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Central Standard

Crosspoint

How did the Crossroads go from a gritty neighborhood with abandoned buildings to a vibrant destination spot? Crossroads pioneer Jim Leedy, an architect and a longtime gallery owner share their memories.

Plus: A Tax Increment Financing (TIF) explainer and the recent controversy about the blight designation for Crossroads development.

Guests:

  • David Dowell, architect, El Dorado
  • John O'Brien, owner of the Dolphin Gallery for 25 years
  • Steve Vockrodt, staff writer, The Pitch
People don't make cameos in news stories; the human story is the story, with characters affected by news events, not defined by them. As a columnist and podcaster, I want to acknowledge what it feels like to live through this time in Kansas City, one vantage point at a time. Together, these weekly vignettes form a collage of daily life in Kansas City as it changes in some ways, and stubbornly resists change in others. You can follow me on Twitter @GinaKCUR or email me at gina@kcur.org.
Matthew Long-Middleton has been a talk-show producer, community producer, Media Training Manager and now the Community Engagement Manager at KCUR. You can reach him at Matthew@kcur.org, or on Twitter @MLMIndustries.
Andrea Tudhope is an award-winning multimedia journalist based in Kansas City, Missouri. She is currently coordinating producer for America Amplified, a national public media community engagement initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.