KC School District Buildings... Reuse?

[KCDowntown]

Here is a link for the plans that the Foutch Brother are submitted for the vacant West Side school building (Switzer). It contains a ton of photos from inside the structure and some preliminary building plans and elevations.

KCDowntown

[FangKC]

I liked the Dalmark plan better because it added new construction units on the west property, and sub-level parking.

The Foutch Bros. plan doesn't do that, and puts in surface parking lots on the undeveloped part of the west parcel.

Me very sad.

[loftguy]

I liked the Dalmark plan better because it added new construction units on the west property, and sub-level parking.

The Foutch Bros. plan doesn't do that, and puts in surface parking lots on the undeveloped part of the west parcel.

Me very sad.

I agree Fang. It is a sad, sad loss for the West Side and the city that we do not have a greater use under way on this site.

For the record, Dalmark is not developing Switzer/West High today as result of the school district repurposing team manipulating the outcome. Fact.

[ThaMexican]

I liked the plan that had more density too. I liked the idea of underground parking I was disappointed too but as a former resident I rather see something going that nothing at all.

[chaglang]

For the record, Dalmark is not developing Switzer/West High today as result of the school district repurposing team manipulating the outcome. Fact.

Interesting. Elaborate?

[ThaMexican]

I thought that since Westside Housing Org was one of the partners with the more dense plan and they have been working on the Westside for a long time they would be selected.

[FangKC]

Work begins in Kansas City to turn West and Switzer schools into apartments

http://www.kansascity.com/news/business ... 18469.html

[kboish]

Finally! I am very excited to see how this changes this section of the west side and how it feels. This has been such an eyesore.

[FangKC]

The Manchester School on Truman Road, at Winchester Avenue, is being demolished.







http://northeastnews.net/pages/?p=32624

[Midtownkid]

Wow look at that beautiful entrance.

I hope they are planning to salvage it. Could be reused somewhere!!

[missingkc]

NY Times article 7/22: Article "The Many Faces of Innovation in U.S . Cities" in special section "Cities for Tomorrow".

http://nyti.ms/29R4cLI

Kansas City, Mo., will soon have the largest co-working space in the world, one that was a large vacant middle school in the city’s center. It will also be among the most diverse co-working spaces — places shared by people working for more than one employer — with both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. The former sports field will be a large urban farm and the headquarters of Cultivate Kansas City.

[FangKC]

Developer takes third crack at turning old school into senior housing

Sunflower Development Group LLC has entered into a contract to buy the Blenheim School site near Gregory Boulevard and Prospect Avenue from Kansas City Public Schools.

...

Led by principal Jason Swords, Sunflower proposes the historic conversion of the school into 52 affordable senior rental units with integrated social services provided to residents by Phoenix Family Housing. The sale is contingent upon Sunflower securing a low-income housing tax credit award from the Missouri Housing Development Corp.

...

http://tinyurl.com/zsg9v76

[FangKC]

Mural Mystery: Crews renovating old school buildings make quite a find depicting early KC history

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Earlier this month, Kansas City Public School District finalized the sale of Westport High School near 39th and Main, and developers have big plans for its future, but in the process of renovating the building, crews made a shocking discovery.

A group called Sustainable Development Partners bought Westport High school and Westport Middle School right across the street. They're turning the buildings into a giant co-working space for entrepreneurs who don't have an office.

As crews were renovating the building they made quite a find, a large mural depicting the early history of Kansas City.

The mural is believed to have been painted by art students in the 1940s and may also be linked to famous Kansas City painter, Thomas Hart Benton, who lived just blocks away.

http://fox4kc.com/2016/08/20/mural-myst ... c-history/

[FangKC]

KC elementary school set to become home for seniors

The old Sanford B. Ladd School on Kansas City's East Side is slated to become a senior center.

Kansas City Public Schools has a contract to sell the school, at 3640 Benton Blvd., to an affiliate of Palestine Missionary Baptist Church, The Kansas City Star reports. No sale figure was disclosed, and the transaction isn't expected to close until next year.

http://tinyurl.com/lsazv4v

[FangKC]

Bringing a School Building Back to Life

LISC has closed a $546,000 loan with Sunflower Development Group to fund part of the acquisition and renovation of the former Blenheim School located in the Tri-Blenheim neighborhood of Kansas City, Mo. Originally constructed in 1924, Blenheim is an historic example of a Progressive Era school in the Moorish Revival style, and is eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places. The school building occupies 67,760 square feet on three floors.

http://www.lisc.org/kansas-city/regiona ... o.facebook

Blenheim School is near Gregory and Prospect.

[loftguy]

Sunflower Development has shown a significant ability in taking on difficult real estate projects and making them iconic properties.

Big applause for them.

[chaglang]

Sometimes. Their Faxon renovation is not great.

Their new (non-historic) work is much less applause-worthy. C.f. that building at 20th and Main.

[FangKC]

Paul Robeson Middle School, in south Kansas City, will be repurposed as a public recreation center.

http://tinyurl.com/yauzgz4v

Google aerial:

http://tinyurl.com/yckk79gb

[atticus23]

The Norman School project is coming along nicely...at least what I see every time I drive on SW Blvd!

[FangKC]

I noticed the new structures they are building on the north side of the building. I didn't think this project was ever going to get started.