OFFICIAL - Fairfax Lofts/Hotel Indigo (former Brookfield Building)

[pash]

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[FangKC]

It's too bad that Time Equities didn't buy the Brookfield Building before the new garage to the south was built. They might have been able to connect the garage to the building, convert it to residential, and built an new addition to the old building with more apartments over the garage with extra stairs.

Even with an addition, it seems to me that if the Brookfield Building were owned by the same owner as the garage (Time Equities), that escape terraces could be built between the Brookfield that would exit into the garage on the first six floors--making it unnecessary to climb down fire escapes to the ground. Then, enclosed fire escapes could be built down from the upper six floors of the Brookfield Building that would exit onto the roof of the garage.

[kid a]

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/04/24/35 ... led-a.html

This was posted last Wednesday In the Star.
I'm hoping for a positive outcome for this building!

[KCPowercat]

Can't believe I just noticed the sidewalks blocked off....hoping this deadbeat owner sells in a hurry.

[will]

I work across the street from this building, with a nice view of the top floor. I was really glad to see the barrier go up on the sidewalk. I hadn't walked on that side of the street for awhile because we noticed the number of windows either broken or boarded up on the top two floors was changing. When I was walking to work about a week before the barriers went up, I saw a piece of glass fall from somewhere near the top and shatter on the sidewalk. I'm pretty sure it was bigger than the baseball-sized piece of terra cotta mentioned in the Star's article.

[smh]

The bots grow more wise.

[kboish]

good advice. I wondering if he knows of a good alarm/security company or something?

[FangKC]

Brookfield Building’s hazards evoke Downtown’s bad old days

I hope Sunflower Development Group takes a look at renovating this building.

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/p ... evoke.html

http://sunflowerkc.com/

[BENJKieth]

It doesn't even matter what company will take a look to this building's renovation?
The thing is, This building needs a development company who could look after for the renovation of this.

[KC Sporting Life]

This probably belongs in a thread of its own, but speaking of hazardous buildings, I think the Hotel Midwest at 20th and Main may be entering that category.

The cops have been called a few times to chase out squatters and vandals that were on the roof throwing bricks and debris onto Main st. A couple of times they've made arrests, but the last time they weren't able to apprehend anyone, and I spoke with the officers afterward. They said that if they get called again, they won't enter the building due to its condition. They sent K9s in to chase them out, and said that there were so many dead pigeon carcasses that it was almost impossible to breathe, and that the dogs got sick.

The building is in absolute ruins, and as much as I'd love to see someone restore it, I'm personally to the point where I'm just tired of looking at it every day for the past 4 years. I hope something happens there, but it isn't looking good.

[loftguy]

This probably belongs in a thread of its own, but speaking of hazardous buildings, I think the Hotel Midwest at 20th and Main may be entering that category.

The cops have been called a few times to chase out squatters and vandals that were on the roof throwing bricks and debris onto Main st. A couple of times they've made arrests, but the last time they weren't able to apprehend anyone, and I spoke with the officers afterward. They said that if they get called again, they won't enter the building due to its condition. They sent K9s in to chase them out, and said that there were so many dead pigeon carcasses that it was almost impossible to breathe, and that the dogs got sick.

The building is in absolute ruins, and as much as I'd love to see someone restore it, I'm personally to the point where I'm just tired of looking at it every day for the past 4 years. I hope something happens there, but it isn't looking good.

Talk to the ownership about closing the building up "securely". Half-assed doesn't cut it. You've got to make it too challenging for the all but the most superhumanned of the meth heads.

First, you as a neighbor make the owners aware that they are not doing an adequate job, and that it has a negative impact on you. Then you talk to media and shame the owners (put their name on here now). We have been know to close up a neighbors building on a Sunday morning, on our own dime, when the owner is incompetent.

Don't give up on the building. That sucker is still a very good candidate for conversion. It way away from being too deteriorated for reuse. The owner just needs to get real on pricing and along with that pray for continued easing of lending for renovatio.

[KC Sporting Life]

This probably belongs in a thread of its own, but speaking of hazardous buildings, I think the Hotel Midwest at 20th and Main may be entering that category.

The cops have been called a few times to chase out squatters and vandals that were on the roof throwing bricks and debris onto Main st. A couple of times they've made arrests, but the last time they weren't able to apprehend anyone, and I spoke with the officers afterward. They said that if they get called again, they won't enter the building due to its condition. They sent K9s in to chase them out, and said that there were so many dead pigeon carcasses that it was almost impossible to breathe, and that the dogs got sick.

The building is in absolute ruins, and as much as I'd love to see someone restore it, I'm personally to the point where I'm just tired of looking at it every day for the past 4 years. I hope something happens there, but it isn't looking good.

Talk to the ownership about closing the building up "securely". Half-assed doesn't cut it. You've got to make it too challenging for the all but the most superhumanned of the meth heads.

First, you as a neighbor make the owners aware that they are not doing an adequate job, and that it has a negative impact on you. Then you talk to media and shame the owners (put their name on here now). We have been know to close up a neighbors building on a Sunday morning, on our own dime, when the owner is incompetent.

Don't give up on the building. That sucker is still a very good candidate for conversion. It way away from being too deteriorated for reuse. The owner just needs to get real on pricing and along with that pray for continued easing of lending for renovatio.

Unfortunatlely, the owner is MIA and the building has been handed over to a trustee that's handling bankruptcy proceedings. I don't pretend to know a lot about this process, but from what I hear the owner of the building has multiple liens, some to FDIC controlled banks. So, it appears that no one actually has the best interests of the building or the surrounding properties in mind here. I believe the bank wants to sell the property for around $800K-$900K, and I have seen a bit more traffic through there recently, so that's a good sign.

If I were a developer, I would snag that building, as well as the 2 story red brick building to the north, and the 3 surrounding parking lots. The very large triangle lot to the south of 20th St. should be developed into a multi-level parking garage, and the other lots should be developed into residential/office space, while the Midwest is restored into a boutique hotel. In a perfect world, anyway.

[smh]

Agreed. Also, this definitely deserves its own thread.

[KCKev]

http://forum.kcrag.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=18069

[longviewmo]

http://forum.kcrag.com/viewtopic.php?f=50&t=18069

"You are not authorised to read this forum."

[KC-wildcat]

Looks like street barriers have been taken down. Don't know what this means.

[DaveKCMO]

Looks like street barriers have been taken down. Don't know what this means.

what's the street address? anyone check kiva for a demolition permit?

[DaveKCMO]

i used 101 w. 11th and didn't find any current permits.

[longviewmo]

Hotel Phillips has been filing a lot street parking related permits at 1100 Baltimore. They even filed one today.

[mgh7676]

There has been scaffolding up near the top of the building for a month or so. Did they make repairs, then get rid of the Barriers in time for the all star weekend? Makes the most sense to me.