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
Historic Kansas City Club Expected to Reopen in December as ‘Urban Resort’
By Kevin Collison The historic Kansas City Club at 918 Baltimore Ave. is being renovated to become an “urban resort” by the Denver investor who bought the property at a bankruptcy auction two years ago. Craig Slawson is spending about $500,000 to restore many of the interior spaces of the four-story building, which opened in…
Made Urban Apparel Wears Its Hometown Pride at Flagship Retail Space in Downtown x KC x
Kansas City has picked up some swagger since the Royals won the World Series two years ago and Made Urban Apparel is providing the look to go with it. Launched by several friends with a shared passion for style as an online retail outlet four years ago, it’s chill caps with the simple KC lettering…
Ambassador Hotel Gets Incentive Nod for $14.9 Million Expansion, Work to Begin Soon
By Kevin Collison The owner of the Ambassador Hotel at 1111 Grand plans to break ground on a nine-story addition this fall after receiving approval for tax incentives last week. The $14.9 million project will add 70 rooms to the 43-room boutique hotel that opened in the historic Gate City National Bank Building in 2012….
Joe’s Kansas City Teams with Back Napkin to Open ‘County Line Ice House’ in Power & Light District
By Kevin Collison Kansas City’s top-ranked barbecue joint, Joe’s Kansas City, is collaborating with the creators of the Westport Ale House to open an all-star, Southern-style “ice house” food and beer joint in the downtown Power & Light District. Just two weeks after Gordon Biersch, a national brewpub chain, pulled out of its 8,500 square-foot…
‘Bird’ Celebration Takes Wing This Week in Downtown Kansas City, Elsewhere
By Kevin Collison The Fourth Annual Charlie Parker Celebration, an event that honors both the music legend and boosts Kansas City’s current jazz scene, begins today (Thursday) with a reception at the American Jazz Museum at 6 p.m. in the 18th & Vine District. It’s the start of a 12-day festival, described as the largest…
City Club Apartments Begins Marketing Its New $76.8 Million Crossroads Project
By Kevin Collison City Club Apartments has begun a marketing campaign for a $76.8 million development that’s expected to transform a desolate block along the streetcar line in the Crossroads District into a dynamic mixed-use project. The suburban Detroit-based developer is planning to renovate the historic Midwest Hotel at 1925 Main St. and combine it…
ARTerra Apartment Project in Crossroads District Expected to Set New Bar for Downtown Rents
By Kevin Collison It was only a few years ago that apartment developers in downtown Kansas City dreamed of getting $1.50 per square foot in rent. Last week at the groundbreaking for the ARTerra project, developer Jon Copaken said its units will go for $2.30 per square foot, the same rate as Two Light, the…
Mayor Hosting Rock the Block Celebration Saturday at Washington Square Park
The sixth annual “Sly’s Rock the Block” celebration, a free, family-oriented event, will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Washington Square Park. The event is held to recognize the end of city summer programs and the beginning of a new school year. It will feature live music, cultural performances and other…
Mission Taco Joint Opening in East Crossroads Next Week, Taste of San Francisco MexiCali Street Food
You can thank the U.S. Coast Guard for the new Mission Taco Joint that’s scheduled to open this Monday at 409 E. 18th St. in the East Crossroads. Jason and Adam Tilford, the brothers who founded the St. Louis-based chain, grew up moving up and down the California coast following their dad’s Coast Guard career….
Despite Election Setback, Kansas City Streetcar Authority Continues Planning for Proposed Extension to UMKC
By Kevin Collison The Kansas City Streetcar Authority is moving ahead with the next phase of planning for an proposed extension of the line from downtown to UMKC despite Tuesday’s election setback. The authority has approved spending $1 million to hire a team led by HDR Engineering to begin work on what’s called the Streetcar…