TB Watkins

At the northern gateway to Kansas City’s historic 18th & Vine Cultural District, the former TB Watkins site is poised for a transformative mixed-use redevelopment that will bring new energy, investment, and opportunity to one of the city’s most culturally significant neighborhoods.

The approximately $500 million development is planned to include nearly 1,300 new housing units, along with entertainment, retail, commercial, and hospitality spaces. Designed as a vibrant destination where people can live, work, gather, and experience Kansas City’s unique cultural legacy, the project will connect the neighborhood’s historic roots with its future.

The development will place a special emphasis on two defining elements of Kansas City history: Negro Leagues Baseball and Jazz. By celebrating the people, stories, music, and athletic achievements that helped shape the city and American culture, the redevelopment will create opportunities to preserve this legacy while introducing it to new generations.

Master planning for the project is being led by HOK, a globally recognized design firm with an extensive portfolio of transformative projects, including Kansas City’s Power & Light District and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. HOK is also leading work on the West Bottoms Master Plan in Kansas City.

The TB Watkins redevelopment represents more than a new development—it is an opportunity to reconnect a historic neighborhood, create new housing and economic opportunities, and establish a destination that celebrates Kansas City’s cultural identity.