Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street Honors Volunteers and Businesses at Annual Awards Event
Volunteers, community members and local business owners were honored during the Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner, July 20, 2022 in The Aspen Room at the Stanley.
The following individuals and businesses were recognized for their commitment to the revitalization and preservation of Downtown Lee’s Summit.
Budget Blinds- Outstanding Window Display
This award goes to the downtown business that consistently re-designs and decorates their store window displays in creative, original, and eye-catching ways.
The Stoddard family has consistently created inviting and creative window displays, year-round, often featuring one of downtown’s favorite four-legged employees, Burt Macklin. One of the biggest highlights of the year is when the windows truly come alive during the holiday season. Budget Blinds has created a downtown tradition for families to come and see the magic of the holiday season.
Art School KC- New Member Dynamo
This award is given to a new DLSMS investor who instantly became involved with downtown committees, events, and programming, and is a strong advocate for the downtown revitalization efforts.
The energy and excitement that Art School KC and its founders, Diana and Allen Rendell, have brought to downtown is contagious. From the very beginning, they sought out ways to get involved with their new community and are actively supportive of the growing arts scene downtown. As active members of our cultural arts committee, they’ve helped build upon the success of Fourth Friday Art Walk.
Vogue Condos- Top Facade Rehabilitation
This award recognizes an outside rehab of the exterior of a building.
When a major restoration had to happen to the Vogue Condos after years of water damage, the condo association decided to go bold, and restore a part of history that had been lost many years prior. Overall, the façade restoration represents a major re-investment into the downtown community, but the icing on the cake is the re-creation of the former Vogue Theatre façade, including the neon signage that once again creates a welcoming glow on Douglas. A special thank you to Bruce Holiman for his leadership in the restoration efforts and Fossil Forge Design for the research and recreation of this iconic signage.
Libations & Co.- Best Exterior Signage
This award recognizes outstanding new signage for a Downtown business.
In the past five years, Seth Allen has created a business with an amazing atmosphere that celebrates the history and the cocktail. His business has grown tremendously and necessitated a move next door into the building that formerly housed the Stanley Historic Space. With this move, Seth worked with Fossil Forge on new exterior signage that truly encompasses the character of the business. The new signage features historic touches such as neon and gold leafing and wraps around the corner of the building.
Ben Martin- Dale Hartley Service Award
This award is named after Dale Hartley, one of the founding members of DLSMS, and recognizes the volunteer who demonstrates exemplary service and goes above and beyond in service to downtown and the community. This year’s winner embodies that spirit.
Ben Martin is a founding member of the Cultural Arts Committee of Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street and has been a key volunteer in helping make the arts a vital part of Downtown Lee’s Summit. One of Ben’s largest impacts on the organization was bringing theatre to Downtown Lee’s Summit. His street theatre production called “Cellular Cenes” was honored in 2013 by Missouri Main Street Connection as the State’s Top Special Event. Over the last decade, Cellular Cenes has been performed dozens of times and even went virtual during the pandemic in a way to bring the arts to the community in a safe way. Ben continues to work tirelessly for his community to help connect the arts not only on a local level but also on a state and federal level.
Elevate 114- Outstanding Special Project
This award recognizes a special one-time project or activity that affects a downtown or neighborhood commercial district revitalization effort
Additional housing has been a priority of the organization for a number of years, going back to the Downtown Master Plan in 2004. Elevate 114 welcomes over 270 new housing units to downtown and is the largest single one-time private investment. As the project works towards completion, the energy and life the new residents have brought to downtown has been felt from day one. The new residents have become an active and important part of our downtown community, supporting businesses, volunteering at events, and serving as downtown ambassadors to their friends and family. Elevate 114 is more than just a housing project, it is an important part of our downtown community.
Jen Morris- Volunteer of the Year
This is a special award that recognizes a volunteer whose commitment to the downtown revitalization efforts has generated value for the downtown.
Jen’s first involvement with Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street was joining the staff in the spring of 2015 as our communications coordinator. However, after leaving the organization in 2017, Jen stayed actively involved. She designed the downtownls.org website and volunteered on the Piccadilly and Downtown Days committees. In 2019, she started shadowing Josh Norris to help take over the lead committee position over beverage sales at the Downtown Days festival. Little did any of us know at the time, that it would be another few years before she would put that experience and knowledge to use. She worked tirelessly to help make this past 2022 Downtown Days a huge success. Her dedication to the organization is much appreciated.
FLAVOR- Business of the Year
This award is presented to a business located in downtown LS that shows excellence in all areas of business, community involvement, and volunteerism.
The opening of FLAVOR was a bright spot early in the pandemic under so much uncertainty. Amy Keith opened just as Jackson County had announced that all businesses could open after a 6-week closure at the beginning of the pandemic. Amy was quick to get involved with Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street. Within her first year in business, she began planning the Flavor of Lee’s Summit festival, helping to raise money for charities she cared about including DLSMS. She brought excitement and energy to events such as Fourth Friday Art Walk and is in the process of expanding her business next door with the opening of the much-anticipated Downtown Deli & Market. Amy is an amazing friend and supporter to all that she comes across and we’re excited for the future of her amazing business.
Stephen Arbo- President’s Award
This award is given out each year solely at the discretion of the president of the DLSMS board of directors.
We want to take this time to recognize one of our biggest supporters over the last 20 years, City Manager Stephen Arbo, with our President’s Award. From day one, Steve has been a champion for Downtown Lee’s Summit within the walls of City Hall. He has helped to lay the foundation for what downtown has become today. He was instrumental in the development of the 2004 Downtown Master Plan and the downtown streetscape project that was transformational for the continued growth of the district. Without his support and leadership over the last 20 years, Downtown Lee’s Summit would be a much different place. We are thankful for his years of service to our community and so grateful for his support from day one.
Downtown Sculpture Walk- Top Special Event
This award recognizes a successful event that attracted new visitors to downtown.
Entering its 3rd Season, the Downtown Sculpture Walk has helped make Downtown Lee’s Summit a destination for Public Art. Under the leadership of Glenda Masters, local, regional, and national artists have been able to showcase their work within Downtown Lee’s Summit. Juried by a committee annually, each spring new artists are showcased, giving a fresh reason for families and visitors to return downtown. The inaugural season kicked off in May of 2020 with 6 sculptures. The fan favorite, The Raptor, was purchased in partnership with the Downtown Community Improvement District and the Industrial Development Authority so that it could stay a part of downtown.
Ben Wine- No Questions Asked
This last award was chosen by staff to honor someone that at a drop of a hat or donut, will do anything to help support them in any way needed. From filling up the back of his truck for a run to storage before an event or crawling on top of the bathroom ceiling to unplug the AC drain, Ben seriously asks no questions and lends a hand in whatever way possible.
2023 New Board Members
Joining the Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street Board of Directors for a three-year term are:
- Candace Jennings, Whistle Stop Coffee and Mercantile
- Dina Canseco, Country Club Bank
- Ben Wine, Local Foundery and Fossil Forge Designs
- Nick Parker, Link 2 Lee’s Summit- 2nd 3-year term
Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to the revitalization and preservation of Downtown Lee’s Summit. For more information, visit https://downtownls.org/dlsms/
