City awaits Downtown Market Plaza. It will hold pavilion and these other treasures

By late 2023, City of Lee’s Summit officials anticipate the start of site work and utility relocation in preparation for the much-anticipated Downtown Market Plaza. The community project, to be located near Southeast Green and Southeast Third streets, has been in the works since 2013 when Lee’s Summit voters approved a $2.898 million bond issue earmarked for a variety of cultural-arts public improvements.

The conceptual plan for the downtown space features a three-season market pavilion, a conservatory/meeting flex space, a boutique hotel, a mixed-use commercial building for possible restaurant or office opportunities, an outdoor performance space, a multi-story apartment complex and a gateway/courtyard.

The public components — including the farmer’s market, performance venue and community gathering space — will all be constructed at the same time. The goal is to open the farmer’s market in spring 2025, said Ryan Elam, assistant city manager. The schedule for the project’s private components is not yet available.

Planning for the downtown project featured numerous opportunities for public input, including design charrettes, dating back to 2013, he added.

“Stakeholder groups have been involved with the process and will continue to be involved throughout the design,” Elam said. “The project will have several updates at City Council meetings, as well as public hearings before both the Planning Commission and City Council.”

Currently, the schematic design is under development with an anticipated completion date of late 2023.

Throughout the planning process for the Downtown Market Plaza, the design has been tied to existing and future programming opportunities.

“From the beginning of the project we felt it was important to have expertise in placemaking and public use of the space drive the overall design,” Elam said. “The intention is for flexibility around the spaces for multiple uses. Having a deep understanding of those operations early in the design process will help eliminate conflicts that may not be able to be corrected once the facility is built.

“As the design progresses, several decisions have to be made, such as where electrical outlets go, how does the lighting work, should there be additional structures built to attach things to, where are things going to be stored, etc., and having the programming in mind first helps ensure that conflicts are minimized.”

The Downtown Market Plaza is funded through several sources with the budget being refined throughout the design process.

To date, the cost of the public parts of the project is approximately $23.5 million,” Elam said.

Elam points to other sources of funding, including around $600,000 from the 2013 bond project, $4.12 million from the Downtown Community Improvement District and approximately $15.8 million from previous and potential future allocations from the City Council.

“The city is also seeking an additional state partnership of approximately $3 million,” he said.

The total private investment is currently unknown, Elam added, but is estimated to be more than $90 million.

For more information about the Lee’s Summit Downtown Market Plaza, visit the city’s webpage.