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Kansas City, Mo.- Greeting Cards and Railroads
Kansas City is the largest city in Missouri, and is located
where the Missouri and Kansas Rivers meet. The city has an
estimated population of about 450,000 and a metropolitan area
population of nearly 2 million. Over the past 5 years it has
built many new construction projects.
A new project of urban revitalization is pivoted on the
Sprint Center, which includes a large sports arena that is
scheduled to be completed by the end of 2007. This is a
leading element in over $3 billion of construction projects
going on in downtown Kansas City with the Sprint Center costing
$276 million and being owned by Kansas City. The arena is
located by 13th St. and Grand Boulevard and will seat 18,000
spectators for various sports and other events. Kansas City is
currently active in seeking a new basketball or hockey franchise. The Sprint Center also will have condominiums, restaurants, theme-bars and other facilities. This will certainly be a welcomed addition to Kansas City real estate.
The Crossroads Art District is an interesting area both from
the standpoint of Kansas City real estate and for those visiting
the city. Former industrial buildings have been turned into
artist’s lofts, galleries and restaurants. The Crossroad Music
festival in late August is an opportunity for outdoor galleries
to display their wares in the 18th Street and Locust area.
One of the galleries in the area, Arts Incubator Gallery, at
115 W 18th St serves to introduce new artists to the general
public.
The Crown Center district is a city within a city built by
the Hallmark greeting card company and its real estate subsidiary.
The Center consists of seven interconnected office buildings
built in 1971, plus two hotels and other buildings, built at
the site later. The Westin Crown Center is an AAA Convention
site, with 44,000 square feet of exhibition space, while the
40-story Hyatt Grand Regency Hotel has become a landmark with
its revolving restaurant on its top. The Crown Center also
includes 235 condominium units. Kansas City is known as the
city of fountains, and several fountains are on display at
Crown Center, including the Crown Center Square Fountain.
The area is connected to Union Station by covered walkways.
You can still catch your Amtrak train at this fully restored,
1914 landmark. It also houses a rail exhibit, an interactive
science center, restaurants and meeting rooms.
Other landmarks of downtown Kansas City are the new headquarters
building of H&R Block, the accounting firm, and the Kansas City
Federal Reserve Bank. Kansas City is also the headquarters of
the cell phone company, Sprint and of AMC Theatres. Hallmark
Cards would be considered a Fortune 500 company in terms of
revenue, but it is still a privately owned, closely held
corporation. Kansas City is also a center for agricultural
companies involved in trading red winter wheat, which is used
for baking bread. Kansas City got its start as a railroad
center, and it still has more rail road traffic going through
it than any other U.S. city. The area airport is Kansas City
International. Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport is the
site of the Airline History Museum and this airport is still
used for general aviation.
