Exponential growth means longtime locals are bound to have a “wait, when did this get here?” moment. With lots of new developments on the horizon, we’re here to catch you up on 15+ of KC’s most anticipated builds — timelines, renderings, details — so grab your hard hat and let’s get going.
Barney Allis Plaza
It’s the duo park + parking garage’s first facelift since 1985, with amenities of the new and improved iteration including an “arts-focused greenspace,” dog park, and ~580-space parking garage, expected to open fully by December 2026.
Also on the horizon: “Kansas City Spirit, Memory, and Resilience” — a (literally) glowing tribute to KC’s history. Belgian artist duo Gijs Van Vaerenbergh have been tapped to design six steel skeletons for the plaza, tracing the Beaux-Arts design of the original Kansas City Convention Hall, which was rebuilt in just 90 days after a fire gutted it in 1900.
Berkley Riverfront
If you’ve been staying in the know (aka reading KCtoday), you’ve already had your refresher on the district’s major 10-year makeover — but ICYMI...
“Dirt has started moving” on the ~200 million-sqft mixed-use development surrounding CPKC Stadium, which is set to include apartments, retail space, a town square, a riverfront promenade, and the recently opened Two Birds One Stone beer garden.
BluHawk
After building out for the better part of a decade, AdventHealth Sports Park opened last October with an NHL-size ice rink, turf field, and family entertainment center complete with bowling, laser tag, and arcade games.
But that’s not all. Phase two of the project is set to double the fun, expanding the sports facility with additions like an 8-hole miniature golf course and pickleball courts, along with six new restaurant + retail spaces set to wrap by 2026.
Country Club Plaza
Nothing like cold, hard possibilites. While no official plans have been made, artist renderings envision potential futures for the more than 100-year-old shopping district — including a 19-story retail + office tower on the site once slated for a Nordstrom and a lush “plaza on the Plaza.”
Destination KCK
Come 2026, you’ll be able to step into a real life dream house at Mattel Adventure Park Kansas City in Bonner Springs. The all-new entertainment resort is set to be the anchor attraction at Destination KCK, a 180-acre project featuring an all-season Christmas Village, six waterfront restaurants, and 30+ retail stores.
Four Light Luxury Apartments
It’s the final tower Kansas City is chipping in for, at least per its 2018 agreement with developer The Cordish Companies — but that doesn’t mean Five Light isn’t on the horizon. Check out renderings of the 25-story, 293-unit high-rise bringing a two-story restaurant and extensive retail space to what is currently parking lots surrounding B&B Theaters.
The trail loop was listed as a Catalytic Project in the Imagine Downtown KC 2030 Strategic Plan. | Photo via City of Kansas City
Greenline KC
Though it was quickly adopted by locals + city leaders alike., we’ve still yet to see any updates on the progress of this 10-mile urban trail. Walk, bike, or hike your way around the downtown loop and find yourself at any number of up-and-coming attractions like Rock Island Bridge and Pennway Point (more on both of these later).
KC Streetcar
With the Main Street Extension on track to finish next month, get “Ready to Ride in 2025" with our latest series sharing the food, fun, and history along each new stop. Also under construction: the Riverfront Extension, which is expected to open in early 2026.
Lee’s Summit Farmers Market
... is now “Green Street.” The major southeast development has more than just an updated name, including a new indoor market space, lush outdoor pavillion, and outdoor performance area.
Overland Park Farmers’ Market
A $34 million transformation is coming to the award-winning open-air market. Upgrades include building an indoor pavilion for year-round use, alongside enhancing the area’s stone patio + utilities hookups. Put down the reusable tote bags, everybody — the Clock Tower Landing Project is expected to wrap by summer 2026.
Pennway Point
The KC Wheel is up and rolling, but what about its other main attractions? Unfortunately, there’s not much progress to report on — no construction updates or tenant announcements have been released as of late. In the meantime, you can build the excitement with a sneak peek of LUMI Neon Museum’s Neon Alley.
Rock Island Bridge
Hold on to your hard hats. The trailhead entertainment district is set to be the first of its kind, offering an outdoorsy event space and public crossing 40 ft above the current. After two years of delays, we’re unsure about the timeline, though developers are already booking 2025 holiday events.
Roy Blunt Luminary Park
The urban park set to cap I-670 downtown will span ~five acres + aims to create a more walkable experience for residents and visitors alike. The destination will include features like accessible play spaces, public entertainment forums, and multimodal transportation options.
Project leaders once aimed to wrap it by next year’s World Cup, but the latest update pushes construction to a 2026 start with a three-year timeline.
Southpointe @ 63rd
Located ~10 minutes south of downtown at the intersection of Route 71 and 63rd St., the ~31-acre site has been vacant for years due to blight.
The new neighborhood will combine green urbanism with transit-oriented development, featuring multi-family housing, a walkable retail plaza, and extended-stay hotel. A groundbreaking kicked off its first phase last year, with total completion expected by 2032.
Vacation Village
Vacation Village is an $838 million development project in Kansas City, Kansas that includes attractions like Margaritaville Resort, Homefield KCK Showcase Center, and the newly completed interactive museum Atlas9.
West Bottoms
Demolition of the Weld Wheel Building was the first step in SomeraRoad’s $526 million overhaul of the West Bottoms. The site will host ~300 units of multifamily housing and 10,000 sqft of commercial real estate, as part of a 22-acre micro village.
Phase one completion — which includes creation of a public square at Union Depot — is expected to finish by 2026, with total project completion planned for 2038.
Buc-ee’s
Construction on the 74,000-sqft travel center and its 120 gas pumps kicks off in October, bringing its Village West Parkway location to life within 24 months.
Michael’s Wonder World
Titling issues have put the Hunt’s ultra-accessible theme park and hockey arena project on pause. Construction was supposed to begin this summer,
