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Urban Tour Weekend Spotlights New Destinations Downtown

From residences to restaurants and from daytime to night, Downtown Kansas City has some new toys to show off. With more than 200 restaurants, 30 night clubs, 60 art galleries and 170 boutique shops, Downtown Kansas City is no longer just a place to work. It’s a destination and – for more than 16,000 people – a great place to live.

The opportunity to see the new face of downtown comes up May 3-4 with the Urban Tour presented by the Downtown Council and held in conjunction with the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City Spring Homes Tour. In addition to the for-sale homes featured on the 2008 Spring Homes Tour, the Urban Tour highlights 26 for-sale and rental townhomes, condominiums, lofts, flats and apartment properties.

The Urban Tour weekend is an opportunity to take a closer look at downtown as a neighborhood all its own. Free shuttle buses will provide transportation to projects throughout downtown. It’s an opportunity to see the newest additions to downtown such as the Sprint Center and the Power & Light District and envision what the future holds with coming attractions such as the performing arts center and the continuing revitalization of neighborhoods from the River Market and Columbus Park through the Crossroads and Jazz Districts.

The Urban Tour takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 3 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, May 4. The tour headquarters can be found at 14th Street and Grand Boulevard with free shuttles connecting visitors to the 26 properties featured on the tour. An exclusive VIP tour takes place Friday, May 2 featuring food, wine and live entertainment while visiting four properties. Tickets are $30. For more information visit www.kcspringhomestour.com.

For revelers who want to get the jump start on Urban Tour weekend, Friday, May 2 is the Crossroads District’s famous First Friday celebration. First Friday takes place amid the many art galleries, studios and restaurants of the Crossroads District and showcases both local and national artists. Food, drinks and live music are all part of the festivities, with galleries open free from 7 to 9 p.m. The Crossroads District is located between 15th Street, Interstate 35, Troost Avenue and the Freighthouse District to the south.

Homes also featured on this year’s Spring Homes Tour can be found in the Urban Living section of the official tour guide. Entries on the Spring Homes Tour will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily May 4 through May 18. Admission to the tour is free. For more information on both the Spring Homes Tour and the Urban Tour, visit www.kcspringhomestour.com.

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