Big, empty buildings. What's left?

[bobbyhawks]

Does anyone know if the top floor of One KC Place is occupied? It may be Brian Cave, but I'm not sure if their offices go all the way up to the top. Now that the old Skies space is off limits to most people, it would be pretty great if a restaurant or cocktail lounge could open at the top of One KC ala the Hancock Tower or Rockefeller Center's Top of the Rock.

[moderne]

Downtown Minneapolis has a history of what one outsized tower can do. In the early seventies downtown Minneapolis was not all that much more than dowtown KC at the time. The tallest was Foshay, similar in age and height to KCPL. Then IDS built an almost 800 foot tower, one of the first major all glass skyscrapers. While it dwarfed everything else, it gave downtown such a spectacular point of identity that the rest of downtown went into high gear. Now there are several other towers the same height, scores of lesser towers, and Foshay is almost lost in the cacophony.l

[beautyfromashes]

I especially like the Wells Fargo Center in Minneapolis. Modern building built in the 80s but looks Art Deco.

[rxlexi]

While I agree that the idea of a Cerner tower is pure fantasy, given management's preference for the suburban form AND the city's blatant willingness to kick in tons of incentives for such, it is sad that it is the only real company in the metro capable of building on that scale at this time.

They are growing quickly, building millions of sf of new construction office space - I really wish the city could have at least held off on the massive incentive package unless they went urban core somewhere.

But alas, that ship has sailed. Perhaps they will drop a tower downtown in addition to the 3Trails campus to throw us all a bone and get their name on the skyline, as is it should be.

[Demosthenes]

While I agree that the idea of a Cerner tower is pure fantasy, given management's preference for the suburban form AND the city's blatant willingness to kick in tons of incentives for such, it is sad that it is the only real company in the metro capable of building on that scale at this time.

They are growing quickly, building millions of sf of new construction office space - I really wish the city could have at least held off on the massive incentive package unless they went urban core somewhere.

But alas, that ship has sailed. Perhaps they will drop a tower downtown in addition to the 3Trails campus to throw us all a bone and get their name on the skyline, as is it should be.

Yea you never know. They haven't started building yet. I mean sure, Cerner's management seems pretty uninterested in such a thing right now but they aren't building the whole campus right away.

Maybe they will change their mind a little over time. They could always decide to build a tower downtown to house part of the company. I mean shoot, if they put just 1/5 of their company into a building downtown it would be very big.

I'm holding out hope. In 5 years downtown is going to be a much different place. It could be different enough to potentially change some minds.

[moderne]

Cerner World Centre: executive and administrative HQ

[pash]

.

[Demosthenes]

To be located at the center of the known universe, the intersection of I-35 & I-435 in Lenexa, Kansas.

OK, enough of the Cerner talk. Not going to happen. Let's resume the discussion about buildings that actually exist downtown and what might be done with them.

Feel free to start.

[pash]

.

[Demosthenes]

Aha, you got me. I guess we can get back to your topic.

[herrfrank]

Does anyone know if the top floor of One KC Place is occupied? It may be Brian Cave, but I'm not sure if their offices go all the way up to the top. Now that the old Skies space is off limits to most people, it would be pretty great if a restaurant or cocktail lounge could open at the top of One KC ala the Hancock Tower or Rockefeller Center's Top of the Rock.

The 41st floor is empty currently. Bryan Cave is 38-39, I believe (maybe some space on 40 also). There are two additional floors (42 and 43) that are nonleased space for equipment that might be convertible into something else.

[flyingember]

There's one notable building that seems like it would be a steal for a project right now.

Executive Plaza (8th and Main).
It has it's own parking for executives, it has streetcar access, it's almost right at a freeway exit.

It's owned by Commerce Bank

[loftguy]

There's one notable building that seems like it would be a steal for a project right now.

Executive Plaza (8th and Main).
It has it's own parking for executives, it has streetcar access, it's almost right at a freeway exit.

It's owned by Commerce Bank

I thought that sold to a developer from JoCo?

[flyingember]

There's one notable building that seems like it would be a steal for a project right now.

Executive Plaza (8th and Main).
It has it's own parking for executives, it has streetcar access, it's almost right at a freeway exit.

It's owned by Commerce Bank

I thought that sold to a developer from JoCo?

it's possible, the city isn't quick on parcel viewer updates.

[smh]

There's one notable building that seems like it would be a steal for a project right now.

Executive Plaza (8th and Main).
It has it's own parking for executives, it has streetcar access, it's almost right at a freeway exit.

It's owned by Commerce Bank

I thought that sold to a developer from JoCo?

I heard a rumor a few weeks ago that at least a couple of those parking lots had sold to someone interested in developing them. I haven't heard anything since, and while I would love to see that happen, I was a bit skeptical that Commerce would ever be in the business of shedding parking.

[FangKC]

I thought there was something wrong with Executive Plaza. That it was built poorly, and would probably be demolished.

[Demosthenes]

Is Executive Plaza the cube building? If so I think it is structurally unsound. I have heard much talk of demolition as well, and as much as we don't need another vacant lot in the north loop, I would have no problem losing that sucker.

[FangKC]

Yes, it's the flashcube building.

I would like to see it demolished, and a much bigger building erected there. The street-wall north of 8th Street sucks.

[taxi]

We are overdue for a nice implosion downtown.

[DaveKCMO]

We are overdue for a nice implosion downtown.

Hush your mouth. We are done with that wasteful behavior!