OFFICIAL - East9 (former Pickwick Plaza)

[FangKC]

A photo of the Gladstone Hotel on the SW corner of 9th and Oak, taken from the Studio Building at 9th and Locust in 1919.  In the background one can see the Federal Reserve Bank being constructed, and St. Peter and St. Paul Catholic Church is in the background on the SW corner of 9th and McGee.  The Pickwick Garage would be built around the Gladstone Hotel in 1929-30.

http://kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.p ... OX=1&REC=1

[FangKC]

The Victoria Hotel on the NE corner at 9th and McGee.

http://www.kclibrary.org/lhimgs/kcpl/re ... 82_reg.jpg

Mrs. Sam Ray said this about the Victoria Hotel in 1969.

The Victoria hotel at Ninth and McGee streets was a fine, substantial hotel when it opened in 1888.

It was especially popular with cattlemen, here to transact business at the Kansas City stockyards.

A reference found in History of the American Hotel, by Jefferson Williamson, gives the old hotel credit for a first in American hotel history:

The first hotel to make the boast of having a bath for every suite appears to have been the Victoria Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri, built by George Holmes on Ninth street between McGee and Oak and opened on May 14, 1888. The Victoria had 240 rooms all parlor and bedroom suites, with a bath for each suite.

Many hotels of the time had bath facilities down the hall, but apparently the old Victoria was the first with privacy for all.

On February 12, 1960, a fire of unknown origin destroyed the building. Firemen and their equipment were covered with ice, and icicles hung everywhere, creating an eerie scene in the shadows of the high flames.

Four nearby buildings were damaged, including the old Frederick hotel.

Firemen evacuated 35 persons from the hotel as they sought in vain to prevent its destruction.

The ruins were cleared away to make way for the parking lot that occupies the site today.

Kansas City Star
September 13, 1969

[FangKC]

St. Peter and St.  Paul Catholic Church, on the SW corner of 9th and McGee (shown in this 1920 photo) was across the street from the Pickwick Hotel.

[Angel]

The sale of these buildings between 8th & 9th on McGee is in progress and just about final.  Should be all wrapped up by November.  The developer plans on doing a complete restore of all the buildings and keeping the hotel a rental property without section 8.  They're hoping to convert the bus terminal into open lofts for rental with the first level used for retail.  There's a lot of work and demo to be done...it's in pretty bad shape.  But everyone's really excited about the project.

If The Reserve goes ahead (we've heard construction has stopped because of the market), the Pickwick people are hoping to tie into their ideas about transforming that block of McGee into a brick-paved street lined with outdoor cafes and retail.  All talk at this point, and it's entirely dependent on how The Reserve will proceed, but it sounds promising.

[Tosspot]

Well that's great news to hear, and I remember what a hellhole that area of downtown had become when I worked at the UMB Tech Center -  these plans sound great but I'll be surprised if these good ideas actually pan out.

[rxlexi]

yeah, great news re: the pickwick.  Downtown desperately needs the additional rental property; fingers crossed all goes according to plan.  As far the Reserve, I've heard bad things about the financial situation Townsend got himself into there...I'll be surprised if it ends up happening anytime soon, which is terribly disappointing; another project of the quality of Wallstreet Tower would do wonders for DT's perception as well.

[dangerboy]

Is anything being done to replace the affordable housing being lost at the Pickwick?  It is a lifeline for poor and disabled people who have few other options.

[Angel]

Is anything being done to replace the affordable housing being lost at the Pickwick?  It is a lifeline for poor and disabled people who have few other options.

They will keep their places until their current lease runs out, but after that they will need to leave.  There are only 30 some-odd renters there and the building is literally falling apart around them.  Unfortunately, they will have to move.

[dangerboy]

They will keep their places until their current lease runs out, but after that they will need to leave.  There are only 30 some-odd renters there and the building is literally falling apart around them.  Unfortunately, they will have to move.

Move where?  Are they being assisted?  Is the developer finding them places or turning out onto the street?

[rxlexi]

I hope to live long enough to see the day that our central downtown loop is comprised of land that is far too valuable to contain decaying Section 8 property.  The good news (if you can call it that) is that vast chunks of inner Kansas City, not at all far from the DT loop, will continue to remain prime locations for such structures and uses, so hopefully the market will shift as land values become more in line with a major metropolitan downtown area, which will provide the impetus for the types of uses and vibrance that many of us would love to see.

[Angel]

Move where?  Are they being assisted?  Is the developer finding them places or turning out onto the street?

Why would they be assisted by the new owner?  This happens all the time when rental properties are for sale and ownership is changed.

[DaveKCMO]

yay! too bad mcgee is now cut off on both ends... although that may help these blocks stay calm.

[GRID]

Project seems to be moving forward to try to turn this place into upscale apartments/commercial.

http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/984097.html

[trailerkid]

Project seems to be moving forward to try to turn this place into upscale apartments/commercial.

http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/984097.html

What I don't get...

The hotel portion is already occupied? If so it seems kinda lame to kick out a bunch of elderly people in a building that is already occupied. These people won't be spending money downtown like they would at an upscale apartment building, but it just doesn't really seem right.

[ignatius]

It's not specifically elderly housing anymore, now low income housing.  The place is one of the major issues for the CID people.  It's a drug haven and needs a major refresh.  Great news something is being done.  Even if it were to be refreshed as low income housing, they could raise the standards of tenant applications for more responsible low income people.  But it sounds like it will be market rate.

[Angel]

The place is literally falling apart inside.  The walls and ceilings are crumbling, there's mold, etc.  It's not exactly fit for decent habitation anyway. 

[Midtownkid]

This is great news.  I have always really liked that building.  Hope they can land in interesting retail tenant in the old bus terminal...that could be turned into a really great space.

[Highlander]

Great news as the Pickwick is a venerable old building.  Hope they can pull off the financing. 

The one downside is that every rehab that goes into downtown, particularly in the current market, is probably going to delay new condo construction in the immediate P&L area. 

[aknowledgeableperson]

I know I may not be current with rental rates but these seem to be rather high to me so feel free to correect - no harm.

http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/984097-p2.html

The concept calls for leaving the floor plan relatively unchanged but extensively remodeling the smaller apartments in the building to become studio-style apartments with some one-bedroom units. The studios would rent for $700 to $750 per month, with one-bedroom units going for $850 to $900.

[chrizow]

assuming the units were nice, that is pretty much spot-on for rental rates downtown right now.  i personally wouldn't rent there, but i suppose a lot of people would.