KSHB 41 reporter Caroline Hogan covers development across the Kansas City area. Share your story idea with Caroline.
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The Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri, has been around for over 100 years, creating countless memories for residents while undergoing significant changes throughout its history.
"Every year we would sit here with my four daughters and take a photo," said Alla Supren, a road tripper visiting the Plaza.
For many Kansas City area natives, the Plaza holds nostalgic value.
"The arcade, I mean, you come down here, $5, we just play video games all day," said Michael Pierro, a Kansas City native. "It's like, it doesn't feel as cozy anymore. Kinda standoff-ish."
KCMO Mayor Quinton Lucas has specific goals for the future of the historic district.
"I want to see full streets during the work day because we have people who are dying to be in plaza office spaces," Lucas said.
Walkability is another priority for the Mayor.
"While there was talk before about whether to close streets, I think their interest has largely been how do we make sure we calm traffic through the Plaza," Lucas said.
This vision aligns with the interests of the Plaza's new owners, whom Lucas met with in early June.
"I think we will see progress soon on the Country Club Plaza so that it's not just a story of who's leaving, but it turns to a story about what our long-term future is," Lucas said.
The Mayor believes that the future includes increasing density in the area, potentially aided by the new Plaza streetcar stop. He also supports building above the current height restriction within the Plaza, a point he calls "controversial".
"I don't think you'll ever eliminate the Plaza bowl concept, but buildings that can fit a bunch of residents aren't a bad thing," Lucas said.
The challenge moving forward will be finding a balance between preserving what made the Plaza special in its earlier years while adapting for future generations.
"I want to take it back to how it used to be," Pierro said.
Mayor Lucas acknowledges this balance.
"It will always be a great space, a great space where all of us have our relationship and our stories, but everything has to adapt with time," Lucas said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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