Kansas City Missouri Country Club Plaza Christmas Lights

December 25, 2015

Kansas City Missouri Country Club Plaza Christmas Lights

Plaza Architecture Link

Kansas City Mo Country Club Plaza Christmas Lights

Description:

This 15-square-block outdoor shopping and entertainment district is filled with romantic Spanish architecture, European art and dazzling fountains. Designed in 1922, the Country Club Plaza features boutiques and fashionable national stores as well as distinctive restaurants, outdoor cafes and nightlife hotspots.

Address:

Plaza Customer Service: 4750 Broadwayt, Kansas City, MO 64112

Location:

10 minutes south of Downtown.

Phone Number:

816-753-0100

Website:

http://www.countryclubplaza.com

The Plaza boasts a list of more than 150 shopping and restaurant destinations. Seasoned shoppers will recognize fine stores like Burberry, kate spade new york and Tommy Bahama. In addition, original Kansas City stores like Halls and Tivol give local flavor to the Plaza's reputation as a national fashion center.

The area is home to more than 30 restaurants and eateries, many featuring outdoor dining areas, live music and happy hour specials.

Plaza Customer Service (at 4750 Broadway) offers extensive Kansas City and Plaza visitor information, luxurious public restrooms, public lounge and complimentary coffee and tea.

Stretching 55 acres, the old world architecture of the Plaza features Spanish-style towers, red-tiled roofs and ornate ironwork. With more than 40 fountains and 50 sculpted works of art, the Plaza is often referred to as an "outdoor museum."

The Cinemark Palace at the Plaza offers first-run movies, 15 auditoriums, a full bar and food menu and a VIP room.

Operating Hours:

Retail store hours - 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m. - 8 p.m. Thurs., noon - 6 p.m. Sun. Check with individual merchants for specific hours.

Admission:

Free.

Annual Attendance:

Approximately 15 million.

History:

Designed as the nation's first suburban shopping district for the automobile, the Country Club Plaza was the vision of developer J.C. Nichols. Seeking to create a real estate development that captured the allure of Spanish marketplaces, Nichols purchased several small lots of land in a swampy and undeveloped area in 1907 and opened the Plaza's first buildings in 1922. Highwoods Properties acquired the Country Club Plaza in 1998. Originally nicknamed "Nichols' Folly," the Country Club Plaza's Moorish architecture now features more than $1 million in artwork, comprised of the district's fountains, murals and more than 30 statues

Where To Lunch:

With 30 restaurants and 17 outdoor dining venues, the Country Club Plaza offers a diverse dining landscape to busy shoppers. From Kansas City favorites like Fiorella's Jack Stack Barbecue and Plaza III Steakhouse to exciting newcomers like Gram & Dun, Coal Vines and Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurant, there is something to suit every appetite and budget

Annual Special Events:

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art are just minutes away. The Toy & Miniature Museum is just to the south on the University of Missouri-Kansas City campus.

Don't Forget:

Your camera. The Plaza's 40+ whimsical and artistic fountains create fantastic photo opportunities. Check out the elaborate J.C. Nichols Fountain at 47th Street and J.C. Nichols Parkway; it remains Kansas City's most photographed fountain.

Group Tours:

Two carriage companies — Surrey's and Kansas City Carriages — offer horse-drawn tours everyday, while gondola rides are available through Ambiance on the Water, every Wednesday through Saturday for special occasions.

Driving:

From the north: Take I-35 S, exit on Southwest Trafficway after traveling through Downtown. Stay on Southwest Trafficway for approximately 20 blocks. Go left (east) on 47th Street, taking you directly to the Plaza.

From the west: Travel on I-70 E, exit on I-35 South and then exit again on Southwest Trafficway after traveling through Downtown. Stay on Southwest Trafficway for approximately 20 blocks. Go left (east) on 47th Street, taking you directly to the Plaza.

From the south: From I-35 N, take the Shawnee Mission Parkway/56 E exit. Continue for about 10 minutes. After passing State Line, stay to the left with Ward Parkway traffic traveling east. The Plaza is just a few blocks away. Turn left on Wornall Road or J.C. Nichols Parkway.

From the east: Take I-70 W, travel through Downtown and join the I-35 S traffic. Exit on Southwest Trafficway and drive for approximately 20 blocks. Go left (east) on 47th Street, taking you directly to the Plaza.

Public Transportation:

Take the MAX to the Plaza stop.

Parking:

Nine parking garages offer free parking on the Country Club Plaza. Free street parking also available.

PR Contact:

Gayle Terry, director of marketing, at 816-960-6232 or gayle.terry@highwoods.com.

Uptown Theater

“The original design for the Uptown was carried out by Kansas City architect Robert Gornall. Construction first began on the portion of the Uptown that would house offices and shops along Broadway [on the left]. This office and retail portion of the Uptown was completed in November 1926. Gornall's plans also called for a theater to extend along the rear portion of the building, with a tower at the north end to serve as an entrance and foyer. ...Austrian-born designer John Eberson was hired to complete the construction of the Uptown and oversee the decoration of the interior… . Eberson completed the design of the Uptown in Italian Renaissance style as an atmospheric theatre. It was the only one of its kind in Kansas City as well as the State of Missouri. The inside of the theater replicated an outdoor Mediterranean courtyard, complete with a nighttime sky ceiling with twinkling stars, clouds, and mechanical flying birds. The Uptown opened on January 6, 1928… .”