UNI Wendell Phillips Accelerator Campus

The Urban Neighborhood Initiative (UNI) evolved as one of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of the Commerce’s “Big 5” initiatives and from work of United Way of Greater Kansas City to become an independent 501c3 and a Community Development Corporation (CDC).

UNI engaged SWT Design in the Summer of 2022 to provide master planning services to define a clear vision for the design of the Wendell Phillips Accelerator, a community-oriented activity campus that will become a hub for a variety of activities including the fine arts, dance, film, food service, and adult and early learning.

SWT Design worked with the UNI and MARC to develop a comprehensive campus plan on an abandoned school site only blocks from KC’s historic jazz district at 18th and Vine. The design process included public meetings and virtual outreach to help inform the design. The final plan incorporates multiple green infrastructure and urban agriculture solutions both on-site and in the adjacent streetscape. Outdoor spaces also encourage opportunities for small scale events and physical activity to “Fill the Gaps” in the community assets of the surrounding neighborhood. UNI is pursing the project to be part of the national Purpose Built Communities effort.

2023 Honor Award
Prairie Gateway Chapter American Society of Landscape Architects