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Placemaking at Barney Allis Plaza

The people who brought you The Fiery Stick and the Midnight Underground are back… and we couldn’t be more excited to be a part of it!  LiveKC – whose mission is to make Kansas City a more attractive place for Millennials to live, work and play – has a new ambition this summer: “Wage war with the couches of Kansas City, and disrupt the commuter culture of Kansas City”.

How do they plan on doing this? By “bringing together remarkable design, unexpected amenities and regular programs that transform the Barney Allis Plaza ‘Public Space’ into a ‘Place’”.  A place that LiveKC refers to as The Backyard.

The goal of placemaking is to create public spaces that promote people’s health, happiness, and well being. LiveKC has already hosted various community events and charrettes, getting input and feedback from the downtown community along the way. The next steps for The Backyard team includes introducing temporary design solutions, allowing for the plaza to become a testing grounds for various configurations, programs, and events.  Doing so will help inform future design decisions and master planning for the plaza.

LiveKC has teamed up with local partners including Helix, HNTB, and KCDC to help bring the future vision of Barney Allis Plaza to life. Things to look forward to this summer include new outdoor furniture additions, regular activities (leisure sports leagues and fitness classes), and large event concepts. We may have even heard someone say “Pong Fest”.

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