Civic Affairs
Three Downtown Sites Pitched for UMKC Conservatory, Westport H.S. Also Candidate
By Kevin Collison At least three downtown locations are being pitched for the proposed UMKC Conservatory, including Barney Allis Plaza, according to Downtown Council officials, and the former Westport High School also has emerged as a potential midtown site. “It’s a beautiful facility,” said David Brain, a partner in KC Sustainable Development Partners, the owner…
Former Mayor Kay Barnes, Downtown Champion, Honored for Legacy
By Kevin Collison Former Mayor Kay Barnes now has the Convention Center Grand Ballroom named after her, but her lasting legacy was on display beyond the windows of the ballroom lobby where the event was held last week. From its vantage point above the South Loop freeway, the Sprint Center, H&R Block office tower and…
CID Renewed, ‘Bumble Bees’ Remain Downtown’s Ambassadors Through 2034
By Kevin Collison Those downtown “bumble bees” you see daily cleaning, tending landscaping and helping you feel safe will be buzzing for another 15 years thanks to the recent renewal of the Downtown Council Community Improvement District. The 60 men and women wearing the distinctive black and yellow CID uniforms, referred to as Ambassadors, may…
UMKC Seeks Conservatory Proposals, Potential Downtown Site Survives Close Call
By Kevin Collison UMKC officially has restarted its pursuit of a new combined Conservatory of Music and Dance and Theater Department facility, and has set a July 24 deadline for responses to what’s now described as a $100 million project. The university released what’s called a request for interest (RFI) this week, and in an…
Resurrection Opens First New Downtown Church Built in Over a Century
By Kevin Collison If you’re looking for a symbol of how downtown Kansas City has revived in recent years, search no further than the new Church of the Resurrection which opens this weekend at 1601 Grand. “When I moved here from Detroit in 2009, the Downtown Council’s slogan was ‘live, work and play,’” observed the…