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

Third and Grand Developer Sweetens Deal, Wins Incentives on Second Try

By Kevin Collison A $60 million River Market apartment plan won approval for tax incentives Thursday the second time around after sweetening the development deal to encourage more union labor. The 246-unit apartment plan proposed for a public parking lot northeast of Third and Grand was approved for a 25-year property tax abatement from the…

The $60 million Third and Grand apartment development won approval for a 25-year property tax abatement on its second try.

Third and Grand Developer Sweetens Deal, Wins Incentives on Second Try

A $60 million River Market apartment plan won approval for tax incentives Thursday the second time around after sweetening the development deal to guarantee more union labor.

Columbus Park Residential Plan Backed by Council Committee

By Kevin Collison A Columbus Park residential development that will include half-million-dollar townhomes won unanimous support from a Kansas City Council committee Wednesday. The $7 million project proposed by DAK Pacific LLC is planned for a small triangular site at approximately 1015 Pacific St. The development calls for 10, for-sale townhomes, two four-unit apartment buildings…

Mark Twain Tower, Major Preservation Project, Opens to Residents in August

By Kevin Collison The 23-story Mark Twain Tower, one of downtown’s biggest historic preservation projects, is scheduled to begin accepting residents in August following a $60 million renovation that was slowed by the Covid pandemic. The building at 11th and Baltimore has been converted to 222 market-rate apartments by The Bernstein Cos. of Washington D.C….

Big Apartment Plan Proposed for Prominent Site Near Penn Valley Park

By Kevin Collison A $122 million residential project is in the works for the prominent, five-acre site of the old Trinity Lutheran Hospital complex by Penn Valley Park and near the planned streetcar stop at 31st and Main. NorthPoint Development LLC has acquired what has been a troubled property for years and is seeking tax…

NorthPoint Development wants to build a 385-unit apartment project at the current site of the old Trinity Lutheran Hospital complex.

Big Apartment Plan Proposed for Prominent Site Near Penn Valley Park

A $122 million residential project is in the works for the prominent, five-acre site of the old Trinity Lutheran Hospital complex by Penn Valley Park and near the planned streetcar stop at 31st and Main streets.

Panthers Place a Tropical Hideaway Tucked in West Side

By Kevin Collison Imagine you’re in a secret tropical hideaway, sipping a cold beer straight from a tub brimming with ice and suddenly noticing a rusty old VW bus nestled in the vines. Welcome to Panthers Place, a West Side discovery just off Southwest Boulevard that began more than 15 years ago as the personal…

North Loop Among ‘Freeways without Futures’ in New National Report

(Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in CityScene KC June 2, 2021) By Kevin Collison The downtown North Loop is among 15 freeways throughout the country that should be removed and their tracks revitalized according to a new report by a national non-profit organization that champions “walkable urbanism.” The “Freeways Without Futures 2021” report by the…

Uptown Lounge Piano Bar on Main Plays ‘Gaga to Gershwin’

By Kevin Collison A new piano bar has risen from the ashes of the former Davey’s Uptown at 34th and Main, and while it’s more upscale, its owners hope it still will be a comfortable place for all kinds of people to enjoy live music. “We’re trying to cater to a more sophisticated crowd, not…

‘Grand’ Boulevardia Arrives at Crown Center This Weekend

This weekend’s “Grand Boulevardia” is celebrating its new home at Crown Center with plenty of live music, glow-in-the-dark cornhole, lots of food and beer options, and even tarot card readings. The event runs from 4 p.m.-11 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday and covers the Crown Center Plaza, a section of Grand Boulevard and…