Midtown

Kansas City Life Insurance Company demolished nearly two dozen buildings at the north end of the Valentine neighborhood last year, and has more planned. In July, the Valentine Neighborhood Association applied for a portion of the neighborhood to be designated a historic district, and the Kansas City Council could vote as early as this week on the proposal.

The KC Streetcar expansion will bring more people in walking distance to Kansas City's Westport and midtown neighborhoods, which are home to some of the metro's best restaurants, bars, nightlife and shops. Hop off the streetcar and head to these great spots.

Some of Kansas City's best restaurants, cafes, vintage shops and cocktails can be found in the Union Hill and Martini Corner neighborhoods. With both nightlife hotspots and connections to the city's past, this midtown corner has plenty to discover.

The streetcar extension will take passengers from the River Market to the Plaza. Multiple days of celebrations are planned along the route. The extension also means changes along Main Street, like transit-only lanes.

Marwan Chebaro is no stranger to 39th Street's restaurant row. With a new space at Park 39 in midtown, Chebaro set a June opening for a new concept named after his daughter Nour. The restaurant has a small shrine to her in its corner, and encourages patrons to bring in mementos of their own loved ones.

Kansas City’s new streetcar has spurred the construction of more than 1,400 new apartment units along Main Street since 2017. These are some of the highlights, including historic renovations and new buildings.

Orange By: Devoured, the brainchild of local chef Jhy Coulter, opened last fall in midtown's Martini Corner neighborhood. The restaurant began life as a pop-up and specializes in "neo-Neapolitan" pizza and tapas-inspired plates.

Brian Roberts is opening Good Karma Coffee inside the Black Pantry's new storefront on Gillham Road. He hopes that the promise of coffee will bring more people in to discover Black brands.

Kansas City’s historic Union Cemetery, founded in 1857, serves as the final resting place for more than 55,000 people, including many early pioneers of Westport. A group of volunteers has cleaned more than 300 grave markers there as a way of learning about and connecting with local history.

Created by Jhy Coulter, Orange By: Devoured is the latest evolution of a pizza pop-up that began during the COVID pandemic. The Midtown restaurant is inspired by her travels to Spain, but it took more than a year to open after fundraising.

Tenants at Westport House Apartments lost air conditioning over the weekend. In response, Kansas City officials sent a cooling bus and medical personnel to the apartment building.

PorchfestKC took the last three years off, but now it's back. On Oct. 14, around 135 bands are set to perform on 49 porches and stages in Midtown's Roanoke and Valentine neighborhoods.