September 5 Update - Revive the Vine

For immediate release: Friday, September 5, 2025

The Historic 18th & Vine District is entering a new era, with multiple infrastructure projects underway and new business opportunities being offered. This week's edition of the Revive the Vine newsletter features details related to construction updates, upcoming events and more. Next week's newsletter will be released early, on Wednesday, September 10, 2025.

Updates on Construction and Progress

Construction has started on several Revive the Vine projects, including the 18th Street Pedestrian Mall, 18th and Lydia Parking Garage, The Parker Apartments, and the Boone Theater reconstruction. This work is causing several closures in the 18th and Vine District. Despite active construction and street closures, businesses are still open. Pedestrian walkways are maintained as much as possible, with safety precautions in place. A digital message board is in place near 22nd and The Paseo to warn drivers about upcoming detours.

Sidewalk Progress; Access to Businesses on 18th St Between Vine and Highland

Constructors are finishing up sidewalk work on the north side of 18th Street in front of the American Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. While the entire north-side stretch of sidewalk on 18th Street is now open and walkable, crews are still doing active work in the area. Pedestrians should follow all of the outlets along the fencing to stay out of active construction zones.

For access to businesses during any intermittent closures between Vine Street and Highland Avenue, there is an ADA compliant ramp to the back entrance of the American Jazz Museum, which connects to The Blue Room and NLBM through the atrium.

Sidewalk work on the south side of 18th Street next to the GEM Theater working west towards Vine Street has started. Drainage work in front of the GEM Theater still needs to be done before any new sidewalk can be installed from Highland Avenue to the front of the GEM Theater.

Water Line Updates across Construction; New Traffic Impacts

Water line replacement work has started on Vine Street from 19th Street up to the end of the One Nine Vine apartment complex. Because of this, the southbound lanes in that area are closed. Through traffic is still open in the northbound lane. This configuration is expected to be in place for at least three weeks.

Water line work related to the 18th Street Pedestrian Mall continues on the south side of Vine Street. As a result, the intersection of 18th and Vine will remain closed until this work is complete and parking is restricted on Vine between 18th Street and 19th Street. Businesses in that area are still open and operating as normal. Crews are still finishing up with testing. Residents will receive notification at least 24 hours in advance of any potential water service distributions. Sidewalks on the south side of 18th Street between The Paseo and Vine Street will be poured when this work is done.

Streetlight Issues Near Work Zone

Kansas City staff members are aware of numerous persisting issues with street lighting in the area. Staff members are coordinating to address the situation.

Electric conduits have been installed along 18th Street between the Paseo to Highland Avenue. New streetlight poles and cameras will be installed during the reconstruction process. Staff members are pursuing temporary lighting solutions for areas where the old poles were taken down.

The Parker: Water Connection Complete; South-Side Streetscape Work Begins (Paseo-Vine)

Water line connection work for The Parker is now complete, with crews now shifting efforts towards working on lighting, sidewalks, and landscape beds on the south side of 18th Street between The Paseo and Vine Street. This work will not have any additional public-facing impact.

Evergy Vault Issue Resolved; 18th St (Paseo-Highland) Closed to Traffic Through September

Crews have resolved the underground Evergy vault issue that had slowed work between The Paseo and Vine. To maintain the schedule, the team advanced to the next phase, and active construction is now underway between The Paseo and Highland. As a result, 18th Street is closed to traffic from The Paseo to Highland and is expected to remain closed at least through September 2025.

18th St (Highland-Vine): No Vehicle Access; Delivery/Drop-Off Opening at Highland Only

Due to the work on 18th Street between Highland Avenue and Vine Street, vehicles are not allowed in that portion of street. There is an opening in place on the Highland Avenue side of 18th Street, which is to accommodate for deliveries and drop-offs only.

Spire Updates across Construction

Spire has identified an unexpected gas leak on 18th Street between Woodland Avenue and Highland Avenue. Spire tells Kansas City staff that the issue will be resolved in two to three weeks. A closure on 18th Street between Woodland Avenue and Highland Avenue is expected when Spire crews are on site, but it is still unclear when that work will officially start.

Spire is continuing gas line work on 18th Street from The Paseo to Troost Avenue. This work involves a large excavation at Troost Avenue, which is causing a one-lane closure in the eastbound lane of 18th Street from Troost Avenue to Forest Avenue. Flaggers are in place to facilitate the flow of traffic. The sidewalk in this area is also closed on the East side. This work is expected to be completed by the end of next week. Two digital message boards have been placed along The Paseo to warn drivers about the detour.

Boone Theater: Sanitary Sewer Work Starts by Sept 8; Short-Term Highland Ave Closure

Constructors on the Boone Theater have secured a permit for sanitary sewer work. This connection work will start by September 10, 2025, and will result in the closure on Highland Avenue from 18th Street to the end of the Boone Theater. This work is expected to be completed by September 19, 2025.

18th and Lydia Parking Garage: Forming the Foundation

Constructors on the 18th and Lydia Parking Garage project are actively building the foundation of the building. Crews have installed 87.7 tons of rebar and poured 1295 cubic yards of concrete in the base. Constructors will continue to build from the ground up to accommodate up to 470 future parking spaces.

Timeline: 18th St Pedestrian Mall & 18th/Lydia Garage Target June 2026; Boone & Parker Timelines to be Announced

Despite multiple delays and disruptions to current phases of construction on the 18th Street Pedestrian Mall project, constructors are still working towards hitting their goal of completing construction by the beginning of June 2026. The 18th and Lydia Parking Garage project is currently on track to also be completed by June 2026. As for the Boone Theater and The Parker, both private owners have indicated that they intend to release information about completion at a later date.

Upcoming Events

Strengthen the Vine First Fridays

Friday, September 5, 2025 from 4:00 - 8:00 PM

First Fridays returns tonight! Enjoy local vendors, live entertainment and family fun. Due to construction on 18th Street, there are three partner venues where festivities will be held.

This meeting will now be held Tuesday, September 9, 2025 from 4:00 to 5:30 PM

Kansas City STEM Fest

Saturday, September 20, 2025 from 7:30 AM - 1:30 PM

Enjoy over 60 STEM activities

The 18th & Vine Arts Festival: A Renaissance on Vine

Friday-Sunday, September 26-28, 2025

Celebrate Black art, music, fashion, film, and food all weekend long.

Schedule

Tickets

Tickets available online.

2025 Hall of Game

Saturday, October 4, 2025 from 8:00 to 10:00 PM

Hear from former Major League Baseball greats

Impact of Closures & Permitting

Events traditionally held on 18th Street will be impacted by active construction zones. For the safety of event participants, event organizers must relocate festivities to The Paseo between Truman Road and 18th Street or consider an alternate location (outside of 18th Street) within the Jazz District during this period. Kansas City is committed to supporting these events and looks forward to welcoming them back to an improved and revitalized 18th Street in the future. For questions about event permitting or location changes, please contact David Warren with the Kansas City Permit Division.

Business Resources

On Friday, August 8, the Request for Proposals (RFP) to fill four vacant storefronts in the Jazz District officially closed. More than 10 businesses submitted applications, representing a mix of business types, such as restaurants, hair salons, bakeries, music clubs, apothecaries, and fitness studios.

A selection committee will review and score each proposal before making final recommendations. Applicants can expect to be notified of their approval status after approximately 90 days. Thank you to each applicant for helping to bring new energy and opportunity to the Jazz District.

There are resources for both active and potential businesses owners provided through Kansas City BizCare. The program acts as a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs, providing guidance on navigating the city's licensing, permitting, and approval processes, as well as connecting them with relevant resources and support organizations. Kansas City BizCare also helps businesses access capital programs and promotes economic mobility.

MORE ABOUT REVIVE THE VINE

Revive the Vine is Kansas City's $400+ million reinvestment initiative in the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District. The program combines major public infrastructure projects with private development to restore cultural landmarks, expand housing, improve walkability, and support neighborhood vitality.

As part of the initiative, the City is also working to activate vacant storefronts by bringing in small businesses, artists, and entrepreneurs-ensuring 18th & Vine remains a vibrant cultural and commercial destination for generations to come.

Kansas City Developments:

Project #1 - 18th St Pedestrian Mall

• Pedestrian plaza on 18th Street between The Paseo and Woodland Avenue
• Curbs, gutters, and parking in project area will be removed to create a seamless corridor for pedestrian activity
• Medallions for the American Jazz Walk of Fame to be refurbished and reinstalled along 18th Street
• Major construction is officially underway, with completion expected in June 2026
• Total cost: $8 Million +
• When the first phase of work is complete, there will be a ceremony to celebrate. Keep an eye on the City event calendar for more information.

Project #2 - 18th and Lydia Parking Garage

• New city-owned parking garage located at 1819 Lydia Avenue.
• The goal for the parking garage is to accommodate for 470 spots
• Major construction is expected to start in June 2025 and be complete by June 2026
• Total cost: $20 Million

Project #3 - Paseo Streetscape improvements

• Aesthetic improvements from E 17th Terrace to KC Terminal Railway
• Modification of the 3 lane-configuration in either direction of the Paseo Boulevard to increase the width of the median by eliminating the inside lanes in both directions from E 17th Terrace to the bridge crossing the KC Terminal Railway
• Major construction expected to start August 2026 and be complete by May 2027
• Estimated total cost: $1 Million

Project #4 - Paseo Blvd. Shared Use Path

• Off-street shared use path on the East side of Paseo, between from Admiral Boulevard to 18th Street
• The "East Leg" of the Green Line Initiative
• Construction is expected to start May 2026 and be complete by Nov. 2026
• Total cost: $1.7 Million
• A public engagement meeting for this project was held August 5, 2025.

Project #5 - Archive Plaza Project

• Involves the installation of a fountain and statues at 18th and Paseo
• Plaza area to span from 18th Street to Truman Road
• Part of the overall plan for Paseo Streetscape Improvements
• Design phase, construction start date pending
• Total cost pending

Project #6 - I-70 Second Tier EIS/I-70 Paseo Blvd to I-435:

• Includes the design and reconstruction of the I-70 corridor from The Paseo to Manchester
• Full scope of project is dependent on the final amount of funding available to MoDOT
• Project is already in progress, with a highway shutdown anticipated for June 2026
• Work expected to continue through Spring 2028
• Total cost pending

Project #7 - Blues Park Improvements

• Involves constructing an outdoor roller skate rink and new restroom at Blues Park
• As of Summer 2025, new bathrooms have been installed and utility coordination has been completed.
• Construction on the roller skate rink is delayed, but is expected to start by the end of 2025
• Estimated Total Cost: $1.7 Million

Project #8 - Washington-Wheatley Neighborhood improvements

• Resurfacing and ADA improvements between 18th Street to 23rd Street between Prospect and Indiana (in Washington Wheatley Neighborhood)
• Installing sidewalks and curbs around 19th and Agnes
• Pre-design phase, construction start date pending
• Total Cost: $500,000

Private Developments:

Project #9 - One Nine Vine Phase 2

• Mixed use facilities off 19th Street between The Paseo and Vine Street
• Phase 1 is complete and includes multi-family housing at 1901 Vine Street
• Major construction expected to start September 2025 and be complete by May 2027
• Total cost: $19.47 Million

Project #10 - The Parker

• 48 multi-family housing units above commercial-use facilities
• One 3-story building and one 4-story building
• Developer: 18th & Vine Developers LLC (made up of McCormack Baron Salazar, Avernir Group LLC and Taliferro and Browne)
• Construction expected to start June 2025
• Estimated Total Cost: $20 Million +
• A groundbreaking ceremony was held May 5, 2025. Click here to read about the groundbreaking of this project!

Project #11 - Negro Leagues Baseball Museum and Hotel

• Development of a new Negro Leagues Baseball Museum facility, including a multi-studio, 7 story hotel
• New museum and hotel will be integrated and connected to the revamped Buck O'Neil Research Center (the old Paseo YMCA building)
• Developer: Grayson Capital
• Major construction is expected to start Fall of 2025.
• Total Cost: $30 Million, seeking funding for completion

Project #12 - 18th and Lydia Housing

• Multi-family housing on top of and around the city-owned garage at 1819 Lydia Avenue
• Roughly 150 units with supporting amenity spaces and a small amount of commercial space facing 18th street on the ground level
• Developers: Grayson Capital
• Major construction expected to start after June 2026
• Total cost pending

Project #13 - Boone Theater

• Historic rehab of Boone Theater (1701 E. 18th Street) and construction of an outdoor event space
• Developers: Vine Street Collaborative LLC
• Construction already underway
• Sewer line utility coordination on Highland Ave. between 18th St. and 19th St. is currently stalled.
• Estimated Total Cost: $8.7 Million

Project #14 - Parade Park Neighborhood

• Involves the redevelopment of an existing 510-unit housing cooperative
• Project is already underway, with relocation efforts happening now
• The construction start date for the first phase of home-redevelopment is still pending
• All phases are expected to be completed in 7-10 years
• Total Cost: $300 Million +