CitySceneKC
Messenger Coffee Sending Savory Aroma of Roasting Beans and Baking Bread to Grand Boulevard
By Kevin Collison The intersection of 17th and Grand will soon become the most irresistible olfactory zone in downtown Kansas City with the arrival Oct. 21 of Messenger Coffee Co. Matt Matsch, CEO and managing partner of Messenger, and his partners have converted a former car dealership at 1624 Grand Blvd. into what they hope…
ULI Experts Recommend Holding Off on North Loop, Focus on Improving Highway 9 and Independence Avenue Instead
By Kevin Collison The North Loop freeway that divides the River Market from the rest of downtown won’t be going away anytime soon if the advice of a panel of national urban planning experts is followed. Bottom line, there’s too much easily developable land already available downtown to make it cost effective to redevelop the…
Apartment Development at 27th and Troost Near Hospital Hill Receives Nod for Tax Incentives
By Kevin Collison Construction is expected to begin this fall on a $24 million apartment project that will replace a vacant, decrepit block at 27th and Troost with 182 market-rate residences. The new development is next to the Beacon Hill neighborhood and a major market will be employees and students at the nearby Hospital Hill…
Denver Postcard: Cost of Millennial Utopia, Downtown Apartments Cost Over 50 Percent Above KC
By Kevin Collison During a recent visit to old friends in Denver, I got a kick out of their 20-something son’s T-shirt. On it was an image of the retro-wooden, highway sign you see crossing the border: “Welcome to Colorful Colorado.” Beneath it read “No Vacancy.” It was telling of the huge growth boom going…
Crossroads Academy Wants to Open Permanent High School in Historic Attucks School in 18th & Vine Jazz District
By Kevin Collison The Crossroads Academy hopefully has found a new permanent home for its downtown high school, the long-vacant, historic Attucks School in the 18th & Vine Jazz District. The charter school has submitted a bid to the city to buy the old building at 1815 Woodland Ave. If accepted, it could ultimately house…
Church of Scientology Expected to Begin Renovation of Historic Downtown Building for New Home in October
By Kevin Collison Ten years after purchasing the historic City Bank Building at 1801 Grand Blvd., the Church of Scientology is expected to begin renovation work on what will become its new metropolitan offices and worship center in early October. Church officials could not be reached for comment, but a source familiar with the project…
KC Soda Co. Brings Old-Time Flavor to River Market
By Kevin Collison Lucas Thompson enjoys the old-time flavor of both soda pop and serving customers in his new KC Soda Co. operation at the River Market. “I enjoy the nostalgia of soda, it’s been around a long time,” the 31-year-old entrepreneur said. “It’s non-alcoholic so it means all markets, kids love it, grandparents love…
Former St. Louis Mayor Tells Downtown Council New Coalition Forming to Defend Historic Tax Credit Program
By Kevin Collison Threats to the Missouri Historic Tax Credit program are prompting preservationists to forge a coalition between cities and towns to lobby legislators about its benefits, a former St. Louis mayor told the Downtown Council last week. Vincent Schoemehl, who served as mayor in St. Louis from 1981-1993, said proposed cuts to the…
Former KC Chiefs Cheerleaders Opening Crossroads Dance and Fitness Boutique for Adults Next Month
By Kevin Collison Two former Kansas City Chiefs cheerleaders are opening a dance and fitness studio in the Crossroads Arts District next month designed to appeal to an adult clientele. “For a long period of time, Lauren and I have been in the health care technology industry,” said Kerri Pomerenke, co-founder with Lauren Boyd of…
Art in the Loop Caps Season Today with Downtown Kansas City Art Crawl
Art in the Loop, a diverse assortment of public artworks in downtown Kansas City, is winding down the season with a special Downtown KC Art Crawl today. Actually, it’s more a streetcar art crawl because the works will be toured and discussed along the streetcar route. It begins at the Kansas City Artists Coalition office at…