Polsinelli Shughart HQ @ 47th/Broadway

[KCMax]

I can't help but wonder if they intentionally made this terrible to provoke an uproar just so they can come back and say "okay, we'll change it, but you have to give us tax incentives" thus making a TIF on the Plaza more palatable.

[DaveKCMO]

I can't help but wonder if they intentionally made this terrible to provoke an uproar just so they can come back and say "okay, we'll change it, but you have to give us tax incentives" thus making a TIF on the Plaza more palatable.

i think that would make the teardown even less likely.

[kcmetro]

Why not just build a taller tower and leave the apts/condos untouched?  Seems like they could fit something in there and not have to demolish the whole block.  That wouldn't solve the issue of the original Spanish structure though.  Hate to see that thing torn down since it's been there so long.

[KCPowercat]

Can we evict highwoods?

This just doesn't make any sense. Grid hit it on the head why they aren't asking for assistance.

[jdubwaldo]

No disrespect to Polsenelli, law firms for attorneys in general, I'm married to one.  But hello, this is a LAW FIRM. 
Anyone else see, this as the beginning of a long stretch of negotiation?
My response, and that of everyone here who has expressed an opinion has shown that is was a good start!
I'm a cynic, what can I say.

[LenexatoKCMO]

They already have an office downtown. Are we really going to start criticizing businesses for having too many locations in KCMO?

They are closing the office DT and consolidating here.  

Hmmmm, did anybody tell them there is an empty lot waiting for development at 13th and Grand, within freaking walking distance to the Court House.  Seems like a perfect location for a law firm.

The article mentioned that they shoped the CWB development by sprint center and chose this over it.  My guess would be that CWB's timeline may not have been aggressive enough to be a serious contender.  

[jdubwaldo]

This might be one of the only times there appears to be total agreement on the forum, that this is a terrible plan.
Mark this date on the books.  

[Downtowner]

What is it with law firms trying to take out historic buildings in this city? Another tried to tear down what is now the Marriott Courtyard across from Mill Creek Park. Now this! It's completely outrageous. Loved the comment that they're not seeking TIF, lol....I hope everyone calls their office and highwoods. What a PR disaster. The arrogance of wanting this prime spot and putting up what looks like a giant Hampton Inn is insane. At least Lockton put up a tower with Spanish influence.

[macnw]

If there is tremendous public outcry, how long before Kansas offers mega incentives? Is everyone prepared for another major employer to bolt for JOCO? Could this be another ploy from a company looking for a better deal?

[beautyfromashes]

This whole thing is a front.  They are throwing this project out there and when it fails they can justify a move to their employees.  They're either going downtown or to the suburbs.  They basically just let the suburbs know they are looking for an incentive package proposal.  

[KCPowercat]

Fine if that's what they want to play. I'm not down with teardown this for a a short term win. Lawfirms merge and separate constantly. They want ks incentives go get them, not helping demo more of the plaza for your law firm.

They want to be downtown or the plaza. If they wanted the cheapest building possible they wouldn't even mess with announcing this.

[moderne]

The Polsinelli site has adressess to e-mail both them for comments and also Highwoods.

[voltopt]

I can't help but wonder if they intentionally made this terrible to provoke an uproar just so they can come back and say "okay, we'll change it, but you have to give us tax incentives" thus making a TIF on the Plaza more palatable.

I hope so.  The rendering of the building reminds me of generic buildings that SimCity would generate once a property reached a higher density.  In other words, generic.

[smh]

You can be certain, if nothing else, that even if for some reason Polsinelli decided run off to Kansas to build an HQ they'd still keep an office in KCMO. They need it to have Missouri clients.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Firms that want a giant temple constructed in honor of their own phallic grandeur don't want such temple constructed off by the side of the highway somewhere.  This is clearly a "keeping up with the Joneses" move and the two Jones in question have constructed their temples to their own phalii at Crown Center and the Plaza fringe.  Putting Polsinelli's right smack in the middle of the plaza says "mine is bigger than yours" in a way that Corporate Woods could never hope to compete with. 

[chrizow]

You can be certain, if nothing else, that even if for some reason Polsinelli decided run off to Kansas to build an HQ they'd still keep an office in KCMO. They need it to have Missouri clients.

i can't speak for Polsinelli, but anecdotally i know that law firms with regional/national practices are now making an effort to be in the urban core - i.e. the plaza or downtown - due to the fact that many top law school grads prefer these locations, particularly those from outside the region.  i think this is at least partially why firms like husch blackwell, warden grier, shook, etc. consolidated in the urban core, and why firms like lathrop, etc. renewed their leases.  in fact, i'm surprised polsinelli would continue to maintain a 50-attorney KS office.

in other words, i really doubt that polsinelli is interested in moving their HQ to kansas.  it's clear they like the plaza - they are already HQ'd there, and they want to build a $57M building there.  if they get some pushback from the city or whatever on it, i imagine they'll just alter the plan or the site a bit.  

[JBinKC]

I believe PS wants to stay in MO as well. 

Another problem though is how long will they stay at this location?  Future growth, mergers, "keeping up with the Joneses."  They'll be here 10-15 years and will look for another location after that.  In the mean time you lose a 90% occupied apartment building (200-300 residents?), and a piece of Plaza history for what in 10-15 years will be another vacant office tower...just like the one they are vacating right now and the other one they are spurning on the West Edge.

[bobbyhawks]

What is it with law firms trying to take out historic buildings in this city?

I can understand wanting to preserve the Spanish influence, but all they are really destroying of historical and asthetic significance is a two story staircase tower.  I'd like it if they could keep this around, or perhaps make the building beyond the rendering stick out less than the new design would indicate, but I still have zero problem with the location.

Another problem though is how long will they stay at this location?  Future growth, mergers, "keeping up with the Joneses."  They'll be here 10-15 years and will look for another location after that.  In the mean time you lose a 90% occupied apartment building (200-300 residents?), and a piece of Plaza history for what in 10-15 years will be another vacant office tower...just like the one they are vacating right now and the other one they are spurning on the West Edge.

The plaza is a premium location for service industry consultants, ad firms, law firms, and really any industry where either wining and dining are still in practice or attracting young and creative people is a priority.  If it is not still a premium location in 10-15 years, the Plaza will have way worse problems than a vacant office building.  There is definitely not an oversaturation of offices residing within the actual main shopping district.

I guarantee that the 500 workers in the new building will spend more money at the Plaza than any 200 or so people in the Neptune.  Even if your completely made up supposition that they will leave 10-15 years from now comes true, there are 300+ more people there every day for lunch and business dinners for that entire 10-15 year period. 

[beautyfromashes]

I still dont understand the care for the apartment complex.  It's nothing.  It's 1970's dorm apartment stacked on a parking garage with stilts.  Do some of you live in this apartment complex? If this was another Lockton-type development where the building somewhat connects with the surroundings along with replacing the streetfront retail, then I'd be for it.  The design is just terrible as it stands currently.

[chrizow]

I guarantee that the 500 workers in the new building will spend more money at the Plaza than any 200 or so people in the Neptune.  Even if your completely made up supposition that they will leave 10-15 years from now comes true, there are 300+ more people there every day for lunch and business dinners for that entire 10-15 year period.  

but again, most of those workers are already on 47th street.  bringing a few dozen folks from shughart's downtown office isn't going to make some huge splash on plaza revenues.  and, of course, it's going to detract from downtown, which already has plenty of vacant office space.  and, again, there will be several empty floors in Polsinelli's current 47th street HQ.  and the plaza will lose an original 1920s retail building and a decent apartment building to boot.  AND we'll get a really bland building.  WTF?!

the only positive i can see from this is that the ugly parking garage would be torn down - but i'm sure the office building will require an even larger ugly parking garage.