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
Crossroads Community Association Celebrates 20 Years Creating a Neighborhood
By Kevin Collison When the Crossroads Community Association began 20 years ago, its sprawling 90-block turf of old, brick commercial buildings sandwiched between downtown and Crown Center was facing an identity crisis. The area was finishing its pioneering phase that began in 1985 when artist Jim Leedy found real estate cheap enough in the deserted…
High Aspirations Wants Pavilion to Help More Black Youths During Covid
By Kevin Collison High Aspirations, a mentoring program for Black youths, wants to build a $1.5 million open pavilion by its existing facility at 803 E. 27th St. to better serve its participants during the pandemic. “We’re building the pavilion to help our young men to be able to meet and be served at full…
Casual Animal Roams into New, Wide-Open Range
By Kevin Collison There’s much more room for Casual Animal(s) to roam since the microbrewery at 1725 McGee acquired the building next door, allowing it to more than triple its size to become perhaps the biggest beer hall in the East Crossroads. Owner Kyle Gray first learned the cavernous adjoining warehouse space formerly occupied by…
Three Light Hitting Switch? Contractor Seeks Lane Closings in Early May
By Kevin Collison More than three years after it was unveiled by the Cordish Co., the 25-story Three Light luxury apartment tower may be poised to start work in early May at the northeast corner of Main and Truman Road. J.E. Dunn, the contractor for the estimated $120 million project, has applied to the city…
KC Live! Cautiously Welcomes Big 12 Basketball Fans
KC Live! is welcoming fans to the Big 12 Basketball Tournament starting today, but like the event itself, it’s following pandemic health guidelines and won’t host the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds of previous years. The open-air, canopied courtyard that normally can accommodate 5,000 people will require everyone entering to be seated at tables socially-distanced on the main…
Barney Allis Plaza Looks to Washington to Fund $70M Overhaul
By Kevin Collison A plan to revive Barney Allis Plaza from crumbling civic embarrassment to a showcase for the 2023 NFL Draft is moving ahead with anticipation that Washington will help finance the estimated $70 million undertaking. The City Council voted last week to approve funding a final design plan to have the project “shovel-ready”…
Maxus Pursuing $45M Apartment Project at Third and Oak
By Kevin Collison Maxus Properties has submitted a preliminary proposal to the city for what would be an 11-story, 234-unit apartment project at Third and Oak in the River Market. The firm, which also is redeveloping the former AT&T building at 500 E. Eighth St., anticipates the $45 million project would not begin construction until…
KC Symphony Moving to Webster House, New Movement for Old School
By Kevin Collison The historic Webster House at 17th and Wyandotte will be the new headquarters of the Kansas City Symphony, returning music and life to the building closed by philanthropist Shirley Helzberg last summer because of the Covid pandemic. “We are delighted that our Symphony will have a new home and will be able…
KC Symphony Moving to Webster House, New Movement for Old School
The historic Webster House will be the new headquarters of the Kansas City Symphony, returning music and life to the building closed by philanthropist Shirley Helzberg last summer because of the COVID pandemic.
Forget the Alamo, Remember the B&B?
(Editor’s note, April 23: Cordish and B&B Theatres confirmed a lease has been signed for the historic Mainstreet Theater. “B&B, a family-owned and -operated company out of Liberty, Missouri, plans to open the movie theatre after making some enhancements to the historic space later this year,” according to the press release. “B&B has exciting plans…