18th & Vine breaks new ground for Jazz District development

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - On Monday, Kansas City leaders, developers, and more gathered on the corner of 18th and Paseo to break ground on ‘Jazz District III.’ It’s a new project developers hope will breathe new life into the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District.

Jazz District III will see the renovation of the House of Hits building and construct two new mixed-use buildings that will have commercial space and apartments.

“We’re hoping that people will be able to go into the House of Hits and enjoy finding out about those artists that are from Kansas City, performed in Kansas City,” said Kelvin Simmons, the chairman of The Vine Street Community Improvement District. “This is history. The old and the new will come together. We’ll have the opportunity for entrepreneurship. That’s why we’re going to partner with KC G.I.F.T. and they’ll be doing amazing work with retailors. We’ll also have a restaurant.”

While speaking on the future of the site, those who spoke at the groundbreaking event also reflected on what used to be there.

“Piccolos, Fox’s Tavern, and the Kansas City Monarch’s headquarters,” said Leonard Graham, president of Taliaferro & Browne President. “As was said earlier, this is hallowed ground. We intend to respect that hallowed ground as we move into the future.”

There are a handful of projects Kansas City is overseeing to ‘Revive the Vine’ on top of private developments. Over the next few years the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum will be moving and expanding. There are plans to create a pedestrian plaza and make improvements to the Paseo.

“We’ll have an 18th & Vine where we don’t just tell stories, but we’ll be making new ones,” said Mayor Quinton Lucas. “We will have an 18th & Vine that continues to be a crown jewel not just for our Black community, but of our entire region.”

Jazz District III is being backed by public and private investments, including $4 million in Central City Economic Development (CCED) sales tax funding. Construction on the project is set to start next month.

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