Do Business Here
Downtown is a vibrant urban center blazing new trails in business, technology, and entrepreneurship.
Thriving Business Center
Downtown is the prime driver of Kansas City’s economy, where 34% of all the City’s jobs are concentrated. Downtown has more than 123,000 wage and salaried workers, 26.5 million square feet of commercial office space and 240,110 square feet of coworking space, making it the largest business district in the region.
- Downtown Employees123,191Source: ESRI
- Downtown Businesses3,903Source: ESRI
- Office Space26.5M sfSource: Colliers International
- Coworking Space240,110 sfSource: KC Business Journal
Exceptional Access to Talent
Downtown Kansas City is uniquely positioned for outstanding access to the area’s talent pool of diverse, dynamic, and highly-skilled workers. With 30 colleges & universities within an hour of Downtown Kansas City, businesses can recruit young, educated graduates as well as offer a wide array of continuing education opportunities for their employees.
Millennial Concentration
Downtown’s vibrant live-work dynamic makes it a magnet for young workers seeking an urban lifestyle. Millennials make up 43% percent of Downtown’s population – the largest concentration of millennials in the region. With young, educated workers reluctant to commute to the suburbs, employers around the region are opening offices in Downtown to recruit from this talent pool.
- Millennials per square mile Downtown3,716Sources: US Census 2013-2017 ACS
- Millennials per square mile KCMO387Sources: US Census 2013-2017 ACS
- Millennials per square mile KC MSA58Sources: US Census 2013-2017 ACS
Unparalleled Connectivity
Downtown is served well by a regional highway network, connecting seamlessly with five major interstates providing direct access to the 6-county region with a labor force of more than 1.1 million people. The interstate highways converging in Downtown Kansas City, make many regional cities and 55 million people within a day’s driving distance.
- Miles from Downtown to KCI Airport19The new $2 billion dollar KCI is scheduled to open in 2023.
- Daily flights at KCI Airport400Source: VisitKC
- Non-Stop Destinations from KCI43Source: VisitKC
- Daily flights at Downtown Airport250Source: Charles Wheeler Downtown Airport
- Interstate Highways5I-29, I-35, I-49, I-70 and I-670 converge in Downtown
- Downtown Walkability Score96Walkscore.com – Mid-90’s score are a ‘walker’s paradise’
38
RideKC Bus Routes
3
Bus Rapid Transit Lines
16
KC Streetcar Stops
Growing Innovation Hub
Capital, accelerators, coworking spaces, universities, and an educated workforce convene in Downtown Kansas City to create a vibrant innovation ecosystem. Downtown’s density and accessibility allow people from large corporations, research institutions, startups, and the public sector to intersect on a daily basis, creating numerous opportunities for innovation.
- Investment in Startups in 2017$540MSource: KCSourceLink
- Jobs created by KC Startups in 201714,575Source: KCSourceLink
- Jobs created by KC Startups, 2013 to 201775,917Source: KCSourceLink
- Average jobs created by KC Startups annually15,054Source: KCSourceLink
- Jobs created by new tech firms in 2017855Source: KCSourceLink
Vibrant Environment
Downtown Kansas City has become a thriving, modern, mixed-use district. Vibrant urban living and a broad range of housing types in historic neighborhoods are attracting residents and workers who want to enjoy Downtown’s expansive array of cultural, entertainment, dining and recreation options.
- Development Completed$6.8BSource: DTC Research
- Development Under Construction$1.6BSource: DTC Research
- Development Planned$1.4BSource: DTC Research
- Residential Population28,148Source: DTC Research
A Growing Labor Force
As the economic hub of the region, connected to freeways and transit alike, Downtown Kansas City provides the prime location to reach the 1.16 million metro talent pool, which grew by more than 30,000 people last year.
- 2019 Labor Force1,162,194Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 2018 Labor Force1,131,703Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 2017 Labor Force1,125,483Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 2016 Labor Force1,118,851Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 2015 Labor Force1,110,170Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 2014 Labor Force1,093,591Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics
30.5K
Growth in Labor Force
2018-2019
53.3K
Tech Talent Labor Pool
10.8K
Tech Talent Jobs Added
2013-2018
Highly Educated
The talent pool is growing in terms of education as well, with 50% of Downtown Kansas City residents having a Bachelor’s degree or higher, outpacing the KC Metro, where 36% of residents have a Bachelor’s degree or higher.
University Enrollment
Kansas City is attracting talent, and growing our own, with several nearby colleges and universities. Below is a list of the four-year colleges within the KC region and their student enrollment.
- Avila University1,649Kansas City, Missouri
- Baker University2,769Baldwin City, KS
- Benedictine College2,124Atchison, Kansas
- Haskell Indian Nations University733Lawrence, Kansas
- Kansas City Art Institute672Kansas City, Missouri
- Kansas City University of Medicine & Biosciences1,210Kansas City, Missouri
- MidAmerica Nazarene University1,875Olathe, Kansas
- Missouri Western State University5,669St. Joseph, Missouri
- Ottawa University754Ottawa, Kansas
- Park University11,415Parkville, Missouri
- Rockhurst University16,375Kansas City, Missouri
- University of Central Missouri11,487Warrensburg, Missouri
- University of Kansas27,690Lawrence, Kansas
- University of Missouri-Kansas City16,375Kansas City, Missouri
- University of Saint Mary1,254Leavenworth, Kansas
- Washburn University6,571Topeka, Kansas
- William Jewell College808Liberty, Missouri
Why Companies Are Choosing Downtown
Recent Relocations & Expansions
With young, educated workers reluctant to commute to the suburbs, employers from around the region are opening offices in Downtown Kansas City to recruit from this talent pool. Companies that have recently announced a headquarters relocation, new office, or expansion in Downtown Kansas City include the follwing businesses listed below.
- Academy Bank5,000 sfOpened their flagship location inside Corrigan Station.
- Avenue Logistics6,000 sfMoving 30 employees from Overland Park into the 18McGee building.
- BacklotCars20,000 sfMoving their headquarters and 55 employees into the 15th floor of Lightwell.
- Menlo22,000 sfMoving their headquarters and 50 employees into 1901 McGee in early 2020.
- Open Road Brands5,000 sfBased in Wichita, opened a second location in the Crossroads.
- Ruby Receptionists17,000 sfBased in Portland, will open a second location with 115 employees in the River Market.
- Super Dispatch10,000 sfExpanded to 67 employees and moved into the Mainmark Building.
- USDA120,000 sfMoving 568 employees from Washington DC to the 805 Penn building.
- Waddell & Reed250,000 sfMoving their headquarters and 1,000 employees from Overland Park.
- WeWork101,000 sfOpenning a second location in Lightwell by December 2019.
10
New or Expanded
Businesses
1895
New Downtown
Employees
556K
Square Feet
Leased
Top Employment Sectors
Diversification and density are the defining strengths of Downtown Kansas City’s vibrant economy. With more than 3,900 businesses, Downtown has the highest concentration of firms in the Greater Kansas City region. Government, professional, tech, financial, and real estate services create the bulk of Downtown jobs, with health care services, accommodation, and food services also strongly represented.
- Government27,055Source: ESRI
- Finance & Insurance16,494Source: ESRI
- Professional, Scientific, & Tech Services15,332Source: ESRI
- Health Care & Social Assistance13,710Source: ESRI
- Retail Trade6,569Source: ESRI
- Accommodation & Food Services5,974Source: ESRI
- Wholesale Trade5,161Source: ESRI
- Construction4,991Source: ESRI
- Other Services4,596Source: ESRI
- Manufacturing3,977Source: ESRI
Largest Downtown Employers
Downtown is vibrant employment center, where 34% of all the City’s jobs are concentrated, making it the largest central business district in the region. Below is a list of Downtown Kansas City’s largest employers.
- Federal, State, & Local Government27,055Various locations throughout Downtown
- Children’s Mercy Hospital7,1892401 Gillham Rd.
- Hallmark Cards Inc.5,2002501 McGee Tfwy.
- Truman Medical Centers3,5752301 Holmes
- Commerce Bank2,5501000 Walnut
- UMB Financial Corp.2,1231010 Grand Blvd.
Downtown Resources
Whether it’s a Downtown tour, help finding the right location for your business, a space to debrief with clients, or conducting employee/welcome orientations, the Downtown Council is here to help. Please contact us to see how we can help you or for any additional questions.
The Downtown Council also offers a range of services and materials to help commercial real estate brokers, companies and other stakeholders understand Downtown Kansas City’s revitalization and premier work environment.
Resources
Business Engagement
Whether it’s a Downtown tour, help finding the right location for your business, a space to debrief with clients, or conducting employee/welcome orientations, the Downtown Council is here to help. Please contact us to see how we can help you or for any additional questions.
The Business Attraction presentation deck provides a brief State of Downtown report, summary of Downtown’s renaissance, as well as a snapshot all the amenities available to employees within a short walk or streetcar ride from their office. The presentation also addresses parking, safety, and projects in the development pipeline.
Our Research & Reports page provides a number of reports, plans, as well as our State of Downtown Dashboard to help you better understand the Downtwon environment and ongoing renaissance.
Our Downtown Parking Maps display all the parking garages and the number of available parking spots in the River Market, Central Business District, and Crossroads Arts District. The maps also display attractions, hotels, and parks as well as the KC Streetcar route and stops within each district.
Our Downtown Retail Directory provides a comprehensive list of all restaurants, bars, coffee shops, hotels, apartments, retail shops and services located in Downtown Kansas City.
The Downtown Dining Map provides a comprehensive list all the restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and attractions by Downtown district/neighborhood. The map is updated annually by the Downtown Council, Visit KC, and the KC Streetcar.
Employees can stay updated on all the fun events and activities happening every day of the week in Kansas City’s vibrant Downtown.
Interested in moving Downtown?
The Downtown Council is happy to help you locate the right office or retail space, provide demographic and development information, conduct Downtown tours or employee/welcome orientations. We are here to help, please contact Tommy Wilson, Business Recruitment.
Business Resources
The government and non-profit organizations listed below are available to help businesses of all sizes looking to move, expand or grow in Downtown Kansas City.
Business Resources
- City of Kansas City Missouri816-513-1313
- Economic Development Corporation816-221-0636
- Greater Kansas City LISC816-753-0055
- Kansas City Area Development Council816-221-2121
- Kansas City BizCare Office816-513-2492
- Kansas City Black Chamber of Commerce816-474-9901
- Kansas City Chamber of Commerce816-221-2424
- Kansas City Hispanic Chamber of Commerce816-472-6767
- Kauffman Foundation816-932-1000
- Missouri Department of Economic Development573-751-4962
- Missouri Housing Development Commission816-759-6600
- Missouri Technology Corporation573-526-0470
- UMKC Small Business and Technology Development Center816-235-6063
LaunchKC Accelerators
LaunchKC’s accelerator program partners Kansas City corporations with tech entrepreneurs. Our model produces an increased collaboration between corporations and startups.
KCSourceLink
KCSourceLink helps aspiring startups and established businesses find the right business resources to start, scale or accelerate.
Digital Sandbox
Digital Sandbox provides proof-of-concept resources to support early-stage processes including access to technology and funding for early-stage market validation, prototyping, and beta testing services.
KCRise Fund
KCRise Fund is a co-investment which invests with institutional venture capital partners in early-stage companies based in the Greater Kansas City area seeking $1 million or more in funding.
Startland News
Startland News, located in the Crossroads Arts District, is a digital magazine reporting on the Kansas City area’s most innovative ideas from entrepreneurs, tech startups, government, and corporations.
Financing & Incentives
Financing and incentives from government and non-profit organizations are available to companies looking to move, expand or grow jobs in Kansas City.
Incentives
The BUILD program is an incentive designed to reduce necessary infrastructure and equipment expenses if a project can demonstrate a need for funding. An eligible business must invest a minimum of $10 million appropriated to the necessary industry sectors and create a minimum of 500 jobs.
Chapter 100 bonds may be issued by the City to assist with the construction or rehabilitation of eligible commercial facilities. To affect property tax exemption, the City will take titular ownership of the business assets, therefore, providing property and/or sales tax exemption for up to 10 years.
The Chapter 353 Program was created to assist in the removal of blight by providing local property tax abatement to projects located within an Urban Renewal Area (URA). Assistance may be provided in the form of real property tax abatement on improvements up to 75% for a 10-year period and 37.5% for a 15-year period.
Designed to encourage job creation, the Enhanced Enterprise Zone (EEZ) provides state tax credits and local property tax abatement to new or expanding businesses located within an EEZ. Eligible businesses may receive a standard 50% property tax abatement for improvement made to real property.
The Land Clearance for Redevelopment Authority (LCRA) has served as the City’s urban renewal agency since 1951. Authorized by Missouri state statutes, the LCRA encourages redevelopment through the removal of blight and blighting conditions within designated Urban Renewal Areas.
The Opportunity Zones program encourages long-term investment and job creation in low-income areas of the state, by allowing investors to re-invest unrealized capital gains in designated census tracts.
The State of Missouri provides state tax credits equal to 25% of eligible expenses for the rehabilitation of approved commercial and residential historic structures. This program has been critical to the revitalization of Downtown through the redevelopment of housing, offices, and hotels.
The purpose of the Missouri Works program is to facilitate the creation of quality jobs by targeted business projects. Program benefits include the retention of the state withholding tax of the new jobs and/or state tax credits, which are refundable, transferable and/or saleable.
The Planned Industrial Expansion Authority (PIEA) provides incentives encouraging the investment and removal of blight and blighting conditions within PIEA Plan areas. This incentive has played a critical and important role in the revitalization of Downtown Kansas City.
New Market Tax Credits
Federal New Market Tax Credits (NMTC) may be available to eligible businesses providing non-traditional financing for capital investments made by businesses and for development in distressed areas.
Tax Increment Financing
Tax Increment Financing (TIF) is a financing tool that allows future real property taxes and other taxes generated by new development to pay for the cost of construction for public infrastructure and other improvements. This is designed to encourage the development of blighted areas.
