This quarterly electronic newsletter is intended to inform members, stakeholders, and other interested parties about Downtown Council programs, services and events. The Downtown Council is a non-profit membership organization consisting of property owners, businesses, and organizations committed to making Downtown Kansas City, Missouri an exciting place to live, work and play. Please also visit our web site at www.downtownkc.org for additional information.
May 2005
In This Issue
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- Retail Recruitment Effort Claims Another Success & Cupini's Grand Opening
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1. Welcome New Members
The Downtown Council would like to welcome the following new members who joined the organization since January 2005. Click here for a list of Downtown Council members.
Tom Murphy, Sprint, www.sprint.com
Blake L. Cordish, The Cordish Company, www.cordish.com
Randal J.Leimer, Esq., Armstrong Teasdale LLP, www.armstrongteasdale.com
Tom Isenberg, Western Extralite Company, www.westernextralite.com
Lisa Matthews, 909 Walnut
Gary Burgard, Rensenhouse Electric Supply, www.resenhouse.com
Gina Stuelke, Kenton Brothers Inc. Systems for Security, www.kentonbrothers.com
Christina Boveri, Boveri Realty Group, LLC, www.boverirealty.com
Lorie Doolittle-Bowman, Doolittle Bowman Novick, Inc., www.bbnarchitects.com
Keri Dorian, American Home Mortgage, www.americanhm.com
M. Scott Hale, Coldwell Banker John Moffitt & Associates, www.coldwellbankermoffitt.com
Ronald D. Jury, President Hotel, LC
Melissa Gingell, Youth Friends,www.youthfriends.org
2. Downtown Revitalization and Construction Update
There is nearly $3.5 billion dollars worth of investment in Downtown Kansas City. The South Loop is witnessing a dramatic transformation as the Sprint Center, KC Live! Entertainment District, H&R Block World Headquarters and the President Hotel are all undergoing construction. These developments will dramatically change the face of Downtown Kansas City and will act as catalysts for future investment in Downtown.
The DTC is playing an important role in the development that is taking place. The DTC held their first Streetscape and Construction Mitigation Committee meeting in April. This committee is facilitating construction of streetscape and assisting with other development to ensure a healthy and vibrant Downtown. The DTC advocates for property owner's concerns regarding access and construction impacts. The committee also plays a leadership role in creating sustainable streetscape guidelines for Downtown in coordination with the City of Kansas City, Missouri.
With all of this construction comes some major changes to the Downtown traffic system. While traveling through all of this construction can be very cumbersome, this development will improve future traffic conditions throughout Downtown. Kansas City’s Capital Improvement Management Office (CIMO) is working hard to provide you the most up to date construction maps and street closures to help guide your travels through Downtown. Please visit www.kcmo.org/cimo for more information.
Baltimore and Wyandotte between 12th & 14th Street will convert to two-traffic by May 14. To improve traffic flow in the Central Business District, the City of Kansas City, will convert these streets from one-way to two-way traffic. The first conversion will be on Wyandotte Street. Signage and pavement markings will be used to denote the change and it is expected that the actual conversion of this street will be in place by May 14, 2005. Baltimore will be scheduled for conversion after Memorial Day. Please share this information with any tenants or customers. If you have questions, please contact Wei Sun, P.E. at (816) 513-2677.
The Paseo Bridge is anticipated to close on May 17th. This is to update the bridge with much needed improvements. While greatly improving the bridge this closure will be a major inconvenience to commuters. The Missouri Department of Transportation has set up a helpful website to provide alternatives to getting into and out of Downtown along I-35. Please visit www.kcrivercrossings.org for more information.
For more information about the Streetscape and Construction Mitigation Committee or any other development activity in Downtown contact Chris Carucci, DTC Project Manager.
3. Urban Tour Weekend, May 6-8 & DTC Membership Reception, May 6
Come Downtown May 6-8 for Urban Tour Weekend, including the Downtown Homes Tour! Start your weekend at by celebrating 100 years of retail Downtown at the Downtown Council's Member Reception at Michael's Clothing on Fiday, May 6 from 4-6 pm. (Reservations are limited and must be made in advance. Please contact Julie Ochoa for more information or register now.) There will also be a preview tent open to the public in Michael's parking lot. All of this takes place during the First Fridays Gallery Walk in the Crossroads. Come back Downtown on Saturday and Sunday to take part in the housing tour. This year there are more than 30 lofts, apartments (even high-rise) as well as townhouses included on the tour! Time your visit to include the Avenue of the Arts Street Fair (from 12 noon to 4 pm) or the Intersect Party at Oppenstein Park (from 4 to 7 pm) presented by the Urban Culture Project and the Downtown Neighborhood Association. Visit our "Featured Events" section for more information about these activities and many others taking place throughout the weekend.
4. DTC Launches New Website
Visit www.downtownkc.org to experience Downtown's newest, and most expansive website. The website is organized into 5 general areas:
The DTC's recently upgraded website includes new features such as "Downtown News" where you will find a collection of regularly updated news stories about Downtown and the "Meetings & Events" section where you can print a calendar of DTC meetings and learn about DTC's featured Downtown events. You will also find a new on-line DTC membership application, information about the DTC, our committes and current membership lists.
It's no secret that the Downtown Council supports a Downtown Ballpark. Visit this section to find out why and learn how you can support our continuing efforts to bring baseball Downtown.
To promote all Downtown events, we have compiled a list of existing electronic calendars and performance venues' websites. You will also find the contents of our 2004 Downtown Directory including over the phone number and addresses of over 2,000 restaurants, shops and service located Downtown.
Be sure to check out our "Publications & Maps" section for our latest studies, directories, brochures and information. This section also includes information about the residential and commercial investment climate and an introduction to our Downtown Retail Recruitment Program.
In this section you will find a clickable map leading you to information about downtown neighborhoods and residential properties.
This section is an overview of the services provided by the DCID and provides important contact information.
Here we have posted our slide presentation that we often give to groups interested in learning more about Downtown and major developments currently underway.
Questions or comments about the website? Contact Ann Holliday, 8416-421-1539.
5. Project Updates
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The 2004 Downtown Housing Study has been completed. The study provides a detailed look at the projects, people and the market for downtown living in Kansas City. The study includes market date compiled by the DTC on a continuing basis, as well as information gathered in the 2004 residential survey. Visit the
Publications and Maps section of our website to download a copy.
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The DTC's Retail Recruitment team has helped another business move Downtown. Bloomsday Books has opened in the Crossroads at 1518 Walnut! The team continues to provide marketing information to the local broker community and potential businesses. The creation of banking consortium and Downtown Fund are also moving forward. Visit the
Retail Recruitment section of our website for more information about this program.
Additionally, Cupini's is having a Grand Opening and Ribbon-Cutting event for their Downtown location on Wednesday, May 4, 2005 at 11:00 am at 12th & Walnut. Come taste wonderful Italian food, welcome Cupini’s to Downtown and to celebrate the first retail businesses successfully assisted by the Downtown Retail Recruitment Program. Mayor Kay Barnes will also be joining us for a ribbon cutting ceremony.
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The Steering Committee and Consultant design team have continued working to establish a streetscape design for recommendation to the Parks Board and the City Council that accomplishes a streetscape design that is implementable at a large scale, is reasonable to maintain for the long-term, provides continuity of design features and standards and creates a sense of character unique to downtown Kansas City.
The design being developed for 12th St. is specific to 12th St., but will provide the palette of design elements and features to be used throughout Downtown Kansas City, known as the “kit of parts”. This “kit” will be used to provide consistency and compatibility to improvements throughout downtown by tailoring the features to accommodate specific street character and use. Click for a summary of items agreed to tt the Steering Committee meeting for the 12th St. Streetscape and the Downtown Streetscape Design Guidelines Master Plan on April 26, 2005. For more information contact Debra Smith, KCMO City Planning Department.
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The Art in the Loop Foundation selected six finalists and a site for its first public art commission within the downtown loop of Kansas City, Mo. The site selected for the project is the Area Transportation Authority Transit Plaza at 10th and Main streets, which serves as a transportation hub and public gathering space in the heart of downtown. Across the street is the new downtown library, and significant new residential development is within walking distance.The finalists presented proposals April 15 to a local selection committee, which will award the $75,000 commission. For more information about Art in the Loop, contact Kate Hackman.
6. Meetings and Featured Events
Click here for a calendar of DTC meetings and featured events. To confirm committee meeting dates and times, please contact Julie Ochoa at the Downtown Council. Please note that committee members are appointed by the Chairman.
