Kansas City’s Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Commission has approved backing for a roughly $480 million redevelopment plan that would transform the Scarritt Building, a historic downtown skyscraper, into a mixed-use complex featuring a luxury hotel, apartments, retail, and a music venue.
Under the plan, the Scarritt Building at 818 Grand Boulevard would be adaptively reused as a 167-room destination hotel branded by Universal Music. The broader project, located on the 800 block of Grand Avenue, would also include a residential tower with 319 multi-family units, about 28,000 square feet of ground-floor retail, and a 1,400-seat music and entertainment venue.
Port KC, the public development authority driving the project, approved the resolution to issue up to $480 million in taxable revenue bonds to support the development. Construction is expected to take place in two phases over roughly five years, with work on the Scarritt Building renovation slated to begin in 2026.
The Scarritt Building, completed in 1907, is one of downtown Kansas City’s oldest skyscrapers. It has been largely vacant in recent years but carries historic significance, having been added to historic registers.
The redevelopment effort seeks to pair preservation of the landmark building with catalytic growth for the surrounding Grand Corridor. Officials argue that restoring the Scarritt Building — alongside new housing, retail, and entertainment — aligns with broader goals of revitalizing the city’s core and driving long-term economic vitality.
If all goes according to plan, the development could bring new residents, visitors, and cultural amenities to downtown Kansas City, anchored by the historic Scarritt Building and powered by modern investment.
Header image: An aerial rendering highlighting the historic Scarritt Building at 818 Grand Blvd. in the Grand Corridor of downtown Kansas City. Image | Hoefer Welker