News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
End of River Market Era, Pioneering Developer Dana Gibson Sells Holdings
By Kevin Collison Dana Gibson, who along with Mel Mallin began developing residential projects in the River Market in 1984, has sold his holdings, the final chapter in a downtown revival story that began in the rubble of what was once known as the River Quay. Gibson recalled the area was a wasteland when they…
Kansas City Streetcar Celebrates the Witching Hour–After Nap Time
By Kim Mueller Halloween came early Wednesday when the Kansas City Streetcar Authority began celebrating the holiday after lunch by handing out treats to little riders. This year’s festivities marked the second time the authority offered trick or treating on the streetcars. However, unlike last year’s event held during the lunch hour, this year’s celebration…
Made in KC Artisan Cooperative Pulling Into the River Market
By Kevin Collison Made in Kansas City is pulling into the River Market, occupying the vintage streetcar permanently parked at the corner of Fifth and Delaware. The new outlet, the cooperative’s third downtown location, is expected to open in January and include the eclectic mix of locally-made products that has made the venture a success…
Christopher Elbow & Torn Label Are Making a Chocolate-Inspired Beer
Last year, Kansas City chocolatier Christopher Elbow developed a unique process for roasting cacao beans that distilled the flavor of a place into a chocolate bar. This year, however, in collaboration with Travis Moore, brewmaster at Torn Label Brewing Co., Elbow wants to take you from bean to bar to bottle. Residing blocks from one another in the Crossroads area,…
Building A Better Future
Clyde McQueen seethed recently when an employer — a friend, no less — moved 20 welding jobs to Iowa. “Because we didn’t have enough welding classes going on,” McQueen told an audience at Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s Conference on Economic Development in Kansas City recently. As the chief executive of Kansas City’s Full Employment Council,…
A Missed Starbucks Opportunity Brews Call for Downtown Office Development
By Kevin Collison Lack of a big chunk of premier, new office space likely cost downtown Kansas City a major Starbucks operation with 900 jobs last summer, and how to address that challenge was the focus recently of the second annual Downtown Office Summit. Mayor Sly James kicked off the summit organized by the Downtown…
KCATA Hopes New Transit Center Will Spur East Village Redevelopment
By Kevin Collison The groundbreaking for the $5 million East Village Transit Center at 12th and Charlotte is being viewed partly as a catalyst to attract more investment to a multi-block redevelopment area that has languished more than a decade. “We’re looking at getting input from developers for transportation-oriented development, possibly affordable housing, retail…we’d like…
Missouri Exoneree Using Ministry To Help Other Freed Prisoners
While he spent some 24 years in Missouri prisons, Darryl Burton — wrongfully convicted of capital murder — wrote letters to everyone he could think of. From presidents to governors to Hollywood stars. Eventually he wrote to Jesus but hid it from prison guards, he told me, believing that if they found it they’d think…
Spectacular Liberty Memorial Poppy Display to Honor Centennial of World War I Armistice
“In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row…” “In Flanders Fields,” written by Lt. Col. John McCrae in 1915 to honor a fallen comrade. By Kevin Collison More than 5,000 poppies, the symbol of the fallen soldiers of World War I, will illuminate Liberty Memorial beginning next Friday to mark the centennial…
Historic KC Club Reopens as Event Space Following $3M Renovation
By Kevin Collison A former downtown gathering place for Kansas City power brokers back in the day has reopened as spiffed-up venue for a new generation of festive occasions and business gatherings. The historic University Club building at 918 Baltimore, which opened in 1923, has been converted to a four-level event space that can accommodate…