all in one spot.  This will work and the teams know it as their work on this so far has been as unimpressive as it gets.    Mayor Q has some bad ideas for the Country Club Plaza, even as cops look for thieves that stole hundreds of thousands of dollars in jewelry.  AOC gets heckled in public over her stance on Palestine.  A study proves EV's are worse for the environment than gas cars.  What?   In sports, KSU visits Allen Field House as both teams are searching for something more.  La'Jarius Sneed gets the franchise tag from the Chiefs and Royals starter Cole Ragans is becoming  a major story around Major League Baseball  

This week we are heading to Kansas City to chat with one of the legacy injectors, a real OG, who has been part of our industry for more than 2 decades, Georgia Cirese, RN, CANS. Georgia began her journey in a Plastic Surgery office, pre-Botox, and found her niche in the science and artistry of injecting. She worked in a dermatology clinic for years after, but she felt the entrepreneurial pull 4 years ago when she opened Georgous Aesthetic Bar. Situated in the high-end Country Club Plaza in KC, she and her daughter have collaborated to build a world-class medspa that focuses on exceptional outcomes and patient experience. Georgia is part of the founding group of injectors who came together 20+ years ago to, in her words, slay the jungle of aesthetics. With little training and an even smaller portfolio of products, that veteran cohort of injectors laid the foundation for what would become a thriving industry decades later. Georgia was exactly where she needed to be when the Botox brand took off- she was assisting Dr. Jerome Lamb, a plastic surgeon in KC, in the OR as he performed face lifts and other aesthetic procedures.  Her surgical knowledge coupled with her own experience from her first Botox injections were the catalyst for her career. She understood the artistry, the anatomy, and she knew a gentle touch was a necessity if patients were going to want to come back! She enrolled in an Aesthetic Advancements course early on which helped to build the necessary skills to really thrive. Now she's a trainer for the organization and has been for many years. It had a positive impact on her learning journey, and she's paying it forward.    Catching up to modern day, Georgia is a well-known national trainer for Allergan and AAI, and she's been on podiums throughout the industry. Looking back on where she started, she talks about the rise in influence of the medspa and the “non-core” injector and what it means to be faculty on podium and to be the respected expert in the room. That hasn't always been the case Those are stripes she has definitely earned with years and years of practice, mentoring and training others, and acting as an advisor to the industry.   This year she was appointed to the board at ISPAN – a full circle moment. She was one of the original nurses to earn the Certified Aesthetic Nurse Specialist designation. Over the last several years, ISPAN has worked diligently to get the CANS certification recognized as a true board certification, and they've done it! As that organization expands to include more nurses and hopefully other licensures as well, Georgia is in a position to continue her advocacy of industry-wide standards and regulations to create a safer and better skilled specialty.   As an entrepreneur, she's busy building her business with continued growth, including being named a top 10 Allergan account in Missouri. More than 50% of her patients come from word of mouth, and it's not surprising when you hear her talk about her staff and the investment in hiring the right people to fit her culture. She's creating a unique experience for patients through her team, and it's her careful hiring and onboarding process that ensure it's sustainable. She has her daughter as her right hand managing the business operations and marketing. Together, they have created a practice that is as well known for Georgia's incredible skill as it is for that of her Providers. As Georgia continues to train, she doesn't discount her own need to constantly learn and evolve. After 20 years in aesthetics, thousands of patients, and more injections than one can imagine, she's still eager to constantly improve…..THAT is why she's still slaying the jungle and remains one of the most respected injectors two decades later! Learn more about Georgia: https://georgouskc.com/ Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgousinjections/ Follow GAB on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgouskc/

Cinematographer Sir Roger Deakins, who has won two Academy Awards for his work on "1917" and "Blade Runner 2049," is coming to Kansas City with his wife and collaborator James Ellis Deakins for events at the Country Club Plaza and National World War I Museum and Memorial.

Nick Haines, Dia Wall, Kevin Collison, Eric Wesson and Dave Helling discuss the Texas based ownership group's purchase of the Country Club Plaza and what it might mean for the district's future, lessons learned after last weekend's traffic snarls at the Truman Sports Complex, the debate over police pay, the resignation of Marion, KS police chief, the House Speaker ouster and Viking River Cruises.

  This is the biggest week in years at 'Ol Mizzou and why not?  5-0 with a scorching hot QB and a game wrecking wide receiver the Tigers are poised to light up the board against a traditional powerhouse LSU team with zero defense.  Every arrow is pointing up... but how confident should Tiger fans be?    In Lawrence, the quarterback situation is no clearer than it was a few days ago.  And K-State travels to OSU as a big fave.    In the NFL, the Chiefs travel to Minnesota to play Kirk Cousins and the Vikings.  Cousins has had the turnover bug this year but this is a real team and a likable guy.  Cousins became even more likable this week at a Minnesota Twins playoff game.  We have the story.    As we watch the mayhem in the House, one candidate is the odds on favorite to replace Kevin McCarthy as speaker.  But it has me thinking not just about the future of the Republican Party but parties in general.  We'll discuss.    The Country Club Plaza's new owners and very close to the Hunt family in Texas, this has to be good for KC, right?  Joe Biden can't even own a dog so they took Commander away from him after biting a 12th staff member.  And LeBron James is lonely and begging to be on the Kelce podcast.

Nick Haines, Peggy Lowe, Dave Helling, Eric Wesson and Kris Ketz discuss the disputed conviction of Eric DeValkenaere in the shooting death of Cameron Lamb, the financial and crime problems for the Country Club Plaza, the meager returns on sports betting in Kansas, the new campaign to lure the Royals to North Kansas City and the escalating tensions between KCMO and Jackson County over a new jail.

Hosts Julie Slater & Jason Friday chat with return guest Breana Grosz who has spent a whole year in Kansas City after living in Hawaii for nine years...She was last one in Dec. 2020 (Episode 008) discussing why she moved from Los Angeles to Hawaii - and now we tackle why she chose her next move to K.C. (a place she had never been) and how it's going so far...the challenges Bre has faced and how nothing is permanent...how she loves to take those milestones in life (birthdays, anniversaries) to check in with herself on how things are going...how great it's been for her to travel the U.S. so much easier than from Hawaii...being closer to family in Detroit...Bre going from sun dresses and flipflops to winter clothes....going to see the Kansas City Chiefs right before they won the Superbowl....her advice to take advantage of whatever city you live in - do as the people do...renting vs. buying when you start in a new city...finding a spot that can "take care of you"...the K.C. BBQ scene - how different it is from Nashville and Texas ("saucy sauce")...how K.C. has an influential jazz scene (who knew?)...where she's working now - Country Club Plaza (100 years old)...Bre's feelings about the fires in Maui...sending love to everyone...shout out to Hawaii Community Foundation helping Maui heal (donate here)...the challenges she's faced in a new city...signing her deal for work and how long she'll stay in K.C....giving herself some grace about living in a new place....how she got the bug in Hawaii to do something different...dating someone now who Iives in Hawaii while she's in K.C. - long distance relationships... IT'S 5 O'CLOCK SOMEWHERE: Find out Bre's favorite thing to eat in her new "hometown"...the one thing she's not good at that she wished she was....where she would move if she had to live outside of the U.S....what Hawaii vibes she is trying to spread in K.C....and the one word that would best describe her next year. Follow @cuzihavetopodcast on Instagram for all the latest news.  We'd love to hear from you - email us at cuzihavetopodcast@gmail.com.  Find other episodes or leave us a voice message for the show on the anchor website. Thanks for tuning in! Keep on living those dreams, friends, CUZ YOU HAVE TO!! - jULIE AND jASON --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/cuzihaveto/message

On this episode of Banking on KC, Breana Grosz, the new General Manager of the Country Club Plaza, joins host Kelly Scanlon to discuss the Plaza's 100th anniversary and what the future holds.  Tune in to discover: How swamp land became a national attraction. Plans for engaging locals and tourists.  The little-known gems sprinkled throughout the Plaza's open-air public art gallery.  Grosz's long-term vision for the Plaza.  

Voters in the 6th District, which includes the Country Club Plaza, Brookside and Waldo, will choose between Dan Tarwater and Johnathan Duncan to fill the open seat during the June 20 general election.

The Plaza Area Council is bringing together community stakeholders to revitalize Kansas City's historic shopping district and surrounding neighborhoods, and make it more "inclusive and diverse" for the future.

BRUCE + LORI ANAPOLSKY are part of an amazing family tradition. Since 1922, Julius Clothing has been in business in Sacramento. It started in 1922 when Grandfather Julius Anapolsky opened what is called a haberdashery on K Street. Bruce's parents Sam and Sharon took over the business in the 70's. Sacramento's Staple in High End Fashion was in Country Club Plaza before landing in its current home at Pavilions in Sacramento. Three generations! And what you will learn today will center around the 'EXPERIENCE' of walking through the doors of Julius Clothing. What a great way to celebrate Episode 100!HOST STEVE BUZZARD on Bruce + Lori |  "Think about that for a second. Here I am celebrating 100 episodes in almost two years of work. And today I get to speak to a power couple here in Sacramento celebrating 100 years of a family business that has stood the test of time. It's impressive!" Our conversation hits TWO areas: SEGMENT 1 

On this week's episode of Kansas City Confidential, Sari talks to Bay and Chatchai, owners of Bruu Cafe, located on the Country Club Plaza. Both Bay and Chatchai are originally from Thailand and moved to the U.S. to further their education. While life adjusting to their new home was difficult, they have grown to love Kansas City and raising their family here. Bay talks about her love for boba tea and the success the cafe has seen, despite running into delays opening due to COVID. Chatchai discusses the process of making boba bubbles and why Bruu is different than other boba tea cafes in KC.  Be sure to follow Bruu Cafe on Instagram at @bruu_cafe . You can follow Sari on Instagram @kcbysari for all the latest on local businesses in KC.    Music by Victoria Ball Logo designed by Alex Cohn 

Happy Tuesday From YOUR KC Morning Show!ON THE SHOW TODAY, A KCMS EXCLUSIVE.Workers across the country are having a moment. Organized Labor is reclaiming it's power, and Kansas City once again finds itself in the thick of it. On Monday, the staff at Starbucks location in The Country Club Plaza were informed that the location was ceasing operations permanently, citing "concern for the safety" of their staff, a common trend among recent Starbucks closures. The KC Morning Show has obtained, verified, and will be playing back audio from inside Starbucks on The Plaza, as workers were informed of the abrupt closure, and their forced relocation.A Good Day To Be A Kansas Citian. I Believe That We Will Win. In Solidarity.xoxo - @hartzell965, @holeyhearts, @kcmorningshow

The top headlines from The Kansas City Star on Thursday, July 21, 2022 including a surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations, a Capitol riot defendant who wants to defend himself in court and a lawsuit against a Country Club Plaza developer.

Loy Evitts disappeared from the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City on February 28, 1977. 

Kansas City's Country Club Plaza is turning a century old, a milestone that finds people examining the iconic shopping center's past and wondering about its future. Plus, Kevin Strickland talks about how the media covers wrongful convictions.

Over the last century, the Country Club Plaza has survived natural disasters, social unrest and challenging economic climates. But how can we reckon the place we love with the controversial vision of its creator, J.C. Nichols?

The top headlines from The Kansas City Star on Tuesday, April 12th, 2022, including: a double shooting in Mission, another escalation in the development debate at Country Club Plaza and the release of a man in prison for 18 years on insufficient evidence

The top headlines from The Kansas City Star on Thursday, March 17th, 2022 including: Affidavit gives details on Olathe East High School shooting; Restaurants could replace historic Country Club Plaza church; and Royals are targeting one area of need in free agency.

   It's well known here how much I love long summer evenings, now we get the shocker that the Senate votes unanimous to keep us on Daylight Time 365 days a year.  Count me in!    There's a battle between developers for the Country Club Plaza.  As retail craters, it's time to rethink our local treasure and make sure the fading Plaza remains glorious for generations to come.    Officials in Independence and Overland Park say there's a new crime taking place in their communities.  Stealing gas.  You won't believe how people are doing it.    KU gets an opponent for Thursday night, it's Texas Southern.  But the real game to watch Thursday is San Diego State and Creighton as one of them will be ready to go Saturday.    And Lee Sterling of www.paramountsports.com is back with a little help for you filling out your bracket and offering up a pair of his best first round point spread picks absolutely free.

The top headlines from The Kansas City Star on Wednesday, January 19th, 2022 including: Kevin Strickland sues Missouri's prison healthcare provider; Kansas health department to end coronavirus contact tracing; and Kate Spade is closing on Kansas City's Country Club Plaza.

Date night with Underworld Mafia, A conversation at Phoenix Herb Company, Kansas City's Country Club Plaza, and Vans. What exactly does "Back in the Day" mean? Traditional Kansas City BBQ in the heart of Germany, Little Suzy's Smoke Shack BBQ! As a reminder, if you are tagged you make an appearance in this episode!! @Littlesuzyssmokeshack @phoenixherbcompany @swaycoffeeroasters @madeinkc_ @vansgirls @vans --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/fridaysat5/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/fridaysat5/support

What storefront is Amazon opening on Kansas City's Country Club Plaza? Can Matt guess the captain? What is the latest Mountain Dew variant? The answers to these questions, plus Kate's dog status, in today's show.

The top headlines from The Kansas City Star on Friday, September 24th, 2021 including: Judge orders Blue Springs cafe to close after it continuously defied mask mandate; Sharice Davids backs abortion rights bill in Congress; Country Club Plaza sues Kansas City developer for $106,922 in back rent on offices; and Kansas middle school student dies of COVID-19, education official says.

In honor of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings,  Vince and Eddie argue over the greatest fight scenes in Cinematic history. And we drank: The Location: Vince's Balcony, Country Club Plaza. The Beer: Eddie: Heavy Pour Brewing Trial By Fire (Brewed lustfully by Vince and L-town). Rating: 7.757 Subscribe at our patreon at http://www.patreon.com/technicallydrinking

The History of the Plaza from the 1950s to today.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/homegrownkc/exclusive-content

The history of the Country Club Plaza from 1920-1950.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/homegrownkc/exclusive-content

This is a fascinating conversation Timmy had with a Buddhist Minister from Temple Buddhist Center of Kansas City located on the Country Club Plaza. If you've been curious to know what do Buddhist believe and/or practice, enjoy this conversation. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/timmygibson/support

The latest headlines from The Kansas City Star for Wednesday, February, 10, 2021, including police seizing Chiefs assistant coach Britt Reid’s cellphone as part of an investigation of the crash that critically injured a young girl, the latest news on COVID-19 vaccinations, and Tiffany & Co. reopening on the Country Club Plaza.

Welcome in to State Your Line, voted the Best Local Podcast in Kansas City in The Pitch Magazine and Kansas City Magazine in 2019 & 2020! This week the Ritz brothers talk with Kim Halloren, Managing partner of The Capital Grille, on the Country Club Plaza. This episode includes some of our favorite segments: Chiefs Updates Kansas Citian of the Week Openings and Closings What'd We Try This Week Deets on the Streets Personal Pine Tar Mixed Plate of People at your Thanksgiving

Kansas City is just one of about 100 cities where demonstrators are taking to the streets in the wake of George Floyd's death at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer. The Star's Mara Rose Williams talks about what she saw at the Country Club Plaza. McClatchy Washington bureau reporter Bryan Lowry also joins Dave Helling and Derek Donovan to talk about Roger Marshall, Bob Hamilton and the race for the Senate in Kansas. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With a resume like Chase Coffman's there really is no need for an introduction. Best known for his four years as a consensus All-American Tight End for the University of Missouri Tigers, Chase Coffman is a football legend in the State of Missouri. In high school Chase won the Thomas A. Simone award, recognizing the top high school football player in the Kansas City area. That very same year he lead his high school football team to their first State Championship.  From there he accepted a scholarship at Mizzou where he still holds numerous records, and in his senior year earned the prestigious John Mackey Award, given to the nations top Tight End. Chase was drafted in the third round of the NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, and was a part of several teams before retiring in 2016. He currently works as a wealth advisor for BMG Advisors, located on the Country Club Plaza, in Kansas City.   Want to Contact Chase? Phone: (816) 792-5072 Email: ccoffman@bmgadvisors.com ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Learn More About Ten Tabs Open & Alex(ander) Howell Check out TTO website @ www.tentabsopen.com Instagram: @AlexanderFromKC Twitter: @AlexanderFromKC Follow Alex @ www.AlexanderHowell.com

This episode will put a smile on that face! Greg Wu with Kansas City FilmFest is here to talk about the big festival headed to the Country Club Plaza, April 10-14. Plus, this is no joke. Sarah is out. And 41 Action News Anchor Taylor Hemness is in. To talk movie news. And nerd stuff. And 'Joker'. And 'IT: Chapter Two'. Get ready. This is going to be a TASTY, TASTY, BEAUTIFUL EPISODE of Screened on the Spot!

In this week's edition of the 41 Files, reporter Nick Starling brings us up to speed on the plan to gut an old church building on the Country Club Plaza and turn it into a multi-story office tower. Then, at 15:00, reporter Steven Dial joins the podcast to brief us on a 3D model and video rendering of the new KCI single terminal project. Hosted by Taylor Hemness. Produced by Sam Hartle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

T3 hits the Country Club Plaza to review the tasty tacos and margaritas from ZOCALO with special guests, the Kansas City improv comedy quintet, HAM KITTY (Trish Berrong, Kate Haugan, Ashley Osborn, and Jen Roser)! Taco Topics and KC Topics Discussed: Favorite Country Club Plaza Memories! Improv Comedy Mishaps! Things We Love/Hate about KC! KC NEEDS A BREAKFAST TACO PLACE!! And much much more! We check the TACO TICKER, play TOWN OF THE TACO and we taco lot about GUACAMOLE. We also taco 'bout a little ole place called the RUSTY TACO! And we read some BAD REVIEWS in a FUNNY VOICE! Taco The Town: Bringing a Little Class to this ole former swampy marsh now called The Plaza!"     

A Family Owned Greek Restaurant Since 1976 Tasso and Katina Kalliris moved to Kansas City from Greece in 1960 and started a family. With their growing family Tasso worked three jobs to provide but he had always dreamed of owning his own restaurant. In 1976, Tasso and Katina started selling Gyro sandwiches in a tiny bar in Brookside, Missouri. Little did they know they would have a line of people out the door waiting to get one of Tasso's delicious Gyros. They worked hard and eventually saved enough to open their own restaurant on 75th Street. The popularity of Tasso's Greek Restaurant continued to grow due to Tasso and Katina's love of entertaining, celebrating life at the Greek table with delicious Greek food. As a result they expanded with dedicated chefs, catering services, and a welcoming staff was hired to meet the growing demands. Eventually the restaurant moved to its own free-standing building at 8411 Wornall where people can enjoy authentic Greek food, live music, belly dancing, breaking dishes, fun and hospitality with quality that is second to none. Today, son John is now managing the restaurant with his Father. We look forward to the wonderful opportunity when we can share our hospitality with you! KALI OREXI! Tasso's is located at 8411 Wornall in Waldo area of KC five minutes south of the Country Club Plaza. Phone: (816) 363-4776

This episode of Country Squire Radio is brought to you by Missouri Meerschaum and the Tin Society. We thank them for supporting this show, and we thank you for supporting them. Episode 237: Cold Weather Pipe Smoking Welcome & Housekeeping: It’s International Pipe Smoking Day (Week)! Of course, our beloved The Country Squire will be giving us the goods from 2/20 - 2/24. Everything in the shop (and online use code IPSD10) will be 10% off, and all pipes get an extra 10% off. Spend $50 or more and get a sample of the exclusive Country Squire IPSD Blend! $150 or more gets a free Squire t-shirt (maroon or blue). $200 or more gets a tin of name brand tobacco! Dealers choice there. Beau and Jon David touch on lunting (strolling whilst smoking your pipe) and the possibility of doing something in the near future with the International Lunting Society ( www.lunting.org ). Details to come, so stay tuned! For those that are interested, Jon David gushes a little on his IPSD blend, which will be a pecan aromatic, but fairly light! If it gets enough traction, there’s a possibility of it becoming a house blend, so go, buy you some IPSD goodies from the Squire, get your ounce, and try it! Then, give him some feedback! Also, 4 more members to announce for the International Country Squire Radio Pipe Club. All Squires! None of the pilgrim blasphemy! David Branch. Austin Horn. Steve Heyman. Satx Pipe. Welcome guys! If I misspelled your name, blame Beau. Someone’s gotta do it, and he failed miserably this time. Jon David and Beau couldn’t continue to do what they do without our support! You guys are the real MVPs! Topic: Beau and Jon David took Rob Bowden’s suggestion, and made an episode! This week they’re discussing pipes that are best for smoking in the cold weather, especially since we’re in the last throes of winter in the south, and the north still has plenty of it, as well as offering some tips and tricks. First thing discussed is those that insist on keeping pipes on the outside of their house, be it in the shed, car, or other means. Generally these are people that smoke a pipe to and from work, or perhaps a spouse that is pipe-smell sensitive. If that’s the case, and it’s terribly cold, you’re going to want to pre-heat that pipe before you load it. Get it up to room temperature, bring it inside at the very least, so you’re not giving it a temperature shock on first light. This can, and has, resulted in some cracked briar or other materials. If the weather is freezing, the moisture in the pipe can and will freeze and that moisture won’t evaporate as easily and readily, and could, in turn, cause the pipe to taste funky or sour eventually! A corn cob pipe might be a better option for you in the long run. Durable, cheap, and light! One of the best go-to pipes hands down. If it does get damaged by the cold, just get another! One material that is not suggested is meerschaum. They’re already fragile, but the stone itself is known to be even more brittle in cold conditions. However, a meerschaum-lined briar doesn’t suffer from this fragile effect. It helps protect the briar, and the briar gives the meerschaum the stability it needs to not crack. If briar is your material of choice, choose something that has a chunky bowl...my personal suggestion would be an author or tomato...maybe a pot. But the extra material helps with the sturdiness of the briar itself. For the lighters themselves, you’ll want to keep your butane soft-flame lighters inside if at all possible. The cold weather seems to really affect how easily they light. You may need to pre-warm it if you insist on keeping it outside or somewhere it’s going to get cold. Think about a windcap as well. This are also handy when you’re outside in any kind of weather, be it windy, rainy, or especially when its cold! And since we’ve touched on lunting...lunt! Bundle up properly and get that blood flowing! Also think about wearing gloves with mitten caps or something with accessible fingers. Helps you get to your tamper and lighter much more easily! Pipe Question of the Week: Frank in Mississippi writes asks “What is the worst/weirdest pipe-related question you’ve gotten from a customer at the Squire?” Mine Pipe Shop Pet Peeves episode? Jon David wonders where to start! He remarks that the worst he’s ever felt from a customer questions, was when they walked in the store, and asked Jon David about his Bing’s Favorite. Said person was interested in getting one and wanted to see his. Guy looks at it and tells Jon David about this website that’s running a sale on it and he was thinking about buying it, but wanted to see Jon David’s before he pulled the trigger. WHAT!??! YOU DON’T DO THAT! Luckily Butch Arthur, awesome friend of Jon David’s and the shop, was there at the time and literally said “No, you don’t do that.” Thankfully, it ended up as a sale, but it was still pretty cringeworthy and completely unacceptable. Quick Fire with the Squire: Sent in my Jim Friedman (sp?), theme is “Getting Healthy” #1 High protein diet (JD) or Low fat diet (Beau) #2 Aerobic exercise (Beau) or weight training (JD) #3 Vitamins or Veggies (JD and Beau) #4 Working out with others (JD) or working out by yourself (Beau) #5 Losing weight to fit into your pants (Beau has different pairs of pants for different weight levels) or Just buy new pants (JD because he gets his pants altered) Listener Feedback: Robin Co. writes in “Great podcast! Recently fell into this podcast as a new-ish pipe smoker. Love the laid back vibe and great info that the guys have. Now working my way through the archives.” Jim Nelson writes in “On a previous show, you two wondered out loud if Diebel’s (Smokeshop in Kansas City) is still around. It is indeed, but it is a good news / bad news story. They are now Diebel’s Sportsman Gallery and have two locations in KC. My son Chris who is also an avid listener and customer of yours said something along the lines of it ‘looking like a high class cracker barrel lobby’ when you first walk in. That nails the ambiance there. They still have a good selection of pipes and still appear to blend their own pipe tobacco. They have a limited selection of tinned tobacco. The cigar humidor is huge though. There is also a fair-sized private club type smoking lounge. But, it’s no longer a ‘pipe shop’. Pipes are clearly second in line and it makes me said every time I walk in. I suppose that given what’s happened to the pipe smoking culture since the 70’s, the move to overpriced duck decoys and pretentious leather travel bags was inevitable. The good news is if you need a barware sign, a pair of socks with bacon on them, or something crazy like that, I know a place on Country Club Plaza where you can get it.” @asechales “ten to twenty five degrees on a clear night without much wind and snow on the ground is hands down the perfect smoking conditions to me.” @hoctorthelovedr “that’s why you enjoy a nice corn cob pipe from Missouri Meerschaum. Leave it in the car, temperature change doesn’t harm it at all.” @Pappy_Joe “the real question is to watch these guys or some exciting Olympic Curling?” @OnMyOwnOpinion (Brian Levine) “socks may not be the best thing to sell in Mississippi! Just saying.” Ending & Wrap-up: Please check out the show sponsor websites to learn more about them, and please consider joining the Country Squire Radio Pipe Club. I’ve provided a link to Patreon below as well as show credits, twitter handles, websites, emails, and times. If you have not done so, please consider writing an iTunes review. Great way to support these fantastic gentlemen! For more fun, check out the live show on YouTube! ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eXfbQHcXaKg ) Also please pray Beau grows some more facial hair for next week...don’t hold your breath! Alright, let’s got have a night! Episode Credits: Host: Jon David Cole (@JonDavidCole) Host: Beau York (@TheRealBeauYork) Producer: Mike Woodard (@TheMikeWoodard) Executive Producer: Beau York (@Podastery) Show Notes: Mark Van Vrancken (@mgvsquared) Country Squire Radio Website: www.countrysquireradio.com Country Squire Radio email: show@countrysquireradio.com Country Squire Radio Twitter: @squireradio Country Squire Radio Patreon: www.patreon.com/countrysquireradio The Country Squire Twitter: @_countrysquire The Country Squire Website: www.thecountrysquireonline.com Show Times: Live Monday nights 8:30pm CST, 6:30 Pacific, 9:30 EST Episode Sponsors: Missouri Meerschaum (www.corncobpipe.com) The Tin Society (https://tinsociety.com)

Sean Tyler joins the show to discuss his 30 year career in the Entertainment Business. Sean opens up about his Irish ancestry, reflects on his split with KPRS Radio, flings with Tamar Braxton, performing at the Apollo in Harlem, NY, meeting 2Pac and much more on this Episode. KoBayne enjoys a 70th Anniversary Manuel Quesada Cigar paired with Remy Martin 1738 while E-Staff breaks down the History of the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City and developer J.C. Nichols.

Eddie V's Prime Seafood on 47th Street, in the Country Club Plaza, serving quality seafood and hand-carved steaks in a relaxed, lounge atmosphere. Owned by Orlando-based Darden Restaurants, it's a sister concept to The Capitol Grille and Seasons 52. It won't be the first restaurant on the plaza tempting diners with similar fare, but managing partner David Dworsky says its indulgent seafood dishes and personalized service coupled with a charismatic lounge atmosphere will make Eddie V's a destination for locals and tourists alike. “It is our goal to indulge our guests at every turn, creating a personalized level of care and service that matches the high quality cuisine and atmosphere,” Dworsky says. With live music nightly, Eddie V's is looking create a true lounge environment in the restaurant's V Lounge, a space that will feature classic cocktails and an award-winning wine list with more than 200 bottles from around the world. An expansive oval-shaped bar top surrounded by cocktail tables and elevated booth seating fills the lounge, plus a piano that will be put to good use by local jazz trios seven days a week. The menu, which is mostly seafood, will also feature quality hand-cut steaks. Seafood dishes span the culinary spectrum from modern Asian to southern cuisine. Standout items include the Point Judith Calamari appetizer, served with a kung pao-style sauce, roasted cashews and crisp noodles, while the jumbo lump crab cake, sautéed Maryland-style with spicy chive remoulade highlights a New England flavor profile. Entrées follow a similar pattern: Alaskan Halibut is served with a miso glaze, sugar snap peas and shiitake mushrooms, while the swordfish steak is broiled and served with fresh lump crab, avocado, cilantro and red chile. Although Eddie V's is a chain, a trio of local ladies will be heading up the restaurant, including executive chef Crystal Morris, who joined Eddie V's after cooking for The Capital Grille in both Kansas City and Minneapolis. Morris and sous chef Shelby Fahrni were trained at Johnson County Community College culinary arts program in Kansas City; service manager Rachel Thompson rounds out the trio. Construction is already underway on what will be the 14th location of Eddie V's and the first in Missouri. The 10,000-square-foot space seats 318 inside, plus an outdoor patio. Dworsky explains that Darden Restaurants inherited the name when they purchased Eddie V's Prime Seafood in 2011. “But, I tell my staff that each one of them shoulders the responsibility of being Eddie V every night in the restaurant,” he says. “I want them to know that they are empowered with making each guest feel special and cared for.” Eddie V's, 700 W. 47th St., Country Club Plaza, Kansas City, Missouri, 816.531.2537, eddiev.com @EddieV's #LiveItUp #SlackerMorningShow101theFox @RGKC @GKCRA #TMobile

Local restaurateurs plan to open Hogshead Kansas City at Country Club Plaza in November. Shawn McClenny, owner of One Block South entertainment district in Overland Park, and Clark Grant, former executive chef at the Capital Grille in Chicago and on the Plaza, have leased a 5,500-square-foot space at 4743 Pennsylvania Ave. It is being remodeled and will have “rustic contemporary” decor and a casual atmosphere. Hogshead Kansas City will have a “creative American,” chef-driven menu using locally sourced products, craft beers and in-house barrel-aged cocktails. The restaurant will staff about 50 employees. Hogshead is an old world term for a large cask used for the shipment of wine and spirits, McClenny said. The partners met when they helped with a benefit for a server who had worked for them both. They also connected over their love of Chicago's culinary offerings. The spot where Hogshead will open has a culinary history spanning 45 years. Joe Gilbert and Paul Robinson opened their first Houlihan's Old Place in the spot in 1972, naming it after clothier Thomas Houlihan, the location's former tenant. Houlihan's operated in the space for 30 years, and McClenny's wife had once been a server there. But then landlord Highwoods decided not to renew its lease. California Pizza Kitchen opened in the space in mid-2003 and closed in mid-2014. Corner Bakery Cafe had been in negotiations for the space before the Plaza changed ownership in 2016. “Hogshead Kansas City will be a terrific addition to the Plaza.,” said Meredith Keeler, general manager of the Plaza. “We are proud to add another local business to our lineup and are confident the restaurant, with its locally sourced ingredients and extensive menu, will generate a large and loyal following.” The local owners of Leawood's Rye Restaurant also recently announced plans to open a Plaza Rye at 4646 J.C. Nichols Parkway on the Plaza. @HogsheadKC @CPCKC_Org #hogsheadKC #EatLocal #SlackerMorningShow101theFox #TMobile

Local restaurateurs plan to open Hogshead Kansas City at Country Club Plaza in November. Shawn McClenny, owner of One Block South entertainment district in Overland Park, and Clark Grant, former executive chef at the Capital Grille in Chicago and on the Plaza, have leased a 5,500-square-foot space at 4743 Pennsylvania Ave. It is being remodeled and will have “rustic contemporary” decor and a casual atmosphere. Hogshead Kansas City will have a “creative American,” chef-driven menu using locally sourced products, craft beers and in-house barrel-aged cocktails. The restaurant will staff about 50 employees. Hogshead is an old world term for a large cask used for the shipment of wine and spirits, McClenny said. The partners met when they helped with a benefit for a server who had worked for them both. They also connected over their love of Chicago's culinary offerings. The spot where Hogshead will open has a culinary history spanning 45 years. Joe Gilbert and Paul Robinson opened their first Houlihan's Old Place in the spot in 1972, naming it after clothier Thomas Houlihan, the location's former tenant. Houlihan's operated in the space for 30 years, and McClenny's wife had once been a server there. But then landlord Highwoods decided not to renew its lease. California Pizza Kitchen opened in the space in mid-2003 and closed in mid-2014. Corner Bakery Cafe had been in negotiations for the space before the Plaza changed ownership in 2016. “Hogshead Kansas City will be a terrific addition to the Plaza.,” said Meredith Keeler, general manager of the Plaza. “We are proud to add another local business to our lineup and are confident the restaurant, with its locally sourced ingredients and extensive menu, will generate a large and loyal following.” The local owners of Leawood's Rye Restaurant also recently announced plans to open a Plaza Rye at 4646 J.C. Nichols Parkway on the Plaza. @HogsheadKC @CPCKC_Org #hogsheadKC #EatLocal #SlackerMorningShow101theFox #TMobile

“The Best Burger in Kansas City is at the Westport Flea Market,” according to The Food Network's “Meat and Potatoes.” And The Pitch. And Zomato. And…well, you get the picture. But we're more than a just a great burger. Try us on Monday steak nights, we guarantee you'll be back. We're Westport's favorite, quirky, funky 30+ year old local-dining institution. Boasting some of the country's best made-to-order eats served up with a healthy side of atmosphere, nostalgia, local history, and a stubborn resistance to change. flea_handLike karaoke? Got it. Trivia contests? Check. Pool, shuffleboard, video games? Yes, yes, and yes. Need a private room for 10 to 210? We've got you covered. Like your brew cold and in various flavors? We have 44 cold and delicious beers tapped and waiting. Live music? Of course. Great burger? Are you even paying attention? North of the Country Club Plaza, south of downtown Kansas City and the Power & Light District. On the west-side of Westport. Open for lunch and dinner, 7-days a week. @bestburgerkc #WestportKansasCity #BestBurgers #KansasCityIcons #SlackerMorningShow101theFox #TMobile

It's a tall order, but the newly opened InterContinental on the Country Club Plaza has managed to check all of the boxes. As part of its $16 million update, the hotel recently transformed its outdated and somewhat stuffy Oak Room into the cheery and cheeky new American Slang Modern Brasserie. True to its name, the menu offers classic French brasserie dishes with an American accent. Classic French steak and frites, for instance, feature locally sourced and aged beef. A chef's daily cheese board happily serves a French triple crème brie next to Missouri cheese from Green Dirt Farm. The wine list speaks both old world and new world equally well. Executive chef Drue Kennedy was brought in to help create a menu that executes classic French dishes faithfully while rethinking them in a way that brings them closer to our Midwestern roots. And Kennedy certainly knows how Kansas City likes to eat; he's been cooking here over a decade. He's cooked at restaurants including Grand Street Café, the Eldridge Hotel in Lawrence and, most recently, Seasons 52 on the Plaza. #AmericanSlangBrasserie #SlackerMorningShow101theFox

Stock Hill reimagines the classic Kansas City steakhouse for a new generation. It combines the time-honored heritage of grace, expertise, and polished service with impeccable precision, craftsmanship, and imaginative interpretations of the finest steakhouse selections. The Stock Hill name pays homage to its historic neighborhood nestled in the former Kansas City Board of Trade building in south Country Club Plaza. This rare merger of both nostalgic and novel luxury offers guests a strikingly seductive ambiance and revolutionary culinary excellence, meant to carefully craft moments of an authentic new breed of Midwestern hospitality. Executive Chef: Joe West Executive Pastry Chef: Kelly Conwell Chef de Cuisine: Spencer Knipper General Manager & Sommelier: Sheri Osborn Sommelier & Beverage Manager: Brent Grider #SlackerMorningShow101theFox

Located at Country Club Plaza on the corner of Ward Parkway and Broadway Street, Seasons 52 in Kansas City offers fresh, seasonal New American cuisine for lunch and dinner. Seasons 52 combines a chic restaurant with the fresh appeal of the local farmer's market. Enjoy seasonal ingredients at their peak of freshness, like Wild Alaska Halibut, Copper River Salmon, Nantucket Bay Scallops, and Black Mission Figs, to name a few. Or discover our extensive wine list, featuring more than 100 international wines, with 52 available by the glass. Seasons 52 allows you to enjoy the best of Kansas City's local dining scene. Join us Monday through Friday from 4pm to 6:30pm for $5 small plates, organic craft cocktails, wine, and beer during our Sunset at Seasons happy hour. If you're looking for a dining experience that is casual yet sophisticated, our warm and inviting modern space located just minutes from The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, and just off U.S. 71, can accommodate you. Seasons 52 Fresh Grill and Wine Bar was recently voted 2016 Socially Responsible Restaurant of the Year by Technomic due to our dedication to sustainability and our local communities.

This podcast tours the Country Club Plaza located in Kansas City, Missouri north of Brush Creek. I will talk about the history, inspiration, and statues on the Plaza. This tour covers more distance then past tours (over two miles) and you will be outside for all of it. You may want to split it up […] The post Country Club Plaza in Kansas City – Ep 8 appeared first on EASY to LINGER.

Welcome to Easy to Linger. The architecture of the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri drew inspiration from Sevilla a city in south west Spain. This podcast is about the history of that Spanish town. It is not a guided tour. You may listen at any place in the Plaza or just if you […] The post Sevilla & Plaza in Kansas City – Ep 6 appeared first on EASY to LINGER.

Comedian Charlsey Miller joins the boys in the studio.  Also, Breaking News - a likely new owner of the Country Club Plaza is on the show.  Tune in now!

Several minutes of rhythm and sounds from the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City on the evening of Tuesday, June 9, 2015. For more music and sounds, visit markrushton.com Mailing list:  http://mailinglist.markrushton.com/ This podcast is hosted by Libsyn at:  http://ambient.libsyn.com Podcast RSS feed is http://ambient.libsyn.com/rss My music at Spotify. My music at Bandcamp. I'm also on Pandora.

Several minutes of rhythm and sounds from the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City on the evening of Tuesday, June 9, 2015. For more music and sounds, visit markrushton.com Mailing list:  http://mailinglist.markrushton.com/ This podcast is hosted by Libsyn at:  http://ambient.libsyn.com Podcast RSS feed is http://ambient.libsyn.com/rss My music at Spotify. My music at Bandcamp. I'm also on Pandora.

Seven myths of social media can hold you and your organization back from the promise of communicating with impact and clarity. Do you know what these myths are and how they may be frustrating your efforts? Justin, a digital strategist for Fleishman-Hillard Kansas City, has years of expertise in helping businesses connect with consumers via social media. Join him for some myth busting at our luncheon on Thursday, Oct. 18, at Brio on the Country Club Plaza. Register here: http://tinyurl.com/8tdzoer The Kansas City chapter of IABC, 2012 International Chapter of the Year, includes approximately 200 members, in and around Kansas City, who are employed as communications professionals for major corporations, agencies and non-profit organizations. Many KC/IABC members are self-employed as freelancers or run their own companies. IABC Kansas City also welcomes student members and works with local IABC student chapters serving as a resource for young communicators entering the industry.

TOPIC 1: TEEN-FREE ZONE. The new curfew ordinance took effect last weekend and there were no problems on the Country Club Plaza. In fact, the Plaza may well have been the safest public place in the area this past Friday … Continue reading →

TOPIC 1: IT HAD TO HAPPEN! Last weekend, three teens were shot on the Country Club Plaza. Mayor James and other black leaders were in the area trying to assess the extent of the problem caused by large throngs of … Continue reading →

PLAZA: A 9:00 pm curfew and $500 fines – what the city is now doing to curb hordes of teens on the Country Club Plaza. BROWNBACK: The Kansas Governor is making national news. Why Sam Brownback’s administration is returning $32 … Continue reading →

PLAZA: A 9:00 pm curfew and $500 fines – what the city is now doing to curb hordes of teens on the Country Club Plaza. BROWNBACK: The Kansas Governor is making national news. Why Sam Brownback’s administration is returning $32 … Continue reading →

This week on Tell Somebody, Ira Harrit, Program Director of American Friends Service Committee - Kansas City and co-chair of the KC Iraq Task Force talks about a rally on the Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, followed by "Breaking Bread" a dinner benefit with Iraqi refugees and Iraq War veterans on the weekend before the 6th anniversary of the illegal invasion and occupation of Iraq. Then we'll talk with media activist Alice Kitchen and journalist Bruce Rodgers about a petition effort to convince KCPT, Kansas City's PBS affiliate, to stop pre-empting  Now and Bill Moyers Journal every time they have a pledge drive.  This effort resulted in an invitation from the television station for would-be media reformers to man the phone banks during a pledge drive to try to demonstrate that quality public affairs programming really can make the station money.  We'll talk about how that effort fared, and about the state of the media generally. And finally, Eyewitness to the Russian Revolution, February, 1917, Part 3.  Hugo Hakk's account of revolution in Petrograd continues, as the young machine gun officer in the Czar's army returns to Petrograd on International Women's Day after a side trip to Finland.