For a variety of converging and interconnected reasons, Kansas City has seen a flurry of activity in recent months related to its development codes and standards. Three major updates to development standards have been adopted for the Downtown Loop, Troost Corridor, and the City’s Parkways and Boulevards. With support from a Mid America Regional Council…
Last month, the Kansas City Planning and Development Department released the long-awaited draft of the Midtown Plaza Area Plan, which was the culmination of several years of groundbreaking community engagement in the area from 31st Street on the north to 55th Street on the south, State Line to the west, and The Paseo to the…
A plan to replace a parking lot in Westport with new development is drawing criticism from both ends of the pro and anti-urban spectrum. People on the pro-car, anti-urban side are criticizing the development because it removes parking spaces and increases density, which triggers their ‘where am I going to park/this neighborhood is unsafe’ reflex. On…
This week something unusual happened in Columbus Park. For the first time in a very, very long time, the City paid attention to a sorry, empty, overgrown, four block chunk of the neighborhood that lies between 3rd and 5th Streets, and between Campbell and Gillis. This attention came in the form of a declaration from…
Over the past few years, a combination of infrastructure investments, new development, and entrepreneurial energy is revitalizing Rosedale and contributing to Kansas City’s urban renaissance. Since moving to the Rosedale over two years ago, I’ve witnessed a transformation that is quickly accelerating. This is the first post of a series highlighting the improvements as well as some…
The River Market is buzzing with activity these days, with new development and major infrastructure projects poised to dramatically transform the neighborhood in just a matter of months. Streetcar construction is in full swing, and its impact will be felt in the River Market in particular, where the streetcar route loops through the entire neighborhood…
In the past month, Kansas City’s Parking Advisory Board has begun circulating to Downtown neighborhoods and stakeholders a draft overview of a proposed ordinance that would enable Parking Benefit Districts. The basic idea of a Parking Benefit District is pretty simple. In the proposal’s own language, “a percentage of the funds collected from paid on-street…
Study after study and case after case have shown walkable communities improve the health of not only their people but also their environment. They also create a heightened sense of community, decrease crime, and encourage economic development. Despite this awareness, Kansas City is still failing to recognize the importance of walkability. It is true that…
West Terrace Park (also known as Case Park) is one of Kansas City’s most under-appreciated and underutilized green spaces, with a scenic landscape and stone ramparts framing stunning panoramic views of the West Bottoms, Missouri River, and beyond. While well-used and well-loved by some, the park is too often overlooked by Downtown residents, employees, and…
Washington Square Park has all the ingredients to be a great public space, but a host of challenges stand in the way of its potential. A new concept for the park seeks to tackle those challenges head on and recreate the success other cities have seen with urban destination public spaces. With the iconic Union…