City leaders want Grand Boulevard to make a comeback
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UMusic signs wrap around the Scarritt building complex. Photo: Travis Meier/Axios
Several projects are lining up to transform a historic yet neglected stretch of Grand Boulevard into a hub of activity.
Why it matters: Grand Boulevard's financial district was booming in the 1920s as streetcar tracks crisscrossed the road and new-fangled towers scraped the skies, but now vacant and vandalized buildings have made it a place to avoid.
Driving the news: Port KC on Monday approved $480 million in bonds to redevelop the historic Scarritt building complex on the 800 block of Grand Boulevard.
- Developers want to convert the Scarritt building and adjacent property into a 167-room UMusic Hotel, a new 319-unit apartment tower, ground-floor retail, and a 1,400-seat live music venue, per Port KC's agenda.
The big picture: It's one of several recent skyscraper initiatives all within three blocks.
- City Council in July moved to force a change in ownership of the Federal Reserve Bank building at 925 Grand Blvd. if the current owner, Delta Quad Holdings, did not make serious improvements.
- And developers in late 2024 finished a successful conversion of the historic Rialto building to open an AC Hotel.
Reality check: The recent efforts are about more than occupancy. Nearby shootings last year killed two people and injured three and also damaged The Grand Apartments at 12th Street, a $65 million revitalization project that opened in 2018.
- The incidents led to a lawsuit and a tax appeal to the city to recoup financial losses owners said were vital to remaining open.
- And City Council moved to crack down on unsecured parking lots where crime sometimes occurs.
Between the lines: The Downtown Council in October announced the beginnings of a Grand Boulevard District Plan, which would "address blighted buildings, nuisance businesses, crime, failing infrastructure, and deferred maintenance."
- "There is a responsibility to be a good neighbor," Downtown Council vice president Sean O'Byrne said of building owners. "You can't shit on your neighbor, and by leaving a building in blight, you are doing that."
- He said he wants the city to have stronger penalties on neglectful owners and better enforcement of the rules.
What they're saying: "We're excited to get this boarded-up property — that has had fires and been at risk of some significant life safety issues — converted back to an exciting new project," Port KC president and CEO John Stephens said Monday about the Scarritt project.
What's next: Developers are looking to start construction in 2027 and expect it to run through 2030.
- As for the Federal Reserve Bank building, city code requires a 60-day notice before officials can file for receivership in court.