CitySceneKC
Grand Boulevard Finally Gets New Stripes, but Bicyclists Believe Much More Needed
By Kevin Collison Several years after it was proposed, Grand Boulevard is finally going on a “road diet” promised to bicyclists who now hope it’s the beginning of realizing the much more ambitious “Making Grand Grand” plan. City Public Works crews have been painting new lanes on Grand in recent days that are reducing traffic…
Developer Pursuing Two Historic Apartment Projects in ‘Fringe’ Between Downtown and Midtown
By Kevin Collison A pair of historic buildings in what their developer calls the “fringe” area between downtown and midtown are on their way to new life as apartment developments. Caleb Buland and his Denver partner Ilan Salzberg recently took the first step to renovating the long-vacant Acme Cleaning Co. building at 3200 Gillham Rd….
Port KC Considers Extending Streetcar to Riverfront ‘High Priority,’ Backs Words with Funding, ‘With or Without’ Fed
By Kevin Collison A proposed $30 million extension of the downtown streetcar to the Berkley Riverfront could substantially boost development opportunities and allow people to live and visit there without cars, according to the leader of Port KC. And Port KC, which receives a big part of its revenues from a long-term lease agreement with…
Kansas City’s First Membership-Only Dog Park Off and Running (and Barking) at West Terrace Park
Downtown Kansas City’s population boom has not only been people, many of the new residents are co-habitating with their favorite canines. That’s the impetus for the first membership-only dog park at West Terrace Park on the west edge of downtown near Pennsylvania Avenue and Seventh Street. The 1.5-acre dog park opened July 30 and has…
Downtown MAX Bus Rapid Transit Route Going Straight, Celebration This Sunday
The downtown MAX rapid transit line is going straight this Sunday after 12 years in operation. The Kansas City Transportation Authority is shifting the popular express bus line to a direct north-south route down Grand Boulevard from Crown Center to the River Market and is holding a celebration in Washington Square Park to inaugurate the…
McCownGordon Purchases Downtown Building for New Headquarters, Investing $10.5 Million to Renovate
By Kevin Collison McCownGordon Construction has purchased a three-story building at 850 Main St. and plans to spend $10.5 million renovating it as its new headquarters. The 45,000 square-foot building had been owned by the Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph and was occupied by Catholic Charities It was part of a 2010 acquisition of…
Almost Full Commerce Tower Holds Grand Opening; Added Bonus, Dowdy CVS Pharmacy Next Door Getting New Look
By Kevin Collison The $139 million redevelopment of the historic Commerce Tower, described as a ‘vertical neighborhood,’ held its grand opening this week and 95 percent of its 355 apartments are expected to be leased by the end of November. “I knew it was going to do well, but the biggest thing is we’ve had…
Winslow’s BBQ Closing its Doors Next Month after 46 Years in the River Market
By Kevin Collison Winslow’s BBQ, a City Market institution that traces its roots to the “roaring” River Quay days in 1971, is going out of business next month. The barbecue joint and its 300-seat outdoor patio overlooking the City Market vendors has been a familiar fixture for generations, but that will all end Oct. 15,…
Cafe al Dente Closing Saturday, New Denver Landlord Begins Bringing Fresh Tenants to River Market
By Kevin Collison Cafe al Dente is closing after 17 years in the River Market, the first business to depart following the purchase of its building and others along Delaware Street by a Denver investor. The Italian restaurant posted on its Facebook Page this week it was being “kicked out” of its space at 412…
New Power & Light District Mural a Sky-High Tribute to Kansas City’s African-American Cultural and Sports Heritage
By Kevin Collison Alexander Austin has worked on some big canvasses as one of the city’s preeminent street muralists, but the new assignment he’s executing in the Power & Light District is taking him to an even higher level. As in working up to 80 feet above street level painting a mural over a half-football…