Despite the recent changes to the studio format due to the coronavirus and extension of spring break, the students have been pushing the designs and research for the East Bottoms Vision Study. Just before Spring Break, the studio had an opportunity to showcase the project development at our first public meeting, which was in our project area at J.Rieger & Co. We had a great turn out of community members and the students were able to speak with them and develop a mutual understanding of a vision for the East Bottoms. They discussed the issues present on the site and how, with some innovative and analytical thinking, the studio can make the East Bottoms a welcoming place that can benefit the everyday lives of those that live and work there. The students received a lot of positive feedback and valuable questions and they continue to include the needs of the community in every step of the planning process. 

The plans for the Chestnut Corridor area received a lot of attention from the community. The proposed plan would connect Riverfront Park to the East Bottoms and Downtown KC, which would make it one of the first phases to be implemented if this project were taken to development stage by the city. Riverfront Park is currently used for boat access for local citizens, but its connection to the downtown area has been neglected. Development of the social public realm and walkability will activate this area, transforming it into an urban mixed-use environment that considers how flooding impacts the East Bottoms.  Another area that received a lot of feedback and discussion was the Working Landscape (the eastern part of the study area that is mostly industry and private ownership) and their plans for future phasing if the industries in this area were willing to open up public space and if the Evergy plant were to shut down due to technological advances. To offset habitat impacts and pollution, the studio employed strategies of flood control and water remediation in this area since it is the first to flood and the water contains the highest amount of toxins on the site. 

As we move into the final stage of the project, we hope to make this project as relevant, realistic, and practical as possible for future implementation while also using innovative new practices that create resiliency and sustainability so the East Bottoms can continue to adapt to the environment. We will continue to move the project towards realization with all of the community feedback in mind. 

Lastly, a big thanks to Andy Rieger, who provided us the opportunity to use their space; our Project Advisory Group who continues to provide critical input, references, and guidance towards creating a thoughtful and thorough project; and lastly, the community who showed up to our public meeting!

Since last semester, the KCDC has begun to establish order in the East Bottoms while addressing the ecological, social, and connection needs of the area. However, after our most recent review, our team has been asked how we can better simplify our approach.

With this new information, we strive to add hierarchy to the proposed trail and loop system. The overall trail and folly system act as ordering elements while creating connectivity and wayfinding for each of the different areas of the site. These unique areas are comprised of:

1. Riverfront Park; which protects the East Bottoms by acting as a levee but also provides an active and engaging waterfront for Kansas City.

2. The urban core currently home to J. Reiger & Co., Knuckleheads Saloon, and Electric Park which connects Guinotte Ave. to the Riverfront Park Trail.

3. The education hub which is home to many educational establishments and can engage with nearby manufacturing businesses.

4. The eastern most part of the East Bottoms which has several wetlands that serve as retention basins. These retention basins remediate water and soil and serve as a crucial wildlife habitat for the site.

As we move further into the semester, we are excited to meet with and hear from the residents of the East Bottoms at our upcoming community meeting (which is Tuesday, March 3rd from 4:30pm-6:30pm at J.Reiger & Co!). We hope to learn new and insightful information from the community to better understand how our project can make the East Bottoms a better place for both visitors and current residents.

End of Year Re-Cap

Since December, the KCDC studio has made many discoveries that have influenced our designs for the Spring semester. As our final review neared, our team began to create solutions to some of the intrinsic obstacles in our site.

Our biggest challenges are as follows:
Flooding: caused by groundwater and runoff retained in the bowl-shaped geography of the site
Intra-disconnection: disconnection within the system of the East Bottoms, especially in local connections for pedestrians and vehicular traffic
A fragmented sense of site identity

The solutions manifested in the form of a unified and systematic trail and bioswale loop. Water from the swales will collect in the lowest geographic area, in this case, an area of the site we have named the ‘working landscape’. In order to reinforce the identity of the East Bottoms, the studio proposed a trail system with the goal to unify and celebrate the identity of the area rather than assimilate them. With these overarching solutions in mind, we are now investigating ways to facilitate them in focused design areas.

Final Reviews

With our design strategy in place (and nearly every square inch of wall space occupied with designs), we held our final reviews. Our reviewers had valuable advice for the project, which encouraged a fresh set of ideas and gave the project a nudge onto a more defined trajectory

Along the proposed trail, there is a series of modular, multi-use shelters that we call ‘follies’. Different types of follies exist along the trail, functioning like small cafe’s, bicycle repair stations, and rest areas. During the review, it was suggested that each loop of the trail system could have different uses that could be specific to the identity of the loop area. It was also recommended that we tidy up this system and make it much more focused and refined.

The trail/folly system and green infrastructure systems mostly operate individually. The question quickly became ‘how can we braid the separate strands together in a way that makes them stronger together than they are independently?’ In other words, the studio needs to reconcile the systems in a way that maximizes synergy.

Open House

Just a few short days after the review, we hosted our Fall Open House. Bustling with attendees, their advice and encouragement allowed us to see the full effects of our efforts. The evening was a nice blend of formal presentation and fun; we were able to talk to many local professionals without the rigidity of a critique or review.

As we wrapped up the year, the studio saw there was much left to do and look forward to in the new spring semester. We are grateful for everyone that has supported the studio and the project so far, from giving advice to words of encouragement. Below is a rare photo of the whole studio in one place, we know if will be a cherished memory of this year.