| With the approach of Thanks-giving, many Kansas City area residents are planning to trek to the County Club Plaza for the annual lighting ceremony. Few who partake of this post-turkey tradition realize they are contributing to Kansas City’s sprawling definition of downtown. Although most residents agree that the Downtown Loop is the official Kansas City center, the real-world definition of downtown is usually thought to run from the Missouri River to the Plaza, an area that includes not only Crown Center and Westport, but even the area historically known as Midtown. Former Mayor Kay Barnes tried to throw a single blanket over this conglomeration with her River-Crown-Plaza label, a great idea that may not have rolled well enough off the tongue. This is more than an academic exercise, however. As in politics, downtown success is often 90 percent perception. Suburban visitors who learn they must trek from something called the Crossroads District to Sprint Center for a Garth Brooks concert may not realize that they walk several times that distance to visit their local Wal-Mart. If they feel like they’re crossing major boundaries, then it must be far. Actually, much of this has been addressed, and not just by artsy signs or fence railings. In many ways, some of the most recent development downtown is figuratively moving the boundaries, changing the real-world borders that distinguish these areas. With growth and redevelopment eliminating one-time eyesores and wasteland parking lots, perceptions are definitely changing. This not only makes it seem easier to walk to a concert, it increases the potential of other areas for redevelopment. The Northeast area near the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences, Westside sections along Southwest Boulevard or even Midtown Kansas City no longer seem separate from downtown revival. Growing the Loop The Loop is a good place to start. Surrounded by downtown freeways, it is at once accessible and isolated. The most visible transformation includes deliberate efforts to bridge the southern loop, first with the Bartle Hall expansion over I-670, then more recently with bridge replacements that span the freeway “canyon” with pedestrian friendly connections. A total of six bridge replacements are either complete or undergoing rebuilding as part of a $1.7 million contract that involved Grand Boulevard, Main, Baltimore, Walnut and McGee street bridges. The effort comes about as close as possible to removing the I-670 barrier between the Downtown Loop and the adjacent Crossroads District. With the Power and Light entertainment district about to open, and more grassroots revitalization in the Crossroads, connecting those two districts alters the dynamic in this crucial area. The approximately one-square-mile loop actually contains four sub-areas, Quality Hill, the Central Business District, the Entertainment District, and the Government District. To date, the Government District is by far the weakest in terms of redevelopment, but change is underway. The long-discussed East Village project will all but fill the remaining, undeveloped portion of the Government District. If it becomes a reality, Kansas City’s core downtown would be essentially redeveloped. Depending on the outcome of East Village and some nearby projects, downtown boundaries will change. The most dramatic example involves a reason East Village is still in the planning stages. A proposal for a government building to serve as a “co-anchor” with the J.E. Dunn headquarters is awaiting the agency’s decision. A second option involves a site in nearby Richard Berkley Park where the Kansas City Port Authority has plans for a multi-use development on 30 acres. The final location of the government facility and East Village boundaries will impact more than just those two projects. Development near Berkley would be a dramatic expansion of the real-world boundaries of downtown, creating a new area of growth. If the government center locates in East Village, that would help close a gap between the Loop, the Paseo West District and the Old Northeast. Regardless of these issues, East Village will be significant. Comprised of 12 blocks, it would address the most visibly distressed area remaining downtown. Although it is less glitzy, the Village will do for this area what the entertainment district did for empty parking lots and buildings in there. In terms of boundaries, East Village will also extend downtown development toward bridges over the West Loop. That northeastern development is not far from one of the area’s less appreciated revivals, the Independence Avenue/Paseo Boulevard area where the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences is growing its campus. The university last year opened a new, 5,500-square-foot Center for Clinical Competence and broke ground on the 1,500-seat Weaver Auditorium—visible change of an area that today is rather isolated. The potential for connection between this growth and East Village begins to appear possible. To the south, the Freeway Loop and Bruce Watkins Drive form a fairly impenetrable boundary. Although the roads are great, this may be one of the more unfortunate restrictions surrounding downtown. On the east side, the 18th and Vine Jazz District is isolated from the growing Crossroads and Entertainment districts. In many ways, it would be better for the Jazz District if Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller had used another address when they wrote their song about “Goin’ to Kansas City.” Something like 18th and McGee would have worked much better. Although that physical reality can’t be changed, the Jazz District is steadily building momentum on its own. After a new master developer was named for the district last year, some positive steps have occurred there. The Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey announced that they would move there from the River Market, bringing prestige and considerable traffic to the centers’ operation. Other growth may be providing the kind of momentum that other districts used for success. Although the retail/ entertainment area has not set the world on fire, the district has seen extensive success with residential development. The most recent is an $11.2 million garden and townhouse project announced late in 2007. This steady accumulation of population parallels the residential growth that helped other districts earlier. With its national recognition and tourism potential, the Jazz District may yet succeed. A hugely significant development is the $250 million replacement for the Paseo Bridge. The state of Missouri has chosen a design team led Clarkson and Massman construction firms of Kansas City and Kiewit Western of Omaha to build a dramatic new landmark structure spanning the Mighty Mo. The Paseo Bridge will remain open durng construction, a blessing to motorists and area businesses. Uphill Climb Downtown’s southern boundary may be the most fluid, something that even a few years ago would have appeared im-possible. Today, Downtown Kansas City effective stretches from River Market to a meandering boundary north of 31st street. This recognizes visible limits like Penn Valley Park and Liberty Memorial, which effectively outline what is be-coming KC’s most distinct urban core. This southern edge is also where Downtown may be pushing its boundaries the most. Ironically, although the area lies adjacent to commercial centers such as Crown Center and Hospital Hill, the most expansive development involves residential. North of 31st on Gillham and McGee, several notable residential developments have effectively extended the redeveloping area of downtown into fresh territory. The most recent is Cherry Hill Row, but others that have come since 2005 include 30 Gillham Row and Founders at Union Hill. Triangle Townhomes and Battery Lofts were completed in 2004. Other developments are pushing the effective redevelopment of Downtown toward this boundary. The new Federal Reserve Bank and One Park Place to the west are the most visible by far. Located in the former BMA Tower, the One Park Place office conversion created 106 condominiums with extensive amenities to target an upscale market. On the same corridor, Union Hill residential development is not new, but is now surrounded by viable growth. All of this combines to build downtown’s active area to the south. Just outside this area are small retail strips under redevelopment on Linwood. Like early growth in the Freight House District, these developments may not remain isolated for long. Western Frontier In some ways the most interesting boundary to downtown is on the Westside. Officially part of Downtown Kansas City, the eclectic Westside is somewhat separate without being isolated—although local fans were not happy when the city’s otherwise excellent Wayfaring posters omitted the area. Actually, anyone with taste buds should have little problem finding the Westside. Along Southwest Boulevard, several excellent restaurants cluster invitingly, many specializing in authentic Mexican food. This isn’t tourist fare, either. Southwest Boulevard and the Westside have a historically strong Hispanic connection that continues to grow. The Westside label of “eclectic” is equally deserved. Food lovers can find outstanding Thai cuisine and, of course, Kansas City steaks. The region’s northern neighborhood is home to one of the city’s best organic restaurants. Some of the growth is signficant. Boulevard Brewing Company completed a $20 million expansion. There are also several new restaurants along the Boulevard corridor. The Westside also extends downtown definitions in terms of housing style. While most of downtown has focused on lofts and condominiums, this area has bucked the trend with several newly built single-family residences, including luxury town homes and unique contemporary designs. None of these trends will literally change the map of downtown. But several go beyond much-needed infill, making KC’s urban core one of the most dramatic resurgences in the country.
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