Initiatives
The Downtown Council devotes extensive amounts of time and resources to developing and implementing initiatives that will revolutionize the future of Downtown.
Imagine
The Imagine Downtown KC 2030 plan is designed to serve as the primary vision-setting and policy blueprint for shaping a stronger, better, more resilient community with an unflinching commitment to creating an equitable, inclusive, and vibrant Downtown Kansas City.
Vision & Goals
We envision an equitable, inclusive, and vibrant Downtown Kansas City that will thrive in the coming years and decades. Our goals build upon the challenges, assets, and priorities defined by our community.
Strategies
Mosaic of Neighborhoods
Each Downtown neighborhood has a unique history, character, and sense of place that should be celebrated, protected, and enhanced. Collective actions should foster a shared sense of collaboration and inclusion.
Housing for All
To keep Downtown healthy and diverse, the Downtown Council, the City, and partner organizations need to continue to preserve existing affordable housing and create additional rental and owner-occupied affordable housing.
21st Century Jobs, Economy & Recovery
Downtown leadership must help catalyze job growth, education and skills training, and entrepreneurship opportunities to create a diversified economic base that provides opportunities for all in Kansas City.
A Green, Beautiful & Vibrant City Center
Downtown leadership must help catalyze job growth, education and skills training, and entrepreneurship opportunities to create a diversified economic base that provides opportunities for all in Kansas City.
Seamless Mobility
Kansas City has made great strides in creating a robust mobility network. Despite this progress, Downtown still feels car-centric, and the bus, bike, and pedestrian networks are incomplete and do not always conveniently connect.
Smart & Healthy Infrastructure
Wellness, health, and sustainability are important priorities in new development, corporate culture, and everyday life. Downtown is an excellent laboratory to pilot new approaches to sustainability and wellness. Residents and companies will be looking for locations that demonstrate these values when making location decisions.
Catalytic Projects
The Catalytic Projects will have a profound impact on Downtown Kansas City. They are investments that will tangibly advance our vision and goals. Some of the projects have specific locations identified, while others are concepts that will be realized based on site context, synergies, and opportunity.
Projects
East-West Connections
Improving physical East-West Connections is critical to success and will have positive impacts on the neighborhoods surrounding the center of Downtown Kansas City.
Innovation Districts
Downtown is growing Innovation Districts with the support of major universities, philanthropic leaders, corporations, and entrepreneurs.
Parks, Open Spaces & Plazas
Downtown’s existing parks, plazas, and open spaces need to be reviewed, evaluated, and compared with the community’s existing and anticipated future needs.
Streetcar Expansion
Downtown leadership must help catalyze job growth, education and skills training, and entrepreneurship opportunities to create a diversified economic base that provides opportunities for all in Kansas City.
Loop Reimagination
Reimagining the I-169/ I-70/I-670 corridors (i.e., the North and South loops and the related vision for Highway 9,) could be the most important project to reimagine and reposition Downtown economically for the next 50 years.
Downtown Ballpark
These unique assets have a multiplier effect in an urban context, and Kansas City has an opportunity to build a state-of-the-art urban ballpark in Downtown with new and enthusiastic owners who value the urban experience.
Street Reimagination
These unique assets have a multiplier effect in an urban context, and Kansas City has an opportunity to build a state-of-the-art urban ballpark in Downtown with new and enthusiastic owners who value the urban experience.
Initiatives
Annual Luncheon
The Downtown Council Annual Luncheon is held every April to celebrate the past year’s accomplishments and set a course for the season ahead. Highlights include the Spirit of Downtown exhibition, a keynote speaker, the presentation of the J. Philip Kirk, Jr. Award, and the Urban Hero Award.
Art in the Loop
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.
Business & Retail Recruitment
Through insightful and in-depth data as well as direct outreach and events, the Downtown Council works closely with brokers, developers, and other stakeholders to recruit new office and retail businesses to Downtown Kansas City.
Downtown Office Summit
The goal of the Downtown Office Summit is to encourage developers and office tenants to consider Downtown Kansas City for their future projects and locations. The event highlights current market conditions as well as a discussion of where the future opportunities and obstacles are for Downtown, including the possibility of new office development.
LaunchKC
Powered by a purpose to ignite Kansas City’s entrepreneurial spirit, LaunchKC invests $500,000 into startups, offering founders a chance to secure $50,000 in funding, and gain access to a host of support services – in exchange for headquartering their business in Kansas City, Missouri for at least one year.
Downtown Council of Kansas City
1000 Walnut, Suite 200
Kansas City, MO 64106
816.421.1539