Architecture of Kansas City
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The architecture of the
.Kansas City, Missouri was founded in the 1850s at the confluence of the
The core of the downtown area was developed in an early 20th-century building boom that continued into the
).The second period of building growth occurred from the 1960s through the 1980s. During this time, Kansas City, Missouri gained much of its modern glass skyscrapers, including One Kansas City Place, which is the tallest building in Missouri at 623 feet. Suburban growth spread into Johnson County, Kansas, with new homes and mid-rise office buildings concentrated in Overland Park and Leawood, Kansas.
After a period of urban decline and stagnation in the inner city, downtown Kansas City has been revived by several major new works of architectural design.
Early architecture
Kansas City, Missouri's first
In the late 1800s, architectural leadership of the booming Kansas City included architect James Oliver Hogg
Art Deco, Terra Cotta, and Gothic styles
Kansas City underwent an early skyscraper boom between 1920 and 1940, including the Power and Light Building, Oak Tower, City Hall, the Jackson County Court House, the Bryant Building, and the Fidelity National Bank building. Today, many of these buildings are being renovated for various uses, from
over.Frank Lloyd Wright buildings
Frank Lloyd Wright designed three buildings that stand in the Kansas City area: the Frank Bott Residence (1950), the Clarence Sondern House (1940), and Community Christian Church (1940).[9]
Community Christian Church
This Frank Lloyd Wright building is on Main at East 46th Street, across from the
In 1994, the Spire of Light was finally completed as planned. The components are housed on the church roof inside of a perforated dome on the building's northwestern corner. The spire is created by four (4) 16" xenon bulbs ignited by 40,000 volts of electricity, then, in combination with a parabolic reflector, produces 300 million candela of illumination (per light, 1.2 billion cp total) in a near perfect column.[10] The spire is visible for miles around Kansas City, and reportedly can be seen from 10 miles (16 km) north of the Plaza, depending on conditions. It has been calculated to stop at least 3 miles (4.8 km) up above the earth, about half the maximum height at which jet airplanes fly. The spire of light is lit regularly on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, except religious holidays, and is one of the features of the annual Plaza lighting ceremony.
Tours of Community Christian Church are open to the public and free of charge.[11]
Modern and post-modern architecture
Kansas City had a building boom in the 1970s based on
During this period
The optimism of this era came to a crashing end when the Kemper Arena roof collapsed during a storm in 1979 (although no one was injured) and when skybridges at the new Hyatt Regency in Crown Center collapsed in the Hyatt Regency walkway collapse on July 17, 1981, in the worst engineering disaster in recorded history in terms of human lives. Both buildings were repaired and remain in use.
In addition to these disasters, TWA asked the city to extensively rebuild the terminals at the newly opened Kansas City International Airport so that it could have central checkpoints. The airport renovations had already come in at $100 million over budget, so the city refused. As a result, TWA moved its hub to St. Louis. In 2006, the city finally announced plans for a $250 million overhaul of the terminals to accommodate the security issues.
In the 1980s, the nation moved from the "modern" style of architecture (as inspired by architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe), building large, boxy structures, to a "postmodern" style. The two most noticeable postmodern buildings in the Kansas City skyline are the Town Pavilion (built in 1986) and One Kansas City Place (1988). One Kansas City Place is a taller, glass version of City Hall. The building rises 623 feet from its main entrance to the top of its spire and is Missouri's tallest office building.
Original Kansas City architecture
Kansas City's most profound influence on national architecture is the Kansas City-style of stadium that originated with the
The most distinctive feature of any modern Kansas City building is its use of
Historical building restoration
Landmark Tower/One Park Place
This building used to be known as the BMA (Business Men's Assurance Company) Building. It is located south of downtown at the intersection of Southwest Tfwy and 31st Street, directly across from the Fox 4 News building and towers, and on the same block as Penn Valley skatepark.
Built in 1964, Landmark Tower was designed by architects at
Renovation began in 2003. The only opposition occurred when developers wanted to build additional residential facilities inside the park adjacent to the tower. The One Park Place developers say the tower will hold between 150 and 200 residential units. Gastinger Walker Harden Architects is working with the developers on the renovations, respecting the original design, which was inspired by the "International" style.
The View
Located at 600 Admiral Boulevard, it was completed in 1967. The architects of this building were John L. Daw & Associates. The Vista del Rio was the first multi-story exposed concrete structural frame building allowed by federal specifications. It was also the first federally approved high-rise to use sheetrock for internal walls. It was originally built to inspire urban renewal in the previously dilapidated area; however, after a period of misuse, the building itself fell into deep disrepair. After much of its glass had been removed, it began to be used by more "troublesome" citizens. By the 1990s, maintenance and care became so bad that graffiti appeared throughout the structure and, unfortunately, even human remains were found around the premises.
Many predicted the destruction of this neglected building, but at the beginning of current downtown redevelopment, its future became much brighter. The Vista Del Rio became the View, turning from a public nuisance to a magnet for people wishing anew to live downtown.
Fidelity Bank and Trust/909 Walnut
This building is located at 909 Walnut Street (formerly 911 Walnut Street), in the north portion of downtown's Central Business District. Constructed in 1931 (at the same time as the Power and Light Building), it is 35 stories tall.
Built to replace the Fidelity National Bank and Trust Building that had existed on that site, it was designed by Hoit, Price and Barnes Architects, the same firm that designed the Power and Light Building. It won a local American Institute of Architects award in the 1930s during its construction. The twin towers at its top resemble those of notable buildings around the United States, such as
In 2003, several proposals competed to turn this building into a residential tower. The building now houses 150-180 residential units, complete with rooftop terraces for its two multimillion-dollar penthouses.
New development
During the 1950s and 1960s, as many downtown residents moved south and north to Kansas City's sprawling suburbs; downtown's population dwindled. By the 1980s, downtown Kansas City consisted mostly of office towers, with few thriving neighborhoods remaining. However, major downtown redevelopment has brought back thousands of residents; with them has come a need for more buildings and more density.
In late 2004, H&R Block announced the construction of its new headquarters, a 17-story tower downtown that was completed in early 2007. The tower serves as the anchor of a six-block entertainment district neighboring the Central Business District. This project includes five new skyscrapers intended to bring additional entertainment, jobs, and housing to downtown.
Local architectural firms have major contracts with these and other new proposals. The two biggest are the Power and Light District, designed by Cordish Company of Baltimore, Maryland, and the 18,500-seat T-Mobile Center arena, originally named Sprint Center.
On October 6, 2006, ground was broken on the
The Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City completed the building of a new headquarters located southwest of Crown Center.
Name | Floors | Year Completed | Use |
---|---|---|---|
2555 Grand | 26 | 2003 | Office |
H&R Block Tower | 17 | 2006 | Office |
Kirkwood Circle | 13 | 2005 | Residential |
4646 Broadway | 13 | 2007 | Residential |
Federal Reserve HQ | 14 | 2007 | Office |
Plaza Colonnade | 10 | 2004 | Office |
Plaza Vista | 10 | 2013 | Office |
One Light | 25 | 2015 | Residential |
Two Light | 23 | 2017 | Residential |
Loews Kansas City Hotel | 30 | 2020 | Hotel |
See also
Buildings on National Register of Historic Places
- List of Registered Historic Places in Jackson County
- List of Registered Historic Places in Clay County
- List of Registered Historic Places in Platte County
References
- ^ "Kansas City". Emporis. Archived from the original on February 14, 2016. Retrieved February 10, 2021.
- ^ a b American Institute of Architects/Kansas City (2000). American Institute of Architects Guide to Kansas City Architecture & Public Art. Kansas City, Missouri: Highwater Press.
- ^ a b c d e Honig, Esther (July 24, 2014). "What Is That? Kansas City's Vine Street Castle". NPR. Retrieved April 14, 2020.
- ^ Kansas City Star. March 8, 1895. p. 6. Archived from the originalon August 16, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
- ^ a b c "Pendleton Heights Holiday Homes Tour and Artist's Market". The Telegraph. December 5, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2020.
- ^ "Ready for Its Hobo Guests". The Kansas City Star. December 20, 1897. p. 3. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
- ^ "The New Workhouse". The Kansas City Star. July 14, 1897. p. 2. Retrieved July 27, 2020.
- ^ Bushnell, Michael (October 3, 2018). "The Northeast's "Tiffany Castle"". Northeast News. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
- ^ "Frank Lloyd Wright Building Guide: Missouri Architecture". Archived from the original on 2009-10-28.
- ^ Community Christian Church.org: Facts & Figures - Steeple. Archived 2008-05-17 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Community Christian Church: Tour Information. Archived 2008-05-09 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Traceries (March 20, 1997). "The Fidelity National Bank and Trust Company Building" National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (Report). Missouri Department of Natural Resources.
External links
- Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps - Kansas City
- www.skyscraperpage.com
- KC Skyscrapers