CitySceneKC
New Church of the Resurrection Under Construction in Downtown Kansas City, Opening in Spring 2018
By Kevin Collison Construction has begun on the foundation of the new, $6 million Church of the Resurrection on a parking lot once used by The Kansas City Star, a symbol of both the church’s rapid growth and the burgeoning downtown residential community it serves. The 15,236 square-foot church will accommodate 440 worshipers and is…
Historic New England Building Apartment Redevelopment 40 Percent Leased, Opening Slated For Sept. 1
By Kevin Collison The historic New England building, one of downtown Kansas City’s oldest office structures, has leased 40 percent of its 32 apartments, most of which feature ornate cast-iron fireplaces from the days before central heating. The redevelopment of the 1887 structure at 112 W. Ninth St. is part of a $10 million investment…
Union Station Kicks Off New Outdoor Entertainment Venue Backed by Great Downtown Kansas City View
By Kevin Collison Union Station kicked off its new Haverty Family Yards outdoor entertainment venue last weekend with a soulful performance by Anderson East and his band backed by rolling freight trains and a dramatic view of downtown Kansas City. The inaugural show Saturday night attracted about 350 people to the grassy field next to…
Two Major Hotel Projects in Downtown Kansas City Continue Moving Forward in Addition to New Convention Hotel
By Kevin Collison Two major hotel projects continue to move forward in downtown Kansas City, which combined with the planned convention hotel, will add more than 1,200 rooms by early 2020. Last week, New York-based Loews announced it has become a substantial investor in the planned 800-room convention hotel at Wyandotte and 17th Street, and…
Nature’s Own Opens In River Market; Owners Want to be Full-Service Grocer for Growing Downtown Neighborhood
By Kevin Collison It didn’t take long for Jeff Henkle to know he found the right spot to reincarnate Nature’s Own. Residents in the River Market were so eager to shop at his new full-service grocery store at 310 E. Fifth St. he opened several days earlier than anticipated on June 18. “So many people…
Tech N9ne to Kickoff New Indoor Concert Venue in Crossroads this September; First Foray Outside Nashville for Operators
By Kevin Collison A couple of veterans of the Nashville concert scene are opening a new indoor venue in the Crossroads called The Truman, and have chosen a local music icon to kick off their series, Tech N9ne. Chris Cobb and his partner, Josh Billue, have a good feeling about opening their first venture outside…
Downtown Kansas City Convention Hotel Project Gets New Investor and Operator; Groundbreaking Expected Oct. 1
By Kevin Collison The long-planned Kansas City downtown convention hotel has a new flag and welcome infusion of cash from Loews Hotels, a New York-based luxury hotel operator. Attorney Mike Burke, principal at KC Hotel Developers LLC, says Loews has agreed to invest a “substantial” amount of equity in the 800-room project and operate the…
New Spokes Peddles Beers, Bikes and Bites in Downtown Kansas City
By Kevin Collison Downtown Kansas City is on a roll, and one of its latest new businesses is spinning a blend of bicycles, beers and good food, a combination that’s proved popular in other cities including Denver and Minneapolis. The new Spokes opened five weeks ago at 1200 Washington St., one of the first retailers…
Urban Core Group Offers Inside Look at New Pickwick Plaza Apartment Project in Downtown KC
The Urban Core Group is holding its monthly get together June 28 at East9, aka the historic Pickwick Plaza apartment project. The new development transformed what was once a hotel, bus station and office complex into apartments geared toward millennials. Maybe you can take a spin on the huge turntable that once spunned buses around?
Indianapolis Postcard
Commentary by Kevin Collison Indianapolis is considered one of the smarter cities in America when it comes to revitalizing its downtown so a recent Father’s Day weekend visit provided an opportunity to check out at least some of the goods and compare it with what’s been happening in Kansas City. We visited White River State…