Kansas City's 18th and Vine Jazz District is known for its rich history. It’s home of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, the Jazz Museum and more. Yet, the district has struggled to generate steady foot traffic.
"Unfortunately, this area is overlooked when we are talking about entertainment areas," said 3rd District City Councilman Jermaine Reed. "We are really hoping people don't overlook an area that has so much rich cultural history right here in Kansas City."
Since 1990, Kansas City has invested more than $70 million in the district. Next week, Reed and others will request $7 million more from the city's Zoning, Planning and Economic Development Committee for improvements.
"It's important to preserve what's ours and continue to promote it to the best we can and do some upgrades that are desperately needed in our area," said Reed.
Some of the items included in the list of requests are:
- $2 million to help build a new headquarters and a performance arts center for the Kansas City Alvin Ailey Dance Theater
- $1.5 million to create an open-air plaza and fountain on the south side of 18th Street
- $1 million to complete several floors for the Buck O'Neil Center
- $750,000 for new exhibits for the American Jazz Museum
- $750,000 to benefit the Black Archives
- $140,000 to benefit the Mutual Musicians Foundation
Reed and others, including U.S. Representative Emanuel Cleaver, plan on submitting these requests to City Council Jan. 6.
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Ariel Rothfield can be reached at ariel.rothfield@kshb.com.
