Michael Bushnell
Publisher 

Independence Avenue’s Community Improvement District, stretches from The Paseo on the West to Ewing Avenue on the East, and is divided into four separate and very distinctive zones.  From West to East, Zones 1 through 4 each have their own strengths as well as challenges.  

This week, we kick off a new series beginning with Zone 1, spanning the Avenue from The Paseo to Benton Boulevard.  Zone 1 has more institutional feel being the home of KCU, SVN Charter School, Century Towers, home to a number of city offices as well as the city’s Emergency Management Center and of course, the historic Independence Boulevard Christian Church. 

Beautifully reconfigured Independence Plaza Park bisects the Pendleton Heights and Independence Plaza neighborhood between Brooklyn and Park Avenues and the American Sons of Columbus, the Northeast Chamber, the CID offices and The Northeast News also call this part of the Avenue home.

Last but certainly not least, the zone’s newest residential development, The Pendleton Arts Block was designed and built as a residential gathering place for a variety of Northeast based Artists.

Zone 1 is also part of the Paseo Gateway Project, a $30-million redevelopment project that is currently in its final phases with the reconfiguration of the Independence and Paseo intersection. The Paseo Gateway project, administered by LISC, was launched almost a decade ago and has seen the demolition of two motels on The Paseo, the demolition of the Chouteau Courts housing project and the relocation of those tenants to newer housing along with the upgraded Independence and Paseo Boulevard intersection.

Join us in upcoming weeks as we spotlight each Community Improvement District’s Zone.