Renovation plans for the Kansas City Jazz District include wider streets, completing the Buck O'Neil Center and adding new parking plus other improvements to attract customers, residents and new businesses to the area.
The planned renovations come with a $27 million price tag.
The first financing package requested the city to pay the full price for improvements. However, city leaders at a business meeting reached a compromise. The new plan has the city paying $7 million to complete the first phase of renovations. The remaining $20 million would come from private funding sources.
Councilwoman Katheryn Shields was against the original $27 million city funding request. She supports the cheaper $7 million plan.
"We can all agree that the projects are all gray, what we want to make sure we do is that we explore further all of the opportunities that are out there for the projects," said Shields.
Council member Jermaine Reed calls it a good compromise.
"We are looking at it as the best way to be good stewards of the city dollars," Reed said.
Reed is hopeful the city will find the additional $20 million needed to complete the entire renovation of the Jazz District.
The new compromise proposal is expected to be voted on at the City Council meeting on Thursday.
Local businesses weigh in
We talked to two local business owners who have operated at 18th & Vine for years. Both support the plan.
Jason Parson is the president and CEO of Parson & Associates. He said, "I see opportunity and history. Opportunity because I know there's so much this district could be. And obviously the history because the souls are still here."
Parson knows firsthand; his grandfather is jazz legend Jay McShann, who played in the clubs that were once on the same street where his company now stands.
"This city is our city whether it's downtown, the River Market, Plaza, Zona Rosa. If one part of our city fails, our entire city fails," he said.
Joseph Thomas grew up at 42nd and Bellefontaine. "I see where 18th & Vine is headed. When I had the opportunity to come down here, I was really excited because I remember writing book reports about 18th & Vine," Thomas said. "When I see a lot of development going on in other places, I feel like at some point it's got to come here."
Reed represents the 3rd District and is behind the proposal. He says after a week to compromise and make revisions, "All of us, if there's one thing we certainly agree on, it's that 18th & Vine should be a thriving area in our city. A premier destination location for all of us to enjoy, and so I'm hopeful for a vote this Thursday."
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Cynthia Newsome can be reached at Cynthia.Newsome@kshb.com.
Dia Wall can be reached at dia.wall@kshb.com.
