Civic Affairs
City Manager on Ballpark: East Village or NKC, Downtown Wins Either Way
By Kevin Collison City Manager Brian Platt has been on the job almost three years, enough time to get to know the city while still tapping into an outsider’s perspective from his government experience in Jersey City, outside New York. That’s why getting together with him over coffee last weekend was a good opportunity to…
Read MoreNew Midtown KC Resident Survey Reveals Split Identity
By Kevin Collison Midtown Kansas City residents are experiencing a split identity about their neighborhoods these days, according to a new survey by Midtown KC Now. On the one hand, survey respondents overwhelming believe (82 percent) that Midtown, the wide corridor of neighborhoods between Union Station and the Plaza flanking Main and Broadway, is improving.…
Read MoreJackson County Balks at Starting Royals Downtown Ballpark Talks
By Kevin Collison Last month, Royals owner John Sherman expressed frustration about “waiting on a few people” who didn’t share the team’s urgency about negotiating a downtown ballpark deal. Turns out, that negotiating ball has literally been in Jackson County’s court since at least mid-June, according to senior-level sources close to the concept with the…
Read MoreCrossroads Pursues Improvement District to Improve Security, Landscaping
By Kevin Collison The Crossroads Community Association has launched a long-anticipated drive to establish a community improvement district that’s intended to increase security, improve landscaping and reduce trash and graffiti in the popular downtown neighborhood. The effort comes after many years of spirited debate and signals how the district of older industrial buildings has evolved…
Read MorePlaza Area Council Now Official, Plans to Boost District’s Next Century
(Editor’s note: This article originally was published Jan. 11, 2023) By Kevin Collison A new civic effort to shepherd the Country Club Plaza and environs into its second 100 years has organized as a nonprofit, and plans to hire staff and begin pursuing its goals by the end of the year. What’s called the Plaza…
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