Presentation takes place May 5

The capstone urban planning and design studio in the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC) College of Arts and Sciences‘ Department of Architecture, Urban Planning and Design (AUPD) will present a development strategy for northeast Kansas City’s Independence Avenue. The presentation will take place from 5 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 5 in meeting rooms A and B of the Kansas City Public Library’s North-East Branch, 6000 Wilson Ave., Kansas City, Mo.

Throughout the spring semester, students have studied a two-mile stretch of Independence Avenue – from Garfield Street to Denver Avenue. They have examined the area’s streetscape, traffic, walkability, architecture, demographics and economy to develop a marketing and improvement strategy.

Associate Professor Michael Frisch, Ph.D., AICP and Scott Walters, research assistant, taught the course. John Wood, senior program officer at Greater Kansas City Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), provided critical support for this project.

“This project presents a great opportunity for students to prove themselves professionally in front of key practitioners and neighborhood activists,” Frisch said. “The urban planning and design topics we’re addressing are being discussed in most American metropolises, and this is providing students with valuable experience they can apply to future careers.”

Students will present the following material:

• Prototype recommendations for building facades
• Short-term and long-term strategies to develop Independence Avenue into an “international marketplace” that meets neighborhood needs, markets the products of several ethnic communities and attracts customers from the greater Kansas City region
• Strategies for adapting the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Main Street Four-Point Approach – a community-driven, comprehensive strategy used to revitalize downtown and neighborhood business districts throughout the U.S.
• Strategies for promoting locally-owned and operated businesses via map and/or guide prototypes that feature local businesses

The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 14,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a four-part mission: life and health sciences; visual and performing arts; urban issues and education; and a vibrant learning and campus life experience.