News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
City Club Apartment Project Still on Track, But Fires Plague Vacant Hotel
Editor’s note. The developer of the City Club Apartment project released this letter today (April 17) following another fire at the vacant hotel property this morning: “This property has a history of blight. Since taking control of the property, we have developed a great working relationship with the Mayor, local community, building department and police…
Arizona Postcard: Riding the Rails in Metro Phoenix and Tucson
By Dave Scott During a spring break to visit family and the Kansas City Royals in Arizona, I got a good sense of how urban Arizonans get around–mainly by barreling down seven-lane arterial roads at 45 mph. This practice killed 10 people in Phoenix during the week we were there, helping Arizona retain its status…
Broadway Deli Plans to Pile on the Pastrami in the Crossroads
By Kevin Collison In a match made in sandwich heaven, the soon-to-open Broadway Deli is bringing the piled-on-thick, genuine Chicago flavor of Manny’s, one of America’s great Jewish delicatessens, to the Crossroads Arts District. The new deli, which plans to open in late April, is a collaborative venture between Bill Fromm, an entrepreneur who founded…
The Roasterie Brews a 25th Anniversary Celebration
By Kevin Collison Getting together with The Roasterie founder Danny O’Neill to discuss the 25th anniversary of his business on Southwest Boulevard is, not surprisingly, a highly-caffeinated encounter. The lanky, charismatic owner frequently jumps up from his seat with excitement as he explains what he’s created since he began roasting beans in his home’s basement…
A Look Back at the Deadly ‘68 Riots
Fifty years ago this April, Kansas City experienced deadly riots that put the national spotlight on our city. They left six people dead, hundreds arrested and multiple blocks of the city in flames. Frustrated with the slow pace of civil rights reforms and outraged at the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., protesters in Kansas…
Historic Kansas City Honors Pickwick Redevelopment
By Kevin Collison The newly-renovated East 9 at Pickwick Plaza apartment project was honored with two top awards from Historic Kansas City Wednesday, the city’s premier preservation organization. The 260-unit apartment development at 933 McGee St. received the group’s excellence awards for Best Adaptive Re-Use and for Neighborhood Stabilization. The historic Pickwick complex covers almost…
East Crossroads Apartment Wins City Plan Commission Approval
(Updated July 19. The City Plan Commission approved rezoning for the East Crossroads project this week. It will next be considered by the Kansas City Council. Also included are new architectural renderings furnished by Milhaus) By Kevin Collision Construction of a planned East Crossroads project that would replace parking lots with four apartment buildings totaling 350…
McCownGordon Celebrates Start of Downtown Headquarters Project
By Kevin Collison McCownGordon Construction celebrated the start of a $10.5 million renovation project that will convert a three-story building at 850 Main St. into its new headquarters Wednesday. “We wanted a home right in the heart of downtown Kansas City that would position our firm for the next 20 years,” CEO Ramin Cherafat told…
EAST + WEST Men’s Clothing Adds to Retail Options in Crossroads
By Kevin Collison Cameron Niederhauser wants EAST + WEST, his new men’s clothing shop at 1828 Grand, to fuel the Crossroads evolution beyond being known for its art galleries and unique restaurants and bars. “When I was thinking about where to locate the shop, I felt a draw to the Crossroads,” he said. “There wasn’t…
KC Pastors Recall Tense Days After MLK Assassination
When Kansas City exploded in fury and literal fire after the April 4, 1968, assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., area clergy worked to restore calm and then insist that the community work to remove the underlying causes of the rage. It was important — at times dangerous — work that helped shape…