In the 2022-23 Academic year, Kansas City Design Center Urban Design Studio produced a catalytic vision study for the West Bottoms in partnership with SomeraRoad development firm and Unified Government of Wyandotte County/KCK Department of Planning and Urban Design. The primary objective of this project was to create a catalytic vision that would build upon the ongoing redevelopment and infrastructure planning initiatives already undertaken by these two partner agencies. The goal was to integrate these efforts into a comprehensive urban design concept that could capitalize on their momentum and unlock their potential for broader impact and positive transformation. 

The project focused its attention on three specific project areas within the West Bottoms: the West Bottoms Warehouse District, the I-70 viaduct connecting the two downtown areas, and the West Bank of the Kansas River, stretching from Kaw Point to the I-670 viaduct. Simultaneously, while addressing the urban design of these specific areas, the project aimed to explore their potential as a framework for generating an interconnected transformative plan for the entire region. This approach aimed to rejuvenate the area by re-establishing its connections to its natural, cultural, and economic assets, all while preserving and enhancing its unique urban identity.

Read more about the project here.

View the publication online here.