Civic Affairs
Crossroads Community Association Celebrates 20 Years Creating a Neighborhood
Editor’s note: This article originally was published March 16, 2021) 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…
Liberty Street Green Space Completes First Year in West Bottoms
By Kevin Collison One of greater downtown’s newer “parks” recently celebrated a quiet first anniversary, except for the rumbling trucks overhead. It’s called the Liberty Street Green Space and it replaces a grubby, former no-man’s land beneath the I-670 overpass in the West Bottoms with decorative pavers, walking trails and landscaping. The project was part…
Converting O’Neil Bridge to Linear Park ‘Top Priority’ for City Officials
(Editor’s note, updated March 3: The city announced today it is issuing a request for proposals/qualifications to study the reuse of the existing Buck O’Neil Bridge. The study will be done by the City of Kansas City, Jackson County and Clay County using $300,000 from the Missouri Department of Transportation. “The study will gather public…
Ability KC Plans Medical Office Building, Retail on Streetcar Route
By Kevin Collison Ability KC wants to build a 3 1/2 story office building and four-level garage at 31st Terrace and Main, the latest big project proposed along the route of the planned streetcar extension from downtown to UMKC. The nonprofit organization, which currently operates the Children’s Center Campus at the southeast corner of 31st…
UMKC Seeks Ideas to Revitalize Historic Epperson House
By Kevin Collison UMKC is seeking ideas to save and revitalize the Epperson House, a vacant, century-old former mansion on its campus that’s been a repeat nominee on Historic KC’s most endangered list. In recent press release, the university stated it was seeking “creative solutions to restore and reopen” the Collegiate Gothic-style mansion. Construction on…