Imagine Downtown KC Planning Update: Summer 2022

Summer 2022 report

To inform members and interested stakeholders about progress on the implementation of the Imagine Downtown KC Strategic Plan, the Downtown Council will share updates from the quarterly Implementation Committee meetings, beginning with this report from the July 20th meeting.

Imagine – Implementation

Following two years of contemplating, visualizing, and dreaming by Kansas City leaders and a broad cross section of stakeholders, the Imagine Downtown KC Strategic Plan was introduced in January 2022. Since then, work on the plan has undergone an inspiring and seismic shift to advance the dreams and opportunities of Imagine into the realities and challenges of implementation. 

Turning the Imagine Downtown KC plan into action requires collaboration, creativity, and the strategic use of resources. The challenge before the Downtown Council and stakeholders, including the City of Kansas City, Missouri, is to spearhead efforts and provide support to others during the implementation of the plan’s Transformative Strategies and Catalytic Projects. 

Imagine Downtown KC –  Implementation Committee

Members of the Imagine Downtown KC  Implementation team met on July 20, 2022 for the summer quarterly meeting at the Town Pavilion. 

Implementation chair Jason Parson led the meeting with support from Lynn Carlton, vice chair, and Dr. Kimberly Beatty, chair of vision advancement, along with Bill Dietrich and Ann Holliday, Downtown Council. Another 26 committee and DTC staff members attended the summer meeting in person or virtually.

The Implementation team is seeking more representatives from the diverse neighborhoods that make up greater Downtown KC. To learn more, contact Ann Holliday at ann@downtownkc.org.

Catalytic Projects – Tracking Progress

Bill Dietrich, President & CEO of the Downtown Council, shared the new Catalytic Project Tracking Report, a working document designed to break down each project and track progress by cost estimate, status (from concept to completion), staff/committee leadership, timeline, and next steps. 

Click here to review the status of each Catalytic Project, including:

  • East-West Connections
  • Innovation Districts
  • Parks, Open Spaces & Plazas
  • Streetcar Expansion
  • Ballpark
  • Street Reimagination
  • Loop Reimagination
  • Arts, Cultural & Historic Destinations

Special Reports – Streetcar Expansion, East-West Connections

Tom Gerend, executive director of the Kansas City Streetcar Authority, presented  progress reports on the southern and northern extensions to the current 2.2-mile KC Streetcar service area. Click here for a summary of this presentation.

AJ Farris, interim planning manager of RideKC, joined the discussion on the future of transit in Kansas City, by discussing the RideKC East-West Transit Study. Click here to learn more.

General Updates

Neighborhood involvement: Ann Holliday said the Implementation Committee welcomes more representatives from Downtown adjacent neighborhoods. For more information, contact Ann at ann@downtownkc.org.

Civic alignment: Dr. Kimberly Beatty said a  meeting has been scheduled with leadership of the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City, including the organization’s new president Dr. Dred D. Scott, to update that group on Imagine Plan implementation.

Next quarterly meeting

The next meeting of the Imagine Implementation Committee is set for 8:30-10:30 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 29 at the Downtown Council offices. For more information, contact Ann Holliday at ann@downtownkc.org.

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