KCRag Forum

And the Crossroads and River Market for an example closer to home.

Cleaver initiated the 18th and Vine redevelopment years ago when the city was going to add on to the American Royal Complex with Hale Arena and the new exhibition halls. In order to spread the wealth 18th and Vine was an attempt to appease the black community. At the time there wasn't a push to redevelop the area. And through the years there have been a few attempts to save/revive the area and none have any lasting effect.

KCUR did a listener survey about 18th and Vine, and the thing most people indicated was a failing of the district was lack of restaurants.

http://kcur.org/post/kansas-citians-wan ... re-options

http://kcur.org/post/kansas-city-jazz-d ... investment

http://www.kansascity.com/news/business ... 77427.html

$4.2 million for the Buck O’Neil Education Center, $1.7 million for the American Jazz Museum, $1.8 million for a multipurpose space for the Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey headquarters, $5.6 million for 18th Street retail and apartment space, $1.2 million to rehabilitate the historic Boone Theater at 1701 E. 18th St., $4.9 million to stabilize and improve historic buildings, $1 million for a gateway plaza and fountain at 18th Street and The Paseo, and $3 million for 18th Street streetcape improvements to help connect the Jazz District to the Crossroads area to the west.

yes!

I can't help but think the success of most of those projects is contingent on the success of the last one. What does 3 mil get you these days?

details: https://data.kcmo.org/dataset/18th-Vine ... /qzn3-aefz
map: https://data.kcmo.org/dataset/18th-Vine ... /88g2-ca65

Not sure lighting and bump outs will be enough, but I'm intrigued by "provide connection between ..Watkins..and 18th/Vine.

grovester wrote:I can't help but think the success of most of those projects is contingent on the success of the last one. What does 3 mil get you these days?

I agree. I'm afraid they aren't doing enough at the street level to make the "connection" to the Crossroads. Any connection should extend at least as far west as Holmes. This stretch really needs a streetscape makeover on the same level as the 20th Street Streetscape that is currently underway.

Until this area is sufficiently connected, it will continue to feel like an island, regardless of how much money the city throws at it. I have no problem with the dollar figures/projects they're proposing for the rest of the accompanying projects; I just wish we'd really pony up for the right level of streetscape improvements.

with residential development at 18th and holmes and KCATA's interest in facilitating development (they basically own troost to paseo), it won't take long for the connection to happen -- with or without a streetscape.

I agree with Dave.

18th Street is already scheduled to get bike lanes as part of the elusive Downtown Bike Loop project. That will make a big difference in the character of 18th Street.

"KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) -
The owner of Kansas City restaurant was indicted by a federal grand jury on additional drug-trafficking and firearms charges.

Paul Danny Gosserand, 57, of Kansas City, KS was charged in a three-count superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury on Thursday. The indictment replaces a Dec. 17, 2014 federal indictment and includes additional charges.

Gosserand is the owner of Danny’s Big Easy Cajun at East 18th Street and Vine Avenue.

The indictment retains the original charge of conspiracy to distribute five kilograms or more of powder cocaine in May 2011.

Gosserand is also charged with possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute and with possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

Gosserand allegedly was in possession of a Sears Roebuck & Company 16-gauge bolt action shotgun with no serial number and a North American Arms .22-caliber long rifle revolver on May 18, 2011.

Copyright 2016 KCTV (Meredith Corp.) All rights reserved.

LOCA


Read more: http://www.kctv5.com/story/31791869/kan ... z46c4TK7xu

A proposal to spend $27.6 million to upgrade 18th and Vine failed to pass a joint committee meeting Wednesday after a four-hour hearing.

Members of the council finance and planning and zoning committees agreed the project was good for the entire city, but disagreed on much else.

They deadlocked 4-4 on whether to send the proposal to the full council.

http://midtownkcpost.com/redoing-histor ... mbers-but/

Tie vote ties up $27.6M jazz district improvement plan

...

Under the proposal, which failed due to the tie vote, annual debt service for the project would have increased to $2.7 million with the implementation of all three phases over three years.

....

But in the end, Justus led opposition to the ordinance, which was sponsored by councilmen Jermaine Reed and Quinton Lucas,

Justus said she thought the 18th and Vine expenditures should be considered in the context of all investment needs and desires in the city.

"There are a lot of projects across the city that have the same value as this project," she said.

Joining Justus in voting against the ordinance were council members Kevin McManus, Katheryn Shields and Heather Hall. Voting in favor were Lucas, Wagner, Scott Taylor and Lee Barnes Jr.

...

http://tinyurl.com/zedscfv

Compromise 18th And Vine Plan Trims City Financial Commitment

Reed said on Tuesday that his revised version involves a phase one investment of $7 million.

He said that investment would allow the city to acquire much of the remaining property that it does not own and to get started on historic preservation and improvements to the Blue Room, Buck O'Neil Center and Black Archives as well as creating a public patio and amphitheater.

http://kcur.org/post/compromise-18th-an ... 0#stream/0

Council unanimous on $7M jazz district plan

http://tinyurl.com/hfvw578

KC is ready to take ownership of Jazz District properties

Kansas City is beginning the process of buying commercial properties in the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District as part of a $7 million first phase of new municipal investment in the district.

...

Besides the building at 1501 E. 18th St., Reed said, the city already owns three key properties in the historic jazz district: the Gem Theater, the American Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.

...

Reed said city ownership of the Jazz District, similar to Memphis’ ownership of its historic Beale Street entertainment district, will allow a unified approach to marketing and management. Locally, he added, it's known as "the City Market model" in reference to the city's successful ownership, marketing and management of that attraction.

...

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... trict.html

KC firefighters battle blaze at old Wheatley Hospital

http://www.kmbc.com/article/kc-firefigh ... al/8249818

FangKC wrote:KC firefighters battle blaze at old Wheatley Hospital

http://www.kmbc.com/article/kc-firefigh ... al/8249818

how did i miss this? i was literally across the street when it happened. must not have been serious since it is burned out anyway?