KCRag Forum

Happy KC is getting a modern airport that suits today's aviation needs. Very sorry to see a genius design retired and torn down. Was it the best in its time?

missingkc wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 5:36 pm Happy KC is getting a modern airport that suits today's aviation needs. Very sorry to see a genius design retired and torn down. Was it the best in its time?

I’d go with a No considering no others were built in its design and it was considered functionally out of date within 30 days of opening.

normalthings wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:20 pm

missingkc wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 5:36 pm Happy KC is getting a modern airport that suits today's aviation needs. Very sorry to see a genius design retired and torn down. Was it the best in its time?

I’d go with a No considering no others were built in its design and it was considered functionally out of date within 30 days of opening.

I’d very much disagree, for its intended “drive to your gate” design it absolutely delivered on that promise, even following the addition of the secure areas, and DFW was loosely designed as a similar structure, given the terminals there had a significant amount more depth

Anthony_Hugo98 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:33 pm

normalthings wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:20 pm

missingkc wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 5:36 pm Happy KC is getting a modern airport that suits today's aviation needs. Very sorry to see a genius design retired and torn down. Was it the best in its time?

I’d go with a No considering no others were built in its design and it was considered functionally out of date within 30 days of opening.

I’d very much disagree, for its intended “drive to your gate” design it absolutely delivered on that promise, even following the addition of the secure areas, and DFW was loosely designed as a similar structure, given the terminals there had a significant amount more depth

Key word being Depth. KCI struggled to provide the requisite services that modern airports need on both sides of security and do it comfortably. The terminals were just too narrow. KCI really felt claustrophobic and more like an airport that would serve a city of a couple of hundred thousand people than the gateway to a major city. I am not going to miss KCI.

Anthony_Hugo98 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:33 pm

normalthings wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:20 pm

missingkc wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 5:36 pm Happy KC is getting a modern airport that suits today's aviation needs. Very sorry to see a genius design retired and torn down. Was it the best in its time?

I’d go with a No considering no others were built in its design and it was considered functionally out of date within 30 days of opening.

I’d very much disagree, for its intended “drive to your gate” design it absolutely delivered on that promise, even following the addition of the secure areas, and DFW was loosely designed as a similar structure, given the terminals there had a significant amount more depth

I fly a lot and I've never understood this argument at all.

The only people it seems to work for are you are headed out of town and a family member is dropping you off and you're literally doing nothing at the airport and it's an off-season time.

It's a historically awful airport.

KCI has never felt better to me than any other airport and is instead immeasurably worse in virtually every regard, from functionality, to aesthetics, to convenience

I respect kivett and myers for TSC and their influence on stadium design and architecture, but KCI is not good design and never was

Anthony_Hugo98 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:33 pm

normalthings wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:20 pm

missingkc wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 5:36 pm Happy KC is getting a modern airport that suits today's aviation needs. Very sorry to see a genius design retired and torn down. Was it the best in its time?

I’d go with a No considering no others were built in its design and it was considered functionally out of date within 30 days of opening.

I’d very much disagree, for its intended “drive to your gate” design it absolutely delivered on that promise, even following the addition of the secure areas, and DFW was loosely designed as a similar structure, given the terminals there had a significant amount more depth

It was out of date as soon as Feds required security checkpoints, which the airport wasn't designed for. The airport initially opened where you could freely roam entire space. But more importantly it was poorly designed for a hub, which is why TWA left KC. There is *nothing* good about the design.

When did the concourse get divided for security? I remember flying as a kid in the 80s and it was open. So easy! I believe there was just a metal detector at the gate. Drop your bags, walk to gate and go.

^I can't find the year but security gates were added in the 70s. Some reports say shortly after opened.

That made it difficult to operate as a hub and TWA left for STL. KC's growth possibly would have been more significant if it had continuously operated as a major hub, attracting more business given more flight options and destinations that hubs bring.

Even after they added gates you could leave and enter without a ticket. You just had to go through security. So it was fairly normal to go between the secure and nonsecure areas.

That's obviously ended too. Security eventually got to the point where it wasnt practical to leave and enter at all multiple times and the airport had to build up amenities as best they could.

It was a broken airport mostly from when it opened that has just gotten progressively worse. Gates installed to tickets to higher security to liquid ban and so on just made it a completely impractical airport.

earthling wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2019 9:24 am

Anthony_Hugo98 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:33 pm

normalthings wrote: ↑Sat Jul 27, 2019 7:20 pm

I’d go with a No considering no others were built in its design and it was considered functionally out of date within 30 days of opening.

I’d very much disagree, for its intended “drive to your gate” design it absolutely delivered on that promise, even following the addition of the secure areas, and DFW was loosely designed as a similar structure, given the terminals there had a significant amount more depth

It was out of date as soon as Feds required security checkpoints, which the airport wasn't designed for. The airport initially opened where you could freely roam entire space. But more importantly it was poorly designed for a hub, which is why TWA left KC. There is *nothing* good about the design.

One of the great ironies of KC history is that TWA was instrumental in the design of the airport.

KC leaders and TWA showed a remarkable lack of foresight as the airport was built in 1972 and security screenings began with metal detectors in 1973. Airline deregulation occurred in 1978 which really put the hub system on steroids. Were these predictable when the airport was designed? I don't know. Hard to believe the security issue wasn't on the radar.

Its amazing how badly KCI (and KC) was so impacted by these two eventualities. In the 70's, KC was still larger than most sunbelt cities and many cities it now trails such as Denver. It had a central location as a selling point also. With a little foresight and better design, KCI could have easily been a major hub.

^Unfortunately there are plenty in KC who'd rather have a drive-up dropoff to shorten walking time than having more flight options that a hub brings (and likely boosted economy with it). These are probably the same people who would rather drive 5-10 minutes in a parking lot to get the perfect spot in front of a grocery store than walk an extra 100-200 feet.

And those are the same people who think that sidewalks and bicycle lanes are a complete waste of time and money.

beautyfromashes wrote: ↑Sun Jul 28, 2019 9:27 am When did the concourse get divided for security? I remember flying as a kid in the 80s and it was open. So easy! I believe there was just a metal detector at the gate. Drop your bags, walk to gate and go.

The gates got metal detectors almost immediately after KCI opened for service. However, there were no dividers throughout the terminals in the 1970s and 1980s into the 1990s -- just the immediate gate area was restricted. You could roam the terminals, upstairs and downstairs, freely -- there were Delta and American clubs upstairs in B and A, respectively. The place worked well when it was wide open IMHO.

Some divider walls went up in the late 1990s -- and they were expanded in the 2004 refurbishment (terrazzo replaced the waxed parquet floors then also).

Terminal A now just a memory, completely razed. One thing I will miss about the old terminals---being able to greet arriving passengers as they exit the jetways. Now will have to be at baggage claim.

I want them to keep at least a portion of C. I hate the terminals but I still like to retain old architecture and we can be reminded of our mistakes

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2019 1:16 pm I want them to keep at least a portion of C. I hate the terminals but I still like to retain old architecture and we can be reminded of our mistakes

Down the road could they migrate the TWA meuseum down to terminal C? I'd think thatd be fitting.

If you like that idea you have 2-3 years to get them to stop demolition

https://www.kctv5.com/news/kctv5_news_t ... 5270b.html

The demolition of terminal A will last four to six months. Terminal B and C will also be demolished, but not until the construction of the new terminal is complete. The plan is to bring the B and C down by early 2024.

Anthony_Hugo98 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2019 1:39 pm

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2019 1:16 pm I want them to keep at least a portion of C. I hate the terminals but I still like to retain old architecture and we can be reminded of our mistakes

Down the road could they migrate the TWA meuseum down to terminal C? I'd think thatd be fitting.

Agreed

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2019 2:51 pm

Anthony_Hugo98 wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2019 1:39 pm

KCPowercat wrote: ↑Mon Jul 29, 2019 1:16 pm I want them to keep at least a portion of C. I hate the terminals but I still like to retain old architecture and we can be reminded of our mistakes

Down the road could they migrate the TWA meuseum down to terminal C? I'd think thatd be fitting.

Agreed

Do you know if anyone has inquired with the museum on the possibility of them relocating? or is it not possible as of now?