Look for Columbia’s city council to establish a mayor’s task force tonight on the future use of the historic McKinney building on East Broadway downtown.
The city council voted unanimously in August to purchase the $1.7 million building, which is at 411 East Broadway next to Plaza tire. Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe is excited about the building, saying it has commemorated the social, educational, religious and civic life of Columbia’s African-American population for decades. Count Basie performed in the McKinney building years ago.
A two-page Columbia city council report indicates some in the community want to see a black business incubator there, while others want to see a museum dedicated to Columbia’s black history. Others want to see a stage to highlight jazz music. The task force that would be established would have 15 members, including historians, experts in Columbia’s local black history, music studies and downtown business owners.
Tonight’s council meeting begins at 7 at city hall. The meeting was moved from Monday due to the MLK Day holiday. That’s a federal, Missouri, county and city holiday.
