Downtown Kansas City is the central business district (CBD) of Kansas City, Missouri and the Kansas City metropolitan area which contains 3.8% of the areas employment. It is between the Missouri River in the north, to 31st Street in the south; and from the Kansas–Missouri state line eastward to Bruce R. Watkins Drive as defined by the Downtown Council of Kansas City; the 2010 Greater Downtown Area Plan formulated by the City of Kansas City defines the Greater Downtown Area to be the city limits of North Kansas City and Missouri to the north, the Kansas–Missouri state line to the west, 31st Street to the south and Woodland Avenue to the east. However, the definition used by the Downtown Council is the most commonly accepted.
In March 2012, Downtown Kansas City was selected as one of America's Best downtowns by Forbes magazine for its rich culture in arts, numerous fountains, upscale shopping, and various local cuisine – most notably barbecue.
Demographics
According to the Downtown Council of Kansas City, as of 2013, the Downtown area has a population of 19,899 residents with 11,790 housing units and a median household income of $61,491. Also as of 2013, Downtown has 137 units under construction and 1,326 in the planning stages.
The United States Census in 2010 suggests Downtown has a population of 22,576, though this may include land outside the district boundaries defined by the Downtown Council of Kansas City. Population of 28000 in 2020 census.
In 2000, the population may have been as low as 10,000 people with 7,330 units. In 2005, Downtown Kansas City had a population density of approximately in its area. According to Local Market reports, Downtown houses approximately of office space. However, the vacancy of this space is at about 15%. There are also about of Class A&B office space in Downtown, with a vacancy rate of 15.9%. There are over 100,000 employees working in the Downtown area. Downtown has a total of 5,606 hotel rooms, accounting for 22.5% of the total amount of hotel rooms in the metropolitan area. The average occupancy of these rooms is about 56.5%. As of 2007, about of office space are under construction in Downtown Kansas City. Current investments into downtown redevelopment have exceeded $6 billion.
Architecture
Boley Building, one of the world's first glass-curtain buildings, listed on the National Register in 1971 Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph along with the Cathedral of St. Joseph Central Library, main branch of the Kansas City Public Library system Commerce Tower, headquarters of Commerce Bank City Hall, 29-story skyscraper Hotel President, historic hotel whose famous Drum Room lounge has attracted entertainers from across the country, including Frank Sinatra, Benny Goodman, and Marilyn Maye, hosted the 1928 Republican National Convention, listed on the National Register in 1983 Kansas City Athletic Club, athletic club and gentlemen's club, notable members have included President Harry S. Truman Kansas City Convention Center, major convention center, largest column-free convention environment in the world Kansas City Club, was the oldest gentlemen's club in Missouri, notable members included Presidents Harry Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower, General Omar Bradley, and political boss Tom Pendergast Kansas City Power and Light Building, was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River upon its completion after succeeding the Smith Tower until the completion of the Space Needle in 1962, listed on the National Register in 2002 Louis Curtiss Studio Building, designed by architect Louis Curtiss and served as his studio, listed on the National Register in 1972 Mainstreet Theater, historic theater, listed on the National Register in 2007 Midland Theatre, historic theater, listed on the National Register in 1977 Municipal Auditorium, multi-purpose facility that features Streamline Moderne and Art Deco architecture, hosted 9 Final Fours New York Life Building, regarded as Kansas City's first skyscraper and was the first building in the city equipped with elevators, listed on the National Register in 1970 One Kansas City Place, tallest building in the state of Missouri Oppenstein Brothers Memorial Park, urban park located in the financial district Power and Light District, dining, shopping, office and entertainment district T-Mobile Center, large multi-use indoor arena, connected to the College Basketball Experience
Redevelopment projects
In recent years, Downtown Kansas City has been undergoing a massive "boom" in renovations and new construction. Since 2000, the estimated cost of these projects has totaled over $5.5 billion.