You’re looking at a time machine. Don’t believe us? Close your eyes and travel back to July 2023 — you were fresh off the T Swift concert, wishing the weather would cool off a little, and had just read (in your favorite morning newsletter) that Port KC + KC Current were teaming up on a 10-year plan to reimagine the Berkley Riverfront.
Now, with CPKC Stadium complete, and a half-acre beer garden and a boutique hotel in the works, new renderings released by project leaders are taking us back to the future. 2033, to be exact.
Your riverfront refresher
The mixed-use, high-density, walkable neighborhood has a lot of moving parts. Here’s what you might’ve already heard:
- Two Birds, One Stone, a 8,200-sqft, two-story beer garden offering outdoor food + entertainment options, is set to open this summer.
- Origin KC, a $30 million, five-story boutique hotel, is also on the way. An opening date is TBA.
- The streetcar is making its way uptown, completing its waterfront stop by early 2026.
- A retail plaza, office buildings, restaurants, and apartments will round out the ~200 million-sqft development.
Any new details?
Lots. Just get a look at this highlight reel:
- A riverfront promenade and town square (we’re picturing the most scenic dog walks ever, ending with a Good Boy Punch at Bar K)
- 2+ acres of community and gathering space programmed year-round, with events like movie nights, food festivals, fitness classes, and live music
- More affordable housing, with 10% of residential units set aside for Kansas Citians at a 50% Area Median Income affordability threshold
We can’t wait for this rivertown to get back to its roots — but patience is required. Phase one of the development will begin at the end of this year, with completion expected by the FIFA World Cup in 2026.
Until then, your dutiful City Editors will keep an ear to the ground while we all dream of riverfront real estate.
