Downtown Council of Kansas City
The Downtown Council (DTC) is a private, nonprofit membership organization representing Kansas City’s best businesses, property owners, nonprofit organizations and anyone who is invested in Downtown’s success.
Our Work & Initiatives
Our Initiatives
Downtown Council Strategic Work Plan focuses on creating a vibrant, diverse and economically sustainable Downtown Kansas City, Missouri.
The Downtown Council hosts its Annual Luncheon every January to celebrate the accomplishments of the past year and set a course for the season ahead. Highlights include the Spirit of Downtown exhibition, a keynote speaker, presentation of the J. Philip Kirk, Jr. Award and the Urban Hero Award.
The Art in the Loop Foundation seeks to play a proactive role in bringing attention to Downtown Kansas City, Missouri as a place where exciting, innovative, and accomplished contemporary art is not just happening but is, in fact, helping to define the city’s identity.
The Downtown Council sponsored a ULI Technical Assistance Panel (TAP) to study and offer preliminary recommendations for the future of Barney Allis Plaza. The study looked at the demand for open space and parking at Barney Allis Plaza. The panel also studied options to fund, construct and operate a new garage while programming the open space above.
The goal of the Office Summit is to encourage developers and office tenants to consider Downtown Kansas City for their future office projects and locations. The event highlights current market conditions and recent activity as well as a discussion of where the future opportunities and obstacles are for Downtown, including the possibility of new office development.
Downtown YMCA
Greater Kansas City YMCA selected the former Lyric Theatre building for its long-awaited return to Downtown Kansas City. The vacated theater at 11th & Central will become a flagship $39 million, four-level, 80,000 square-foot community center. The Downtown Council will serve as the developer in the public interest through DTC Community Development Inc.
Highway 9 Study
The Highway 9 project will consist of studying and analyzing the restoration of the urban street grid between 3rd Street, Admiral, Grand, and Charlotte Streets with an emphasis on determining the feasibility and practicality of any potential alternatives prior to any future major capital investments. The feasibility analysis of the project will consider operational and technical feasibility.
The Downtown Council has partnered with the City and various Downtown Stakeholders to study the feasibility and economic impact of decking Interstate 670. The report below envisions a linear park spanning several blocks over Interstate 670 that would reconnect the Central Business District with the Crossroads Arts District in Downtown Kansas City.
LaunchKC’s accelerator program partners Kansas City corporations with tech startups. Our model produces an increased collaboration between corporations and startups. Our accelerators select startups that align with each corporation’s goals, providing them access to exciting innovative products and services. Startups chosen for the program will receive unprecedented resources from our corporate partners.
Major Business Recruitment Initiative
The Downtown Council’s initiative will focus on recruiting new office and retail businesses to Downtown Kansas City. The program will consist of three components, research and development, direct marketing and recruitment, and location assistance. The initiative will provide stakeholders with a single cooperative office and development resource. The Downtown Council will administer the program and coordinate with the program’s partners.
North Loop Study
The Downtown Council, in partnership with Downtown stakeholders, are studying the economic impacts of redesigning, reducing, or possibly removing Interstate 70 in the North Loop of the Central Business District. The North Loop is part of the Interstate System constructed in the 1950s and acts as a major physical divide between the Central Business District and River Market neighborhoods.
Strategic Workplan
The Downtown Council of Kansas City is committed to creating a vibrant, diverse and economically sustainable Downtown.
DTC Committees
The Downtown Council’s workplan advocates for Downtown Kansas City on five broad fronts: Community Development, Economic Development, Marketing, Membership and Urban Environment. The most effective way for DTC members to help achieve the organization’s goals is to take an active role in a committee. Our committees and their initiatives are listed below.
Committees
Business Attraction & Retention
The Business Attraction & Retention Committee works with the Economic Development Corporation, the City of Kansas City and other civic partners to recruit new businesses to Downtown as well as to retain existing businesses.
Chair – Julie Pierce, Vice President, Henderson Engineers
Schedule – Meets the 2nd Friday of every month
Human Services
The Human Services Committee is comprised of the top human service providers in the region, DTC members and others who are interested in addressing homelessness issues. The goal of the committee is to ensure that human service needs are being met using best practices to ensure quality of care and effectiveness of operation through a collaboration of consumers, service providers, units of government and businesses.
Chair – TBD
Schedule – Meets the 2nd Tuesday of every month
Infrastructure
The Infrastructure Committee works closely with public agencies and stakeholders to develop infrastructure investment policy and continually improve the quality of the built environment. Current initiatives include: prioritizing capital improvements; developing annual recommendations to the GDAP for the City’s PIAC process; and additional fund availability and interfacing with MoDOT on transportation developments.
Chairs – John Fairfield, Owner, Fairfield Law Office, Steve Weatherford, Principal, TranSystems
Schedule – Meets the 2nd Friday of every month
Development Projects
The mission of the Downtown Development Group (DDG), a task force of the Downtown Council, is to be a “developer in the public interest” and solidify Downtown Kansas City as the preeminent real estate market. Since its establishment, the DDG has assisted in the development of eight projects.
Development Projects
17th and Broadway Land Acquisition
The Downtown Council formed Block 4 Acquisitions and acquired a full city block directly to the South of the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. This land, valued at $6.5 million was to be donated to UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, however, the project did not move forward and the land is now a prime development site.
The DTC, in cooperation with the Kansas City Public Library and Greater Kansas City Community Foundation, formulated a creative private-public partnership, which made this project possible. The financing plan for the $49.5 million project included the following funding sources: State and Federal historic tax credits; Missouri Development Finance Board investment; City of Kansas City Missouri and private contributions.
The DDG in conjunction with the Downtown Council identified the Crossroads Academy as a school that would provide a first-class school in the Central Business District. In order to get the school open, the DDG met with the founders of the school and help refine the business plan. Then they formed key civic partnerships that brought the financial abilities to make the school a reality.
The Downtown Council (DTC) works with NourishKC at the Downtown Community Services Center to address homelessness in Downtown. The DTC purchased a building in close proximity to overnight emergency shelters and built out the site. The Center provides showers, counselors and housing referrals. reStart served 538 households and the NourishKC has served more than one million hot, nutritious meals.
In 2007, the Downtown Development Group (DDG) contracted with the Jazz District Redevelopment Corporation (JDRC) to provide community development services to the District. The mission of the DDG was to attract new revenue resources, lease existing space and attract new investment.
One building that remained as a deterrent to development in Downtown Kansas City was the Shoppers Parkade at 11th & Grand. The Downtown Development Group was asked to create a redevelopment plan that included demolition, site preparation, and a long-term development strategy. This project resulted in the removal of a blighted structure and the creation of a new development site. The temporary lot created 125 surface parking spaces and the City upgraded sidewalks and landscaping.
The DDG was asked to assist in the development of a state of the art headquarters and teaching facility for the Kansas City Ballet. The building the Ballet selected was a 90-year-old, environmentally contaminated, former power plant that had been abandoned for 35 years. The renovated building is part of the Union Station complex and now provides more than 300 parking spaces for students, faculty and staff.
YMCA/Lyric Theater Redevelopment
Greater Kansas City YMCA selected the former Lyric Theatre building for its long-awaited return to Downtown Kansas City. The vacated theater at 11th & Central will become a flagship $39 million, four-level, 80,000 square-foot community center. The Downtown Council will serve as the developer in the public interest through DTC Community Development Inc.
Affiliated Organizations
The Downtown Council manages multiple organizations with goals that support its overarching mission of creating an economically vibrant Downtown. The DTC also manages a number of limited liability corporations for specific projects.
Affiliated Organizations
Art in the Loop Foundation
Art in the Loop Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization to engage artists in Downtown with public art commissions. The organization’s strength stems from its partnership with the Kansas City Art Institute, the Kansas City Municipal Art Commission and the Downtown Council. Common ground is found in a shared belief that the development of Downtown and enhancing the cultural life of our city are directly linked. The Downtown Council provides staff and leadership support to Art in the Loop.
Block 4 Properties
Block 4 Properties, a nonprofit affiliate of the Downtown Council, was set up to acquire property at 17th & Broadway for the future home of the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance. UMKC decided to place the project at their Volker Campus and the land is now available for development.
The 501c4 Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) were established to make the Central Business District and River Market cleaner, safer, and more attractive. The CIDs are designed, through our safety and maintenance ambassadors, to create an inviting environment for all who live, work, and visit the Center Business District and River Market.
The Downtown Council (DTC) works with NourishKC at the Downtown Community Services Center to address homelessness in Downtown. The DTC purchased a building in close proximity to overnight emergency shelters and built out the site. The Center provides showers, counselors and housing referrals. reStart served 538 households and the NourishKC has served more than one million hot, nutritious meals.
Downtown Kansas City Civic Ventures
Downtown Kansas City Civic Ventures is a 501c3 nonprofit organization created in 2009 to improve Downtown and the urban core through educational and services programs. The organization owns and manages the Downtown Community Services Center at 8th & Paseo which houses reStart and the Kansas City Community Kitchen.
Downtown Political Action Committee
The Downtown Political Action Committee (PAC) educates state and local candidates about the importance of the challenges and opportunities in Downtown Kansas City and endorses candidates who support those issues. The Downtown Council provides management and administrative services to the PAC.
DTC I Inc.
DTC I Inc. was created by the Downtown Council to facilitate the development of the First National Bank building at 10th & Baltimore. The DTC formed an LLC to purchase the building and renovate it into the Central Library for the Kansas City Public Library. The organization currently manages the Library District TIF.
DTC Community Development Inc.
DTC Community Development Inc. (DTCC), a 501c3 nonprofit affiliate of the Downtown Council was set up to implement the redevelopment of the former Lyric Theater building at 11th & Central. The DTCC will convert the former theater building into an 80,000 square foot flagship YMCA. The Downtown YMCA will become a life and wellness community center.
Power House Properties KC
Power House Properties KC LLC was formed by the Downtown Council to facilitate the redevelopment of the historic Power House at Union Station into the Todd Bolender Center for Dance & Creativity for the Kansas City Ballet. The building was a 90-year old, environmentally contaminated, former powerhouse that had been abandoned for 35 years.
DTC Board Officers
Back row, from left: Richard Wetzel, Vice Chair; Charlie Miller, Secretary; Christopher Brigges, Treasurer; Nate Orr, Immediate Past Chair. Front row, from left: Jerry Riffel, Chair; Julie Pierce, Vice Chair; Lynn Carlton, Vice Chair.
Downtown Council Staff
President & CEO
bill@downtownkc.org
Director of Strategic & Arts Initiatives
Director of Art in the Loop Foundation
ann@downtownkc.org
Director of Communications & Marketing Downtown Council
Director of Communications LaunchKC
mike@downtownkc.org
Executive Assistant
barbara@downtownkc.org
Vice President of Business Development
sean@downtownkc.org
Santos Ramirez
Director of Operations, Community Improvement Districts
santos@downtownkc.org
Controller
suzi@downtownkc.org
Director of Contracts, Community Improvement Districts
mark@downtownkc.org
Membership, Business Retention, & Office Summit
jules@downtownkc.org
Internal Communications Manager
justin@downtownkc.org
Business Recruitment, Economic Development
Program Manager, LaunchKC
tommy@downtownkc.org
