Things Are Heating Up

The Great Balloon & Puppet Glow is almost here, a West Bottoms development features lots of office space, and Betty Rae's expands to Kansas.

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KC Daily
August 08, 2023

Together With

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Events

Things Are Heating Up

Visit KC

Kansas City’s 3rd annual Great Balloon and Puppet Glow will take place on the lawn of the WWI Memorial Saturday, August 19th.

  • Food & Music: Things will kick off at 4 pm as families can grab dinner at one of the food trucks and vendors while listening to musical guests Grand Marquis and Emma Jo.

  • Come Sundown: At dusk, the event will culminate in dozens of tethered hot air balloons creating a visual spectacle on the north and south lawn.

  • New This Year: For the first time, Stone Lion Puppets will put on a performance on the south lawn of “Around the World in 80 Days” featuring illuminated puppets, aerialists, and glow performers.

The event is free to the public and families are encouraged to attend. To best accommodate parking, guests are encouraged to park further away and take the Streetcar to the Union Station exit. For further FAQs, please see the event website here.

Development

The West Bottoms Are Working Out

SomeraRoad

As part of the $500 million redevelopment of Kansas City's West Bottoms from SomeraRoad Inc., the developer is planning a 110,000-square-foot creative office space. 

  • Co-working: The office space will be located in two historic buildings, the Perfection Stove Co. building, and the Laramie Tires building, and will feature many large "lounge-like" working areas with sofas and loveseats, in lieu of a more traditional conference room. Led by the same developer who made No Vacancy, the space is sure to offer plenty of flair.

  • Work Perk: In addition to 5,000-75,000 square foot spaces open for lease, the buildings will offer large open windows, high ceilings, and amenities like a fitness studio, outdoor patio, and nearby food and beverage retailers.

  • Phase 1: All of these developments take place as part of phase 1 of the SomeraRoad Inc. project to redevelop nearly 22 acres of space in the West Bottoms into a large mixed-use area with shopping, office space, outdoor space, and apartments.

Construction is slated to be completed in the work window between January 2024 and June 2025. To follow along, you can view SomeraRoad Inc.’s page that summarizes the project here.

Opening

Betty To The ‘Burbs

KC Daily

Betty Rae's Ice Cream is making a sweet expansion to Olathe, fulfilling fans' wishes and offering a treat for owner Matt Shatto.

  • Moving Out: Betty Rae’s new owner, Matt Shatto, is making good on his plans of expanding the ice cream shop by opening a new location near the Garmin Olathe Soccer Complex. As an added bonus, it’s just minutes from Shatto’s home as well.

  • Betty’s Legacy: Shatto took over Betty Rae’s, the beloved KC staple, last year. Betty Rae’s has long been considered a local favorite for their unique flavors like brown butter & Toasted Pecan or their seasonal Chantilly.

  • Ice Cream Everywhere: The expansion doesn’t seem to stop at new locations. In the coming 60 to 90 days, Betty Rae’s will begin selling their ice cream in pints in local grocery stores.

The new Olathe location will be open by late September in their new home at 10470 South Ridgeview Road. In the meantime, you can visit the Waldo and River Market locations, both open 7 days a week.

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