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6 ways Kansas City turns streetcar stops into development hubs

Stories by Kansas City Star journalists, with AI summarization

Kansas City is transforming its streetcar stops into dynamic development hubs. New affordable housing like the Mabion supportive housing project is rising near Troost, offering needed homes for local families.

CPKC Stadium, built specifically for women’s sports along the Berkley Riverfront, has become a centerpiece for riverfront growth and community gatherings. The historic Boone Theater at 18th and Vine is being revived, joining new apartments and museums to strengthen the district’s cultural draw. These projects show how streetcar junctions are sparking clusters of housing, theaters, and stadiums that energize Kansas City neighborhoods.

A view from the northwest corner of the KC Current’s new CPKC Stadium. By Emily Curiel

NO. 1: 2 OF THE ‘WORLD’S GREATEST PLACES’ ARE IN KANSAS CITY, TIME MAGAZINE SAYS. HERE’S WHERE

The attractions opened within the same week in 2024 and received global fanfare. | Published July 25, 2024 | Read Full Story by Joseph Hernandez

Inside Boone Theater at 1701 E. 18th St., seen on Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, in Kansas City.

NO. 2: ‘LET’S GO TO THE BOONE’: $8.7M REVIVAL OF 18TH AND VINE THEATER RESUMES AFTER LONG DELAY

Four Kansas City natives are close to seeing their revitilization plan for Boone Theater come to fruition. | Published October 22, 2024 | Read Full Story by PJ Green

For the first time since 1957, a streetcar has rolled on tracks down Main Street south of Pershing Road. Crews have been testing the new tracks this week that make up the Main Street Extension which will take passengers all the way to 51st Street and Brookside Boulevard. Crews moved the streetcar 400 feet along the extension during testing. KC Streetcar officials say testing at the intersection will continue over several weeks. Drivers are urged to exercise caution and watch for changes in traffic patterns and pedestrians should stay within marked crosswalks in the area. KC Streetcar Authority is anticipating that the extension will be opened to riders sometime in 2025. By Dominick Williams

NO. 3: KC STREETCAR BACK RUNNING AFTER TEMPORARY SHUTDOWN TO CONNECT WITH MAIN STREET EXTENSION

The streetcar suspended service on Sept. 30 and used buses to take passengers along the streetcar route. The work was expected to last about four weeks, but was completed ahead of schedule. | Published October 24, 2024 | Read Full Story by Robert A. Cronkleton

Raymond Mabion, Ray Mabion II, and Mayor Quinton Lucas pose for a photograph at the groundbreaking for a new multi-unit affordable housing development in Kansas City, MO on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024. The development is named after Mabion in honor of the work he’s done in the community.

NO. 4: KC BREAKS GROUND ON NEW AFFORDABLE APARTMENTS OFF TROOST NAMED FOR NEIGHBORHOOD PASTOR

The Mabion will offer 57 units of affordable housing with one to three bedrooms, including 11 units set aside for families struggling with homelessness. | Published October 24, 2024 | Read Full Story by Chris Higgins

Yum, a bakery at 104 E. 43rd St. in Kansas City, will close its doors in early 2025.

NO. 5: KANSAS CITY BAKERY CLOSING AFTER MORE THAN A DECADE: ‘TOO MANY CONTINUOUS SETBACKS’

The business, located near the streetcar expansion route, said road closures were a factor in its closure. | Published December 30, 2024 | Read Full Story by Jenna Thompson

Construction cones line the Main Street streetcar extension route on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Kansas City. By Emily Curiel

NO. 6: KC STREETCAR EXTENSION WILL OPEN THIS FALL — BUT MAIN STREET WILL BE SMOOTH SOONER

No more dodging cones and traversing metal plates. | Published April 25, 2025 | Read Full Story by Eleanor Nash

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.