Lights, Camera, Action

Events

Weekend Roundup

Happy Friday! The Weekend Roundup is a recurring segment where we’ll keep you informed on what events are going on around KC this weekend.

• BBQ All Weekend: Not only is the BBQ Fest happening at Arrowhead, but Lenexa is also hosting the Great Lenexa BBQ Battle Friday and Saturday.

• Woodside Midsummer: The Annual Woodside Midsummer party is happening tomorrow in celebration of the summer solstice.

• What’s Goghing On?: Don’t miss the immersive Van Gogh exhibit at Lighthouse ArtSpace Kansas City before it leaves July 9th.

• Fall Out Boy Concert: Fall Out Boy is performing on their most recent tour Saturday in Bonner Springs with tickets available here.

• For the Parents: Worlds of Fun will be having 50 consecutive nights of fireworks displays to celebrate turning 50 starting tomorrow night at 10 pm.

If you do participate in any of these events, feel free to tag our Instagram. Either way, have a great weekend, KC!

Real Estate

Renter’s Paradise

A recent survey by RentCafe.com showed that the KC Metro is home to the two most sought-after cities for renters across the US.

• Gold and Silver: Kansas City Missouri took the top spot with Overland Park coming in second for the hottest rental markets in the US.

• More Demand: As home prices continue to increase, the demand for rentals has seen a sharp rise across the country. KCMO has seen rental activity double in year-over-year comparisons.

• Rockin The Suburbs: Overland Park, KC’s most populous suburb had the highest rental activity growth of any US city, jumping 78 spots from last month.

While the demand has certainly increased across the metro, prices still seem to be fairly in check with the average rent in KC being just over $1,200.

Development

Film Row Making A Comeback

Portions of Film Row, the former location in the Crossroads where Hollywood studios would house films, are being renovated by Shirley Helzberg (of Helzberg Diamonds).

• Historical Significance: Never heard of film row? Until the 1970s, Kansas City served as a midway point for Hollywood film studios like MGM and Universal Studios to hold their bulky film canisters before releasing films in the region.

• New life: Working alongside Helix Architecture, Helzberg’s plan is to renovate two buildings along 18th Street into high-end office spaces, an L-shaped retail space, and a 5,000-square-foot park.

• Film Row Glow Up: This comes as the latest of Helzberg’s renovations to the area including the Historic Webster House and Vitagraph buildings at 17th and Wyandotte.

The current projects should be completed next year with Helzberg’s ultimate vision of making the area more livable by adding more living space, a restaurant, and a coffee shop.

Community

The New Face of Farming

The Young Family Farm KC, an urban farm in KCMO, provides fresh produce to the Ivanhoe Neighborhood east of Westport.

• Urban Farming: Starting nearly three years ago as a family farm, Alan Young and his wife built their local garden that has now blossomed into Young Family Farm. Since then the gardens now stretch across several acres and four different locations in Midtown KC.

• Farming Business: The growth of the family farm has been immense, mainly selling their produce at the Farmer’s Market every Saturday from 9 am- 1 pm, the Young Family prides itself on never using pesticides or herbicides.

• The Greater Good: Perhaps the most memorable part of the family farm is that they recently pledged to provide produce to 10 families in the Ivanhoe Neighborhood who wouldn’t otherwise be able to stock their fridges.

To support the Young Family Farm, check out their Facebook page and purchase organic produce at the Farmer’s Market each Saturday. For more ways to join them in supporting the Ivanhoe Neighborhood, you can check out their website for ways to get involved.

KC Daily Picks

In Other News

• 🏗️Block Chain: Block Real Estate received the go-ahead to build 3.72M square feet of industrial space off Tiffany Springs Parkway.

• 🏆Guess Who?: Patrick Mahomes has been nominated for more awards scoring Espy nominations for Best Male Athlete and Best NFL Player.

• 🎥Film Isn’t Dead: The Rio Theatre in downtown OP still has hopes of reopening to the public despite the difficult industry.

• 🏪Invest Local: Another Venture Capital Firm is adding in $34M on the thought that investing locally will yield results.

• 🧭Garmin’s Gamble: Garmin is investing heavily in new technology inside of your car that will even monitor “driver alertness.”

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