In the late 1990s, Kansas Citians called downtown an “urban wasteland.” A 1997 Kansas City Star article described it like this: “Mostly you've got surface parking lots, acres and acres of them, where buildings once stood. After dark, the attractions are limited to a couple of low-rent bars and a massage parlor.”

In 2000, community leaders came together to finance the $50.2 million renovation of the old First National Bank building, gambling that a beautiful new library would revitalize the area. They were right. Since the 2004 grand opening, the historic neighborhood around the Central Library – now known as the Library District and listed on the National Register of Historic Places – has become a local and national model for planning and creating diverse, vibrant, resilient communities.

As part of the 20th anniversary of Central Library and the Making a Great City series, Downtown Council of Kansas City CEO Bill Dietrich discusses this transformation and talks about how the Library has been a catalyst for the revitalization of downtown.

Dietrich has led the Downtown Council since 2002, developing it into an effective urban management group that implements a wide range of revitalization strategies and, under the DTC’s umbrella, the development and management of multiple Community Improvement Districts. Following his talk is a panel discussion with stakeholders and community and civic leaders about downtown’s development over the past 24 years.