OFFICIAL: Law Building

Slappy the Wang · Post by **Slappy the Wang** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 6:19 pm

I think the dude's more concerned with putting his German Drunk Houses in TIF districts than actually moving KC forward. I htink he did the same thing in Cincy.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Tue Nov 02, 2004 6:50 pm

I'm not sold on the guy but you also have to recgonize what he did in Cleveland. There are obviously many other factors in all situations than who the EDC director is.

I haven't been impressed with him sofar, I'm not going to defend him.

FangKC · Post by **FangKC** » Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:21 am

The more I hear out of Udris, the more I dislike him. His "tear everything down" mentality is very troubling to me. I think part of that comes from the fact that he is not from Kansas City. I think he would have wanted to tear down Union Station as well.

The Law Bldg. could be a very cool-looking building once it's renovated and the exterior is cleaned up. I have no problem tearing down any of the buildings to the south of the Law Bldg. There is plenty of room left to develop on that block. 1201 Walnut and 1KC Place don't take up their entire blocks.

What will Udris want torn down next? Louis Curtiss' old studio? The Pickwick? The Empire Theater? The Argyle Building? The Professional Building? Citi-Center Hotel? Italian Gardens? The Bryant Building? the old KCPL building?

Let's see, when he's done with downtown, he can start leveling all the old apartment buildings on Armour Boulevard, and replacing them with strip malls.

Why the hell doesn't he pick some building that deserves to be torn down, like that parking garage on the north side of E. 11th Street between Grand and McGee? I think it's called Shopper's Parkade. Now there's a building I'd enjoy seeing torn down because it has no redeeming value.

I think Udris reports ultimately to the Mayor and the City Manager, but I could be wrong about that. I'm all for joining any movement to get rid of him just based on his seeming hostility to historic buildings and old architecture. I think the renovations of Union Station, the Post Office / IRS Building, 909 Walnut, and Aquila / New York Life Building would have given Udris some clue that Kansas Citians support saving and renovating old buildings.

I just wish I had Jim Stowers' kind of money. I'd be buying up many of these old buildings and renovating them into apartments and lofts. I'd also be putting up several apartment towers downtown and in the Crossroads.

Tosspot · Post by **Tosspot** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 1:02 pm

I received an email from the Urban Society of Kansas City, detailing Andy Udris' latest nitwitticism. Here it is:

Earlier this week, in a Star article describing the failure of a group's efforts to redevelop the Law Building at 12th and Grand, the head of the Economic Development Council (EDC), Andy Udris, was quoted as saying the building probably should be demolished because it has no historical or architectural significance.

Skeptical that we should take the word of Udris on what is "historical" or "architecturally signifcant," and strongly biased against the needless destruction of more of our urban fabric, but nevertheless open-minded, I thought I would pose the question to you: Does the Law Building have historical or archtectural significance? If you feel so inclined, do some research and email me your opinion. I'll summarize the results and forward to Andy Udris at the EDC, Jon Copaken at the Downtown Council, and Kevin Collison at the Star. Your deadline is next Friday.

Do you have any expertise in web site design? If so, please join me for a working lunch at the offices of Helix at 11:30am on Thursday, Nov. 11 to define our site requirements. This is one of those rare opportunities to merely provide advice without needing to do any real work. We have several firms who are volunteering to design and host the site. Jay Tomlinson will be in the alley grilling bratwursts for us. (Not really.) Please email me if you desire to attend, or you may go hungry.

admin@urbankc.com

FangKC · Post by **FangKC** » Fri Nov 05, 2004 8:35 pm

I just hope that the future owner of the Law Building is not the evil, sinister, cunning criminal Larry Bridges

of Executive Hills, or some other real estate developer, that has a penchant for leveling old buildings from the get-go.

The fact that Bridges controls the fate of the Empire Theater, and the old part of the Muehlebach Hotel, gives me night terrors.

This is a convicted felon who was barred from getting any contracts from the U.S. government for 6 years. He was charged with conspiracy; making false statements; and major fraud against the United States. He plea bargained and admitted guilt in making false certifications, and fraud.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 1:49 am

Some sort of work was going on outside the building today. Looked more like they were just securing the exterior with some sort of fencing but any movement is good movement on this place.

KCDowntown · Post by **KCDowntown** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 8:40 am

I saw this work going on as well. There was a small bulldozer like-thing on the roof and it was jackhammering off pieces of the decorative terra-cotta from the top of the building. I think this is evident along the roofline on 12th.

I have no idea what the point of this could be.

KCDowntown

KC0KEK · Post by **KC0KEK** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 9:49 am

KCDowntown wrote:. . . jackhammering off pieces of the decorative terra-cotta from the top of the building.

That doesn't sound good. If they were going to save the building, I guess they'd just whack it down instead of taking it apart. But on the other hand, maybe they're going to keep it but ruin the facade by removing it or covering it up instead of restoring it, as has happened with a few other buildings downtown.

scooterj · Post by **scooterj** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 9:55 am

That doesnt' sound good at all. Most of the demolitions that have taken place in the P&L District to far have begun with knocking off decorative overhangs from the roof.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 10:02 am

Demo permit issued on the 7th. Say goodbye. Don't we have people supposed to be following the city about stuff like this?

8 stories better be replaced by something of equal density

KC0KEK · Post by **KC0KEK** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 10:59 am

Collison should be covering this in his column, if he hasn't already.

FangKC · Post by **FangKC** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 1:48 pm

I'll bet in the end that entire block will end up as a add-on to the P&L District.

diamond · Post by **diamond** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 1:59 pm

The Law building is going to be demolished. But a nicer buiding will replace it.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 2:07 pm

diamond wrote:The Law building is going to be demolished. But a nicer buiding will replace it.

well come on DISH. What do you know?

Abbott has sold the property, I have confirmed that. Trying to find the "buyer"

Tosspot · Post by **Tosspot** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 2:21 pm

Acting true to form, Kansas City yet again concludes that history and architectural legacy are mere inconvenient little details to be skirted around. The legacy of the built environment is just unimportant to Americans, isn't it.

Post by **dangerboy** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 2:25 pm

Tosspot wrote:Acting true to form, Kansas City yet again concludes that history and architectural legacy are mere inconvenient little details to be skirted around. The legacy of the built environment is just unimportant to Americans, isn't it.

To be fair, the city has been very patient while Abbott spent 2-3 years trying to get financing. It would be great if someone else stepped up and offered to renovate the building, but it's an eyesore than needs immediate attention.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 2:38 pm

the new buyer is the one doing the demo, not the city....as I understand it.

Post by **staubio** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 4:51 pm

Damn it, damn it. This side of downtown just can't get a break. We've a good building that could add density there NOW -- who knows what we'll get in return, but it certainly won't be something that looks that good.

This downtown boosterism game is tough. With the good comes the bad.

Where does Grand fit into all of this? At this rate, 909 Walnut is on the "edge" of the downtown rebirth.

KC_JAYHAWK · Post by **KC_JAYHAWK** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 4:51 pm

good riddance to that piece of crap building...I was sick of looking at it. It was stated in an article a while back that one of the reasons SSB chose crown center for their new HQ was because the partners were sick of walking past the blighted Law Building on their way to the Gov district.

FangKC · Post by **FangKC** » Mon Jan 10, 2005 5:03 pm

If they were so sick of it, why didn't they buy it and renovate it? Or help find someone who could? I don't buy this whole attitude of buildings being torn down because people are sick of looking at them, or that they are an eyesore. Many of these buildings have sit vacant for 30 years with no interest, and now that there is interest in renovating and converting old buildings downtown into housing or other uses, they NOW decide to tear them down.

Diamond, is it the new KCPL tower?