Kevin Collison
Publisher
Flatland contributor Kevin Collison is the founder of CityScene KC, an online source for downtown news and issues.
Stories by Kevin Collison
Webster House Closing, but Helzberg has No Plans to Walk Away
By Kevin Collison Faced with a pandemic shut-down and the likelihood its important patron, the Kauffman Center, may remain dark until at least fall, Shirley Helzberg had no choice but to close her labor of love, the Webster House, permanently. “The Kauffman Center isn’t opening until at least fall and the symphony and other arts…
Crossroads Community Kitchen aka The Rieger Serves Big Helpings
By Kevin Collison There has been a lot of generous community response to the Covid-19 pandemic locally, but it would be hard to top the The Regier when it comes to an industrial-strength outpouring of good will–and free food. Since mid-March, the fine dining restaurant at 1924 Main has transformed itself into the Crossroads Community…
New Chapter Planned for Historic River Market Water Building
By Kevin Collison The historic Water Building in the River Market is slated for another round of renovation after a previous revival went bust in 2013. Developer Chris Sally has a contract to purchase the brick building at the corner of Second and Main streets. It was built in 1905 to house the stable, warehouse…
Proposed Freight House District Apartment Project Backtracks Size
(Updated May 7: The developer of the planned Tracks 215 apartment deal lost his national partner this week but did obtain local tax incentives in his quest to build the $52.4 million project in the Freight House District. Vince Bryant of 3-D development told the Planned Industrial Expansion Authority board today that Greystar, a major…
City Council Narrowly Approves Waddell HQ Design Despite Objections by Neighborhood, City Planners
(Updated: Citing the late Kenny Rogers tune “The Gambler,” Mayor Quinton Lucas cast the deciding vote in a 7-6 City Council decision to approve the design and development plan of the Waddell & Reed headquarters project late Thursday afternoon. With several Council members expressing disapproval of the controversial design during deliberations and seeking to send…
Downtown Marriott Goes Dark, Metro’s Biggest Covid Hospitality Casualty
By Kevin Collison Metro Kansas City’s largest hotel, the 970-room Downtown Marriott, has gone dark until at least May 11 because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the biggest local casualty of the collapse in the national hospitality industry caused by the virus. The 22-story hotel, known for the vivid LED lighting displays splashed across its broad…
With Building Restrooms Closed, Downtown Council Organizes Relief for Homeless
By Kevin Collison With so many downtown private and public building restrooms closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it’s practically impossible for homeless people to find a place to relieve themselves with dignity. That’s why the Downtown Council, along with the City Parks, Public Works and Housing Departments and the Streetcar Authority, have opened 20…
New Fundraiser Launched to Help Hard-Hit Restaurant, Bar Workers
The organizers of Curbside KC have added a new item to their menu for helping restaurant and other hospitality workers hit hard by the business restrictions forced by the Covid-19 crisis. Kansas City Runs on Hospitality is a fundraising effort that hopes to raise $100,000 to help out-of-work and/or underemployed restaurant and bar workers by…
Developers Leave the Light On for Downtown Hotel Projects
(Editor’s note May 15: The City Council unanimously approved revisions to the incentive package for the redevelopment of the historic KC Federal Reserve Bank building into a 301-room Embassy Suites hotel at its meeting Thursday.) By Kevin Collison Even though the local and national hospitality industry is being hammered by the Covid-19 pandemic, developers pursuing…
Age of Coronavirus: Developers Leave the Light On for Downtown Hotel Projects
Despite the economic lock down caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, developers say they are still actively pursuing hotel projects downtown.