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EARLY ARCHITECTURE The first Skyscraper in Kansas City was the New York Life Building, completed in 1888 . It stands twelve floors tall at a height of 180 feet (54.8 meters). After the New York Life Building was completed, Kansas City followed the national trend of constructing a plethora of buildings in construction of buildings above ten stories. Within fifty years of the building's construction, over fifty buildings over ten floors were built in and around downtown. ART DECO, TERRA COTTA AND GOTHIC STYLES Kansas City underwent an early skyscraper boom between 1920 and 1940 . During this time, notable skyscrapers such as the Power and Light Building, Oak Tower, City Hall, the Jackson County Court House, the Bryant Building, and the Fidelity National Bank building were constructed. The Power and Light Building became the sign of prosperity and was a known face of Kansas City for many years after its construction. Today, many of these buildings are being renovated for various uses, from residential lofts to office spaces. Oak Tower was once a building filled with Terra Cotta and Gothic Architecture . In an effort to modernize the then-40-year-old building in the 1970s, however, Southwestern Bell tore down and placed cladding over its Gargoyle s. MODERN AND POST-MODERN ARCHITECTURE The 1970s through 1990s brought many new buildings and high-rises to Kansas City. The Hyatt Regency at Crown Center is a 45-storey hotel built toward the beginning of Crown Center's establishment. On July 17 , 1981 , two Skybridges in the hotel collapsed, causing 111 fatalities and 188 injuries. It was the worst non-natural disaster in the history of the State of Missouri. In the 1980s, as the nation moved from " 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 632-foot-tall (192.6 meters) structure is the tallest habitable structure in Missouri (even taller than the Gateway Arch in St. Louis ). FUTURE BUILDINGS Since 2000 , Downtown Kansas City has undergone a virtual Renaissance . 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 included almost only office towers, with few thriving neighborhoods remaining. Today, however, major Downtown Redevelopment has brought back thousands of residents, and with them has come a need for more buildings and more density. In the winter of 2004 , H&R Block announced the construction of a 17-storey tower downtown as its new headquarters. When completed, the tower will serve as the anchor of a six-block entertainment district neighboring the Central Business District. This project hopes to bring additional entertainment, jobs and housing to Downtown, and includes five new skyscrapers within it. At least five to six other new skyscrapers have also been proposed for Downtown. Local architectural firms have major contracts with these and other new proposals, the two biggest (currently under contruction) are the Power and Light District, designed by Cordish Company of Baltimore, Maryland , and the 18,500-seat Sprint Center arena. The Federal Reserve Bank Of Kansas City is also building a new headquarters, which will be located southwest of Crown Center . ''See Also: Downtown Kansas City Redevelopment '' NOTABLE SKYSCRAPERS Kansas City's skyline may not be as recognizable to many people in the same was as other as cities such as St. Louis, New York or Chicago, Illinois , but the blending of a century of architecture has made it a heralded skyline nonetheless. The skyscrapers of Kansas City number 50-60 in the Country Club Plaza as well as around 100 in the Downtown area: HISTORICAL BUILDINGS UNDER RESTORATION Along with Downtown's redevelopment and revitalization, many older buildings are being restored to their former mystique. Below is a list of celebrated buildings from a variety of eras that have been or are being renovated. Landmark Tower/One Park Place This building is formerly known as the BMA Building. It is located south of downtown, at the intersection of Southwest Boulevard and 31st Street, directly across from the Fox 4 News building and towers. Built in 1964 , Landmark Tower was originally designed by architects at Skidmore, Owings And Merrill , who also designed the Plaza Center Building at 800 West 47th Street. Its structural grid, which is clad in white Georgian marble, is projected out in front of the actual building. Landmark Tower also earned the First Honor Award in 1964 from the American Institute Of Architects . It was also featured in a 1965 exhibit by New York's Museum Of Modern Art . Since 2003 , the renovation has begun. The only opposition occurred when developers wanted to build additional residential facilities inside the park adjacent to the tower. The developers from One Park Place have stated that 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 Mies Van Der Rohe 's postmodern "international" style. The View "The View" is also known as the Vista Del Rio Apartments. Located at 600 Admiral Boulevard, it was originally completed in 1967 . The architects of this building were John L. Daw & Associates. It was originally built to inspire urban renewal in that area, which for a long time had been very dilapidated. 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 structure and, unfortunately, even human remains were found around the premesis. Many predicted the destruction of this neglected building, but at the beginning of curent downtown redevelopment, its future became much brighter. The Vista Del Rio became the View, turning it 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 of Downtown's Central Business District. Constructed in 1931 (at the same time as the Power and Light Building), it is 35 storeys tall. Originally built to replace the Fidelity National Bank and Trust Building that had formerly 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 that grace its top resemble those of famous buildings around the United States, such as 900 North Michigan in Chicago (built in 1989), or the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City (built in 1931). The building once had a large clock in its north tower, but that has long since been removed. In 2003, several proposals arose to turn this building into a residential tower. Three years later construction continues, but for the most part, the renovation is complete. The building now houses 150-180 residential units, complete with rooftop terraces for its two multimillion-dollar penthouses. BUILDINGS PROPOSED / UNDER CONSTRUCTION / ENVISIONED RECENTLY COMPLETED BUILDINGS EXTERNAL LINKS |
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