OFFICIAL - KC Star Printing Press

[horizons82]

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/a ... 96127.html

The KC Star is officially vacating its iconic glass building. It's a sad but unsurprising move.

I've always thought this building would be a great location for a satellite/expansion of the Kemper or Nelson museum. Or a complete relocation of the KC Museum.

Regardless, it'll be interesting to see what it's next life is.

[normalthings]

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/a ... 96127.html

The KC Star is officially vacating its iconic glass building. It's a sad but unsurprising move.

I've always thought this building would be a great location for a satellite/expansion of the Kemper or Nelson museum. Or a complete relocation of the KC Museum.

Regardless, it'll be interesting to see what it's next life is.

I assume KC Museum is locked in. A complete move of the Kauffman Museum would be cool. This site could also house steam boat Arabia. I wonder how much work is needed to make this place useful again.

[KCPowercat]

Isn't getting another printing press operator an option? The star doesn't own it.

[beautyfromashes]

Couldn’t the presses be converted to some other form of printing? Wallpaper, beer labels, boxes, idk. Seems there should be something. Or...we could just turn it into a Midwest aquarium like I’ve been saying for a decade.

[GRID]

The Star is so small now, they are wasting it anyway. Not very many people work there for the size of that thing. Seems like it could be turned into something pretty amazing. Aquarium not likely since the Zoo is building one. Maybe a museum of the printed press? Seriously, any sort of museum would be pretty neat. Probably too small for an aviation type museum or something like that. Develop the rooftop into a public space or something.

[normalthings]

The Star is so small now, they are wasting it anyway. Not very many people work there for the size of that thing. Seems like it could be turned into something pretty amazing. Aquarium not likely since the Zoo is building one. Maybe a museum of the printed press? Seriously, any sort of museum would be pretty neat. Probably too small for an aviation type museum or something like that. Develop the rooftop into a public space or something.

They had been using the facility to print for a wide area of McClatchy owned papers. A “other products” printer will require all new printing machinery. It will be interesting to see what happens.

[shinatoo]

It would make a kick ass office building. Lots of unique things could be done with it.

[Midtownkid]

I doubt it is well suited for an art museum. Imagine the solar damage to the art. They would have to screen all the windows...so that would defeat the purpose of having a big glass box.

[shinatoo]

I doubt it is well suited for an art museum. Imagine the solar damage to the art. They would have to screen all the windows...so that would defeat the purpose of having a big glass box.

Can't really even filter it. I remember when we were working on the Nelson expantion the conversatitions about getting the color tempture of the light just right. No way to do that with exterior windows, color filters or not.

[DColeKC]

I doubt it is well suited for an art museum. Imagine the solar damage to the art. They would have to screen all the windows...so that would defeat the purpose of having a big glass box.

Can't really even filter it. I remember when we were working on the Nelson expantion the conversatitions about getting the color tempture of the light just right. No way to do that with exterior windows, color filters or not.

Yeah that would be a nightmare. I'd love to see an aviation type museum but not sure if the space is large enough or if the building is structurally capable of hanging any heavy displays.

Would make for an impressive event space, granted we have so many of those currently.

[DColeKC]

Anyone know how big the current staff is that will require office space? We talking 25 people, 150?

[normalthings]

Anyone know how big the current staff is that will require office space? We talking 25 people, 150?

Didn't they say 150 or so lay offs

[DColeKC]

Anyone know how big the current staff is that will require office space? We talking 25 people, 150?

Didn't they say 150 or so lay offs

Saw that, but any idea how many people that will leave that need office space? Wondering what a good fit downtown would be for them.

[horizons82]

There’s plenty you can do with glazing to make it work for art display (without completely obscuring). Especially when you have an instance like here where the main “feature” is north facing. No reason the north face couldn’t be a sculpture court and/or lobby space. The modern wing of the Chicago Art Institute is a great example of how to work with similar modern architecture.

Yes, it would require notable retrofit to what’s existing, but just about any next user will require modifications. It would be a shame for such a prominent building to remain so insular as office space. Whatever happens next, it should engage more with the community. Either through exterior modifications and/or change of use.

[flyingember]

ordinance 150548 extended the tax abatement until 2031

can't copy paste it, but there's text in the agreement that requires the Star to pay the full tax payment for 15 years (less payments already made) if they move during that period, to the tune of millions.

[horizons82]

This keeps getting more bizarre. KCUR now is stating demolition and replacement with a new Royals stadium is possible. Shameful from a sustainability perspective, if true. I’m skeptical, seems like owner trying to juice attention.

https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-11-11/co ... ll-stadium

More believable but still disappointing options disclosed in the article:

Rosana Privitera Biondo, a principal of Ambassador Hospitality, declined to say whether The Star would pay a penalty for ending the lease early. But she said Ambassador Hospitality was considering several possible uses for the building, including as a logistics center, a call fulfillment center and even a brewery.

[WoodDraw]

ordinance 150548 extended the tax abatement until 2031

can't copy paste it, but there's text in the agreement that requires the Star to pay the full tax payment for 15 years (less payments already made) if they move during that period, to the tune of millions.

Does bankruptcy change this at all? I assumed they got out of that.

[normalthings]

Seems way too small for downtown Royals. Some rudimentary measurements seem to show you could keep the fancy glass front and build a new soccer stadium over the back, warehouse area, and adjacent church block.

[beautyfromashes]

What do you lose if you use the Star building as the 3B concourse and go east? Can you avoid taking down the Uhaul building? It’s the only tall building I can remember.

[shinatoo]

What do you lose if you use the Star building as the 3B concourse and go east? Can you avoid taking down the Uhaul building? It’s the only tall building I can remember.

U Haul building would be 2nd base. Printing press would be 2 of 6 blocks you would have to put together, but I like the idea. It won't happen. Lucas replied to the KCUR tweet with "Nah".