18th and Vine

[FangKC]

Liquor application for new sports bar in 18th and Vine Jazz District in space formerly occupied by Peach Tree.

9th Inning Sport Bar & Grill
1512 E. 18th Street

http://www.kcmo.org/idc/groups/neighbor ... censes.pdf

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=1512+E.+1 ... 66,,0,-6.3

[FangKC]

The 9th Inning Sports Bar and Grill opens in 18th and Vine District in the former Peachtree space.

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/05/03/35 ... useum.html

[KCMax]

TKC: City enters into management agreement with 18th and Vine

Ordinance #120534

"Authorizing the City Manager to enter into a Management Agreement with the American Jazz Museum, in the amount of $647,363.00, from the American Jazz Museum account, for management and operations of the 18th and Vine Project."

[FangKC]

The Jazz Museum that wasn't.

http://kcjazzlark.blogspot.com/2010/02/ ... wasnt.html

http://kcjazzlark.blogspot.com/2010/03/ ... ent-1.html

[KCMax]

KCTV5 investigates the 18th & Vine Jazz District Redevelopment Corp.

Morris, as it turns out, is the former marketing director for the American Jazz Museum. In his opinion the city operates the neighborhood more like a museum instead of an entertainment district.

He advocates that the city and not-for-profit organizations like the Jazz District Redevelopment Corp. sell off their interests in most of the property they own or manage on Vine Street. He suggests that they give the responsibility of developing and marketing both new and existing businesses to private entrepreneurs.

"We have to be business minded, have an entrepreneurial approach, as opposed to let the city do it." Morris said. "Thankfully we don't have to say, ‘Wouldn't it be nice to put a museum and a night club and a theater down here and really organize a district?' That's been done. So the initial investment is here in place. Now it's time for private enterprise to take that seed corn and make it grow."

[FangKC]

The former Leona Pouncey law office near 18th and Paseo has been demolished. It was the two-story building near the corner. The corner building remains.

It was listed on Preserve Missouri's 2012 Most-Endangered Historic Buildings List.

http://preservemo.wordpress.com/most-endangered/

The Pouncey Building – Kansas City, Jackson County

The Pouncey Building is a 1909 2-story brick commercial building in the heart of Kansas City’s 18th and Vine Jazz District. This is one of the few remaining original office buildings in the district and is significant in its association with the social history of the district in that it was the office of the city’s first African American female lawyer, Leona Pouncey Thurman, who moved her office to this building in 1955. Missouri Preservation has been made aware that the City of Kansas City intends to move forward with demolition in anticipation of the City hosting the All Star baseball game in July 2012. The building is on the main strip of the Jazz District and in close proximity to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. It is currently on the dangerous building list. Although on the National Register of Historic Places and subject to Section 106 review, it is feared that the City desires to “fast track” the demolition as they are concerned about codes and safety, and the image of blight in the City. Listing on Missouri’s Most Endangered Historic Places will hopefully bring additional interest and awareness to the building to find a buyer who can rehab the building, as there has been interest in the past and the building is currently for sale.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=18th+and+ ... 3,,0,-8.73

[Demosthenes]

So they tore this "blighted" building down for the all-star game? What foolishness! Did they even get it down in time, or was it demolished afterward? This is yet another crime against the African American culture and history in this city. If this building was important historically to the white community it would not have been torn down. Sad

[kboish]

That building looks nice in the picture. Its a shame.

[flyingember]

So they tore this "blighted" building down for the all-star game? What foolishness! Did they even get it down in time, or was it demolished afterward? This is yet another crime against the African American culture and history in this city. If this building was important historically to the white community it would not have been torn down. Sad

yeah, like all the buildings they tore out downtown that were important to the white community.

not everything is about race

[Demosthenes]

So they tore this "blighted" building down for the all-star game? What foolishness! Did they even get it down in time, or was it demolished afterward? This is yet another crime against the African American culture and history in this city. If this building was important historically to the white community it would not have been torn down. Sad

yeah, like all the buildings they tore out downtown that were important to the white community.

not everything is about race

Obviously Kansas City has made many mistakes over the years, and the destruction of not only important buildings, but entire neighborhoods that were important to the white community is certainly one of them. I am just upset that preservation groups somehow don't have the power to save a building that is important to the black community, such as this, when other buildings are avoiding the wrecking ball left and right. This building wasn't even in that bad of shape. It certainly shouldn't have been that big of a priority for demolition.

And just for the record, I'm not at all blaming preservation groups. The effort was there, and I know a lot of people that passionately try to preserve historic structures in historic African-American neighborhoods. It just seems the powers that be don't really care. And I find that sad.

[flyingember]

that's a very fair position.

The problem with 18th and Vine is it's lost focus as a neighborhood. There needs to be one person who's job is to champion the area at all levels. Schools, streets, home, business development, museums, parks, etc.

18th and Vine could be the small entertainment spot and P&L is for big acts.

There's no good free performance hall in KC. Something as simple as a weekly battle of the bands could reinvigorate the area each weekend with a different theme. Rap, R&B, Rock, Alternative, Pop, etc. No cover charge would draw crowds and any band from around the country could play that's not signed with anyone.

I've also heard there's no really great dancing place in KC. An urban dance hall could go over well.

A major jazz club backed by a big name.

Partner with Branson to bring family friendly acts. Like the big show for someone is in Branson but they hold a week in KC at the beginning of each season as a warmup.

And then make the core area into a big park-like setting. Allow open containers inside the park and such.

[Demosthenes]

I think just a couple more bars, restaurants, and entertainment venues could really take it to the next level. There are some excellent street fronts on Vine just waiting for attention. With a few people taking risks this could be an exciting street, with Danny's Big Easy and the Blue Room at the corner of 18th. Couple that with a few daytime operations like a coffeeshop and boutique and I see this area really taking off. It's going to be the small projects not the big ones. And I totally agree that a true music venue would be great. I see that going over well. The second phase of the streetcar going down 18th will also be huge for the area, if in fact this gets built. It would tie 18th and vine in with the crossroads. I already see this being a big desire on first fridays. This even opens up the door for art galleries around 18th and vine.

[FangKC]

The Star Shots "Best Photo of the Day" series in the Kansas City Star shows progress on the historic houses being renovated on Highland Avenue in the Jazz District across from the Mutual Musicians Foundation building. An annex has been built onto north side of the former Rochester Hotel that appears to add a new entrance, an elevator and new staircase. The Rochester was gutted to the studs and new windows have been installed. They appear to be working on the interior now.

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/12/38 ... ml#slide-2

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/12/38 ... ml#slide-3

Houses before:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=18th+and+ ... 4,,0,-3.33

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=18th+and+ ... 2,,0,-9.33

Shows north side of the former Rochester Hotel building where the annex has been added.

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=18th+and+ ... 52,,0,-8.8

[KCMax]

Long-deferred dream nearly a reality in 18th and Vine neighborhood

So the past has been brought back to life, as five formerly forlorn bungalows that now show off new pastel exteriors: robin’s-egg blue, taupe, olive green, mellow yellow and russet-red.

It’s just the most visible sign of the restoration of the historic homes, along with the Rochester Hotel, in the 1800 block of Highland Avenue.

[KCMax]

Rochester Apartments now open!

Kansas City leaders hope new apartments will help revitalize Jazz District

[FangKC]

The headline is sort of misleading in that 22 units are not going to revitalize the Jazz District. There needs to be a lot more residential housing built around the Jazz District to do that.

For the District to recover, there needs to be hundreds of new units. The long-term City policy should be to redevelop more vacant lots, and replace the industrial parcels around that area. Until that occurs, I think the area will continue to struggle.

[FangKC]

Houses on Highland after restoration.





Rochester Hotel at Highland Place

[WinchesterMysteryHouse]

Long-deferred dream nearly a reality in 18th and Vine neighborhood

So the past has been brought back to life, as five formerly forlorn bungalows that now show off new pastel exteriors: robin’s-egg blue, taupe, olive green, mellow yellow and russet-red.

It’s just the most visible sign of the restoration of the historic homes, along with the Rochester Hotel, in the 1800 block of Highland Avenue.

Good Langston Hughes reference, there.

[FangKC]

The Kansas City Council approved $640,000 in civic purchases in the 18th and Vine Jazz District and $150,000 to upgrade the city's website during Thursday's council session.

The full council and Mayor Sly James unanimously approved Ordinance Nos. 130431 and 130563, which authorize the city to enter a $500,000 contract with the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Inc. to build an 45,000-square-foot educational center at the Paseo YMCA building at 18th Street and The Paseo and spend $140,000 to buy the Boone Theatre Building at the corner of 18th and Highland.

The educational facility, known as the Buck O'Neil Research and Education Center, will feature "the latest in interactive technology, state-of-the-art research equipment ... (and) an innovative curriculum for students from the city and around the country to use baseball to learn about math and science," according to a contract attached to the ordinance.

The idea for the center has been around since at least 2006, when the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum was aiming to raise $15 million to renovate the Paseo YMCA building and expand the museum.

The current ordinance has bounced around the council since it was originally filed in late May. A recent report that the city of Birmingham, Ala., wants to build a Negro Leagues museum may have helped get the ordinance passed.

The second ordinance approves a contract to buy the Boone Theatre building from the Jazz District Redevelopment Corp. for $100,000 and then spend an additional $40,000 to "stabilize" the facility for re-use, a fact sheet attached to the ordinance said.

The building then will be "made available for redevelopment" by an interested "arts organization." The money will come from the unappropriated fund balance of the city's U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Section 108 Loan Fund.

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... 0&page=all

[FangKC]

Fences up around the Boone Theater. Looks like work is starting to stabilize the building.