News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
Our 10 Stories From 2017 We Think You Should Read (Or Read Again)
Like any publication, this magazine cranks out content all year long. Every article we post resonates with us, but we each have our favorites — the pieces we really, really, really hope find their way to you. Here are our 10 staff picks of stories from 2017 we think you should read and watch — if you didn’t the first time…
Kemper Arena Developer Picks Up Pieces After Mosaic Naming Rights Deal Falls Apart
By Kevin Collison The developer transforming the former Kemper Arena into a massive amateur sports complex shrugged of the loss of his naming rights partner Wednesday, saying it won’t interfere with completing the $39 million endeavor. “We knew ahead of time that Mosaic (Life Care) was going to make an announcement, but we couldn’t say…
Plexpod Acquires Think Big Coworking’s Downtown Office Space
By Kevin Collison Plexpod has acquired the Think Big Coworking operation at 1712 Main St., the latest development in the fast-growing downtown shared-office space market. Think Big Partners opened its co-working space in the historic Globe Storage and Transfer Co. Building at 1712 Main in 2015. The concept was to provide entrepreneurs, contractors and start-ups…
My 5 | Savannah Northcraft
My 5 is a series wherein Flatland asks someone to show us five items from their life that help them do their job or tell their story. It’s a chance to learn more about the people in our community by getting a peek at what’s in their drawers, kitchens, briefcases, or desks. In the latest…
Proposed Streetcar Extension Lures New Main Street Investments in Midtown
By Kevin Collison The 11-story former Netherlands Hotel is slated to be redeveloped into 110 apartments, part of a Main Street development surge linked to the planned streetcar extension. The decrepit Netherlands at 3835 Main and its neighbor, the former Monarch Storage building at 3829 Main, are part of a more than $30 million redevelopment…
Kemper Contemporary Museum Closes Crossroads Gallery After Nine-Year Run
By Kevin Collison The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art has closed its gallery in the Crossroads Arts District after a nine-year run, saying it wants to focus its resources on its main operation at 4420 Warwick. The Kemper at the Crossroads opened in 2008 at the high-profile corner of 19th and Baltimore in space formerly…
Gallerie–phase 2
Corner of 27th, Warwick and McGee streets (Union Hill) | 50 apartment units and 10 townhouses | Cost: $12 million | Architect: Draw (Kansas City) | Expected start of construction, Spring 2018
Home2 Suites in Crossroads Expects to be Home by Christmas
By Kevin Collison The new Home2 Suites by Hilton opening soon at 20th and Main in the Crossroads takes its ‘home’ description seriously. Rooms come with a kitchen many downtown apartment residents would envy including a full-size refrigerator, dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwave and tableware. And for the more ambitious guest, you can check out a…
How The House Tax Overhaul Bill Could Hurt Affordable Housing
Builders of affordable housing say the House Republican tax plan has a poison pill inside it that removes a tax incentive crucial for about half of the affordable housing units that get built.
Downtown Pedestrians Rejoice, Boley Building Facade Work Nears Completion
By Kevin Collison A building repair project that has closed sidewalks in the heart of downtown at 12th and Walnut for over 1 1/2 years is expected to be finally completed in late January. The facade work on the historic Boley Clothing Co. Building, home of Andrews McMeel Universal publishing, is winding down. The Walnut…