Officials break ground on The Parker, 18th and Vine development
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City's newest planned development at 18th and Vine has a new name. Stakeholders broke ground on The Parker Monday in the Historic Jazz District named for jazz icon Charlie Parker.
More than 100 people turned out for the groundbreaking event that they hope will be just the start of $400 million worth of new investments up and down the 18th and Vine corridor.
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'This is an amazing time guys and you are here to watch it you are here to witness it and there will be children and grandchildren that will know of this day,' Kelvin Simmons, 18th and Vine Developers LLC, said.
The project has been called Jazz District III as they work to get funding, including $4 million from Central City Economic Development sales tax funding.
The $24 million project is set to go up on the Southwest corner of 18th and Vine where they will renovate the former home of the Kansas City Monarchs Office at what became the House of Hits and clubs like Fox's Tavern and Piccolos.
'This is hollowed ground and we intend to respect that hollowed ground as we look into the future,' Leonard Graham, 18th and Vine Developers LLC, said.
Plans call for two new mixed-use buildings with more than 10,000 square feet of commercial space and 48 residential units.
'We will have an 18th and Vine that is a wonderful experience to live work and play. We'll have an 18th and Vine that has outstanding outdoor space,' Mayor Quinton Lucas said.
Kelvin Simmons, 18th and Vine developer and a former City councilman who is also behind One Vine Nine around the corner said with other projects like the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum expansion near the old Paseo YMCA, Boone Theater's Black Movie Hall of Fame and redevelopment plans for Parade Park of Homes, the Jazz District is ready to hit another high note.
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'We can't bring it to where it used to be, but we want to revive it, revitalize it and make sure that it is something special like it has always been,' Simmons said.
Once they finalize details and really get going on the project, they hope to be complete construction in about 16 months.
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