Civic Affairs
Scientologists Proclaim Downtown Arrival, Welcome ‘Xenu Light?’
By Kevin Collison For more than a year, the Church of Scientology has been quietly renovating the historic City Bank Building at 1801 Grand into its new regional headquarters. Few people noticed. There was nothing posted on the building identifying the new tenant and the project looked pretty much like any other historic rehab job…
City Survey Reveals Rising Worries About Affordable Housing
By Kevin Collison The number of Kansas City residents concerned about the availability of affordable housing rose slightly last year, according to new city data, with the greater downtown area reporting the greatest increase. The analysis prepared by KCStat revealed that citywide, 55 percent of the respondents to the latest Resident Survey conducted last spring…
Former Mayor Kay Barnes Belle of Downtown Council Luncheon, Gov. Parson Late Add to Event
(Editor’s note: The Downtown Council announced today (Jan. 18) that Missouri Gov. Mike Parson will address the audience attending its annual luncheon on Jan. 24) Former Mayor Kay Barnes, credited with launching the current downtown Kansas City revitalization boom in the early 2000s, will receive the Downtown Council’s top honor when the organization hosts its…
Downtown Rings out 2018 with Surge in Apartments and Hotel Rooms, Promise of New Office
By Kevin Collison Downtown Kansas City ends 2018 on a strong note with new apartment and hotel projects seemingly announced every other week and finally, after much talk, a couple of significant office developments, notably a 25-story project planned for the Power & Light District. It also saw a growing street scene of new retailers,…
Safety Campaign Warns Scooters and Smartphones Don’t Mix
First it was avoiding streetcar rails, now a new safety program has been launched by Bird and AT&T to discourage electric scooter riders from using their smartphones while rolling. “Smartphone use while driving or scooting is a dangerous mix,” said Rachel Bankston, a Bird spokeswoman. “We urge everyone, regardless of their transportation mode, to stay…