KCRag Forum

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the building that had Power & Light Grill on street level? Zoo Bar is a couple blocks away, on McGee Street.

mgh7676 wrote:Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the building that had Power & Light Grill on street level? Zoo Bar is a couple blocks away, on McGee Street.

I believe you are correct. We can't have Zoo Bar going anywhere. Ol' Ironsides.

Zoo Bar > Holiday Inn Express, for sure.

fixed the thread title for you.

During the '60's this building housed Alexander Barkett's Civic Plaza N ational Bank. In the late '60's and earlly '70's he proposed a 52 story office slab taking up the whole block where the MO Court of Appeals now stands. Looked a little like the former Republic Bank(Elm Tower) in Dallas. IF this had come to fruition before Crown Center DT might have not sunk to the lows it did.

Permit issued for interior demolition on this building. This project might be firing up soon.

KCDowntown

Historic Interstate Building downtown will be converted into a Holiday Inn Express: http://www.kansascity.com/news/business ... 04737.html

Seems things are moving pretty quickly now that the new owner has control of the building. Btw it seems that this building's owner is the same guy who owns the Gumbel building that is also being turned into a hotel (Hampton Inn).

I just wish the rest of the block this building is on would get developed, and the block to the south of it.

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pash wrote:Seems like there is a lot of hotel space coming online in the loop and Crossroads over the next year or so. Probably about 500 rooms? What are vacancies like right now, and why does everybody all of the sudden send to think there's a lot of unmet demand?

I think there is increased demand. It used to be that my wife and I could get a cheap rate on a weekend getaway downtown. Rates for the Westin and Sheraton would be around $99/night with nicer hotels (Ambassador) being $149. Rates have risen about $50/night when I have looked recently.

Nice to see more action E of Grand. So is this the building that had Torrentino's pizza? Wish that would return as it was pretty good, especially the calzones and mirepoix-based sugo sauce.

Hotel rooms in the works:

1524 Main Courtyard 153 rooms
1524 Main Residence 104
Federal Reserve 301
HI Express, Interstate Bldg, 417 E 13th 76
Hampton Inn, Gumbel Bldg, 801 Walnut 70
Savoy 120
Hilton Home2 115

Total 939

One reason might be that Sprint Center has added--on average--one hundred events a year to the downtown loop. I know a lot of that is local people, who go home afterwards. But I do know people who live in region who attend concerts at Sprint Center, and stay in a downtown hotel afterwards because they don't want to drive home after the concert. As concerts go, Sprint Center serves a bigger area than just the Metro. People drive in from 100 miles for certain concerts, and AEG is bringing in concerts that bypassed KC before. Those extra concerts, that we didn't get before, bring in people associated with producing the concert from the artists to the roadies, who put up and tear down stages, and all the associated staff who travel on tour.

There are also additional attractions downtown that weren't here just a few years ago: The Kauffman Center, The Copaken Stage, SeaLife Aquarium, Legoland, the WWI Museum, and certain tours of exhibits at Union Station. The Midland Theater is better programmed than before, and there are more events there. This attracts more people from the region than before, who drive in, and some of them are probably spending a weekend, or the night, in a hotel, than before.

Don't forget all the publicity KC is getting these days. Face it guys, Kansas City is an IT town right now. Featured articles in the NY Post, Forbes, Huffington Post, and even articles across the seas are showing KC as a super hip city right now. This is certainly boosting our tourism.

Not to mention Sporting KC winning the title a year ago and the Royals going to the World Series this year. And we hosted the All-Star game a year ago...

And we now host a huge folk festival, home of the Folk Alliance... Which is coming this next month.

We are getting a lot of attention these days, and it is coming from all angles. Sports, music, technology, arts, etc.

More hotels is a smart move. You may say that this is only a fad of sorts, which it may be to a degree, but KC is a different place than it once was. And it only going to become more vibrant. Everything is in place.

missingkc wrote:Hotel rooms in the works:

1524 Main Courtyard 153 rooms
1524 Main Residence 104
Federal Reserve 301
HI Express, Interstate Bldg, 417 E 13th 76
Hampton Inn, Gumbel Bldg, 801 Walnut 70
Savoy 120
Hilton Home2 115

Total 939

Now we just need a network of skyways to connect them all.

Found these images of the project on BRR's website: http://www.brrarch.com/portfolio/holiday-inn-express/







Looks like it should be a pretty good restoration. The architect's website says that the back of the building will get a new stair/elevator tower designed to compliment the Sprint Center using precast concrete.

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pash wrote:So, main entrance from the rear parking lot? ...

That's a guest entrance. The main entrance is likely on the street where they can do valet parking

I guess it's an improvement. Looks kind of vintage eastern bloc.

Work will begin in April and should be finished by the end of the 2015.

http://tinyurl.com/mz9va7l