CitySceneKC
Downtown Kansas City Apartment Boom Fueled by Return to Walkable Living
By Kevin Collison Apartment construction in metropolitan Kansas City is hitting levels not seen since before the Great Recession with more than 5,000 units expected to be completed by the end of this year. Many of those projects are going up in downtown Kansas City and similar places such as old Overland Park where developers…
Plans to Redevelop Washington Square Park in Downtown Kansas City Remain Work in Progress
By Kevin Collison Three years after being hired by Union Station Kansas City to explore options for redeveloping property it owns on the north side of Washington Square Park, VanTrust Real Estate remains undecided about the best plan moving forward. “We’ve looked at everything from a single use to a mixed-use of office, residential and…
VanTrust Assumes Lead Role On East Village, Acquires Key Properties in Stalled Downtown KC Redevelopment Area
By Kevin Collison Almost four years after becoming co-developer of the planned East Village redevelopment, VanTrust Real Estate has negotiated a new lease deal with the city that puts it fully in charge of moving the floundering project forward. And while VanTrust has no immediate plans for construction in the eight-block downtown redevelopment area northeast…
Flashcube Building Receives Nod for Tax Incentives, $50M Downtown Kansas City Apartment Project
By Kevin Collison The $50 million redevelopment plan for the reflective glass-clad building known as the Flashcube received critical tax incentives to move forward today, the latest project on the downtown Kansas City streetcar line. The nine-story building at 720 Main St. is being redeveloped by Worcester Investments into 184 apartments and 35,800 square-feet of…
East Crossroads New Home for Two St. Louis-based Bar and Restaurant Concepts
By Kevin Collison Developer Matt Abbott’s latest project at 18th and Oak streets has landed two St. Louis-based food and beverage concepts, Mission Taco Joint and International Tap House. Abbott said International Tap House, 403 E. 18th St., is expected to open in mid-June and Mission Taco Joint, 409 E. 18th St. should be serving…
Federal Agency Concerns Over Homeless Situation at Ilus Davis Park has KC Downtown Council Scrambling
By Kevin Collison Ilus W. Davis Park, the centerpiece of the downtown Kansas City Civic District, has become a regular sleepover spot for homeless people, irritating a prominent next door neighbor, the Federal Aviation Administration. The Downtown Council has asked the Kansas City Parks Board to impose a night-time curfew in the two-block park in…
Kansas City Museum Opening Downtown Exhibition Space in the Historic Garment District
By Kevin Collison The Kansas City Museum is opening downtown exhibition space this summer in the 800 Broadway building in the heart of the Historic Garment District. The 3,300 square-foot space on the first floor of 800 Broadway will feature both displays and programming beginning Aug. 16, according to a release from the museum. Hours…
Downtown Spring Housing Tour This Saturday
People interested in living downtown Kansas City will have an opportunity to visit 11 residential developments this Saturday, June 3, in an open house event sponsored by the Downtown Neighborhood Association. The DNA Spring Urban Living Tour runs from 1- to 4 p.m. Saturday and features both new and historic renovation projects. Most of the…
Downtown Kansas City Office Vacancy Drop Leads Nation Thanks to Conversions and New Tenants
By Kevin Collison Downtown Kansas City leads the nation these days reducing its office vacancy rate, but not because it’s returning to its heyday as the region’s business center. The drop is primarily due to the conversion of many older, obsolete office buildings into apartments and hotels as downtown has transitioned to a mixed-use, ‘live,…
KC Preservationists Pursue Campaign to Document Westport Architecture as Development Pressure Mounts
By Kevin Collison New projects in the works for historic Westport are prompting a grassroots effort to survey the district’s buildings to provide a solid planning base for future development decisions. Plans for two apartment projects and a hotel are being reviewed at City Hall for a district that’s been popular destination since before Kansas…