For immediate release: Friday, July 25, 2025

The Historic 18th & Vine District is entering a new era, with multiple infrastructure projects underway and new business opportunities being offered. This week's edition of the Revive the Vine newsletter will include details related to construction updates, weather challenges, upcoming events and efforts to fill vacant storefronts.

Construction Updates

Construction has started on several Revive the Vine projects, including the 18th Street Pedestrian Mall, 18th and Lydia Parking Garage, The Parker Apartments and the Boone Theater reconstruction. This work is causing several closures in the 18th and Vine District. Despite active construction and street closures, businesses are still open. Pedestrian walkways are maintained as much as possible, with safety precautions in place.

The sidewalks on both the north and south sides of 18th Street between The Paseo and Vine Street are closed until around September. This work will involve removing and replacing sidewalk that extends from The Paseo up to The Blue Room and the Historic Lincoln Building. Gravel ramps that were put in place to maintain access on the front side of these buildings have been impacted by rainy weather.

Residents can access The Blue Room, The American Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum through the back entrances off E 17th Terrace. 18th Street businesses can also be accessed through ADA compliant pedestrian outlets at 18th Street and Highland Avenue. There is also a ramp to the back entrance of the American Jazz Museum, which connects to The Blue Room through the atrium.

18th Street from Paseo to Vine Street is currently closed to traffic. This includes sidewalks between the Paseo and Vine Street. This configuration is expected to be in place at least through September.

Water line work related to the 18th Street Pedestrian Mall has started on Vine Street. As a result, the intersection of 18th and Vine will remain closed until this work is complete. Separate water line connections for The Parker will start soon, which will not have any additional public-facing impacts.

Spire has started gas line work on 18th Street from the Paseo to Forest Avenue, which is impacting the westbound mobility lane in that area. This work was initially expected to begin August 1, 2025. The gas line work is expected to continue at least through the next week.

Additional water line work is expected to start soon near 18th Street and Lydia Avenue. This is not expected to impact through traffic on 18th Street. This is related to the 18th Street Parking Garage Project, which has a construction zone in the surface lot on 18th Street between Grove Street and Lydia Avenue.

Storm sewer work in The Paseo is underway. Because of this, there is a closure on Northbound Paseo at 19th Street, requiring drivers to detour to the left or right on 19th Street. The completion of this work was delayed due to rain and constructors now hope to have this work completed by July 30, 2025.  

Additional storm sewer work related to renovations on the Boone Theater is expected to start by the end of August. This will result in a closure on Highland Avenue from 19th Street to 18th Street, with one-way through traffic for residents.

There will also be intermittent closures on 18th Street between Vine Street and Highland Avenue due to ongoing utility work and coordination with Spire. Because of this, an opening is in place on the Highland Avenue side of 18th Street, which is to accommodate through traffic for deliveries and drop-offs only. Additionally, Spectrum line relocation is expected to start soon, which will lead to a closure at the intersection of 18th Street and Vine Street.

Upcoming Events & Business Closures

Due to events unrelated to Revive the Vine construction, the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum will be closed on Saturday, July 26, 2025. Then on Sunday, July 27, 2025, the GEM Theater, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, American Jazz Museum and The Blue Room will all be closed. Those businesses are expected to reopen Monday, July 28, 2025.

There will be a chance to get an in-person update about developments in the Jazz District at the upcoming "18th and Vine communications meeting." This event will be held on Monday, August 4, 2025 from 9:00 to 10:30 AM at the Community Hub building at 1512 E 18th Street.

There will be a community engagement meeting focused on a proposed shared-use path project on The Paseo, between Admiral Boulevard to 18th Street. This meeting will be held Tuesday, August 5, 2025 from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (1616 E 18th St.). This project is part of the overarching Revive the Vine initiative and is also considered the "East Leg" of the Green Line Initiative. The meeting will provide the public with an opportunity to learn more about the proposed project and give feedback.

Impact of Closures & Permitting

Events traditionally held on 18th Street will be impacted by active construction zones. For the safety of event participants, event organizers must relocate festivities to The Paseo between Truman Road and 18th Street or consider an alternate location (outside of 18th Street) within the Jazz District during this period. Kansas City is committed to supporting these events and looks forward to welcoming them back to an improved and revitalized 18th Street in the future. For questions about event permitting or location changes, please contact David Warren with the Kansas City Permit Division.

Due to construction on 18th Street, the 2025 Heart of America Hot Dog Festival hosted by the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is being moved to the National WWI Museum and Memorial. The event is being held Saturday, August 9, 2025, at 3:00 PM and features live entertainment, food, drinks and more.

Business Resources

Prospective business owners and entrepreneurs have until August 8, 2025 to submit their proposals to fill vacant storefronts in the Jazz District. This "Request for Proposals" is for the following open spaces:

• 1512 E. 18th Street
• 1704 E. 18th Street
• 1708 E. 18th Street
• 1710-1712 E. 18th Street

Proposals must be submitted through Bonfire, Kansas City's online procurement platform. There is a video that shows each space for those who were unable to attend the tour on July 11, 2025. Click here to read more about the RFP process.

There are also additional resources for both active and potential businesses owners through Kansas City BizCare. The program acts as a one-stop shop for entrepreneurs, providing guidance on navigating the city's licensing, permitting, and approval processes, as well as connecting them with relevant resources and support organizations. Kansas City BizCare also helps businesses access capital programs and promotes economic mobility.

MORE ABOUT REVIVE THE VINE

Revive the Vine is Kansas City's $400+ million reinvestment initiative in the historic 18th & Vine Jazz District. The program combines major public infrastructure projects with private development to restore cultural landmarks, expand housing, improve walkability, and support neighborhood vitality.

As part of the initiative, the City is also working to activate vacant storefronts by bringing in small businesses, artists, and entrepreneurs-ensuring 18th & Vine remains a vibrant cultural and commercial destination for generations to come.