PHOTOS: Downtown MetroCenter dedication on 7th and Minnesota

By NICK SLOAN, nick@kansascitykansan.com

KANSAS CITY, KAN. --- A ceremony was held for the dedication of the Downtown MetroCenter Friday morning in Kansas City, Kan.

The center, located at 7th and Minnesota, took just over a year to complete after construction began last summer.

"Today was a collaborative effort," said Unified Government Mayor/CEO Mark Holland. "It's been a joint effort to value public transportation in Wyandotte County."

Holland said usage of public transportation in Wyandotte County is up 21 percent over the past two years - to which he credits the investments made in transportation in KCK.

Cindy Cash, president of the Kansas City, Kan., Chamber of Commerce, said the MetroCenter will help local residents connect with jobs.

"It will take people to their jobs and back to downtown," Cash said. "I hope this is just the beginning."

The Downtown MetroCenter is part of a $13 million investment into State Avenue.

For more photos from the event, click "read more."

PHOTOS: State Avenue Connex Metro Center

KANSAS CITY, KAN. --- Construction on the State Avenue Connex Metro Center continues into the summer.

Here are photos of the Metro Center, which is located on the property of the old Indian Springs Shopping Mall. Additional street construction is happening further west on State Avenue as well.

Click read more for additional photos.

State Avenue CONNEX groundbreaking this Friday

The Unified Government will host a groundbreaking for the MetroCenter of the State Avene CONNEX this Friday.

The ceremony begins at 11 a.m. this Friday on will be located on the southeast corner of 7th and Minnesota Avenue.

The project will be funded by a $10.5 million federal grant.

More information from a press release:

The State Avenue CONNEX project, funded by a federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant, is nearing the end of the architectural design and engineering phase.  The Unified Government was awarded the $10.5-million federal grant to construct enhanced bus stations along the State Avenue corridor in Kansas City, Kansas.

The improved and enhanced bus corridor is currently scheduled to include 29 new or improved bus stations as well as two brand new “MetroCenters” located at 7th and Minnesota Avenue and 47th and State Avenue. Construction on the State Avenue CONNEX project is just beginning and is scheduled to be completed in Fall 2013.