LEE'S SUMMIT, Mo. — For a decade, the city of Lee’s Summit considered how it could spruce up its already award-winning downtown following the passing of a 2013 bond issue. Today, the project, Green Street, is nearing completion.
The city broke ground on the blighted plot of land near City Hall in 2024. The Downtown Market Plaza Master Plan encompasses several amenities, but the construction that can be seen right now is for the Green Street Market, Lawn and Grove.
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“It's a big investment in our downtown, our most cherished yet, and people have planned and reinvested in our downtown for decades,” said Mayor Bill Baird. “We’re just keeping the momentum going, but to see it being built, built brick by brick, like you're saying, and to see it go up and know that it's going to be done in six months … we're going to be out there enjoying this wonderful experience.”
The market building is the future home of the Downtown Lee’s Summit Farmers Market. It is an indoor space that can be used year-round when the nearly 50 market vendors are not set up.
Next to it will be the lawn under the canopy; an outdoor artificial turf space with a performance venue. The Green Street Grove is considered the gateway into the space and will be filled with commissioned art and annual festivals.
“I think that everybody's just excited that it's coming together so quickly as well because, hey, cities don't move that fast," Baird said. "But this is one that we got our ducks in a row, and we've been meeting most of our timelines."
Baird said the overall goal is to be “the most welcoming, inviting, intimate setting” for residents and tourists to enjoy.
Paid for through a bond, grants and money the city has saved up over the years, the $44 million project should be ready by June 2025, according to Baird.
There are other components, like a hotel and restaurant, Baird said the city will shift focus to after the public spaces are complete.
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KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Independence. Share your story idea with Claire.
