City leaders and developers broke ground May 5 on The Parker, a $24 million development on the southwest corner of 18th & Vine, named after jazz legend Charlie Parker.
The project continues the historic jazz district’s transformation by renovating the street-level House of Hits building and adding two mixed-use structures with 10,000 sq. ft. of commercial space and 48 mixed-income residential units in multi-floor buildings.
The project is a partnership between developers McCormack Baron Salazar (MBS), a prominent national developer specializing in urban revitalization and affordable housing, and local development company 18th & Vine Developers LLC.
A public-private partnership with KCMO government selling the property to the developers for $1. In addition, Central City Economic Development (CCED) sales tax provided $4 million in critical funding to jump-start the project.
McCormack Baron Salazar returns to the district after previously developing apartments nearby. The 18th & Vine Developers group includes: Avernir Group LLC; Leonard Graham, president of Taliaferro & Browne; and Kelvin Simmons, chairman of Vine Street Community Improvement District.
“The redevelopment will have mixed-income housing and retail, which will be part of our commitment to not only provide opportunities for housing but also provide economic development opportunities for aspiring emerging entrepreneurs,” said Vincent Bennett, CEO of McCormack Baron Salazar.
The site holds deep significance in KC’s Black history. From 1890 through the 1940s, 18th & Vine served as the center of African-American culture, commerce, and entertainment. Jazz pioneers like Charlie Parker and Count Basie performed in clubs that lined the streets, creating what became known as the Kansas City jazz sound.
At the groundbreaking, Graham shared his personal connection to the district.
“My father, who was a young man in Kansas City in the late ’30s and ’40s, told me stories about catching a Charlie Parker set and then walking around the corner to hear the Count Basie band,” Graham said.
The district has seen various revitalization attempts since the early 1990s, beginning with the “Cleaver Plan” led by then-Councilman Emanuel Cleaver. The American Jazz Museum and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum opened in 1997, anchoring the district’s cultural significance.
The Parker represents part of what Simmons described as approximately $400 million in new investment along the 18th Street corridor from Lydia to Brooklyn avenues.
“Things are going to get messier for the next couple of years,” Graham said, referencing upcoming work on the 18th Street pedestrian mall, Boone Theater renovations, and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum expansion. “But construction disruption, dust and orange barrels is the price of progress that we pay for the creation of a new 18th and Vine historic district.”
“We will have an 18th and Vine where we don’t just tell stories, but where we make new ones,” said Mayor Quinton Lucas during the ceremony. “And we will have an 18th and Vine that continues to be a crown jewel – not just of our Black community – but of our entire region.”
Third District Councilwoman Melissa Patterson Hazley reflected on the continuity between past and future.
“This isn’t just another groundbreaking—this is where Kansas City’s future meets its past. The Parker will honor our cultural legacy while creating new opportunities for our community.” Patterson Hazley said. “What we’re building here today isn’t just for us — it’s for the children and grandchildren who will walk these streets and experience the legacy of 18th and Vine in a new way.”
The House of Hits building, which once housed Monarch offices, will be renovated to highlight artists who performed in Kansas City. The site was once home to legendary establishments including Piccolo’s, Fox’s Tavern, and the Kansas City Monarchs headquarters, connecting the development directly to the district’s storied past. KC G.I.F.T. will also partner on the project to support retail entrepreneurs.
Graham emphasized that the vision for the jazz district extends beyond entertainment.
“One of those goals that struck my mind was to create not just an entertainment district, but to create a neighborhood that had entertainment in it, a neighborhood with residences and support for those residences, neighborhood commercial establishments, coffee shops, restaurants, hotels and, of course, entertainment.”
Construction is expected to begin soon, with The Parker joining several other projects to form what Lucas described as “a wonderful experience for live, work and play” in the historic district.
