OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)

[FangKC]

https://twitter.com/AdamParkhomenko/sta ... 7Sjl8GkhPg

What was the link you intended to share?

Sorry about the wrong link. Apparently the link I wanted wasn't copied.

Here is the proper link.

https://www.instagram.com/p/ClCjuRZJXHT ... _copy_link


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[Cratedigger]

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[Chris Stritzel]

Website shows 95 units of 222 available (58% leased). Living here, I can definitely say it's quiet.

Choosing to live here was a last minute choice, but I have no regrets so far. Plenty of room in my unit, plenty of natural light, and I love being able to walk to things I do often (River Market, Berkley Park, Consentino's, CVS, Union Station, etc. Just need to get an E-Bike and I can cut down on needing to drive most places). I love the view from my unit (perfectly aligned with 11th Street).

The old pool room is still here, just hidden behind double doors. The old basketball courts are now bi-level apartments. Amenities are in the basement. The one amenity I wish the building had is a rooftop deck, but that's ok. The more amenities there are, the higher the rent is. Plus with a neighborhood like Downtown, the amenities re really out and about.

[daGOAT]

Website shows 95 units of 222 available (58% leased). Living here, I can definitely say it's quiet.

Choosing to live here was a last minute choice, but I have no regrets so far. Plenty of room in my unit, plenty of natural light, and I love being able to walk to things I do often (River Market, Berkley Park, Consentino's, CVS, Union Station, etc. Just need to get an E-Bike and I can cut down on needing to drive most places). I love the view from my unit (perfectly aligned with 11th Street).

The old pool room is still here, just hidden behind double doors. The old basketball courts are now bi-level apartments. Amenities are in the basement. The one amenity I wish the building had is a rooftop deck, but that's ok. The more amenities there are, the higher the rent is. Plus with a neighborhood like Downtown, the amenities re really out and about.

What about the old Playboy Club? My grandma was a cocktail waitress there back in the 70's and I always wanted to see it restored.

[Chris Stritzel]

Website shows 95 units of 222 available (58% leased). Living here, I can definitely say it's quiet.

Choosing to live here was a last minute choice, but I have no regrets so far. Plenty of room in my unit, plenty of natural light, and I love being able to walk to things I do often (River Market, Berkley Park, Consentino's, CVS, Union Station, etc. Just need to get an E-Bike and I can cut down on needing to drive most places). I love the view from my unit (perfectly aligned with 11th Street).

The old pool room is still here, just hidden behind double doors. The old basketball courts are now bi-level apartments. Amenities are in the basement. The one amenity I wish the building had is a rooftop deck, but that's ok. The more amenities there are, the higher the rent is. Plus with a neighborhood like Downtown, the amenities re really out and about.

What about the old Playboy Club? My grandma was a cocktail waitress there back in the 70's and I always wanted to see it restored.

I'm not on the 22nd floor, so I'm unsure how those units came out and whether or not they reused the vaulted ceiling seen in some earlier pictures in this thread (I doubt that part). Beyond the ballroom, vacant pool area, floors in the basement, a vacant freight elevator, and an original stairwell with iron railings, there's nothing much left of the old interior.

[im2kull]

Kite Singleton is still around -- someone should ask him.

That's an excellent point. Someone should. You're still around too and I have a burning question for you, but I can't DM you? Are you able to DM me?

[DaveKCMO]

Did anyone else go to the open house tonight? Public spaces are nicely restored. Unit finishes are really basic, except for select units that have original floors (8th) or fireplaces/windows.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

Did anyone else go to the open house tonight? Public spaces are nicely restored. Unit finishes are really basic, except for select units that have original floors (8th) or fireplaces/windows.

Chris moved in here a bit ago, so he can opine on it. The BallRoom looks amazing though from what I’ve seen.

[Chris Stritzel]

Did anyone else go to the open house tonight? Public spaces are nicely restored. Unit finishes are really basic, except for select units that have original floors (8th) or fireplaces/windows.

Chris moved in here a bit ago, so he can opine on it. The BallRoom looks amazing though from what I’ve seen.

As my first apartment, I think the finishes are fine. Sure, they’re basic but it’s a nice place to live close to everything I do. Decorations really make or break the units and for mine, I decorated it well enough to make it feel cozy. The gym in the basement has replaced my membership gym, so that’s good. Only thing I really wish they did was utilize the roof for an amenity and/or reopen the old pool.

Addition...
Here's my apartment's living space before all decorations were put out and it was cleaned up after my move-in. Since this time, I've hung things up and put other decorations out. Is more "homey" now.

[FangKC]

Chris, give us a video tour of the renovated spaces.

[Chris Stritzel]

Chris, give us a video tour of the renovated spaces.

No video tour, but here are a ton of pictures. The pool still exists, but is locked behind double doors. Since I moved here, management repainted the lobby from green and cream to brown and a purplish color. New furniture and decorations have also been added to the lobby. The basement received some area rugs and wall decorations. The ballroom has been used for a wedding party once since I've been here.

[KCPowercat]

Looks like the did a great job. Appreciate the pics.

Any indication of the pool ever being open?

[FangKC]

Thanks for uploading the photos Chris.

[teclis]

I had so much fun playing racquetball there when it had a Gold's Gym back in the day...such great time!

[taxi]

Thanks, Chris. Great photos.

[KCACJef]

I grew up in the KCAC. Probably started first going down in the late 60s while my dad played handball. We used to get Italian sausage sandwiches at the Red Front on the way home, maybe go to the Wonderland Arcade sometimes. In the 60s and 70s, the majority of the TV All Star wrestlers worked out at the KCAC. Bob Geigel and Bulldog Bob Brown were impressive figures to see as a young boy. "Heroes" in real life. lol. Handball tournaments saw 'walking Joe Teasdale' in attendance. In the late 70s, Joe would swim laps in the pool and almost look as if he might drown with every stroke. He had a very awkward swimming style. My father bought a home in Prairie Village on 67th street in the 70s. Back then the metro would stop in front of our house, would wind its way through the Plaza and then stop at the corner of 11th and Baltimore. It think the fare was 35 cents. As a result, I went down there 4-6 times a week and would ride home with my father after he came down to play handball after work and Saturday AM. Later, I took a job at the KCAC and had the benefit of having the entire place to myself and/or friends in high school. This gave us access to beer, parties where we played 'war ball' in the pool. (violent no-rules water polo) racquetball, basketball and general dumbassery. As I worked Saturday AMs, the late Friday night parties lent themselves into sleeping in the boardroom of the KCAC. I have so many memories of the people associated with the KCAC, Millie, Johnny Joe, Judge Nugent, dozens of attorneys (most of them passed) etc. When the US beat the Soviets in hockey, I watched along with 20 others in the KCAC locker room. ( Also memorable because it was my 17th birthday. The photos by TheLastGentleman break my heart a little. More than any other place in KC, my memories are there. You just never realize how great you had it until it's no longer there.

[Jblanco]

I grew up in the KCAC. Probably started first going down in the late 60s while my dad played handball. We used to get Italian sausage sandwiches at the Red Front on the way home, maybe go to the Wonderland Arcade sometimes. In the 60s and 70s, the majority of the TV All Star wrestlers worked out at the KCAC. Bob Geigel and Bulldog Bob Brown were impressive figures to see as a young boy. "Heroes" in real life. lol. Handball tournaments saw 'walking Joe Teasdale' in attendance. In the late 70s, Joe would swim laps in the pool and almost look as if he might drown with every stroke. He had a very awkward swimming style. My father bought a home in Prairie Village on 67th street in the 70s. Back then the metro would stop in front of our house, would wind its way through the Plaza and then stop at the corner of 11th and Baltimore. It think the fare was 35 cents. As a result, I went down there 4-6 times a week and would ride home with my father after he came down to play handball after work and Saturday AM. Later, I took a job at the KCAC and had the benefit of having the entire place to myself and/or friends in high school. This gave us access to beer, parties where we played 'war ball' in the pool. (violent no-rules water polo) racquetball, basketball and general dumbassery. As I worked Saturday AMs, the late Friday night parties lent themselves into sleeping in the boardroom of the KCAC. I have so many memories of the people associated with the KCAC, Millie, Johnny Joe, Judge Nugent, dozens of attorneys (most of them passed) etc. When the US beat the Soviets in hockey, I watched along with 20 others in the KCAC locker room. ( Also memorable because it was my 17th birthday. The photos by TheLastGentleman break my heart a little. More than any other place in KC, my memories are there. You just never realize how great you had it until it's no longer there.

That was old school KC. I remember all that stuff.
I remember playing basketball there, the old wood floor and always good players for pickup games.
Speaking of wrestlers, do you remember Betty Jo Niccoli? She was a famous women's wrestler and my cousin. She was a part of KC wresting folklore with Geigel and the others, all were mob connected.

My brother used to hang out at the Red Front with all the daygoes and assorted wannabes. Back then the City Market was 24/7 active with the produce vendors and gandy dancers. Penny Arcade (Wonderland) was a great hangout. And the 2 Penner's menswear shops next to each other on 12th where you could buy designer shoes and slacks. Do you remember the "Chief" police officer that patrolled that stretch of 12th and Grand? KC was a real city back then. Unless you were there, younger people can't even imagine.

[KCACJef]

All that and more. The giant barrel of free candy in the River Quay, buying baby ducks for Easter and being what my good friend still to this day calls "being a feral child". We used to run free and without worry. I've taken reams of paper, the elevator to the highest floor and walked out and thrown paper airplanes off the top of the Continental tower, the KC Power and Light and of course the Liberty Memorial back when the museum cost a quarter and the tower cost a dime. An old guy from WWI would be on the left side (facing union station) in folding chair soaking up the sun. Union Station was falling apart and filled with a misc old car collection. Maybe 50 cents to walk around if you wanted. I didn't know the woman wrestler. My pop lived just off the plaza in the mid 70s and the guys next door were all wrestlers. They used 70lb dumb bells for working out. It was impressive. Somewhere in my dad's slides there is a photo of him, those guys and Andre the Giant. He was. Found this the other day - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LVEY4WjXxA All Star Wrestling

[KCACJef]

Betti Jo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlVn4XaQZzw

[Chris Stritzel]

Looks like a second retail tenant will be opening soon. First was the yoga place at the corner of 11th and Baltimore. Now this space, to the left of the lobby on 11th Street, has been coming together over the past few weeks. Looks like a speakeasy. Haven't been told yet what it'll be. but it looks nice. This will leave one retail space available for lease (on Baltimore).