West Bottoms Weekly: Rock Island Bridge Inches Toward Opening, The Pitch Profiles New Material Books
Two stories caught our eye this week — a major infrastructure project inching toward its opening and a small bookstore earning well-deserved citywide attention.
Rock Island Bridge Nearing Completion
KSHB reported this week that the Rock Island Bridge entertainment district is getting closer to opening, though no firm date has been set. Major structural work — including building construction and electrical installation — is complete, and construction on the east-side staircase and ramp is nearly finished. Developer Flying Truss is working toward a March 31, 2026 deadline approved by the Wyandotte County Economic Development & Finance Committee.
Project leader Mike Zeller described the complexity of the effort, likening it to "building an airplane and taking off at the same time." Once open, the historic railroad bridge spanning the Kansas River will become what its developers call "America's first entertainment district over a river," featuring restaurants, bars, live music, pop-up shops, and zip-lining — all elevated 40 feet above the water, connecting Kansas City, Kansas to the West Bottoms.
Full west-side access is expected by mid-2026. It's a project that could bring significant new foot traffic to our neighborhood.
KSHB: Rock Island Bridge inching closer to completion, but no opening date set yet
The Pitch Spotlights New Material Books
The Pitch published a feature this week on New Material Books, the 250-square-foot independent bookstore on the seventh floor of the Livestock Exchange Building. Run by married couple Brandan and Hannah Griffin — both MFAs in creative writing who relocated from New York in 2022 — the shop focuses on poetry, prose, and periodicals with a distinctly curated sensibility.
Beyond selling books, NMB hosts free writing workshops, poetry readings, and artist talks, and distributes works from independent presses that lack broader institutional representation. It's exactly the kind of small, passionate business that makes the West Bottoms special.
New Material Books is currently open Saturdays from 12–5 p.m.
Also This Week
Kansas City PBS premieres "Aunt Sister: The Legacy of Sarah Rector" on February 26, a docudrama about KC's first Black millionaire. The production team shot at locations across the region, including the West Bottoms.
KSHB: Kansas City filmmaker shares untold story of city's first Black millionaire
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