KCRag Forum

In 1909, the rapidly-growing congregation of Grand Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, elected to erect a new building to house not only the church facilities, but also an adjoining 12-story officer tower. Completed in 1912, the Greek revival design of the church later became known as the Grand Avenue Temple and its office tower as the Temple Building. The Temple's 1500-seat amphitheater style church-auditorium is almost square, with a 30' high flat, classically ornate grid-type ceiling. This auditorium and the Ernest M. Skinner pipe organ which resides in it have never been altered from their original designs. The church lost ownership of the office tower during the Great Depression. After a series of transactions, today it is the Federal Reserve Bank which owns every other parcel of land on the block except that place where the Grand Avenue Temple remains. Although the Federal Reserve Bank has offered to acquire the Grand Avenue Temple for additional parking space, to date no offer has been accepted, and the downtown church, one of only five churches in downtown Kansas City, lives on.

scooterj wrote:What building is this? (Circled in yellow.)



Is it in use or is it vacant? It's a beauty.