Vincent Paul Gauthier is the Founder and President of AuthenticityCity and Urban Realty Interests, Inc. based in Kansas City, Missouri. Incorporated in 2003, AuthenticityCity+URI offers targeted community development services. His firm has assisted in developing private real estate portfolios, crafting amenities for public venues, and providing leasing brokerage and consulting on incentive-based redevelopment projects. Currently, Mr. Gauthier’s passions include repositioning historic commercial spaces, EatsStreetKC.com, and working with smaller towns and cities to diagnose unique local assets that are best suited to help promote and appropriately grow such communities.
Mr. Gauthier has spent much of his career as an owner-developer overseeing the creation of strong neighborhood-focused developments. These include market rate and affordable rental properties, as well as historic and new infill condominiums with mixed-use amenities and public green spaces. Among URI’s award winning developments are several Kansas City area projects, including 30 Gillham Row, the Battery Lofts, East Market Row, Urban Coeur Offices & Showroom, 40 Penn Row, and Triangle Park featuring the Filling Station Café and sculpture garden.
As a sole proprietor, Mr. Gauthier has concentrated on property acquisition, contextual new construction, public/private financing, and heritage planning, all with a focus on community participation and education. Mr. Gauthier graduated from Harvard University with a post-graduate degree (MDesS Dist.) in real estate development, and retains a Missouri real estate license. He also holds degrees from the University of Tennessee and Tulane University, in urban planning (MSP) and humanities/architecture (BGS), respectively. Among the boards on which he has served are the Land Bank Agency of Kansas City, Quincy Planning Commission, American Planning Association Kansas City Chapter, American Institute of Architects–Kansas City, Preservation Action!, 4963 Neighborhood Coalition, Kansas City Riverfront Heritage Trails, St. Francis Xavier Parish, National Museum of Toys and Miniatures, and the MissouriBank Advisory Board.
Mr. Gauthier formerly served as the Executive Director of the Port Authority of Kansas City, a local redevelopment authority. In this capacity, he oversaw approximately 100 acres of land in Downtown Kansas City preparing it for redevelopment. In addition to completing significant environmental remediation, projects under his direction included design and construction of major infrastructure, passage of state economic development legislation, and significant public trail enhancements. These projects include the Riverfront West Wetlands and Trails, Berkley Riverfront Park and Town of Kansas Bridge enhancements, and passage of the Missouri Port Improvement District statute. While in this position, the former Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base also underwent a major redevelopment, including the conversion of the northern half of the site into the CenterPoint/KCS Intermodal Center.
Early in 2013, Gauthier was appointed Director of Planning for BNIM – the AIA National Architecture Firm of 2011. In Kansas City, he played a prime leadership role with the Streetcar extension analysis, KCATA Third and Grand mixed-use TOD proposal, and the Rosedale University Town Master Plan. Complex redevelopment efforts for the Jacob Center for Neighborhood Innovation in San Diego and One SI in the Louisville metro area along the Ohio River were also undertaken under his direction. Mr. Gauthier also previously served as a partner with CEHP, where he crafted the heralded redevelopment of the Historic Maple Avenue Apartments in Independence, Missouri – 10 historically rehabilitated buildings adjoining the Harry S Truman National Historic Site.
Among Gauthier’s other related activities, include serving 12 years as an adjunct professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Department of Architecture, Urban Planning and Design. He has held positions with the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, Harvard’s Center for the Study of Corporate Real Estate Strategy, and the National Park Service. His published works range from neighborhood redevelopment guidelines and local architectural histories to condominium structuring and built environment education for children.
A talk about business and OTher fun elements of life with Kansas City Royals broadcaster
and noted raconteur Joel Goldberg in August 2021
* Corrections: 1) DuQuoin State Fairgrounds historically has featured harness racing not steeplechase. 2) Gary Abram was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1970, the year prior to Satchel Paige’s induction into the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown. 3) I was unquestionably 10 years old when Roberto Clemente died — not sure why I said nine. 4) Independence, MO’s Porter/Chiles mansion was constructed in 1861. 5) A few Quincyans also had non-German names such as Roberts, Bertrand, Morris, Huck, Kane, and Oakley. ;-)
St. Francis Xavier Church and Rectory National Register Nomination Presentation to the Missouri Advisory Council of Historic Preservation
Select Development + planning projects
Gillham Row mixed-Use Redevelopment Housing + Retail + Office Project
Kansas City, Missouri
historic Maple Avenue Apartments neighborhood redevelopment
Independence, Missouri
Jacobs Center for Neighborhood Innovation — Town Master Plan
San Diego, California
Streetcar Phase 2 Expansion Analysis plan & TOD Policy Guide
Kansas City, Missouri