kc bob: The River Market

Ann was disabled in 2007. She got her first motorized wheelchair in February 2008. Adjusting to wheelchair life in the suburbs was a struggle. It was hard to navigate around corners in our house. LOL, the woodwork really took a beating. And if she wanted to go to the hair salon or out to eat, she needed taxi driver Bob. The experience caused me to seek a place where Ann could experience more independence. For two years I would look for accessible places to live.

In May 2010 a realtor friend showed me a loft in the River Market area of downtown Kansas City. Immediately I knew I was home. The loft was large and wide open. Large sliding barn doors separated the master bedroom from the living space. It had no narrow spaces and plenty of room for Ann to freely wheel around in her chair. The loft had a very large deck that had a view of the river (pictured) and Kansas City Kansas. Two days later Ann saw the loft and we made an offer that day. In June we bought it, spent ten days widening a few doors, and, with the help of family and friends, moved into our new home.

The River Market is a great neighborhood. A feeling of community is tangible here. Almost everything is within walking distance. The grocery store, farmer market, hair salon, barber, library, many restaurants and much more are close by.
We still struggle with other things but feel so blessed to have found this bit of heaven on earth in the River Market.

... a place that I have been to ... part of the A to Z series.