September 26 Update - Revive the Vine

For immediate release: Friday, September 26, 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 features details related to construction updates, upcoming events and more.

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.

Water Line Updates across Construction

Water services for some tenants were temporarily shut off on Monday, September 22 due to a water line emergency. Residents did not receive a notice in advance of the service disruption due to the emergency nature of the repair work. The situation has been resolved since.

Water line tie-in work continues on two portions of Vine Street. This includes the portion between 18th Street and 19th Street and 19th Street to the end of the One Nine Vine apartments. Because of this, both lanes are closed between 18th Street and 19th Street. The southbound lanes on Vine Street are also closed from 19th Street up to the end of the One Nine Vine apartment complex, but through traffic is still open in the northbound lane. This configuration is expected to be in place until at least the end of October.

Boone Theater: Highland Ave Closure Extended

Sanitary sewer connection work for the Boone Theater is complete and Highland Avenue from 18th Street to the end of the Boone Theater is now open to traffic. However, that closure will go back into place on Monday, September 29, 2025 due to work that needs to happen related to a new water line, green space renovation and more. Parking will not be permitted on Highland between 18th Street and 19th Street. This configuration will be in place potentially until the end of the year.

Streetlight Updates; Issues Near Work Zone

Kansas City staff members are aware of numerous persisting issues with street lighting in the area. Crews from multiple City departments will be surveying the various lights that are out to determine the individual issues and work to resolve them.

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. Those poles have been ordered and constructors are awaiting their arrival. Concrete bases are being poured.

Pedestrian Mall Construction Progress: 18th St (Paseo-Highland) Closed to Traffic

Active construction continues on 18th Street between The Paseo and Highland Avenue. 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. Crews have started pouring concrete for sidewalks and landscaping beds, which will continue over the next two weeks. Bollards are also expected to be installed over the next two weeks.

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 but crews have run into delays. 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.

Sidewalks on the south side of 18th Street between The Paseo and Vine Street will be poured when water line tie-ins are complete.

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.

KC Fiber Line Work to Impact GEM Theater

A KC Fiber line will need to be cut in the coming weeks. This will result in a temporary internet outage for the GEM Theater. Kansas City staff has been in contact with GEM Theater staff members about the impending outage. Once started, the work is expected to take up to three days.

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.

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 the next two 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 has finished gas line work on 18th Street from The Paseo to Troost Avenue. That portion of 18th Street is now back open to traffic.

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

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

• Friday, 5-10 PM: Film showcase by Black artists + live fashion experience.
• Saturday, 10 AM-10 PM: Live music, art, vendors, and the Live on the Vine competition.

• Sunday, 10 AM-5 PM: Live gospel performances, cooking demos by Black chefs and bakers, and a community market.

Traffic Impact

• The Paseo from Truman Road to E 17th Terrace will be closed to traffic from Friday, September 26 to Sunday, September 28 for the festival
• E 17th Terrace will remain open to provide access to the parking lot

Tickets

• Day Pass: $10
• Weekend Pass: $25

• Kids 12 & under: Free

Tickets available online.

Strengthen the Vine First Fridays

Friday, October 3, 2025

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

• American Jazz Museum Atrium (1616 E 18th Street) - Indoor activation space welcoming district guests and visitors
• Jay McShann Pavilion (E 17th Terrace & Vine Street) - Outdoor hub for entertainment and community gatherings
• Zhou B. Art Center (1801 E 18th Street) - Indoor and outdoor vending, arts, and cultural programming opportunities
• Vendors and entrepreneurs can apply here to participate in the event
• Resident artists can apply here to display their work for free during First Fridays
• Local businesses and organizations can apply here to host a promotional display booth
• This monthly event is hosted by JuneteenthKC

2025 Hall of Game

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

Hear from former Major League Baseball greats

• Sheraton Crown Center Hotel (2345 McGee Street)

• Established by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

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

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.

Newsletter Sign Up

Now anyone can sign up to receive newsletter updates through a new feature on the Revive the Vine webpage. Anybody who is interested in being on the newsletter mailing list can enter their email address in the section that says "sign up for email updates" in the top right corner of the page. If you know of anyone who doesn't receive our weekly newsletter, you're encouraged to refer them to the website.

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 +