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
Former Dairy Plant on Gillham Slated for $12M Apartment Project
By Kevin Collison A former dairy plant near Linwood and Gillham is slated to be redeveloped as 48 lofts and a fresh food market by Exact Partners, the latest investment in a burgeoning redevelopment corridor along 31st street from Main to Troost. Exact, which also is redeveloping several buildings at nearby Martini Corner and recently…
Plaza Jack Henry Redevelopment Plan Now Includes Endangered Church
By Kevin Collison A big Country Club Plaza redevelopment that will renovate much of the former Jack Henry building as a fitness club has expanded to include an endangered church next door prized by historic preservationists. Matt Pennington, president of Drake Development, recently announced a Chiefs Fit, a joint fitness venture between the Kansas City…
Rightfully Sewn Expands in Crossroads; Grocery Plan Falls Through
By Kevin Collison Rightfully Sewn, a non-profit seamstress training and apparel manufacturer, is substantially expanding its Crossroads space and hiring more people thanks to a pair of big new garment contracts. The expansion however, signals that plans for a gourmet grocery and wine store at the northeast corner of 18th and Wyandotte have fallen through….
Italian Gardens Pizza Revives Memories in East Crossroads
By Kevin Collison It’s off the beaten path, tucked in a still gritty industrial corner of the East Crossroads next to Tension Envelope, but once you spot the bright Italian colors emblazoned on the cinder-block building, your taste buds will remember the way. “Once people find us, they know where we are,” said John David…
Downtown Apartment Plans Totaling $412M Filed Before New City Incentive Deadline
By Kevin Collison City Hall’s deadline before tighter tax incentive policies took effect prompted a final batch of applications for several downtown apartment proposals totaling 1,200 units, the largest a $254 million development at 15th and Main. The biggest proposal was submitted by an entity called Sky Real Estate LLC. It calls for a 506-unit…
New BLU HWY Restaurant Follows Back Roads and Streetcar Expansion
By Kevin Collison James Taylor’s new restaurant concept, BLU HWY at 51 Main, packs a lot of traveling metaphors from the back roads of America to locating near the last stop of the streetcar expansion at UMKC. “It’s an American culinary road trip based off several concepts I’ve had,” he said. “It’s elevated road trip…
Torn Label Opening ‘Public House,’ Tripling Size, Adding Food
By Kevin Collison Torn Label is joining the recent wave of microbrewery expansions in the East Crossroads with plans to open the Torn Label Public House by the end of this month. The microbrewery at 1708 Campbell that began operation in late 2014 is more than tripling the space of its original tap room and…
Cafe Ollama Brewing on Southwest Boulevard in Crossroads
By Kevin Collison Francisco Murguia wants patrons at Cafe Ollama, his new Crossroads coffee shop at 523 Southwest Blvd., to enjoy a tasty trip to places he knows well when they stop by for some cafe de olla. “It’s an opportunity for us to socialize and give ourselves a different experience,” he said. “We provide…
Bar and Year-Round Recreation Venue Planned for Riverfront Next Spring
By Kevin Collison Plans for a $2 million bar and outdoor recreation center in Berkley Park that would cater to volleyball players and anyone enjoying the riverfront were outlined Monday to a Port KC committee. The proposed 6,500 square-foot amenity would resemble the popular Bar K dog park and bar nearby, using former shipping containers…
Canadian Team’s ‘Complete Vision’ for East Village Wins Prestigious ULI Competition
By Kevin Collison The East Village would bloom as a new “intergenerational” downtown neighborhood with 1,500 apartments and a food-focused vibe in the winning proposal of this year’s ULI/Hines Student Urban Design Competition. The FUSION plan prepared by graduate students from three Canadian universities–Ryerson, York and the University of Toronto–was selected from four finalist concepts…