Old Building on Paseo

[PumpkinStalker]

I drove by the old Christian Hospital on Paseo today, and noticed quite a commotion.  I always thought it was a neat old building.  It was also the birth place of former KC Mayor Ilus Davis (1917 - 1996).  He was two term mayor from 1963 - 1971.  The building was surrounded by Walton Construction equipment, but I did not see a sign advertising any project...  It's a massive old structure, does anyone have any idea what is going on?  Some simple searches on the web only turned up old biographical stuff and info about it being "haunted".

[tat2kc]

I've notice that also. There looks like a couple buildings being renovated. I did drive all aound, but no signage at all as a clue.

[catfish1812]

Where on the Paseo?

[WSPanic]

God Catfish, ever heard of google? What are we, your personal researchers? You'd think someone with intimate knowledge of teaching hospitals might have a clue on this!

Just kidding.

27th and Paseo.

Here's a cool KC Library link:
http://kclibrary.org/localhistory/list. ... eaID=19351

And from Gastinger Walker Harden:

"Cohen Esrey Development - Residences at West Paseo, an historic preservation and renovation of the former 1914 Christian Hospital into senior housing."

So, there you have it.

It's also mentioned on (and I'm not making this up) - http://www.kcghost.com/

[voltopt]

lovely.
i've been waiting for something to happen to this building for a long time.
what's really good about it is that the building is just south of the Beacon Hill neighborhood.
its also relatively close to hospital hill... my girlfriend used to live west a little bit at 27th and holmes.  what a great neighborhood that area is.

also, ws panic, do you post on royalboard?

[WSPanic]

Yeah, I post on Royalboard - probably too much. Definitely seen you on there before.

So does Catfish (aka Mendy - sorry to "out" you). He's a friend a mine - I was just giving him a hard time.

[PumpkinStalker]

Hmm...interesting.  Well, when those old people die in there, it will fuel more ghost stories....oh man.  I'm going to hell...

But seriously...hmm...I guess upon thinking about it, and given the current demographics and general structure of the area...what else would you do with that building?  It's not exactly in a currently attractive area.  Maybe it will help though, having something new and fresh.  I do think it's a sweet old building.  Thanks for the info guys.

[voltopt]

this building looks great.  drove by on sunday and it is completely cleaned up, new windows, and new landscaping all around. 
what a great job.

a friend of mine just bought a house dirt cheap a block south of here on paseo - he calls it his 15 year investment.
the area may need fifteen years, but the way it is now it is actually EASIER to imagine a sweeping change and much private new consruction.

there is NOTHING between troost and paseo from 27 to US 71, and south of there there is very little.
i feel safer and more comfortable considering property purchases along vine street and 20th or troost and 27th then i do in some parts of midtown.

this place could literally explode with new construction IF there was a market for it... it is adjacent to crown center, longfellow neighborhood, hospital hill and the schools there, and is so freaking close to downtown.

and there is so little there i can't imagine crime being a problem down the road...

[Sportster]

http://www.northeastnews.net/01-11-06/postcard.html

http://www.northeastnews.net/01-18-06/postcard.html

Sportster
...a little history

[voltopt]

nice postcards

[KansasCityCraka]

I love the KCGhosts website. I think the union station investigations are the most intriguing.

[Dmeister]

I'm living up in Liberty at the moment, which has it's share of old buildings (some get saved, some don't).  Anyway, they have their own abandoned hospital (or was it a convalescent or mental institution?)  Called Oddfellows (really, not kidding, WAAAY before PC-terms came into vogue).  It sits just a bit back off of highway 291 just as you're coming into Liberty from the South.  The grounds are still empty, and the windows are all boarded up, but the sucker is huge.  The Christian Hospital ghosts topic kind of reminded me of it.  Liberty's most prevalent ghost stories are about it.

Sorry, I know it's off-topic a bit, but it's a similar story.  When you spoke of KCGhosts it reminded me of it...

[dangerboy]

Odd Fellows isn't a mental health reference, it is a fraternal organization kinda like the Masons, Elks, Moose, etc. They used to operate retirement homes all over the country, a few are still in business.

[shinatoo]

I have an old photo of my Great-grandpa and his congregation having a baptismal service in Troost lake. I'll have to dig that one out and post it.