Civic Affairs
Waddell & Reed Project’s Lack of Sidewalk Appeal Gets Chilly Reception
By Kevin Collison The proposed design of the new Waddell & Reed downtown headquarters got a chilly reception at its first public hearing Monday, primarily for its lack of sidewalk appeal to passersby. The only-pedestrian oriented feature planned for the ground floor of the 18-story building at this point is a 3,000 square-foot public lobby…
New Streetcar Authority Chair Works to Keep City Fiscal Support on Track
By Kevin Collison Jeff Krum has hopped onboard as new chairman of the KC Streetcar Authority with a push to keep City Hall financial backing on track as the agency pursues federal funding to extend the route to UMKC. Krum expects the final word from Washington should come within the next 12- to 18 months…
Downtown Luncheon Features Timely Speaker, Renowned NY Critic with New Ballpark Book
This year’s Downtown Council Annual Luncheon features a timely keynote speaker, Paul Goldberger, a renowned New York architectural critic with a fresh book titled “BALLPARK: Baseball in the American City.” With the new owner of the Royals, John Sherman, open to the idea of bringing the team downtown, Goldberger’s book examines how ballparks have evolved to…
Dangerous Demo Site in Heart of Downtown Raises Concerns About City Indifference
By Kevin Collison A dangerous, unfenced demolition site in the heart of downtown across from Municipal Auditorium is again raising questions about how well City Hall protects pedestrians from hazardous conditions. The exposed property at 1319 Wyandotte adjoins the sidewalk with no barriers to prevent passersby from falling 10- to 15 feet onto concrete rubble…
Walnut Street Reopening in City Market After 30 Year Absence
Work is well underway on reconnecting Walnut Street through the City Market with completion expected in May. The city project will reopen Walnut as a two-way street from Third to Fifth streets on weekdays, and is intended to not only improve traffic flow, but make it a more pedestrian-friendly environment. The street will be closed…