Like its name suggests, this historic district connects Downtown to Mid-town and is where our city often comes together. Originally built up with turn of the 19th Century brick warehouses and businesses that served the adjacent railroad lines, The Crossroads has seen booms and busts over the years. The neighborhood is now enjoying a well-earned renaissance as a hub for the creative community and Kansas City’s thriving food and arts scene (notably on the first Friday of the month, when people flock for First Fridays). Many original structures have been rehabbed and repurposed and new businesses continue to set up shop here, from makers to brewers, tech startups to hair salons, ad agencies to tattoo studios.
Walking east on 18th St., a hand-painted sign on a lightpole diverts your attention down the alley, which then explodes with color. The corridor has become an ever-evolving hub for some of the area’s most talented street and graffiti artists, who overtook a down-on-its-look urban area and made it far more inviting. The alley takes you north to 17th, where more art and murals have taken over the block’s buildings.
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