Business
Orangetheory Fitness Opening Soon in Crossroads
By Kevin Collison Orangetheory Fitness, the Florida-based exercise chain, is opening its 11th franchise in Metro KC in the Crossroads’s space formerly occupied by The Sundry at 1706 Baltimore. Rebecca Boresow, co-owner of the fitness center, said she and her partner Darrin McDonald believe downtown is ready for the franchise’s individualized, heart-rate based exercise program….
Holiday Inn Express Opens in Historic Interstate Building
By Kevin Collison The historic Interstate Building at 417 E. 13th St. has reopened as a 73-room Holiday Inn Express, a $9.5 million project that took four years to complete. The seven-story building was built in 1915 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. It opened for business last month, according to General…
CoCreate KC Caters Co-Working Space to Creative Professionals
By Kevin Collison A new co-working space that’s geared toward independent professionals in the advertising, public relations, web design and social media world has opened at 3238 Gillham Rd. CoCreate KC is the creation of advertising veterans Jan Creidenberg, Brad Lang and Matt Anthony, the former CEO of VML. It’s intended to be a place…
Hospital Hill Construction Boom Continues with $70M University Health 2 Project
By Kevin Collison The building boom at what’s now being branded the “UMKC Health Sciences District” aka Hospital Hill is continuing with the kickoff of the $70 million University Health 2 project. The 80,000 square-foot facility will accommodate women’s care and primary care services currently in Truman Medical Center, freeing hospital space to expand its…
Drury Checks Out on Proposed Downtown Hotel
By Kevin Collison Drury Hotels has scrapped its plan to build a 242-room downtown hotel, saying the incentive package recommended by SB Friedman, a city consultant, would not provide what the firm believed was a “reasonable” return on its investment. Drury had wanted to demolish the vacant Board of Education building at 1211 McGee and…
Techweek Caps Annual Downtown Event by Awarding $500,000 in Grants
By Kevin Collison A Techweek packed with speakers, panel discussions and even a mayoral forum culminated Friday in a ceremony that rivaled the Golden Globes for giddy anticipation as $500,000 in grants were announced to promising startup firms. As families and friends gathered with entrepreneurs in booths at No Other Pub with a beer or…
Plexpod Opening Second Downtown Co-Working Space in River Market
Plexpod is opening a co-working space at 512 Delaware in the River Market large enough to accommodate 80 people, bringing office use to a section of the historic street where several bars and restaurants have opened recently. “We need bodies working too,” said Craig Slawson, the Denver developer who owns the building where Plexpod will…
New Hotel Indigo Lifts Lasting Toast to Pioneering Crossroads Artist
By Kevin Collison Jim Leedy, the renowned artist who pioneered the Crossroads Arts District in 1985, knows what he wants when someone decides to name a hotel bar after him. “If I have a bar named after me, I should get free drinks,” Leedy quipped at the festive grand opening last week of the Hotel…
Crossroads Shapes Up with New Men’s Barber Shop
By Kevin Collison The influx of new businesses and services in the Crossroads now includes a men’s barber shop in the mix. Dane Casey has opened his Venturemen Barbering Shoppe inside the EAST + WEST men’s clothing store at 1828 Grand Blvd. He offers what he describes as “high-quality men’s grooming” that includes haircuts, beard…
Volume 1ne Streetwear Opening in Crossroads Next Month
By Kevin Collison Volume 1ne is relocating from Westport to the Crossroads Arts District, tapping into the creative spirit of the neighborhood to inform and expand its lifestyle streetwear clothing line. Founder Justin Ji plans to open his new shop at 1919 Wyandotte next month, and looks forward to contributing to the fledgling retail scene…