18th And Vine is a well-preserved jazz district dating back to the 1920s
From the 1920s through the ‘30s, sounds of trumpets and saxophones filled the air at 18th And Vine, also known as Kansas City’s historic jazz district. Though the area deteriorated post-segregation, former councilman Emanuel Cleaver led a revitalization effort in 1989, developing new apartment complexes and restoring The Gem, a baroque-style theater built in 1912. Today, swanky music clubs, the American Jazz Museum and multi-color murals of icons like Charlie Parker keep the area’s past alive. “It’s basically the live music hub of Kansas City. You can find somewhere to go just about every night of the week,” says Doug Knetzer, a real estate agent with Compass Realty Group, who has sold several homes nearby. The entire district shuts down to car traffic for events like the Juneteenth Heritage Festival, and people from across the city visit for the barbecue at Arthur Bryant’s. Baseball fans will also find ample activity here, whether it’s spectating games at a Royals-sponsored youth complex or learning about the groundbreaking Negro Leagues. Located just east of downtown, 18th And Vine is near other bustling Kansas City enclaves, like Power and Light and the Country Club Plaza.
The 18th and Vine Historic District offers many things to see and do in Kansas City.
The Charlie 'Bird' Parker Memorial celebrates the life of the jazz genius in 18th & Vine.
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Apartment complexes near a large industrial sector
“This isn’t a place where anyone is really buying a house. It’s almost entirely apartment complexes,” says Knetzer. Renters will find units on the second and third floors of red brick-façade eateries and bars. The stand-alone Jazz District Apartments complex has one-bedroom options starting at $1,200 per month and two-bedroom townhouses for around $1,500. Established in 1963, Park Parade Homes is the city’s oldest Black-owned co-op. However, its 510 units are currently empty as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development sets to have the complex entirely renovated by 2027 at the latest. The neighborhood’s eastern region has a few 1920s bungalows, typically selling for between $125,000 to $200,000, a range lower than a Kansas City home’s average $250,000 selling price. Over half of 18th And Vine is filled with industrial buildings, including the Belfonte Ice Cream Company manufacturing plant, which has been here since 1969. Residents should be advised that the area holds a 7 out of 10 crime score on the CAP Index.
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Apartment homes are predominant in the 18th and Vine neighborhood.
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Royals-sponsored youth baseball games, jazz shows at The Gem and a historic park
Locals can hear the crack of a bat during Saturday games and weeknight practices at the Kansas City MLB Urban Youth Academy, a four-diamond complex made in partnership with the Kansas City Royals. Baseball fans can also head across the street to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM), detailing the organization's beginnings post-Civil War to its end in the 1960s. Vintage jerseys hang behind glass boxes, and 10 life-sized bronze sculptures of prolific players like Jackie Robinson fill the exhibit hall. The American Jazz Museum is in the same red-brick building, organizing over 200 performances every year at its two neighboring venues. Local musicians play regularly at The Blue Room, an intimate cocktail lounge that was once a hotel for Black travelers in the 1930s. The yellow and red neon sign outside The Gem glows every night, but the 500-seat venue typically only hosts nationally recognized performers, like pianist Ramsey Lewis or saxophonist Bobby Watson, on the weekends.
As one of Kansas City’s first parks, The Grove has been around since 1898, when it was known for its Roman-style bathhouse. While that structure no longer stands, residents will find two playgrounds and a cash-only public pool surrounded by striped blue and yellow umbrellas shading white plastic lawn chairs. An indoor lap lane pool and fitness center are open year-round at the Gregg Klice Community Center, where metal art installations and modern playground equipment dot the surrounding 10 acres of green space.
Passionate young athletes play at the many fields in The Parade at 18th & Vine.
The KC Urban Youth Academy is located in the 18th & Vine neighborhood.
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Kansas City Public Schools or a charter option
Children here can attend Wendell Phillips Elementary and Northeast Middle, both of which have C-minus grades on Niche. Lastly, students may go to C-graded Northeast High, which offers around 20 Advanced Placement classes, like European history, Chinese and music theory. KIPP Endeavor Academy is a charter option in the neighborhood, serving kindergarten through eighth grade since 2007.
Wendell Phillips elementary School care for students from grades k-6.
KIPP Endeavor Academy aims to equip students with the skills in 18th and Vine.
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A hot dog festival and a Juneteenth parade
At the end of September, soul food trucks and paintings made by Black creators line the street for the three-day 18th and Vine Arts Festival. The NLBM showcases one of the sport's signature foods at the Heart of America Hot Dog Festival, where visitors can eat all-beef franks and listen to live blues music on The Paseo’s grass median. Local drill teams and vintage cars parade across 18th Street for the Juneteenth Heritage Festival, which has been celebrated here since 2011.
18th And Vine is a car-dependent enclave with public transportation proximity
“You’d have to walk under the highway to go anywhere outside the neighborhood, so it’s best to have a car,” says Knetzer. Interstate 70 spans the neighborhood’s northern region, and a 21-mile drive along the highway and Interstate 29 leads to the Kansas City International Airport. Numerous RideKC bus stops are in the area, and the Kansas City Streetcar is 4 miles away on Main Street, offering stops from Union Station to the River Market.
RideKC allows for easy access to the 18th & Vine District.
18th & Vine is a historical district bustling with life.
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Eat at Arthur Byrant’s and listen to a Caribbean band at The Kansas City Juke House
Lines often form down Brooklyn Avenue for Arthur Bryant’s, a barbeque go-to since 1949. “The great Kansas City debate is whether Arthur Bryant’s, Oklahoma Joe’s or Gate’s has the best barbecue,” says Knetzer. Patrons order at the counter, then sit in red leather seats to devour sweet heat sauce-smothered baby back ribs and smoked meat sandwiches served on thick white bread. After an oyster appetizer and steak dinner at Soiree, residents can walk to The Kansas City Juke House, a spacious late-night locale with Caribbean bands on Thursday and soul music open mics on Monday. Restored warehouses filled with breweries and coffee shops are just 2 miles west in the Crossroads Arts District, and the nearby Power and Light District has nightclubs and a Consentino’s Market for grocery shopping. Fifteen city blocks of familiar retailers like Apple and Barnes and Noble are in Spanish-style storefronts on the Country Club Plaza, 6 miles south.
One of the most famous eateries in 18th and Vine, and Kansas City, is Arthur Bryant’s Barbeque.
The Kansas City Juke House is a laid-back venue for live jazz & blues at 18th & Vine.
GreatSchools:
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**For Sale: Prime 9,000 SF Level Lot – A Blank Canvas for Your Vision**Michelangelo and da Vinci needed a blank canvas—here's your opportunity to reimagine the future on a 9,000 SF level lot (lots 21-23, Seller will not divide). Ideal for either a single-family home or multi-family development, this prime location offers easy access to I-29 and I-70, I-35, and only 2 miles from downtown
Interested in learning more about homes in this neighborhood?
Reach out to
Kenneth Tromp,
an experienced agent in this area.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
1,203
Median Age
45
Population Density
5 ppl/acre
Population under 18
22%
On par with the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
22%
On par with the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$35,435
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$48,745
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
88.1%
College Graduates
7.5%
Significantly below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
2.1%
Below the national average
13.3%
% Population in Labor Force
59.8%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
38''
Average Winter Low Temperature
23°F
Average Summer High Temperature
90°F
Annual Snowfall
24''
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
50/ 100
Somewhat Walkable
Walk Score®
66/ 100
Some Transit
Transit Score®
45/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
