Category Archives: Brookside Community News

Visiting KC for the All Star Game? Come to Brookside-A Neighborhood of Locally Owned Shops & Restaurants!

Posted on by
Reply

Are you in Kansas City for the All Star Game? Looking for someplace a bit different to visit–for shopping or dining? Then come to Brookside!

Sure, you can go to the Country Club Plaza…and the Power and Light District…you will see the usual national chain stores and restaurants. But if you want to discover some friendly, locally owned business, come to Brookside. Just drive about two miles south of the Plaza at 63rd St and Brookside Blvd (or take the MAX bus). Park the car along any residential street…and join the neighbors walking to various businesses and services. Yes it’s hot..but we have lots of shade in Brookside due to our tall, leafy trees!  Our merchants association website link is here.

Artwork in Brookside; shops in background

Dining options:

Julian –  Top Chef contestant and James Beard award winner Celina Tio’s casual neighborhood restaurant with excellent food and service. Call for reservations.

Carmen’s Café – Casual southern Italian food and tapas, full bar. Good for take-out, too.

Blue Grotto – Wood fired pizzas and tapas, full bar.

Charlie Hoopers –  Beloved neighborhood bar and grill with lots of TVs, games and bar food.

Michael Forbes Grill –  Casual American food, try the pot roast soup, catfish and fresh cut fries.

Bella Napoli – Italian grocer and small restaurant/pizzeria.

The Roasterie Café – Best latte in town, free wi-fi.

Shopping:

Stuff – An art fair in a store.  Hand made jewelry, décor, art.

5B&Co Candlemakers –  Candles and gifts, the usual, and some unusual, fragrances. Get  the “Brookside Bungalow” candle for a special gift.

Reading Reptile – A children’s bookstore, worth a visit just to see the décor.

Brookside Art Fair banner, 2011

Shopgirls – Always changing, eclectic clothes and jewelry you won’t find in a mall.

World’s Window – Décor, clothes, scarves, jewelry from around the world.

The New Dime Store –  Forget something? The Dime Store probably has it. A true five and dime, like in the old days.

This list represents just a few of the more popular places Brookside has to offer.  There’s much  more to discover as you  walk along 63rdStreet and the nearby side streets.  We’re glad you are here…come join us in Brookside for a unique, local experience during your stay!

Armour Hills Freedom Parade 2012

Posted on by
Reply

Boy it was hot yesterday  morning for the annual Armour Hills Freedom Parade…but we had a great turn out anyway!  Some excellent costumes and decorated bikes and wagons this year!  Below are a few pictures I took during the festivities.  Special thanks to Cosintino’s Market for donating cookes to our event. ..and thanks to all of our residents who participated!

                                                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                                                             

Very soon I will be taking lessons on how to post pictures on this blog that are attractively arranged for your viewing pleasure!!

 

Armour Hills Homes Assn Board Meeting June 2012

Posted on by
Reply

Hi neighbors!

Here’s a brief recap from the Armour Hills homes association board meeting on June 19, 2012:

*Mark your calendar for July 18, we are hosting a special security meeting for residents at the Country Club Congregational Church at 6pm.

*We will also host the annual Armour Hills Freedom Parade on the Trolley Track Trail July 4.  Gather at the south end of the trail near Gregory at 9:30, parade begins at 10am.  Prizes and refreshments included!

*Troy Schulte, Kansas City MO City Manager, will be our featured speaker at the Annual Meeting in November.

*Our tree planting project will begin in the Fall.

*We are applying for new PIAC funds to make improvements in Arbor Villa park.

*Melissa Saubers is working on improved communication via social media for our residents.  She is working on a Facebook page, the Clarion and our website.

*Remember the annual Ice Cream Social is September 7.

Our next meeting is July 17, 7pm, at the Church.  All residents welcome!

Armour Hills and Brookside Home Sales Statistics April 2012

Posted on by
Reply

I have not been blogging for several weeks…too busy with work, two graduations, and a great family vacation to New York City!  Back in the saddle today, and want to post home sales stats for April for the Brookside area…there is good news!!

Armour Hills subdivision

In April 2012, six homes were sold.  The average list price was $231,125 and the average sales price was $227,275.  Average days on  market:  42.

In April 2011, three homes sold.  The average list price was $224,450 and the average sales price was $209,333.  Average days on  market:  84.

Currently there are 23 homes for sale in Armour Hills, with an average list price of $241,791.

Average sales prices are up, and days on market are down!  Now let’s look at the main Brookside zip code of 64113:

64113 Zip Code

In April 2012, fifteen homes sold.  The average list price was $302,167, and the average sales price was $295,377,  Average days on market:  53.

In April 2011, nineteen homes sold.  Average list price was $248,160 and average sales price was $239,931.  Average days on market:  98.

Again, average sales prices are up, days on market are down.  Less units sold, but the higher sales prices and lower days on market shows buyers are committing to purchases. 

Currently, there are 115 homes for sale in zip 64113 with an average list price of $566,033.  The upper end homes are not selling as quickly as those priced under $350K, thus the higher average list price.

Would you like information on home sales in your area?  Email me! 

(All information based on single family home sales.  Stats taken from Heartland MLS, deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

Armour Hills Home Sales Statistics – March 2012

Posted on by
Reply

It’s the end of April…just now have time to post home sales statistics for Armour Hills in Brookside, Kansas City MO!    Thanks for your patience, let’s get to the  numbers:

In the month of March 2012, 4 homes sold.   Average list price:  $185,950.  Average sales price: $181,325.  Average days on market:  213.

In the month of March 2011, 4 homes sold.  Average list price:  $203,000.  Average sales price:  $195,500.  Average days on market: 111.

Currently, there are 22 homes for sale in Armour Hills, with an average price of $243,961.

Although the average sales price is down, remember that there is a wide variety of home prices in Armour Hills.  When lower priced foreclosures sell, or smaller homes, that skews the average sales price down.  Also, it takes longer for these types of homes to sell, thus the longer days on market. Showings are way up compared to 2011, so I think this will be a strong sales season for Armour Hills!

If you would like more detailed information on what is selling in Armour Hills or other parts of Brookside, just email me.

(All figures taken from Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed)

Hey Anthony Bourdain, Try Dining in Brookside!

Posted on by
Reply

So Anthony Bourdain’s excellent travel show, No Reservations, broadcasts an episode tonight that filmed in Kansas City last fall.  According to the article in today’s’ Kansas City Star, the visit focuses on many of our beloved barbecue joints.  It’s been done, Anthony!   We know how much you love Oklahoma Joe’s….you need to make a visit to Brookside for dining!  And if you did….here’s where I would take you….

First, a short stop at Waldo Pizza for an appetizer of their St Louis Style pizza.  OK, so maybe this pizza with provel cheese originated in St Louis, (and it’s in Waldo) but this is the kind of place Tony would like:  locally owned, crazy busy all the time, interesting artwork on the walls and a wait staff with lots of tats. My personal favorite is the fresh mushroom and pineapple pizza..go ahead and groan.  Along with our cheesy treat, Tony can try several of the freshly brewed beers from Boulevard.

Julian in Brookside

Our next stop for the entrée:  Julian.  No need to hop in your chauffeured limo, Tony, we can just walk along the Trolley Track Trail.  We’ll dine outside, as it would be a perfect spring evening.  Knowing what a pork fanatic Tony is, I would suggest we order the crispy pork shoulder with sweet potato puree.  This is SO tasty, I almost have to order it every time I go to Julian.  It must be a house specialty, as owner Celina Tio once told me how it’s made—it takes two days to concoct this dish!  Of course, Celina and Tony may recognize each other from their appearances on Top Chef—and don’t all those famous chefs know each other anyway? As tempting as it would be to stay for chocolate pudding and a ginger doughnut, we move on for dessert…

Tony isn’t big on eating sweets, but who could resist the profiteroles at Aixois?  A light pastry puff, split open and topped with vanilla bean ice cream, toasted almonds and chocolate sauce…so simple yet so good.  He would appreciate another casual, locally owned restaurant with a warm  atmosphere and reasonable prices. Tony might compare it to his old French bistro, Les Halles.  We’re not done yet, though, there is one more stop…

Heading back south on the trail, we would order lattes at The Roasterie Café.  Notice, Tony, the wide rimmed cups that provide a creamy sip of foam with

The Roasterie Cafe in Brookside

every drink of locally roasted coffee!   Ok, it’s not like drinking espresso in an Italian courtyard, but still, the people watching is good, the service friendly, and if you  crave another shot of chocolate…indulge in  a Christopher Elbow chocolate with your beverage. Or we could walk a bit further to Glace and try scoops of their artisan ice creams:  basil lime sorbet, salted pretzel, goat cheese and wildflower honey.  Sounds interesting, doesn’t it?

You see, Tony, our barbecue has  a well deserved great reputation..but there’s more to Kansas City than big smoky meat, fries and a cream soda.  Brookside is your kind of place…the next time you come to KC to satisfy a craving for Oklahoma Joe’s, spend some time dining in Brookside. Like all other  die hard New Yorkers, you’ll be surprised at what’s happening here outside of the barbecue scene.

Armour Hills March 2012 Board Meeting Recap

Posted on by
Reply

This post is about a week late!  I’ve been busy trying to work ahead as I’ll be out of town on a little vacation soon. So let’s get right to it—here’s a brief recap of the March 20, 2012 Armour Hills Homes Association board meeting:

Once again, we had several local residents attend and speak about the plans to be more aggressive preventing crime in our subdivision.  The Board is planning a mailing calling for a vote to increase dues, with the extra monies going for regular security patrol a few hours each day.  We are also planning a ‘security fair’ (in June) where residents can stop by and learn about various preventative measures they can take to protect their home and vehicles from burglaries.

The Board is concerned that KCMO is planning to delete funding for residential  fall and spring leaf pick-up  due to budget cuts.  We are drafting a letter to our city council representatives stating we are against this budget cut.

Regarding our PIAC request submitted last year, now that we are now in the 6th district rather than the 4th district, we did not  get as much funding as  requested.  However, thanks to our City Liaison board member Gunnar Hand, we are getting $90,000 for tree maintenance!  Every street tree in Armour Hills will be trimmed and we will have money to plant new trees where needed.  Gunnar is working with the city forester on details to implement this project.  The funds we requested for tennis court maintenence and lights addition will not be available.

Reminder:  the annual Armour Hills garage sale is Saturday May 19, and the Ice Cream Social is September 7.

Repurposing Bryant Elementary School in Brookside

Posted on by
Reply

Last night I attended the first “Reuse Proposal Presentations” hosted by the Kansas City School District.  This one was about repurposing Bryant Elementary School at Wornall and Westover.  It was held at the Country Club United Methodist Church, and over 100 people turned out to listen and ask questions, mostly middle aged and retired residents from the nearby homes.

So far, the only proposal submitted for this site is a combination condo/private country club project by six developers, banding together as an LLC.  (It was difficult to read their formal company name from the overhead projector in the back of the church!).  This group plans to keep the existing structure and footprint of the building.  About half the space would be turned into 14 condos (25,000 SF) and the rest of the building would be a private club with an Olympic sized outdoor pool, six tennis courts, a racquetball court, restaurant, fitness club, and common area for residents, banquet area available for rental, and a private rooftop terrace.  Developers plan about 110 parking spaces, with 28 of those associated with the condos. Condo prices would start at approximately $300 per SF, or around $300,000 for the smallest condo (1000SF).  The developers are seeking tax credits for the project, estimated to cost $11.9 million with construction beginning next year (if approved).   The country club will have a ‘non profit’ classification—did I hear that correctly??

It seemed to me that most of the persons present in the audience were against the project.  The main concern is the increased traffic for the residential area surrounding the club, as well as ‘light and noise pollution’ from the outdoor sports and some ‘visual pollution’ from the inflated domed tennis courts.  The developers reported that no formal traffic study has been done and they feel the traffic disruption will be ‘minimal’.  They will ‘work with the neighbors’ to restrict parking on surrounding streets.  Everyone was asked to complete a form expressing their views about the project that the KCMO School District will take under consideration.

Personally, I am not opposed to a condo development on the site, especially if the existing building will be used.  As for the private country club, I am concerned about the increased traffic and parking shortage for project.  Already there is heavy traffic surrounding nearby St Teresa’s Academy during the week and on weekends during special events. This private club will obviously cater to people with substantial incomes, and therefore unavailable to many nearby Brookside homeowners.  In addition, how will this project look from the street?  Will it be a gated community with tall fencing, an ugly streetscape for passers-by? These specific concerns could not be adequately addressed at the meeting.

Iwant to see other interested parties step up with proposals for this site so there are more options for this building.  You can express your views or get more information by emailing repurposing@kcpublicschools.org

Brookside Events this Week

Posted on by
Reply

It can be a challenge to keep up with all the Brookside events I want to attend!  This week there are two especially important meetings, so I’m blogging about the details below:

Tuesday (March 20) is the monthly board meeting of the Armour Hills Homes Association.  We’ve been discussing raising the annual dues to pay for private security a few hours a day as a response to the increase in crime.  This topic will again be discussed in more detail.  All residents of Armour Hills are welcome.  The meeting is at 7pm at the Country Club Congregational  Church, 205 W 65th St.

Also Tuesday night is the first of two meetings regarding proposals related to ‘repurposing’ nearby closed Kansas City MO schools. Prospective buyers for the Bryant School (319 Westover),  will present their ideas at 6pm at the Country Club United Methodist Church, 400 W 57th St. Proposals for the Bingham School (7618 Wyandotte) will be presented at 9am Saturday March 24 at the Broadway United Methodist Church, 406 W 74th.

I’ll report back via blogs later in the week with a summary of both meetings…wish I could clone myself for the night so I could be both places at once!

 

 

Brookside Area Home Sales Statistics

Posted on by
Reply

Hi fellowBrooksiders …. here are home sales statistics for the main Brookside zip code of 64113, from February 2012:

Eleven single family homes sold in February.  The highest sales price was $650,000; the lowest was $169,275.  The average list price was $315,266, and the average sales price was $296,289.  Average days on market:  144.

In February 2011, ten homes sold.  The highest sales price was $630,000, the lowest was $152,000.  The average list price was $362,830, and the average sales price was $341,545.  Average days on market:  183.

Currently there are approximately 103 homes for sale in zip 64113, with an average list price of $489,046.  The high average price reflects several more expensive homes on the market in the Hampstead Gardens/Sunset Hill areas.  (Note all figures are taken from Heartland MLS, deemed reliable but not guaranteed.)

There certainly is quite a bit of activity as far as showings and open house attendance in Brookside–I’m optimistic for a strong spring buying season!

If you would like home sales statistics for your particular neighborhood, email me!