18th and Vine

[DaveKCMO]

How long has the 18th/Vine redevelopment been going on? Now that the Crossroad district progresses east, seems like a natural to tie the districts together. Each development might benefit with the connection. Is there anything happening along The Paseo? Is there any hope that makes a comeback?

i believe since the filming of Kansas City?

[FangKC]

How long has the 18th/Vine redevelopment been going on? Now that the Crossroad district progresses east, seems like a natural to tie the districts together. Each development might benefit with the connection. Is there anything happening along The Paseo? Is there any hope that makes a comeback?

Well, there is some progress being made along Paseo. Among the developments are:

The City Parks & Recreation Department has completed improvement along The Paseo north of I-70, including a rebuilt fountain at 9th and Paseo, a Black Veterans Memorial at 12th and Vine; completion of the 12th and Vine Jazz Memorial Park, and rebuilding of stairs at 12th and Paseo.

The new Aldi Store at Admiral and Paseo.

Kansas City University is building a new student building north of Independence and Paseo--just north of their auditorium.

Zahner's is building a striking new addition to their building on Paseo at 8th Street.

The Kansas City Lincoln University Cooperative Extension
Urban Impact Center has just moved into a new building on the NW corner at 11th and Paseo.

The owner of the Dr. Generous Henderson House at 1014 Paseo has made some progress improving the exterior of the structure.

The new sign for the Jazz District has been added to the structure on the NE corner of 18th and Paseo, and a courtyard terrace completed there.

South of 18th Street, Ollie Gates has installed some new windows and placed a mural on the former YMCA Building that is going to be the Buck O'Neil Education Center someday. He's also secured the building from weather, and has raised addition funds for the restoration.

The intersection at 22nd and Paseo has been improved and reopened after complete rebuilding of sections of 22nd Street from Grand east to Brooklyn.

New townhouses are being constructed right now south of Paseo Baptist Church on the east side side of the boulevard between 25th and 27th, and down over the hill along Vine Street.

[FangKC]

The Mid-America Black Archives will be holding a grand opening in their renovated space on June 18 in the old Parks & Recreation Building on Woodland (south of Truman Road, and north of 18th Street).

http://www.kansascity.com/2010/12/06/25 ... erica.html

[trailerkid]

^^

This is going to be an awesome addition to KC's cultural package. 18th/Vine is putting together a nice roster when you couple this with the Negro Leagues and the Jazz Museum. It'd be nice to get a mid-range hotel down there like a Courtyard or Hilton Garden Inn.

[redperro]

you know, the area directly to the south on 19th/bernard powell and agnes and kansas(which turns into benton blvd) is a very clean street, there was a house that is adorable on kansas ave, and several new housings, along with montgall park which is a clean looking park

[nilsson1941]

If they do this right, it will be great!

[Midtownkid]

Beautiful Building!

[FangKC]

Boone Theater renovation in Jazz District gets NEA grant

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... a=e_du_pub

[KCMax]

Boone Theater renovation in Jazz District gets NEA grant

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... a=e_du_pub

More on the history of the Boone Theater and Folk Alliance International.

http://kcjazzlark.blogspot.com/2011/07/ ... cotts.html

[KCMax]

Sunday dances to be new feature at 18th and Vine Jazz Districat

A new event at Danny?s Big Easy restaurant is trying to add buzz to the area, said Mildred Carney, organizer and promoter of the event.

It?s called Sweet Easy Sunday, and it will offer smooth, rhythmic bands plus a dress-code-enforced entrance.

[kcjak]

Dress-code-enforced entrace?  Let's see how TKC responds to this 

[zonk]

interesting article regarding sports museums and their struggle to make it financially. KC mention:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/story/20 ... 51031494/1

[FangKC]

I think attendence at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum would be higher if it were in the Loop.

[KCMax]

I think a lot of people would argue the NLBM's financial struggles have a lot to do with their own leadership rather than the economy.

[KCMax]

Work begins on new apartments in Kansas City's 18th & Vine Jazz District

Six houses between 18th & 19th that were built at the turn of the century will be renovated and the former Rochester Hotel will be converted into apartments.
"It gives us 22 additional units for new residents to live in the 18th & Vine Jazz District,” said Denise Gillmore of the Jazz District Redevelopment Corporation.

[FangKC]

A big YAY!

[FangKC]

After years of uncertainty, the Black Archives has found its' way

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/01/02/33 ... black.html

[KCMax]

Atlantic Cities: The Jazz District Authenticity Problem

Take a walk in the Historic 18th & Vine Jazz District in Kansas City, Missouri, and you’ll see some of the storefronts of that bygone time. Shops, cafes, clubs, all evoking those days of prosperity and depravity that contributed to one of America’s great renaissances.

Now look not even that closely and you’ll see that many of those storefronts are flat: they’re paintings, imaginary doors and awnings and windows. Behind them, boards prop up walls in weedy lots. These aren’t storefronts at all: they’re the backdrops for the 1996 Robert Altman film, Kansas City.

So sad this area is just left to rot.

[KCMax]

Why did Memphis' Blues District thrive while KC's Jazz District fizzled?

Elkington contends that it’s dangerous to let government come up with the answers. “Government cannot do these projects. Government can do infrastructure, they can help with regulations, they can make sure that the building department makes life easier, they can help with zoning. There's a lot of things they can do.

“Anything more than that is really counterproductive,” he says, “because you want to be on the edge all the time in these developments, and government is always politically correct.”

He thinks that’s what’s holding Kansas City up. “That should be one of the great places in America. But I think they allowed government to really say, ‘Okay, we're gonna solve this problem. Here's what we're gonna do: We're gonna recreate this.’ Can't do that,” he says. “You gotta get people to take risks, as we did, and then what happens is if it's successful then other people will come in and take measured risks too.”

[KCMax]

NY Times: For Museum of Negro Leagues, a Big Opportunity

With both museums under the same roof, an old-fashioned doubleheader of sorts can be enjoyed. Admission to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is $8, $3 for children; a ticket to the baseball and jazz museums is $10 for adults, $5 for children.

That might appeal to at least some of the 120,000 to 150,000 people expected to attend at least one All-Star Game-related event, according to the Kansas City Convention and Visitors Association (there are also celebrity games and a Home Run Derby on the schedule). It is hoped the visitors will help to generate as much as $50 million in local business over the three days of baseball’s midseason break.