Kansas City’s ongoing 18th and Vine revitalization project known as Revive the Vine was recently celebrated with the grand opening of a new 18th Street pedestrian mall. The roadway is now pedestrian friendly and seamlessly transitions from a car-centric street to a walkable corridor for community events.
“The walkway is a symbol of connectivity,” says Shawn Edwards, executive director of the Black Movie Hall of Fame, also on 18th Street. Edwards has worked closely with the groups involved in the Revive the Vine effort and is an enthusiastic cheerleader of the project.
This $400 million initiative aims to enliven the area by investing in the district’s historical sites and strengthening local businesses. The investment is broken down into multiple key projects, each with the aim of celebrating the city’s roots. “A lot of the things that Kansas City is known for have all originated from the 18th and Vine Historic Jazz District,” says Edwards, a Kansas City native.
With that in mind, the city is investing $3.2 million in the American Jazz Museum (1616 E. 18th St., KCMO). The museum pays homage to and celebrates the city’s rich jazz history. It is often said that jazz might have been born in New Orleans, but it grew up in Kansas City, specifically in the many clubs, restaurants and bars that populated the 18th and Vine area. The museum will undergo a full renovation with new galleries, a cafe and retail shop…