The 18th & Vine Pedestrian Mall is a transformative project set to enhance The Vine District. Spanning 18th Street from Paseo Boulevard to Woodland Avenue, the initiative aims to create a seamless, pedestrian-friendly corridor by removing curbs, gutters, and parking spaces. This design will facilitate community events and outdoor dining.​ A key feature includes refurbishing and reinstalling the 30-inch bronze medallions of the American Jazz Walk of Fame, which honor jazz legends along the sidewalks. Preliminary gas line work is underway, with major construction slated to begin in May 2025 and completion expected by June 2026. Funding for the Pedestrian Mall includes $4 million secured by Congressman Emanuel Cleaver and over $2 million approved by the City of Kansas City, Missouri.
The historic Boone Theater is undergoing an $8.7 million revitalization to transform the 1924 landmark into a vibrant cultural hub. Led by Vine Street Collaborative LLC, the project includes restoring the 45,000-square-foot theater and constructing an adjacent outdoor event space. Upon completion, the venue will house the Black Movie Hall of Fame, the Black Repertory Theatre of Kansas City, co-working spaces, and a state-of-the-art cinema. Funding for the restoration combines federal and state historic tax credits totaling $3.2 million, a $2 million grant from the Missouri Department of Economic Development's American Rescue Plan Act funds, and a 25-year property tax abatement provided by the City of Kansas City. Construction began in October 2024 and is expected to be completed within 12 to 15 months, aligning with the District's broader revitalization efforts.
Parade Park, established in 1963 as one of the nation's first Black-owned housing cooperatives, is undergoing a transformative $300 million redevelopment. Led by developers Twelfth Street Heritage Development Corporation and Flaherty & Collins Properties, the project aims to create a mixed-income neighborhood featuring over 1,100 affordable homes, including senior-accessible and family units. Funding for the redevelopment combines multiple sources: a $12 million no-interest loan from Kansas City's Housing Trust Fund, $5 million from the Central City Economic Development sales tax, and a $15.5 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program. The redevelopment plan includes the establishment of a dedicated Parade Park Homes Future Fund to support ongoing development and community initiatives in subsequent phases. Construction is expected to begin in summer 2025.
The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM) is undertaking a transformative expansion project, led by Grayson Capital in partnership with Corbella LLC. The plan encompasses the development of a new 30,000-square-foot museum facility, a seven-story, 80-room full-service hotel, and a 150-unit mixed-income apartment complex. The new NLBM will be directly connected to the renovated Buck O’Neil Education and Research Center, (Paseo YMCA, where the Negro National League was founded in 1920).​ The hotel will feature conference and event spaces, dining options, a rooftop bar, and retail outlets. Major construction is anticipated to commence in Fall 2025, with the total project cost estimated at $30 million and is supported by a capital campaign, including a $2 million grant from the MLB-MLBPA Youth Development Foundation.
The historic Lincoln Building is undergoing a $10.2 million renovation to restore its legacy as a hub for Black entrepreneurship and community engagement in the 18th & Vine District. Led by owner Henry C. Service, the project aims to reintroduce original floor plans, including event space on the third floor, new retail storefronts, and updated office suites for over a dozen tenants. Funding for the renovation includes support from AltCap, a Community Development Financial Institution that provides flexible capital to underserved communities. Additional financing sources have not been publicly disclosed. Construction is anticipated to be completed by September 2025, contributing to the broader revitalization efforts within the 18th & Vine District.
The One Nine Vine Development is a mixed-use project located off 19th Street between Paseo Boulevard and Vine Street. Phase 1, completed in October 2023, introduced an 81,550-square-foot, six-story building at 1901 Vine Street, comprising 80 residential units—30 one-bedroom and 50 two-bedroom apartments—with 14 designated as affordable housing. The development also includes 17,500 square feet of ground-floor retail and commercial space, covered parking stalls, surface parking spaces, and provisions for future installation of electric vehicle charging stations. In recognition of its significant positive impact on the Kansas City area, One Nine Vine received the 2024 Kansas City Business Journal Mixed-Use Capstone Award. Developed by Kelvin Simmons of the Avenir Group and Tatum Martin of Mar-Ston Development through 1900 Vine Street LLC, with PARIC Corporation serving as the general contractor, the project was supported by a $3.9 million grant from Kansas City's Central City Economic Development sales tax and a 25-year property tax abatement facilitated by the Planned Industrial Expansion Authority. Major construction for Phase 2 is anticipated to commence in September 2025, with completion targeted for May 2027. This phase will expand the development with additional mixed-income housing and commercial spaces.
