OFFICIAL - KC Star Printing Press

[Long]

My dad found out that the Star Printing Press building has had to replace $100,000 worth of glass on their building, as the place seems to be a magnet to vandals; surely one of the downsides of "challenging" architecture.

OK, now we have to stop using the word "challenging."

[KC0KEK]

$100,000 worth of glass? how could they have vandalized that much glass with a secure contruction zone? That's alot of glass.

That figure probably includes labor, which isn't cheap.

I used to work at the Columbia Daily Tribune, which has big glass windows on the newspaper building. (The pressroom across the street has about as many windows as a prison.) Surprisingly the windows never were broken in the five years that I worked there, even though it's near a rough part of town. There always was unsavory activity in the pocket park next door (e.g., drunks snoozing, getting hummers). But no vandalism.

[KCMax]

as the place seems to be a magnet to vandals; surely one of the downsides of "challenging" architecture.

Should we be worried about Sprint Center?

[scooterj]

as the place seems to be a magnet to vandals; surely one of the downsides of "challenging" architecture.

Should we be worried about Sprint Center?

There's several other buildings made of glass that are doing fine. The printing press is an attractive target because it's new and it's not occupied 24/7. Sprint Center might have some problems initially, especially during construction, but I'll bet the construction site will be much more heavily monitored.

[GRID]

$100,000 worth of glass? how could they have vandalized that much glass with a secure contruction zone? That's alot of glass.

I agree, I drive by there several times a day and I seriously doubt this is true. First off, I have never seen any major damage, secondly the Star buildings do run 24-7 and they do have plenty of security cams. I would be most if not all of any damage has been created by the construction crews themselves.

But hey, you never know .

[trailerkid]

$100,000 worth of glass? how could they have vandalized that much glass with a secure contruction zone? That's alot of glass.

I agree, I drive by there several times a day and I seriously doubt this is true. First off, I have never seen any major damage, secondly the Star buildings do run 24-7 and they do have plenty of security cams. I would be most if not all of any damage has been created by the construction crews themselves.

But hey, you never know .

There is a freaking web cam of the Star printing press...who's going to vandalize something when the entire world could watch you doing it?

[KC0KEK]

$100,000 worth of glass? how could they have vandalized that much glass with a secure contruction zone? That's alot of glass.

I agree, I drive by there several times a day and I seriously doubt this is true. First off, I have never seen any major damage, secondly the Star buildings do run 24-7 and they do have plenty of security cams. I would be most if not all of any damage has been created by the construction crews themselves.

But hey, you never know .

There is a freaking web cam of the Star printing press...who's going to vandalize something when the entire world could watch you doing it?

But what's world going to do about it? It doesn't matter whether someone is watching from Riyadh or Raytown. There's not much they can do. Plus, the Web feed of that cam has limited resolution. You're lucky to able to discern the make of a car, let alone a vandal.

[scooterj]

I agree, I drive by there several times a day and I seriously doubt this is true. First off, I have never seen any major damage, secondly the Star buildings do run 24-7 and they do have plenty of security cams. I would be most if not all of any damage has been created by the construction crews themselves.

But hey, you never know .

There is a freaking web cam of the Star printing press...who's going to vandalize something when the entire world could watch you doing it?

But what's world going to do about it? It doesn't matter whether someone is watching from Riyadh or Raytown. There's not much they can do. Plus, the Web feed of that cam has limited resolution. You're lucky to able to discern the make of a car, let alone a vandal.

I'd doubt that those doing the vandalizing are aware of the web cam... nor care.

[MC86]

$100,000 worth of glass? how could they have vandalized that much glass with a secure contruction zone? That's alot of glass.

I agree, I drive by there several times a day and I seriously doubt this is true. First off, I have never seen any major damage, secondly the Star buildings do run 24-7 and they do have plenty of security cams. I would be most if not all of any damage has been created by the construction crews themselves.

But hey, you never know .

I bet there is easily 100,000 grand in vandalized glass. Several pieces of the glass have been shot out by BB guns. Labor to replace the glass is VERY expensive.

[Gladstoner]

There is a freaking web cam of the Star printing press...who's going to vandalize something when the entire world could watch you doing it?

But what's world going to do about it? It doesn't matter whether someone is watching from Riyadh or Raytown. There's not much they can do. Plus, the Web feed of that cam has limited resolution. You're lucky to able to discern the make of a car, let alone a vandal.

I'd doubt that those doing the vandalizing are aware of the web cam... nor care.

I don't think they could muster up the extra brain cells to notice or care.

[Beermo]

$100,000 worth of glass? how could they have vandalized that much glass with a secure contruction zone? That's alot of glass.

I agree, I drive by there several times a day and I seriously doubt this is true. First off, I have never seen any major damage, secondly the Star buildings do run 24-7 and they do have plenty of security cams. I would be most if not all of any damage has been created by the construction crews themselves.

But hey, you never know .

There is a freaking web cam of the Star printing press...who's going to vandalize something when the entire world could watch you doing it?

not true. there is no webcam on the presses. old or new. unless you found one that i don't know about.

there is a crappy cam that sits on a tripod on the roof of the main building of the star that is pointed in the direction of the new press pavilion. you can see the new building in an out of focus kind of way, but you can't see a press. there is 24 hour security at the site that is provided by the contractor and star security also performs hourly checks on the site and backs up the security guy up there.

now for you info freaks who need their fix. i got you a link http://www.jsonline.com/general/apr03/135114.asp to the milwaukee press-sentinal newspaper site. they probably finished the latest large pressroom in the country in '02 or so. they built on a reclaimed brownfield site (supposedly the largest reclaimed hazardous waste brownfield site in the country) in west milwaukee and unlike the star they have minimal glass coverage on their building. Again unlike the star, the Press-Sentinel put some scribes and web designers to work building a comprehensive series online that will tell you everything you need to know about their new KBA presses, the building itself, a primer on newspaper production and they also offer up their ideas and reasons for the whole shebang. all the links for this are on the right sidebar via the link above. check it out. lots to see and read. they did a great job on it.

note: the star is installing the same series of kba presses but it will be configured for the needs of the star. that means more color and more capacity. also note that you could take everything that is written and almost everything shown on the Press-Sentinel site on their presses and apply it directly to the star. they both share the same reasons and goals for buying new presses.

i had a little tour this week at the new plant and it is going to be crazy. new press is twice as tall as the old ones. old presses are about 40 years old and falling apart as i type. old presses have 2.5 levels up. new presses have 5. talk about way up there.

[Long]

My dad found out that the Star Printing Press building has had to replace $100,000 worth of glass on their building, as the place seems to be a magnet to vandals; surely one of the downsides of "challenging" architecture.

You could read this another way-- they have had to replace $100,000 worth of glass, AND the place is a target for vandals, but that doesn't mean the $100,000 figure doesn't include damage by construction workers or panels that simply fall out (it happens).

I wouldn't worry too much after the building is up and running. . . there are several tall buildings downtown that have almost 100% glass coverage that don't seem to have excessive problems.

[omenapt]

that photo was more along the lines of how i envisioned the 'Lenses" at the Nelson!

[KC0KEK]

Now that the Star has a glass house, maybe it won't throw stones.

[KansasCityCraka]

I think the nelson has all of the glass covered up so they wont have to replace the glass.

[Thrillcekr]

$100,000 worth of glass? how could they have vandalized that much glass with a secure contruction zone? That's alot of glass.

I agree, I drive by there several times a day and I seriously doubt this is true. First off, I have never seen any major damage, secondly the Star buildings do run 24-7 and they do have plenty of security cams. I would be most if not all of any damage has been created by the construction crews themselves.

But hey, you never know .

There is a freaking web cam of the Star printing press...who's going to vandalize something when the entire world could watch you doing it?

People rob banks and convenience stores with cameras in them every day.

[ComandanteCero]

i was just out there this past week, and it looks like they are starting to put up some crazy/cool green cladding.  It looks AWESOME IMHO, even though i can see how some may not like it.  It adds a whole different texture to the non glass portions of the building.  Very cool, maybe someone who makes it down there more than i do can take a picture of that new cladding 

[tat2kc]

They've been putting up the crazy green cladding for a few months now  8  And yes, it looks awesome.

[Beermo]

They've been putting up the crazy green cladding for a few months now  8  And yes, it looks awesome.

while you can say that it's crazy, green and cladding. it's a whole lot easier to use the word "copper" instead.

[ComandanteCero]

They've been putting up the crazy green cladding for a few months now  8   And yes, it looks awesome.

oh, hehe.  Usually when i drive by i'm looking at the glass, i guess last time i drove by was the first time i noticed the non-glass part of the building.  My bad