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
ULI Panel Offers Bold Concepts to Energize Barney Allis Plaza
By Kevin Collison Barney Allis Plaza, a dreary downtown centerpiece, could be lowered to street level and transformed into a large event lawn flanked by garden and “adventure” playground areas, all atop a new garage, in a $63 million redevelopment concept suggested last week. The proposal endorsed by an local Urban Land Institute panel assembled…
Kobi Q, ‘Blade Runner Meets Asia’ in the Crossroads
By Kevin Collison Kobi Q, a new Korean street food place with added flavors from Vietnam and Thailand, is expected to open in the former Czar Bar space at 1531 Grand next month. “The drive behind it was ‘Blade Runner’ meets Asia,” said the designer working with chef and owner Hyu Ku Kwon, adding “it…
Downtown CVS Store Closed Temporarily for Remodeling
The CVS store at 921 Main, downtown’s only full-service pharmacy, has closed for a major remodeling project and expects to reopen about mid-June. The overhaul is part of the $139 million redevelopment of the historic Commerce Tower at 911 Main. The 30-story former office tower was converted into 355 apartments last year. The CVS is…
Restored Historic Savoy Hotel and Restaurant Debuts This August
By Kevin Collison The historic Savoy Hotel, a downtown landmark since 1888, is scheduled to reopen in early August following an extensive renovation by Louisville-based 21c Museum Hotels. The $47.5 million redevelopment project, more than five years in the making, is scheduled to begin accepting guests in its 120 rooms on Aug. 5. The famed…
Data Tells Real Downtown Housing Story
GUEST COMMENTARY By Bill Dietrich Maintaining existing affordable housing stock and increasing that inventory are critical for the sustainability and continued growth of greater Downtown Kansas City. We’ve come a long way from the blight of the late 1990’s, but have much work still to do. In greater Downtown Kansas City today – 31st Street…
City Club Apartment Project Still on Track, But Fires Plague Vacant Hotel
Editor’s note. The developer of the City Club Apartment project released this letter today (April 17) following another fire at the vacant hotel property this morning: “This property has a history of blight. Since taking control of the property, we have developed a great working relationship with the Mayor, local community, building department and police…
Arizona Postcard: Riding the Rails in Metro Phoenix and Tucson
By Dave Scott During a spring break to visit family and the Kansas City Royals in Arizona, I got a good sense of how urban Arizonans get around–mainly by barreling down seven-lane arterial roads at 45 mph. This practice killed 10 people in Phoenix during the week we were there, helping Arizona retain its status…
Broadway Deli Plans to Pile on the Pastrami in the Crossroads
By Kevin Collison In a match made in sandwich heaven, the soon-to-open Broadway Deli is bringing the piled-on-thick, genuine Chicago flavor of Manny’s, one of America’s great Jewish delicatessens, to the Crossroads Arts District. The new deli, which plans to open in late April, is a collaborative venture between Bill Fromm, an entrepreneur who founded…
The Roasterie Brews a 25th Anniversary Celebration
By Kevin Collison Getting together with The Roasterie founder Danny O’Neill to discuss the 25th anniversary of his business on Southwest Boulevard is, not surprisingly, a highly-caffeinated encounter. The lanky, charismatic owner frequently jumps up from his seat with excitement as he explains what he’s created since he began roasting beans in his home’s basement…
Historic Kansas City Honors Pickwick Redevelopment
By Kevin Collison The newly-renovated East 9 at Pickwick Plaza apartment project was honored with two top awards from Historic Kansas City Wednesday, the city’s premier preservation organization. The 260-unit apartment development at 933 McGee St. received the group’s excellence awards for Best Adaptive Re-Use and for Neighborhood Stabilization. The historic Pickwick complex covers almost…