In a bid to inject life into the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District, Kansas City is putting $5.4 million towards transforming the streetscape in the area into a pedestrian-friendly haven. The enhancements aim to limit vehicular presence and enhance walkability within the renowned cultural hub, with construction set to begin in the fall.
The plan—in the works since 2021—changes the traffic pattern in the area and eliminates street parking along 18th Street, replacing parking with expansive walkways. The changes also allow for street closures during events, creating a storefront-to-storefront pedestrian mall.
Developers from Black-owned Taliaferro & Browne have worked on the project and say the new streetscape underscores a concerted effort to revitalize the Jazz District’s allure and stimulate economic activity.
“What this project is all about is creating street life on 18th street and we are trying to do everything that we can to support that,” says Leonard Graham, President of Taliaferro & Browne at a recent meeting to gather more community input.
The project is funded by a combination of city and federal funding. Kansas City committed $1.4M from a combination of PIAC funds and funds left from an expiring Tax Increment Financing District. Long-time Jazz District supporter and visionary U.S. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II secured $4M in federal dollars for the project.
City planners say that the designs redefine the urban landscape while preserving the area’s rich heritage. The project will be conducted in phases, with an initial focus on 18th Street and 17th Terrace. The project will ultimately see changes along 18th St., 17th Ter., Vine St., 19th St., Highland Ave, Woodland Ave, and the intersection of Paseo and 18th.
The first phase focuses on 17th Terrace and 18th Street. Curbs and parking spaces will be removed along 18th Street from Paseo to Woodland. In its place will be pedestrian improvements, including wider sidewalks allowing more space for cafes and outdoor restaurant seating.
The plans show what 18th St. will look like both open and closed for events like Juneteenth. When open, traffic along 18th Street will flow with one lane going in each direction. Since there are no curbs, the road will be slightly sloped towards the center, where a small trench drain will separate the two lanes of traffic.
During events,18th St. can be closed to traffic with decorative bollards and converted into a walkable environment with tents, food trucks, and musical performances. The design incorporates new street lighting, including a dynamic light feature across 18th Street, as a celebration point for gatherings between the Jazz Museum and GEM Theatre. The plan also shows a pocket park at Highland and 18th with a small amphitheater and stage to enhance events.
The first improvements will come along 17th Terrace, where 55 new parking spaces will be added to make up for 55 parking spaces lost along 18th Street from Paseo to Woodland Avenue. Project leaders want to construct the parking first to limit disruption to the businesses in the area.
Project managers and city planners held several community engagement sessions to see what residents and stakeholders wanted to improve in the area. From these previous community sessions, the planners eliminated other possibilities, like permanently closing 18th Street to vehicular traffic.
The additional parking places will be behind the Jazz and NLBM building, in what could be considered a continuation of 17th Street and will take out some of the grassy area behind the buildings often used for concerts.
“We wanted to see what [the community] wanted to see,” says Graham. “Now we’re starting to take those concepts and turn them into a reality; we’re about 60% of the way there.”
The renderings represent the plans thus far, with a call for more community input after a construction firm is selected in the fall. Construction is slated to begin in the fall and will likely take a year, with completion of the 18th & 17th Terrace improvements finished well before the 2026 World Cup.
