Kevin Collison, CityScene

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

A view of Three Light from the south.

Three Light Construction Start Expected by Early Summer

Construction of the Three Light luxury apartment tower in downtown Kansas City is set to begin by early summer.

Mattie Rhodes Plans New Westside Cultural Center

By Kevin Collison The Mattie Rhodes Cultural Center is nearing the completion of a fundraising campaign to build a new facility on downtown’s Westside at 17th and Jarboe. The $3.4 million endeavor will allow the 126 year-old Hispanic organization to consolidate and expand its classroom, meeting and gallery space, and provide more services to both…

Three Light Construction Start Expected by Early Summer

By Kevin Collison The long-awaited Three Light luxury apartment tower is set to begin construction by early summer at the high-profile corner of 15th and Main with completion anticipated in Fall 2023. The Cordish Co., which won city approval in 2018 for the incentive package for the $150 million project, has submitted its final drawings…

Developer Plans to Shake-Up Martini Corner

By Kevin Collison A core stretch of the Martini Corner entertainment strip has been purchased by a developer who plans to invest $3 million in renovation and new construction, including literally lifting its bars and restaurants to a new level. Exact Partners, along with other investors, has purchased all the properties on the north side…

Plan Commission Endorses Waddell & Reed Design, Urges Revision to Ground Floor

By Kevin Collison The design of Waddell & Reed’s new headquarters was unanimously endorsed by the City Plan Commission Tuesday after a surprisingly brief hearing that drew no public comment despite ongoing social media angst over the building’s lack of pedestrian appeal. The 18-story building planned for the southwest corner of 14th and Baltimore is…

Couple Open Dream Tex-Mex Place on West Ninth Street

By Kevin Collison The former City Center Square’s loss is a tasty gain to the Ninth and Baltimore food scene with the opening of Wrap IT Up Tex Mex Grill at 104 W. Ninth St. Veronica Garcia and her husband Roberto Vidal had to relocate when the food court at City Center was closed as…

Nationally-Renowned Ballpark Author Says Timing Right to Bring Royals Downtown

By Kevin Collison Kansas City was “lucky” 15 years ago not to build a downtown ballpark when the Royals lease was last up, but that’s all changed now, according to Paul Goldberger, author of the new book “Ballpark: Baseball in the American City.” The Pulitzer Prize-winning architectural critic who wrote for the New York Times, the…

Paul Goldberger, author of "Ballpark: Baseball in the American City."

Downtown Ballpark for Kansas City Royals Now Makes Sense, Speaker Says

Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Paul Goldberger says that now is a good time for Kansas City to consider a downtown ballpark for the Kansas City Royals.

Big Troost Residential Project Wins Key Committee Approval

(Feb. 7 Editor’s note: the City Council unanimously approved the Armour Corner project Thursday, construction is expected to begin in June.) By Kevin Collison An ambitious plan five years in the making to transform the moribund corners of Troost and Armour into a 340-unit, mid-rise apartment development won a key endorsement Wednesday from a City…

Downtown on Track for Red-Hot Super Bowl Weekend

By Kevin Collison Downtown will be revved-up for the Chiefs Super Bowl this weekend starting Friday with a special Red Friday Ride and Red Kingdom Rally featuring Tech N9ne at Kansas City Live!, and an all-day watch party at the entertainment district Sunday. “It will be just a huge party in a really dynamic environment,”…