Kansas City neighborhoods face redevelopment crossroads

Kansas City neighborhoods stand at major crossroads as redevelopment changes their landscapes. In Valentine, historic homes narrowly avoided demolition thanks to new city rules that allow time to consider preservation, while insurance company proposals highlight the tension between redevelopment and maintaining historic character. Meanwhile, the Dunbar neighborhood’s advocates push to restore its neglected cultural landmarks, emphasizing the importance of community history.

On the East Side, residents speak out against highways like 71, which have divided neighborhoods and created barriers, leading to city initiatives like Reconnecting the East Side. At the same time, rising housing costs and increased investor activity, as seen in the struggle of local homebuyers, put even more pressure on these communities to balance growth and preservation.

Damon Lee Patterson, a Kansas City photographer, went looking for good soil to plant a community garden and stumbled on the history behind the Dunbar neighborhood, once referred to as Kansas City’s Black mecca. By Monty Davis

NO. 1: ONCE A VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOOD, RESIDENTS WANT KC’S BLACK MECCA BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE

The once vibrant Dunbar, referred to at one point in its history as Kansas City’s Black mecca, has all but been forgotten and now lies in decline. | Published February 20, 2025 | Read Full Story by J.M. Banks

Independence Towers at 729 N. Jennings Rd., seen on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in Independence. By Emily Curiel

NO. 2: INDEPENDENCE CHANGES APARTMENT INSPECTION STANDARDS AFTER SCRUTINY OVER UNSAFE BUILDING

Independence expands Rental Ready Program to improve living conditions after tenant protests over poor housing standards. | Published January 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Noelle Alviz-Gransee

A colonnade-style apartment building in Kansas City’s Valentine neighborhood.

NO. 3: HISTORIC BUILDINGS SPARED FROM DEMOLITION IN KANSAS CITY NEIGHBORHOOD — FOR NOW

While demolition has been paused in the Kansas City neighborhood, new details have emerged about possible redevelopment. | Published March 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Chris Higgins

A map showing four properties Kansas City Life Insurance has proposed to demolish in the Valentine neighborhood.

NO. 4: NEW DETAILS OF REDEVELOPMENT PLANS EMERGE FOR HISTORIC KANSAS CITY NEIGHBORHOOD

Plans for 30 homes in a historic Kansas City neighborhood include building five new colonnades and modern construction materials to keep out noise from traffic. | Published March 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Chris Higgins

An exterior view of 400H Apartments in downtown Raleigh. By Travis Long

NO. 5: KANSAS CITY’S HOUSING COST RISES AS RESTRICTIVE ZONING, BUILDING REGULATIONS COST MORE | OPINION

The rules often go beyond necessary safety and public health standards. | Opinion | Published March 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by Patrick Tuohey

Carleigh and Greg Crossno stand for a portrait in their home on Sunday, March 9, 2025, in Blue Springs. The Crossnos have lived in their current home for two years after previously staying with Carleigh’s parents, facing challenges finding a home amid rising prices and competition from out-of-state investors acquiring thousands of properties in the Kansas City area. By Emily Curiel

NO. 6: WHAT’S IT LIKE TO BUY A KC HOME? AS OUT-OF-STATE INVESTORS BUY UP PROPERTY, LOCALS STRUGGLE

Corporate investors have acquired over 14,000 homes in the KC area, creating steep competition for young families and first-time home buyers. | Published March 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Cayli Yanagida

An abandoned basement apartment at the Cloverleaf Apartments where water damage from above caused the ceiling to collapse on a living room couch. By Eric Adler

NO. 7: RATS, MOLD, CEILING COLLAPSES: TENANTS DESCRIBE YEARS OF FOUL CONDITIONS AT KC APARTMENTS

Tenants at Cloverleaf Apartments in south Kansas City were relocated last week after an inspector condemned the building. | Published March 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Noelle Alviz-Gransee

In July 2024, Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza was sold to HP Village Partners of Dallas, now called The Village Collection. Nine months after the sale, the company has yet to file plans with the city regarding regarding infrastructure of other changes it hopes to make. By Tammy Ljungblad

NO. 8: MONTHS AFTER PLAZA SALE, QUESTIONS LOOM IN KC OVER CONSTRUCTION, RENT, HEIGHT RESTRICTIONS

Questions include what rents new tenants may have to pay on the new Country Club Plaza, and how much the city will be asked to pay to remake the district’s crumbling infrastructure. | Published March 21, 2025 | Read Full Story by Eric Adler

A 1964 highway engineering study provided residents with a preview of what a modern highway through Southtown neighborhoods might look like.

NO. 9: KANSAS CITY CONSIDERED A HIGHWAY FROM DOWNTOWN TO THE PLAZA. THEN RESIDENTS FOUGHT BACK

Many of the fears raised by neighbors did come to fruition — but in neighborhoods a couple of miles to the east. | Published March 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Michael Wells

An empty lot of the failed housing development in the 2500 block of Michigan Avenue as it appeared on Tuesday. By Dominick Williams

NO. 10: KC DEVELOPER KEPT DEPOSITS FOR HOMES HE NEVER BUILT. NOW HE WANTS $50M MORE

A failed housing project left potential homebuyers out thousands of dollars in lost down payments. Now the developer is trying again, and seeking millions from investors. | Published April 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Mike Hendricks

This aerial photo shows the north and southbound lanes of US 71 Highway at Gregory Boulevard in Kansas City. By Rich Sugg

NO. 11: THIS KANSAS CITY HIGHWAY IS A ‘BARRIER’ TO EAST SIDE, LOCALS SAY. WHAT COULD THE CITY DO?

Neighborhoods around 71 Highway have higher rates of asthma and fewer hours of sleep, according to Kansas City Health Department data. | Published March 24, 2025 | Read Full Story by Eleanor Nash

KC Streetcar Authority running tests on the new Main Street rail line on Wednesday, Aug 21, 2024. The new line still has tests remaining before opening up in October. (082124, Streetcar on Main) By Dominick Williams

NO. 12: SLEW OF 6-UNIT APARTMENT BUILDINGS COMING TO MIDTOWN KC NEAR STREETCAR TRACKS

The apartments will be colonnade-inspired and be geared toward local workers as a new nonprofit looks to develop more affordable housing in Kansas City. | Published May 9, 2025 | Read Full Story by Chris Higgins

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.