Tuesday, April 10, 2007

cool stuff

I've run across a few exciting things lately.

Like, there's a couple people who live on KC's Eastside who've started this project called viable third. From their manifesto:
1. I will choose to only spend my money in kcmo's third council district.

2. I will keep track of what purchases i make that are within and outside of the third on viablethird.com

For those who don't know, the 3rd District is one of the poorest areas of the city. It could use all kinds of economic revitalization. I'm just thrilled these folks have decided to step up and take a stand.

And that's not all they're doing. One of the project's backers, airick leonard west is into all kinds of creative things.

Then, just a couple of minutes ago, I came across a story about Philadelphia trying to lure artists from NYC. This seems like something KC could totally do. I know there are lots of people out there who would love own a whole lot of house for the price of rent on a dinky Manhattan apartment. Or Seattle, for that matter. Hell, you could probably buy ten three-story houses in the Northeast for the price of a 1,000SF condo in them places.

And the art ... scene ... here ... ain't ... bad.

4 comments:

Applecart T. said...

of course, if the artists try to buy something in columbus park, the crossroads or even e. crossroads, they will find prices quite chicago-like, if not brooklyny.

this third d. project reminds me of the 60s, the "buy only black" movement. and the kc black pages. how did those turn out?

people have told me stories about the vibrant black eastside merchants of yesteryear? how is the city responsible for ruining or supporting that? where did those shops go? like the grocery store i could be going to at 27th and troost, 31st and troost, etc.

wanna know more. . .

thanks for tip.

tumple said...

Funk should participate in that project, if even for a week. (Riding the bus to those businesses would bring in another perspective, too.)

Anonymous said...

We looked at this project in one of our classes. I think buying local (whatever one's local is), is so important for an area's viability. Spending money in an area will beget more retail and services in an area, and build stronger relationships between resident and businesses (who are often one and the same.) As borderline resident of the 4th, I'm looking forward to seeing where other people are spending their money and following their example.

Anonymous said...

balance, balance, balance.

We need more artists, I agree, but we need to keep in mind that we also need people to buy the art that the artists come here to make and sell.

So when we encourage art we also need to encourage people to buy the art, and make sure there's a market to support the artists.

The crossroads area, and the westside, has the highest (and highest growing) real estate prices in the KC metro area. Which also means that artsists need to make money to pay for that artspace.

So the general statement of more artists for downtown is great, but we need people actually buying the stuff for true growth to be sustainable.