News & Issues
Stories from around the Kansas City Metro area on a variety of topics.
The KCI Affair: Triumph or Fiasco?
The proposal to build a new billion-dollar terminal at the airport is a big issue in itself. And on Nov. 7, it’ll be on the ballot for voters in Kansas City, Missouri. But the push this year by City Hall to award the contract to build it raised an even bigger question: To what extent…
Historic Crossroads Building at 1520 Main to be Razed for Parking and Future Development Site
By Kevin Collison A historic building at 1520 Main St. is slated to be demolished soon to make way for interim parking and eventual use as a development site for a possible residential tower. Robb Heineman, CEO of FanThreeSixty, said his firm wants to eventually develop the entire property occupied by the 1520 Main building…
A Public Performance
In Kansas City, we’re told the economic impact of the arts totals a quarter of a billion dollars. This four-part video series, Artconomy, evaluates what that number means: Where does that figure come from, and what’s counted in it? In Episode 3, get behind the numbers of public funding — how much comes from taxpayers, and…
Downtown Council Picks Hall Family for Annual Phil Kirk Award
The Hall family is being recognized by the Downtown Council for its commitment to downtown Kansas City through Hallmark Cards and Crown Center. The Hall family and Hallmark will be receiving the 2017 J. Phillip Kirk Jr. Award at the Downtown Council’s annual luncheon on Jan. 26. The award honors leaders who’s vision and commitment…
Construction to Begin Early Next Year on Half-Dozen River Market Townhouses
By Kevin Collison Craig Slawson, the Denver developer who’s bought into the River Market real estate scene in a big way, plans to begin his first construction early next year, six townhouses along Wyandotte Street. The new residences will join two townhouses built by the late developer Tom Trabon on the east side of Wyandotte…
New York Developer has Found a Little Tribeca in Garment District
By Kevin Collison Andrew Bolton specializes in historic redevelopment projects and had worked in New Orleans and Washington D.C. before coming to Kansas City. He liked what he found so much he decided to relocate here from New York. “I came to Kansas City in the 1990s on business,” he said. “I didn’t know much…
This Halloween: What Does It Mean To Call Something ‘Spooky’?
Scared, fine. Frightened, sure. But spooked? This week, we dive into the racial history behind one of Halloween’s most fraught descriptors.
Loews Now Majority Owner of Planned Downtown Convention Hotel, Preliminary Construction Expected to Begin Soon
By Kevin Collison New York-based hotel giant Loews has increased its investment stake to become majority owner of the planned 800-room downtown convention hotel and preliminary construction is expected to begin soon. The expanded role of Loews, which owns and operates 24 hotels in major cities across the U.S. and Canada, was approved this week…
Renowned East Crossroads Artist Studio Kicks Off International Sculpture Conference
By Kevin Collison The center of the sculpture world was at Studio Inc in the East Crossroads area of downtown this week for a kickoff event for the 2017 International Sculpture Conference. Three-hundred artists from across the United States and overseas are here through Saturday for the event, which is a celebration and educational program…
Meshuggah Bagels Rolling Into Downtown this March
By Kevin Collison The bagel that ate 39th Street last spring is rolling into downtown Kansas City, hopefully in time for the Big 12 basketball tournament in March. Meshuggah Bagels plans to open its fourth metro outlet in a 1,400 square-foot space off the ground-floor lobby of One Light apartments at 13th and Walnut streets….