What is happening to the Empire is called "benign neglect" in the preservation community. The owner deliberately does nothing to maintain the building until if falls under blight ordinances, and can be torn down.
The City should just take the Empire using the right of eminent domain, and snatch it out of its negligent owners hands before it is too late.
Does AMC Theaters still own this property? If they do, they should be publicly shamed by the local media into doing something with it, or give it to some preservation group to save.
If William Rockhill Nelson was still running The Kansas City Star, I think he'd certainly take the owner to task for letting that structure deteriorate. He'd run editorials humiliating the owner until something was done.
Politicians, developers, and other civic leaders respond to that sort of bully pulpit. The same tactic should also be used with the President Hotel.
Just last week, I walked behind the Empire. The west wall's brick facade was buckling, and many sections of the brick had fallen off. The leads one to conclude that there is significant water damage in that wall.
The theater itself looks like it's constructed with a steel frame and concrete skeleton. It appears to have about three or four layers of brick facade covering the skeleton.
Despite the water damage in the west wall, I'd wager the theater shell is structurally sound. That wall can be re-faced with new brick if need be. There are theaters that were in much worse shape when they were rescued.
I don't think most residents are aware of the deterioring west wall because it's concealed by another building. From Main Street, the theater looks fine.
I agree with JBinKC. The President at one time had a beautiful, ornate lobby. Few places like that exist any longer. The interior of the Empire was beautiful too; and for that reason it should be saved. It would make a perfect venue for a House of Blues, Hard Rock Cafe, or other live performance venue like the Uptown.
Preservationist groups must rally support to renovate it. They might try leasing the space to one of these types of clubs for free, or a very reduced rent, for 10-years to provide incentive to locate there.
The object is not to make money initially, but use it to lure an entertainment venue downtown. If one of these venues had little or no rent to pay, it might make it worthwhile. Surely if there is TIF money to build parking garages in the Plaza, there is some to save and restore this theater.
If the Empire can be successfully turned into a club, then it might get the ball rolling to redevelop the surrounding area. That vacant art deco parking garage west of the theater--on the southeast corner of 14th and Baltimore--has a perfect space on the ground floor for a nice eatery.
The new Performing Arts Center, Bartle Hall, Municipal Auditorium circle W. 14th Street. It is just a short walk east to the Empire and that deco parking garage. If the President reopened the Drum Room; there was an entertainment venue in the Empire; and a nice restaurant on the ground floor of that art deco garage, then people leaving the aforementioned bigger venues would be drawn there afterwards. And the proposed downtown arena would be across the street.
With the Midland just steps away, there is potential for a mini-Broadway on that block. There are so many Broadway road shows touring the country that certainly they both could be used for that. If Kansas City had more live theater--like Philadelphia, Boston, Cleveland, and Chicago, it could compete better for convention business.
The New Amsterdam Theater renovation by Disney in the 1990s started the entire redevelopment of 42nd Street in New York. Chicago restored Cadillac Place and Oriental theaters, and it revived Chicago's live theater district. Having extra venues like the Empire would make it possible to bring Cirque de Soleil-type live shows to Kansas City for longer runs.
From 1912 to 1931, Kansas City ranked at the third largest convention city nationally. In 1929, downtown contained almost 10,000 hotel rooms within five square blocks.
One of the main reasons for the City's success then was that it provided all sorts of entertainment. The illegal booze joints, jazz, burlesque, gambling, and prostitution probably helped a lot too. LOL. I'm not advocating returning to the "Sin City" reputation Kansas City once had though.
When one looks at those fake "riverboat" casinos around town, one wonders why Missouri even bothered with that silly legislation. Who are we fooling? The State should have just legalized gambling in the City, so that the River Market and some of these old downtown buildings could have been turned into casinos and saved.
Having the casinos downtown--instead of spread all over the place--would have at least provided entertainment downtown to visitors attending conventions. Casinos also draw big entertainment acts. That could have provided the Empire Theater with a new purpose; and more fully utilized the Music Hall, Midland, Folly, and Lyric theaters. It would also have been much easier to regularly attract Broadway shows to KC.
And what about all the talent that is in Branson? Why not bring some of them to perform regularly in these venues?
Had that been done, we wouldn't be talking about the Empire and Hotel President facing demolition now. It would appear that some interests want both those properties demolished to build parking garages close to the proposed downtown arena.
Athens, Paris, Rome, London, and New York are so popular with tourists because they saved most of their old buildings.
The redevelopment of the derelict Cairo Hotel in Washington DC revitalized the whole blighted neighborhood.
Perhaps we can start an effort to save the Empire by writing letters to The Star, The Pitch, and the City Council demanding that something be done? Does anyone know how to find out who owns the property?
Are either The President or Empire on The National Registry of Historic Sites? I'll see if I can find that out on the Web. Both of these properties have architectural and historical significance in the life and growth of Kansas City.
We bemoan what is happening to the Hotel President and Empire Theater, but have any of us made any efforts to create public outcry about these two situations? After all, it only took one preservationist, Joan Dillon, to start efforts to save the Folly Theater.
It's easy for Andi Udris to make comments about tearing these structures down. Why? Because there is never any public response.
Perhaps people will pony up some money if they see that the public is fed-up with letting these historic structures fall apart. I know that I'm so angry about it I could spit.
Keep in mind that Mayor Barnes has placed a lot of real estate developers, attorneys, and bankers on development related committees and councils. Many of these people have no interest in perserving these buildings. They want them torn down so they can make money redeveloping the land.
If the Power & Light people think the President is such an eyesore, why don't they help turn it back into a jewel? They could go ahead with building the additional tower. However, they won't because they want that hotel torn down so they can build a parking garage there. It is in their interest to wait.
We have already seen the City Council threaten to take back pledged TIF money to save the President. We have no idea what forces are at work behind the scenes that want to see that project fail. Perhaps we should start writing City Council members and threatening to vote them out of office if they pull the TIF money for The President? Certainly ideas to consider.
After mulling this over, I think I'll write Mayor Barnes; the new City Manager; members of the City Council; Andi Udris of the Economic Development Corp; Tom McDonnell, DST's Chief Executive Officer; David W. and Jonathan M. Kemper of Commerce Bank; R. Crosby Kemper, R. Crosby Kemper, III, Alexander C. "Sandy" Kemper, and Sheila Kemper Dietrich of United Missouri Bank; The KC Star; and The Pitch about what's happening to these two buildings. If AMC still owns that property, I'm considering writing them as well.
Commerce Bank received accolades and awards for the restoration and renovation of their historic Commerce Trust Building. I believe United Missouri Bank is renovating its building as well.
I'm sure that many of the people who read these posts have accounts at Commerce and United Missouri banks. As customers, we should urge the Kempers to take a lead role in getting the President and Empire projects over the hump.
Jury, the President's developer shouldn't have to go to Texas to get financial backing. For land's sake, Jonathan Kemper is on the board of trustees for the National Trust for Historic Preservation! (pun intended)
Surely Jonathan Kemper has the influence-by being on the National Trust--to get some federal and state money for these projects as well.
