Business
It’s Official: Blue Cross Relocating HQ to 1400KC, Former Waddell Project
By Kevin Collison Blue Cross Blue Shield is relocating its headquarters and more than 1,000 employees a half-mile north to occupy the 18-story office tower originally built for Waddell & Reed at 14th and Baltimore, company officials announced today. The move, long speculated after the Waddell deal collapsed when the firm was sold in late…
Plaza Sheraton Converting to a Hilton, $8.4M Investment
By Kevin Collison A Rhode Island firm has applied for $8.4 million in building permits as part of its plan to convert the 18-story Sheraton Suites at the Country Club Plaza into a Hilton, according to city records. An entity called MHF KC NOTE VII LLC has filed applications for the planned renovation and rebranding…
El Dorado Honored as Top Small Architectural Firm in Midwest
By Kevin Collison A Crossroads architectural firm named after the fabled city of gold has struck professional mother lode by being honored as the best small firm in the Midwest by The Architect’s Newspaper, a top industry publication. El Dorado, which survived its early years by taking on Crossroads renovation projects, was selected over firms from a…
Big West Bottoms Redevelopment Plan Backed by City, Stirs Fears of Some Neighbors
By Kevin Collison SomeraRoad’s ambitious proposal to transform a sleepy section of the West Bottoms into a “dynamic” mixed-use district has strong support from City Hall but awakened worries of some longtime denizens. In recent weeks, the zoning change required for the sweeping redevelopment concept by the New York developer has received unanimous approval from…
LA Gaming Tech Company Leases Space at P&L District
Mythical Games, a Los Angeles-based game technology company, is opening an office in the Power & Light District that could employ up to 100 people. The firm is occupying the 16,000 square-foot space at 1321 Baltimore formerly occupied by Visit KC. “We’re thrilled to take the next step in our rapid growth as we expand…
New East Crossroads Concept Helps Contractors Build Business
By Kevin Collison A new approach to enabling small contractors grow their businesses beyond working from home is opening soon in a former sculptor’s studio on Troost Avenue. Trades, a fresh concept by William Hayes, has taken over the space at 1701 Troost where the sculptor STRETCH once welded huge artworks, and will provide space…
New Troost Store Promises Deep Discounts on Amazon Returns
By Kevin Collison A store that specializes in selling returned items from Amazon and other large retailers is opening soon at 3230 Troost, bringing bargain shopping opportunities to the area. “I see that area doesn’t have any discount stores there,” said owner Shawn Chen. “We will have 60,000 items on our tables that people can…
Landscape Architecture Firm Finds New Digs in River Market
By Kevin Collison Vireo, a landscape architecture and community planning firm, has opened a new home in the River Market, finding space once used for a brewery garage as a welcoming new environment for its employees. Stephen Rhoades, a principal at the firm, said the company used the disruptive year when Covid forced its employees…
Decorative Lighting Store Taking Former Gojo Space in Westport
By Kevin Collison Circa Lighting, a decorative lighting and ceiling fan retail store founded in Savannah, Georgia, will be occupying the former Gojo Japaneses Steak House space on Broadway near Westport. The steak house closed because of Covid in November 2020 after operating more than 40 years in the building at 4163 Broadway. It’s now…
Keystone Initiative Lands First Home in East Crossroads
By Kevin Collison Keystone Community Corp. has landed its first space in the area where it wants to create a downtown innovation campus, sharing quarters in the Goodwill administrative office at 800 E. 18th St. The new location for what’s called CoLAB marks a milestone in the Keystone endeavor launched several years ago by the…