Kansas City leaders say they’re ready to build a park over the downtown interstate loop
Kansas City leaders say it’s finally time to build a park atop Interstate 670 in the heart of downtown.
Local and federal officials gathered Friday to announce official plans for a $160 million deck over downtown’s south loop. Few details about financing were provided, but officials said a $5 million donation from the Loews Kansas City Hotel will kickstart design and planning efforts.
That phase is expected to take between 12 and 18 months, according to a news release from the city.
“We’re investing in downtown not just for today, but for tomorrow,” Mayor Quinton Lucas said Friday. “We want a space where people feel comfortable living, working, and playing. Our investment today helps signify all of that.”
Downtown boosters have envisioned building a park over the interstate for years. In addition to bringing new greenspace to the heart of the city, the deck would curtail noise from the interstate traffic below. But unprecedented amounts of federal infrastructure funding that is now available have put the idea closer to a reality than ever before.
Plans call for building a 5.5-acre park over the interstate, from Wyandotte Street to Grand Boulevard, connecting downtown with the Crossroads. City leaders say it would also add green infrastructure and help reduce the highway’s environmental impacts. Additionally, it could improve access to multimodal transportation and provide an iconic gathering space in the heart of the city.
U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver told The Star Friday that he’s optimistic the project can win the needed federal funding to make it happen. He said Kansas City is well positioned to capitalize on funds allocated for both infrastructure and sustainability efforts.
“I think that when you look at this project, it also demonstrates the level of partnership,” said Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat.
City manager Brian Platt said he’s not sure how much Kansas City would need to pitch in for the project — in fact, the total cost is not yet known. But he said the city is backed by federal, state and local stakeholder support. Platt said the city has applied for a $25 million RAISE grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The city will also apply for federal American Rescue Plan Act funding and is expecting private contributions as well.
No funding other than the $5 million donation from Loews has been secured yet. Platt said city leaders plan to execute the project one block at a time, starting with the section by the hotel and then moving east.
“Smart infrastructure investments like this one will improve the quality of life and give families and businesses alike more reason to make a long-term commitment to the area,” U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, a Missouri Republican, said in a news release.
As for a park name, Lucas suggested Roy Blunt Park for the longtime senator, who is not seeking re-election.
The Downtown Council has pushed the idea for an interstate cap in recent years, including it as a key goal in its 10-year plan for the area.
“It is an opportunity to physically unite the Central Business District and the Crossroads Arts District with a destination park featuring an open green lawn, public art, and outdoor seating with shade structures,” said Bill Dietrich, Downtown Council president and CEO. “It’s a game-changer located in the heart of Downtown KC.”
The cost could change throughout the process, though the Downtown Council estimates it could bump real estate values in the area by at least $90 million and bring a $490 million economic impact.
The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce brought more than 100 elected officials and civic and business leaders to Dallas in 2016 to see that city’s Klyde Warren Park. It’s a 5-acre urban oasis built over the Warren Rodgers Freeway and linked Dallas’ Uptown and Downtown District. Officials estimate that deck has generated nearly $3 billion in economic impact.
“We expect the new South Loop Link to bring similar benefits to KC’s Downtown and Crossroads District,” said Courtney Lewis, the content director for the local chamber.