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
New KC Streetcar Rolls Into Town, Ridership Breaks 6 Million
By Kevin Collison The Kansas City Streetcar Authority got a belated present for its third birthday Monday morning, a shiny new vehicle fresh from Spain to add to its existing fleet of four. The new streetcar, dubbed #805, arrived at Third and Grand by flatbed truck after leaving port near Houston Friday morning. It was…
Downtown Open Returns, Fun Chance to Hit Golf Balls Off Tall Buildings
By Kevin Collison The new streetcar has been a vehicle for a lot of things–downtown commuting, spurring development and drawing weekend tourists–but a golf cart? That’s the plan for this Saturday when the Downtown Open organized by KC Crew returns for a fourth year. Participants will start at the event’s Washington Square Park “clubhouse” and…
Midland Affordable Renovation Plan Features Micro-Apartments
By Kevin Collison The Cordish Co. has submitted its plan to redevelop the historic Midland office building into affordable housing, partly by offering some of the more “micro” apartments to date in downtown, as small as 315 square feet. The $24.3 million renovation plan for the 12-story vacant office building at 1221 Baltimore is scheduled…
Carvana Opens Car-Shuffling Glass Tower Off Southwest Boulevard
Southwest Boulevard on downtown’s Westside is known for its funky blend of great Mexican restaurants, Boulevard Brewery, the Roasterie and now, for something completely different, an eight-story glass “car vending machine.” Carvana is opening its 18th car-vending machine in the country at 1700 W. 29th St. off the Boulevard and its definitely a new, if…
Group Hopes to Raise $500K to Defeat KC Incentive Cap Initiative
By Kevin Collison A development industry coalition backed by the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce is fighting a ballot initiative they say would cripple the city’s primary incentive program, property tax abatements. The “Committee for Kansas City Jobs” wants to raise $500,000 to defeat a petition initiative on the city ballot next month supported…
National Developer Proposes Big Apartment Project in Crossroads
By Kevin Collison A $95 million development that would replace a Freight House District parking lot with a nine-story apartment tower above a three-level garage is being pursued by Greystar, the nation’s largest apartment operator. The 250-unit “Tracks 215” project is proposed for a 1.1-acre lot west of the historic Freight House building, where Lidia’s…
Plaza Hotel Proposal Revived, Seven-Story Project at 46th and Wornall
UPDATED May 7, 2019 (Editor’s note: The City Plan Commission unanimously endorsed the Plaza Hotel redevelopment plan Wednesday, which also was supported by Historic KC and neighborhood groups The project will include two separate hotel flags, an Aloft and a Tribute Portfolio, within the Marriott brand. The project previously has been approved for a Community…
Blade & Timber Flipping from West Bottoms to Power & Light District
Blade & Timber is throwing its axe from the West Bottoms and burying it in the Power & Light District with plans to relocate to 13th and Baltimore by late summer. The popular axe-throwing hangout that opened its first location in 2017 at 1101 Mulberry St. has been lured to space formerly occupied by Kobe, a…
Loews Exec Says Unfinished Hotel Bringing Fresh Business to Downtown
By Kevin Collison A top Loews executive attending the topping off of his firm’s 24-story convention hotel project Wednesday said its bringing fresh business to Kansas City, downplaying concerns about filling a surge in new downtown hotel rooms. Alexander Tisch, executive vice president of Loews Hotels & Co., said he was familiar with the recent…
Bar + Rec Plans Lively Entertainment Center in Old KC Star Building
By Kevin Collison Bar + Rec, the first tenant announced for the ongoing redevelopment of the old Kansas City Star building, has a year-old pile of sand and months of work ahead before its planned opening at year’s end. Partners Mark Musselman and Luke Wade continue to push forward with their ambitious plan to create…