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

Pedestrian Plaza Plan to Enliven 18th and Vine District

By Kevin Collison The 18th and Vine District is looking forward to transforming its main drag into a more pedestrian-friendly corridor that can be closed temporarily for events thanks to $4 million in the new federal budget. The money obtained by Rep. Emanuel Cleaver and matched by at least $2.5 million and up to $4…

The new 18th and Vine Pedestrian District will remove curbs and smooth 18th Street to become a seamless corridor with wide sidewalks and two lanes of traffic.

Pedestrian Plaza Plan to Enliven 18th and Vine District

The 18th and Vine District's main drag will become a more pedestrian-friendly corridor that can be closed temporarily for events thanks to $4 million in the new federal budget.

Opinion: Twenty Years Later, Our Downtown Heart is Healthier to Live and Play, More Work Needed

(Editor’s note: This column was published Oct. 31, but the review of the “Mending Our Broken Heart’ series also is a good way to anticipate the New Year in greater downtown Kansas City.) By Kevin Collison Twenty years after The Star published its groundbreaking “Mending Our Broken Heart” series, downtown is back in the game,…

Savoy Tea Brings ‘Tea Culture’ to Crossroads

By Kevin Collison The Arkansas owners of the new Savoy Tea Co. shop in the Crossroads are looking forward to brewing more interest in a beverage they believe remains relatively unappreciated and unfamiliar to many people. “We had traveled and had tea at different places and realized there was no place at home in Fayetteville…

Steamboat Arabia Museum Scuttles St. Charles Deal, Still Seeks New Port

By Kevin Collison A plan to ship the Steamboat Arabia Museum downriver to St. Charles has run aground, scuttled by a change in course by officials there, according to David Hawley, the owner of the popular City Market attraction. Hawley had signed a letter of intent with St. Charles officials in May. It gave the…

A rendering of the Steamboat Arabia on the Missouri River.

Steamboat Arabia Museum Scuttles St. Charles Deal, Still Seeks New Port

A plan to ship the Steamboat Arabia Museum downriver to St. Charles has run aground, scuttled by a change in course by officials there.

The Parisian Café Life Comes to Westport and Main

(Editor’s note: This article originally was published on June 13, 2022) By Kevin Collison A Parisian-style cocktail and dessert café has arrived at the corner of Westport and Main, the latest creation by Heather White of Tailleur. Like Tailleur, which was inspired by a visit to a famed New York brasserie, White’s latest concept, Cheval,…

Team Behind Rehabs of Old Westport Schools Propose Apartment Project

By Kevin Collison The development team behind the renovations of the historic Westport Middle and High Schools is proposing a 100-unit apartment project on the grounds of the former middle school. Sustainable Development Partners (SDP) has filed plan with the city for what’s called “Village at Westport Commons.” It calls for building, two, parallel three-story…

Columbus Park Ponders Future for Empty Six-Acres

By Kevin Collison Columbus Park, a downtown neighborhood that’s experienced its share of urban challenges, has a six-acre opportunity for redevelopment, but right now, nobody is quite sure what to do with it. “The fact is, we don’t know what we want because we don’t know what we’re able to do,” said Kate Barsotti, president…

South Plaza Condo Project Proposed Near Future UMKC Streetcar Stop

By Kevin Collison A 23-unit residential condominium project is being proposed for the South Plaza area near 50th and Walnut, about two blocks from the planned terminus of the Main Street streetcar extension at UMKC. Developer Doug Price wants to build the three-story “49 Walnut” project on a narrow lot that stretches between Walnut and…