Group Bike Riding in Brookside

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A friend’s post on Facebook inspired this blog post (thank you Tyler!)…he wanted to know about bicycle groups in the Brookside/Waldo area. Despite the fact that I’m writing this post with SNOW on the ground at the end of March…it will get warm/stay warm soon.  If  you are thinking of joining a bike group in Brookside, here’s what I’ve found:

Family Bicycles at 7410 Wornall hosts two bike rides every week.  On Monday nights, the group  leaves at 6:30 from the store parking lot.  This is a slow paced, family ride, lasting about an hour.  For a faster pace, join the ABC training ride–it leaves at the same time, goes at a faster pace, and covers about 14 miles.  Both rides start April 4.

The Spin pizza restaurant  at 4950 Main St  also sponsers rides on Wednesday nights at 6:30.  They have two rides, a 13 and 30 mile ride.  Meet at the restaurant–these rides will start up again in mid May.

I also found some information on the Kansas City Bike Club website.  Every Monday at 9am, meet at the Roasterie in Brookside for a ride to Dean and Deluca and back–about 30 miles.  On Thursday evenings, another group leaves from Charlie Hoopers for a 17-20 mile ride.

Thanks for reading my blog–pass the word through Facebook / Twitter if you’ve found this information useful.  Reach me at mary.hutchison@prukc.com

Join Me in Armour Hills–New Listing!

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I recently listed a cute house in Armour Hills at a great price…read on for details!  Perhaps you know someone who would like to be my neighbor?

228 W. 70th Terrace is a two story home with an attached garage, fenced yard, newer patio in back and a great location–close to the Trolley Track Trail, Waldo and Brookside shops, restaurants and services.  Beat the high gas prices by living here–just about everything you need is in walking distance, including bus service!

Inside, you’ll find a kitchen with new granite countertops, sink, backsplash, refrigerator and dishwasher. There’s a living room, dining room and a half bath, plus a large bonus room that can be an office or breakfast room.  Upstairs, three bedrooms and an updated  full bath.  The roof and windows are newer, walls are freshly painted, and there is a full basement.

The average price for a home in Armour Hills is over $200,000–this one is priced at $174,900!  Call or email me for  a tour–you can also drive by, I’ve got a flyer box in front.

Thanks for reading my blog!  mary.hutchison@prukc.com

February Homes Sales Stats for the Brookside Area

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What will the spring home buying season be like in 2011?  Hard to say…we don’t have the $8000 tax credit like last year.  It’s true that more homes sell in the spring and summer months; it will be interesting to compare  monthly stas in 2010 with 2011 sales in the fall.

For now, here are some home sales statistics for the Brookside area, broken down into two of the larger subdivisions and zip 64113 as a whole.

Armour Hills

Two homes sold in Februrary, one was a short sale and the other needed a complete redo.  Currently there are seven homes under contract, and 27 for sale–average list price $241,656.

Rockhill Gardens

No sales in February, but currently there are three homes under contract.  There are eight homes for sale, average price $188,756.

64113

Eleven homes sold in zip 64113 in Febrary, with an average sales price of $322,132.  There are 25 under contract.  Active listings number 144 with an average list price of $525,263.  The higher average price results from 13 homes for sale over $1million.

(all stats taken from the Heartland MLS; deemed reliable but not guaranteed)

Thanks for reading my blog..your comments are welcome!  You can reach me at mary.hutchison@prukc.com

St Patricks WarmUp Parade 2011

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Here’s several pictures I took at the St Patrick’s Day Warm Up parade on Saturday.  I walked with Habitat ReStore-Waldo location.  With the great weather, thousands lined the streets and joined in the fun.  I should have brought much  more candy to hand out while walking the route! 

                                                                                     

                                                                                                

         

                                                                                                                                           

Brookside St Patrick’s Warm Up Parade 2011

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This Saturday…the Brookside St Patrick’s Day Warm Up Parade! A truly fun, family oriented event for everyone…come out and see your neighbors!  One of the best things about this parade is that you watch it up close to the actual parade–chairs casually  line the streets, even those who are standing are no more than a few feet from the parade participants.

Here’s the details:

Saturday March 12, starts at 2pm.  The route begins at 65th and Wornall, continues north to 63rd, east to Main, south to Meyer and then west to end at Brookside Boulevard.  Streets will be blocked off early–to avoid delays, take Ward Parkway or Oak to go north/south; Gregory and 59th if you want to head east/west.

As of today, the forecast for Saturday is sunny and 50.  See you there!

New Listing-6323 Main St in Brookside

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Gas prices got you down? This new listing has just about every service and convenience you need every day…within walking distance!  Grocery, post office, bank, restaurants, ice cream shops, coffee house, drugstore, hair salons, bus stops, jogging trail… all right around the corner from this lovely home.  It’s Brookside living at it’s best!

On the first floor, you’ll find a bedroom with full bath, a formal living room and dining room, an eat in kitchen that opens to a family room (rare for this area at this price!) and a laundry/mud room off the kitchen (also hard to find!).  The mud room opens to a deck for cook-outs and al fresco dining. 

On the second floor–a large master bedroom, full bath, another bedroom and a small bonus room that can be used for an office. 

Finally the front porch–relax outside with the neighbors or wave to the passers by.  The exterior was painted last year and the roof is just a few years old.  Another bonus:  two car garage with private drive!  6323 Main Street, offered at $274,000.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

The owners love this home and hate to leave–but they are being transferred out of state.  If you are considering a Brookside home, don’t miss this house!  Email me for more pictures and a private tour.  Thanks for reading my blog!

Mary.hutchison@prukc.com

                                                                                                                                          

Armour Hills Board Meeting Recap-Feb 2011

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Here’s a brief recap of what was discussed at the Armour Hills Homes Association board meeting, February 15, 2011:

*Residents were pleased with the private company who provided snow removal during this year’s snowstorms. Our policy is to order the private service when snowfall reaches 4″ or higher.  Due to the two  heavy snowfalls, we are out of money for snow removal at this time.  I believe we pay  $4000 per snow removal.

*We are trying to organize a meeting at Southwest High School with other homes associations and a representative of the KCMO School District to discuss possible solutions to the continued vandalism and truancy at the school.

*There is a need to keep our website current; Sadie will now oversee the Armour Hills Facebook page.

*Several residents are past due on payments for annual homeowners fees.  Dan will research what other homes associations in the area do to collect past due payments.

*The proposed reopening of the Hale Cook neighborhood school at 73rd and Pennsylvania has about 15% of the needed 300 students enrolled to open in Fall 2011.  The deadline to enroll is March 31.

*A resident is working to stop AT&T from installing more  unsightly concrete pads with control station boxes adjacent to his property at 65th Terrace and Main (similar to the ones located on the west side of Main at 68th St). Although these boxes are in the public right of way and on utility easements, they impede the line of sight for traffic and pedestrians–it is a life safety issue.  The resident is trying to get a ‘code opinion’ from the City attorney’s office. This issue will be brought up to Jan Marcusson, our district representative on the City Council. 

*GEO Bond money is available for the 4th district and board member Gunnar Hand has put repainted crosswalks near the Trolley Track Trail  on the list of funded projects. This will cover an area between 65th St and Gregory on Brookside Road.  Thanks, Gunnar!

*The board discussed writing a letter expressing an opinion regarding the controversy surrounding the new Posinelli building on the Plaza.  This letter would be posted on the website and submitted to various city officials involved with the decision to allow the new building.

*Allen Dillingham attending the meeting, he is running for the 2cd district at-large seat on the City Council.  His platform emphasizes jobs, neighborhoods with community policing and an image makeover at City Hall.

All Armour Hills residents are invited to attend the monthly board meetings.  The next one is March 15 at 7pm.

Thanks for reading my blog–you can reach me at mary.hutchison@prukc.com

Continuing “The Brookside Story”

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Why is Brookside such a desirable, classic neighborhood?  Read these sentences below, from LaDene Morton’s book, “The Brookside Story”:

To be a child in the neighborhoods around the Brookside Shops after 1950 would be akin to living around the corner from paradise.  On a Saturday afternoon, kids could ride their bikes into Brookside and fill their entire day with childhood adventures.

She goes on to talk about The Brookside (movie) Theater, the Velvet Freeze, Katz Drugs and the Brookside Record Shop..these places and many more could entertain kids for hours on a weekend afternoon.

Those specific spots are gone now, but children (and adults) can still ride their bikes to Brookside and spend the day exploring.  My daughters do–they shop at Beauty Express, Stuff, World’s Window, The Dime Store, Baskin Robbin’s.  During the warmer months, we’ll walk down with neighbors to The Roasterie for coffee and smoothies.  It’s this walkability and sense of a close, local community that keeps Brookside thriving.

At one point there was a proposed freeway through the Country Club District.  In 1959, Kansas City started to condemn the streetcar right-of-way to plan the highway–from 85th north to Westport.  This six lane, non access highway would have cut through the heart of the district, starting and Oak and continuing west past Wornall.  Homeowners in the area close to the Trolley line rebelled, citing the inevitable loss of value in their homes.  Outrage grew among the residents, who retained several lawyers and threatened litigation.  Eventually in 1965, a Jackson County court dismissed the case, citing the City could not condemn the line. What eventually happened was the construction of the Bruce R Watkins Drive (Missouri 71 Highway) to the east.

What a nightmare that would have been, a highway cutting into the heart of Brookside!  It hurts to even think about it.  Nothing would ever happen like that now–once again, the local shopowners and residents would rise up in protest.  I think there are similarities to this situation and  the proposed new Posinelli building on the Country Club Plaza.  Unfortunately, the Plaza is no longer under local ownership and the building will probably get built, despite the continuing protests from persons all over the world.

Thanks for reading my blog, your comments are welcome!  You can reach me at mary.hutchison@prukc.com

Brookside Blizzard Pics–From My Block

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Took a few minutes today to walk around my block, in the warm sun despite cold temps!–and snapped a few pictures to share.  I live on W 68 St in Armour Hills.  My husband spent over two hours today digging us out, using the snowblower!

front steps

the path on the back patio

Gus' snowfort

 

ray of light

 

Our summer dining table!

Had a wonderful pot luck dinner with our next door neighbors on the night of the blizzard, followed by a lively game of Charades. Loving our snowy, scenic Brookside blizzard!