Downtown Kansas City facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Downtown Kansas City
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The downtown Kansas City skyline
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| Country | United States |
| State | Missouri |
| Counties | Jackson County |
| City | Kansas City |
| Area | |
| • Total | 6.23 sq mi (16.14 km2) |
| • Land | 6.23 sq mi (16.14 km2) |
| • Water | 0 sq mi (0 km2) 0% |
| Elevation | 800 ft (200 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 28,000 |
| • Density | 4,495/sq mi (1,400/km2) |
| ZIP code |
64101, 64102, 64105, 64106, 64108, and 64109
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| Area code(s) | 816 |
| Website | https://downtownkc.org |
Downtown Kansas City is the main central area of Kansas City, Missouri. It's a busy place where many businesses are located. This area is found between the Missouri River to the north and 31st Street to the south. It stretches from the Kansas–Missouri state line to Bruce R. Watkins Drive.
In 2012, Forbes magazine named Downtown Kansas City one of America's Best Downtowns. It was praised for its amazing arts, many fountains, cool shops, and tasty local food like barbecue.
Contents
People and Living in Downtown Kansas City
In 2013, about 19,899 people lived in Downtown Kansas City. There were 11,790 homes, and the average household earned about $61,491 per year.
Back in 2000, the population was around 10,000 people. Downtown Kansas City has many offices and places to work, with over 100,000 employees. There are also more than 5,600 hotel rooms for visitors.
Cool Buildings and Architecture
Downtown Kansas City has many interesting buildings. Here are some of them:
- Boley Building: One of the first buildings in the world to use a glass-curtain design.
- Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception: A beautiful church that serves as an important center for the Roman Catholic faith.
- Central Library: The main library branch, famous for its parking garage that looks like a giant bookshelf!
- Commerce Tower: The main building for Commerce Bank.
- City Hall: A tall, 29-story skyscraper where the city government works.
- Hotel President: A historic hotel that has hosted famous entertainers like Frank Sinatra and important events.
- Kansas City Power and Light Building: Once the tallest building west of the Mississippi River.
- Mainstreet Theater: A historic theater.
- Midland Theatre: Another historic theater.
- Municipal Auditorium: A large building with cool Art Deco style, which has hosted many sports events.
- New York Life Building: Considered Kansas City's first skyscraper and the first building with elevators.
- One Kansas City Place: The tallest building in the entire state of Missouri.
- Power and Light District: A popular area with lots of places to eat, shop, and have fun.
- T-Mobile Center: A large indoor arena for concerts and sports.
New Projects and Changes
Downtown Kansas City has been getting a lot of new buildings and makeovers since 2000. Over $5.5 billion has been spent on these projects!
Power & Light District
The Power & Light District is a nine-block area known for entertainment. It's named after the historic Power & Light Building. This area has many shops and restaurants, and it's a major attraction for both locals and visitors. The H&R Block headquarters, a large oval-shaped building, is also here.
T-Mobile Center
The T-Mobile Center (which used to be called Sprint Center) is a huge arena with 18,500 seats. It was built after people voted to help pay for it. Construction started in 2004, and it opened in 2007. It hosts many events like concerts and the Big 12 Basketball Tournament.
Kansas City Convention Center
The Kansas City Convention Center is a very large place for big meetings and events. It has several connected buildings, including Bartle Hall and Municipal Auditorium. It has over 800,000 square feet of space! Municipal Auditorium is an older building from 1934 with an arena and music hall.
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is a beautiful building designed by architect Moshe Safdie. It opened in 2011 and is home to the Kansas City Symphony, Kansas City Ballet, and Kansas City Lyric Opera. Many people have visited this center to enjoy performances.
Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City is a 16-story office tower. It's an important building for the country's money system. It opened in 2008.
IRS Offices
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has its Kansas City offices downtown. This building is home to many employees.
Freight House
The historic Freight House building was built in the 1880s. It was updated in the late 1990s and now has popular restaurants like Grunauer and Lidia's Kansas City.
Barkley, Inc.
In 2006, an advertising company called Barkley Inc. moved into the old TWA headquarters. They even rebuilt the famous Walt Disney-designed rocket ship, called the Moonliner, that used to sit on top of the building! This rocket ship was a symbol of TWA's dream of space travel.
Downtown Businesses
Many important companies have their main offices in Downtown Kansas City. These include H&R Block, Commerce Bancshares, UMB Bank, Kansas City Southern, Great Plains Energy, and J.E. Dunn Construction Group. The Commerce Bank Tower, once the city's largest bank, has been turned into apartments and a school.
Fun Places to Visit
Here are some popular spots in Downtown Kansas City:
- T-Mobile Center
- The Midland Theatre
- Power & Light District
- Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
- The Crossroads Arts District
- Folly Theater
- The River Market
- Municipal Auditorium
- Crown Center
- Union Station
- Liberty Memorial
Barney Allis Plaza is a park named after a famous Kansas City hotel owner. It used to host the Kansas City Explorers tennis team. The Kansas City Sports Walk of Stars is also here, honoring famous athletes like George Brett.
Downtown Neighborhoods
The Loop
The Loop is the very center of Downtown Kansas City. It's the busiest part and is surrounded by a freeway loop. About 8,000 people lived here in 2006. The Loop includes several smaller areas:
- The Library District is known for the Kansas City Public Library's Central Branch. Its parking garage looks like a giant bookshelf! This area also has old buildings that have been turned into apartments.
- The Garment District used to be a big center for clothing makers. Now, its old factory buildings are cool apartments, offices, and restaurants. This is also where Henry Perry, who started Kansas City-style barbecue, began selling food.
- The Government District is where many important government buildings are located. This includes Kansas City's City Hall (one of the tallest city halls in the U.S.), the Jackson County Courthouse, and federal buildings.
- The Financial District has Kansas City's tallest skyscrapers, like One Kansas City Place.
- The Power & Light District is a fun entertainment area with shops, restaurants, and the T-Mobile Center.
- The Convention District includes the Kansas City Convention Center and the T-Mobile Center, all close to each other.
Crossroads Arts District
The Crossroads District used to be a warehouse area. Now, it's full of art galleries, restaurants, and offices. On the first Friday of every month, it hosts "First Fridays" with art shows, food trucks, and live music.
Crown Center
Crown Center is a special area created by Hallmark Cards. It's a great place for families with an aquarium, Legoland, and Kaleidoscope. There are also shops and hotels. It's a short walk from the National World War I Museum and Memorial.
The River Market
The River Market is Kansas City's oldest neighborhood, right by the Missouri River. It has one of the country's oldest and largest public farmers' markets. You can also find unique shops, restaurants, and the Arabia Steamboat Museum here.
Getting Around Downtown
KCATA- RideKC
RideKC Bus & MAX
"MAX" (Metro Area Express) is a special bus service launched in 2005. These buses have GPS to tell you when the next bus will arrive. They can even change traffic lights to stay on schedule! There are two main MAX routes: Main Street MAX and Troost Avenue MAX. Other bus routes also serve downtown.
RideKC Streetcar
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In 2012, people voted to build a two-mile streetcar line. Construction started in 2013, and the streetcar began running in May 2016. The best part? There's no fare to ride it! The city plans to add more streetcar lines in the future.
RideKC Bridj
Since 2015, all the different transit services in Kansas City have been combining into one system called RideKC. This includes RideKC Bus, RideKC MAX, RideKC Streetcar, and RideKC Bridj. RideKC Bridj is a newer service that works like a taxi, where you can use an app to get a ride.
Regional Travel
- Amtrak trains stop at Union Station.
- Bus lines like Greyhound Lines and Jefferson Lines also serve the area.
Learning in Downtown Kansas City
Universities
- Park University has a location downtown.
- Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences is also here.
Libraries
- The Kansas City Public Library's Central Branch is a great place to find books and learn.
