Civic Affairs
Streetcar, More Housing, May Offer Better Future for Country Club Plaza
By Kevin Collison More people coming to the Country Club Plaza, whether arriving on the new streetcar extension or walking from big apartment projects in the works, are considered critical to the district’s success moving forward. “We think we’ll be driving thousands of people to that district on a daily basis and someday maybe tens…
Clock Ticking for Potential Steamboat Arabia Departure
By Kevin Collison The City Market is looking for proposals for the space now occupied by the Steamboat Arabia Museum, but its skipper says he’s not ready to shove off yet. “We have three years to figure it out, we don’t have a Plan B,” said David Hawley, the owner of the museum chock-full of…
Paris Postcard: Rue Cler Shows the Way to a Better Plaza
By Kevin Collison Rue Cler is one of the many bustling market streets in Paris. Flower stalls spill out onto the sidewalk, cafés offer front row seats for people watching and merchants busy themselves arranging their shop window displays to catch the eyes of passersby. And the busy cobblestone street is shared by pedestrians and…
UMKC Seeks 5,000-Seat Arena, Retail By Streetcar Stop
(Editor’s note: This article originally was published May 16, 2023) By Kevin Collison UMKC is pitching a development proposal that would anchor the south end of the new streetcar extension with a 4,000- 5,000 seat arena for sports and cultural events, according to a request for proposals issued Monday. UMKC is asking developers to submit…
Opinion: Downtown Ballpark Talks Get Foul
Mayor Quinton Lucas was right last week when he said whoever leaked the misleading Jackson County internal memo to The Star about the long-term (40 years) financial implications of the proposed downtown Royals ballpark is trying to sabotage negotiations: “Yesterday, there was a leak which said county estimated new stadium is between $4B and $6B….