Plus, sip cocktails with Kris Kringle for charity.
 
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🏠 One man’s trash...

Answered: Where locals want affordable housing, according to our readers
east crossroads restaurant space
Hopefully a new place will be cooking soon here. | Photo by KCtoday
Recently, we asked you which vacant office spaces around town you’d recommend be converted to affordable housing. You know, the empty buildings you pass every day on your morning commute and think “that would make a great blank.” As usual, you did not disappoint. Here are two spots you thought could make hot homes.

The hot spots

Be the Broker 3

Envisioning something special for that signage spot.

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Photo by KCtoday

2007 Broadway Blvd., KCMO, submitted by Beth M. + Marty M.
This former bank, located conveniently in the Crossroads Arts District, is fitted with a drive-thru and highly-visible exterior sign.

Bryant School KCMO

This castle-like school sits empty, eagerly awaiting a transformation.

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Photo by Google Maps

319 Westover Rd., KCMO, submitted by Drew
This abandoned elementary school is just itching for someone educated enough to turn it into something new.

The big picture

In case you missed it, the White House recently released a new plan to convert vacant commercial buildings into residential housing through resources like:
  • Grants: Funding from the government can help cover the costs of land acquisition and construction. For example, the Community Development Block Grant Program provides annual grants to fund housing projects.
  • Land dispositions: Transferring property to local governments, non-profits, and for-profit developers can reduce the cost of affordable housing.
  • Taxes: When transforming office space into housing, systems like plumbing, heating, and cooling typically need replacing. This can be an opportunity to make improvements to energy efficiency — which can be rewarded with tax incentives and credits.
There are more resources than we could possibly list — 20+ programs across multiple agencies. Good thing all the current federal resources are consolidated into this guidebook.
Asked

Any gingerbread house decorating tips?

What’s the best way to keep the cookies from crumbling? How do we make our merry village look crispy clean?
Pipe up
 
Events
Tuesday, Dec. 11
  • The Dickens Carolers | Tuesday, Dec. 12 | 2-2:45 p.m. | Midwest Genealogy Center, 3440 S. Lee’s Summit Rd., Independence, MO | Free | These festive singers will share holiday carols while dressed in beautiful Victorian attire.
  • Reyes Brothers Organ Trio | Tuesday, Dec. 12 | 10:30 p.m.-2:30 a.m. | Green Lady Lounge, 1809 Grand Blvd., KCMO | $5 | These three let the music flow organ-ically in their jazz arrangements.
Wednesday, Dec. 12
Thursday, Dec. 13
  • Thursday Night Cruise-in | Thursday, Dec. 14-Thursday, Jan. 4 | 3-10 p.m. | Free | McDonald’s, 6235 E. Hwy 24, Independence, MO | Classic and muscle cars cruise by for burgers and a good time.
  • Cocktails with Kris Kringle | Thursday, Dec. 14 | 5-8 p.m. | 10800 Metcalf Ave., Overland Park, KS | Free entry | Enjoy a jolly evening of mingling with Kris Kringle while sipping on delightful cocktails to raise money for Fox4 Love Fund.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
 
Biz

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Easily reach our 75,000 local subscribers by featuring your business right here in KCtoday. This includes branded content, event promotions, and more.

Want to work on a large-scale campaign? Work directly with a sales team member to achieve your goals.
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News Notes
Development
  • Olathe is making homes for the holidays. Its city council voted to use ~$1 million to build 14 Habitat for Humanity homes near 159th Street and Black Bob Road. These affordable houses will be available to lower income residents for purchase. A construction timeline is TBA. (Shawnee Mission Post)
Open
  • Black Pantry opened its second location at 3108 Troost Ave., KCMO. The new spot will carry Black-owned products alongside a soon-to-be opened coffee shop, wine bar, and patio. (KCUR)
Ranked
  • Sporting KC is on the ball. The team ranked No. 1 in the league for sponsorship deals, with 125 total this past season. This is the second year in a row it claimed the top spot. (Kansas City Business Journal)
Cause
  • The eagle has landed. Overland Park high schooler Grant Pomianek collected + donated 540 winter coats to the Johnson County Christmas Bureau. He hosted the coat drive for his Eagle Scouts project. (Shawnee Mission Post)
Holiday
  • This Kansas man took “deck the halls” as a personal challenge. Michael Russell decorated his Rose Hill home with 100,000+ lights and 40 inflatables in order to spread Christmas cheer. Maybe it’s time for a holiday road trip? (FOX4)
Active
  • Looking for a new way to get active, Kansas City? Enter: HOTWORX, a unique fitness program that turns up the heat during workouts using infrared technology. Want to try it out? Their Winter Open House is happening at locations across the city on Wednesday, Dec. 27 (3-7 p.m.) — find a location close to you.*
 
Number

Comebacks aren’t just for the Chiefs

Downtown Kansas City’s foot traffic is nearing pre-pandemic levels
downtown KC skyline
A skyline full of opportunity. | Photo by @jrw_shoots
Post-pandemic, many metros across the US saw foot traffic lessen as people raced away from dense downtown areas. How has KCMO’s downtown fared in the fairly uncertain waters? Let’s step into it.

A report released by Downtown KCMO shows our city is a step ahead of the rest of the country. Third party data collectors said that, as of Tuesday, Oct. 1, the downtown area had 32.4 million visitors — that’s only 4% lower than the number of visits in 2019.

Overall, KCMO’s downtown ranked No. 3 in the nation for post-pandemic visitor comeback, only bested by bigger cities like Nashville. That’s that KC Pride at work.

What’s your favorite spot to hangout downtown? Let us know so we can check it out.
The Buy

The Buy 12.12.23 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
The go-to gift for people who have everything: a scented candle.
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The Wrap
 
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Today’s edition by:
Charmaine
From the editor
I recently went down a TikTok rabbit hole and learned all about the best gingerbread house building techniques. I can’t wait to share them with y’all. Stay tuned. I’ve got a yummy article cookin.’
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