News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
Omaha Postcard: Big Downtown Park Overhaul Shows How to Attract People
By Kevin Collison We have one restless, striving neighbor to our north. In July, Omaha finished the first phase of a $325 million overhaul of its downtown and riverfront parks, and what’s occurring 200 miles upriver offers an important lesson for Kansas City. First a little contemporary history lesson, one that I witnessed while attending…
How the Drought Killing Kansas Corn Crops Could Make You Pay More for Gas and Beef
Drought is taking its toll on western Kansas cornfields this year. And all that dead corn could mean higher prices for ethanol-infused gasoline and corn-fed beef.
KC Southern Still on Track for Possible Downtown HQ Expansion
By Kevin Collison The possibility Kansas City Southern could expand its downtown headquarters is picking up steam with the city seeking development proposals for property it owns adjacent to the railroad at 12th and Broadway. “We see tremendous potential at that site for a high-density, mixed-use development,” City Manager Brian Platt said. “It could be…
Kansas Awaits a Jolt in Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
Kansas and Missouri have a split personality when it comes to the availability of electric vehicle charging stations.
Nick’s Picks | Funeral for a Queen, Big Court Cases and the Plaza Art Fair
This week’s news begins with the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II and ends with the Plaza Art Fair.
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…
Developer Pitches Plan to Replace Oldest Building on Main with High-Rise
(UPDATED Sept. 20: The City Plan Commission voted 5-1 to endorse landmark status for the 31st and Main properties. The proposed designation now goes to the full City Council for final review.) By Kevin Collison The owner of the historic Jeserich Building at 31st and Main, which the city wants declared a landmark, launched a…
Blue Cross Blue Shield Moves Headquarters Downtown
Announced today, Blue Cross Blue Shield is moving to the once would-be Waddell & Reed building downtown.
Students, Librarians and Bookstore Owners Push Back on Book Bans
In Missouri, a new law has librarians bracing for impact and bookstores providing an outlet to learn about banned books.
Big Waldo Apartment Project Proposed, Revives Streetcar Extension Idea
By Kevin Collison A 300-unit apartment project that would transform the scale and nature of the Waldo entertainment area received preliminary support from a transit-oriented development agency Wednesday. EPC Real Estate Group is cooperating with the Lewellen family, the owner of The Well at 7421 Broadway, on the $90 million plan called Waldo74Broadway. The proposal…