KCTV5 tower.

Discuss items in the urban core outside of Downtown as described above. Everything in the core including the east side (18th & Vine area), Northeast, Plaza, Westport, Brookside, Valentine, Waldo, 39th street, & the entire midtown area.
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WSPanic
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by WSPanic »

Seems like the test strips are struggling a bit. I keep forgetting to look, but it seemed like the south-facing lights weren't on the other night. Any updates on the project?
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by moderne »

There have never been any south facing lights yet.
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WSPanic
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by WSPanic »

moderne wrote:There have never been any south facing lights yet.
That would explain why I can't see them.
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by DaveKCMO »

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/a ... 11195.html
The key, Mullarney believes, is to craft a plan so meticulously worked out that it will present no risk, cost or other downsides for the TV station, which could benefit from positive public response.

The project includes Kansas City Art Institute faculty member James Woodfill as lead artist with input from another local artist, José Faus. Kansas City architecture company El Dorado Inc. is on board to manage the project. Mullarney secured a nod of approval to proceed with planning from former KCTV General Manager Mike Cukyne.
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chaglang
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by chaglang »

Wonder how much it would cost to move the stupid thing out to KCTV’s headquarters in JoCo.
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by missingkc »

I love it. It says "Kansas City" to me as much as stone walls, hills, the Power and Light Building, Union Station, or Liberty Memorial. I would be very sad to see it removed.
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by TheLastGentleman »

I'm usually not a big utility tower fan, but the fact that the tower has been around since the 50s, is a self supported structure, and is bright red make it somehow more interesting to me. If they can pull off this project, it has the potential of creating a pretty major landmark
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chaglang
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by chaglang »

Honestly it wouldn’t be such a an eyesore for me if it didn’t rain ice chunks onto the neighborhood, which caused several blocks of midtown around the base of the tower to have to be abandoned. I guess I’m also little salty that the station moved to KS at some point and left the tower here, and I wonder if it would be better maintained if that hadn’t happened.
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by DaveKCMO »

chaglang wrote: Sun Nov 18, 2018 2:05 pm Honestly it wouldn’t be such a an eyesore for me if it didn’t rain ice chunks onto the neighborhood, which caused several blocks of midtown around the base of the tower to have to be abandoned.
I will always mention this, and the deplorable state of the sidewalks below.
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beautyfromashes
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by beautyfromashes »

Have to wonder if removing the incandescent lights off and the heat that they produce is a reason for there being a bigger ice problem. Either way, it’s a KC icon and should never be taken down.
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WSPanic
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by WSPanic »

beautyfromashes wrote: Sun Nov 18, 2018 5:31 pm Have to wonder if removing the incandescent lights off and the heat that they produce is a reason for there being a bigger ice problem. Either way, it’s a KC icon and should never be taken down.
We need better icons.
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by rxlexi »

Love the idea of creating a large scale lighting installation on the tower, per the Star article. I trust Woodfill and El Dorado to pull it off with a subtle beauty, if the financing can be arranged. Referencing the Bay Bridge lighting is perfect - would be nice to see something dynamic along those lines.

Frankly, if something like this will really only cost $2 million, I can't believe it isn't already a done deal. Hoping the Tower group pulls it off sooner than later.
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by beautyfromashes »

WSPanic wrote: Mon Nov 19, 2018 10:18 am We need better icons.
No doubt, but it takes generations to create a true icon. This is what we have, a deep second to Plaza lights, Bartle towers, Liberty Memorial, etc. It is worth keeping and upgrading.
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by WSPanic »

beautyfromashes wrote: Mon Nov 19, 2018 12:53 pm
WSPanic wrote: Mon Nov 19, 2018 10:18 am We need better icons.
No doubt, but it takes generations to create a true icon. This is what we have, a deep second to Plaza lights, Bartle towers, Liberty Memorial, etc. It is worth keeping and upgrading.
I find nothing iconic or interesting about it. It's an eye-sore and takes up a ton of space in a pretty good neighborhood. And when it's not simply taking up space, it's raining huge pieces of ice onto the neighborhood below. Of all the things we can spend $2M saving, this seems like the worst. I'd rather spend the money to get rid of it. Although, we'd have to figure out a new name for the Tower East neighborhood, so it's probably a non-starter at this point.
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by snigglefritz »

WSPanic wrote: Mon Nov 19, 2018 1:19 pm
beautyfromashes wrote: Mon Nov 19, 2018 12:53 pm
WSPanic wrote: Mon Nov 19, 2018 10:18 am We need better icons.
No doubt, but it takes generations to create a true icon. This is what we have, a deep second to Plaza lights, Bartle towers, Liberty Memorial, etc. It is worth keeping and upgrading.
I find nothing iconic or interesting about it. It's an eye-sore and takes up a ton of space in a pretty good neighborhood. And when it's not simply taking up space, it's raining huge pieces of ice onto the neighborhood below. Of all the things we can spend $2M saving, this seems like the worst. I'd rather spend the money to get rid of it. Although, we'd have to figure out a new name for the Tower East neighborhood, so it's probably a non-starter at this point.
I've literally never noticed this thing and I've been here for 3 years. Icon, Schmicon.
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beautyfromashes
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by beautyfromashes »

It’s a wayfare signal of home for me, so perhaps I find more value in it. I personally would find it cool lit up again, especially in an artistic way. It sounds like you are just annoyed with the ice, which makes sense too.
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by scooterj »

This is probably more important to those of us old enough to have a lot of memories of when it was well-lit. At that time it was the dominant feature of the skyline. I even have drawings of the city from when I was a kid where it's the most accurate feature. I'll gladly pay my share to see this lit up again.
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by WSPanic »

I'm plenty old enough to remember it lit up. Still does nothing for me. It's a TV tower. There is nothing original or inherently "KC" about its design or presentation. They are eyesores that exist all across the world. Just not my cup o' tea.
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chaglang
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by chaglang »

beautyfromashes wrote: Mon Nov 19, 2018 2:40 pm It’s a wayfare signal of home for me, so perhaps I find more value in it. I personally would find it cool lit up again, especially in an artistic way. It sounds like you are just annoyed with the ice, which makes sense too.
For me it also is a symbol of a time when the city didn’t give a crap about Midtown and let anything be built there, regardless of whether it was beneficial to the surrounding area or not. If the art installation was as pointed as something A. Bitterman would do, I could get behind that. :D
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Re: KCTV5 tower.

Post by KCPowercat »

It was the only way to know if it was raining back in the day!
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