KCRag Forum

moderne wrote:Really. And in the Xmas season the top and corners were outlined in red.

That is fantastic. I'd love to see photos of that.

On a separate note, why are they removing the letters and logo? The building is in receivership, but what's the purpose in removing the lettering?

I didn't know about the window neons, that's pretty amazing.
Anyone have pictures?

They are removing the signage because Commerce is moving what little they have out of the building.
I wish they would just leave the signs up, I will miss those. Seems like little by little the skyline is getting darker.

I do know they are going to pay upwards of $45,000+ to remove the signs. What a waste, I assume the light bill is costing them, but for how many more years could you run the signs for $45k?

Are the safe deposit boxes moving?

More importantly: Is the ATM moving?

It's so convenient!

That I do not know, sorry :/
I don't work for Commerce, I just know someone at a sign company. Just repeating what I've heard.

smh wrote:More importantly: Is the ATM moving?

It's so convenient!

According to their website, they put three on the 900 and 1000 blocks of Walnut in addition to the one at Commerce Tower.

Useless fact: Apparently after 9/11 they changed the address of the building from 911 Main to 909 Main and did the same thing to 909 Walnut.

Commerce Tower owner struggles to pay monthly note payment, report finds

That month, its total income of $267,695 left just $20,265 to cover the building’s $132,388 monthly loan payment. The information comes from a report to Jackson County Circuit Court.

Hertz Investment Group LLC took out a $21 million loan to buy Commerce Tower in 2006. Hertz defaulted on the note, and on Jan. 10, a Jackson County judge put the 30-story structure at Ninth and Main streets into receivership.

Commerce Tower’s 53 percent vacancy rate lags the overall Class B office space vacancy rate of 13 percent in Downtown.

I thought when I read this that perhaps it's a good thing that GSA is going to rent so much space downtown while they wait for Congress to approve funding of their new building. Hopefully, GSA will rent space here and the building will generate more income that it becomes attractive for a new buyer.

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/p ... 2012-04-21

Five interested bidders on Commerce Tower:

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... 1374180783


DAE think this is a prime location for a surface parking lot?

smh wrote:Five interested bidders on Commerce Tower:

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... 1374180783


DAE think this is a prime location for a surface parking lot?

DAE?

smh wrote:Five interested bidders on Commerce Tower:

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... 1374180783


DAE think this is a prime location for a surface parking lot?

DAE?

loftguy wrote:

smh wrote:Five interested bidders on Commerce Tower:

http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/n ... 1374180783


DAE think this is a prime location for a surface parking lot?

DAE?

Ah, sorry. Reddit speak for Does Anyone Else.

But seriously, this is a prime location in the heart of downtown. How many spots do you think we could fit there and what would it cost to stripe and seal?

ISWYDT

Behind the P&L Building, that's my favorite building in downtown.

chaglang wrote:ISWYDT

Behind the P&L Building, that's my favorite building in downtown.

Wait, is this sarcastic? If not, can you elaborate on why it is your second favorite building downtown? It isn't a terrible building by any means, but I'd be interested to hear how it appeals to you.

It one of my favorite buildings downtown, too. Don't know if I'd go so far as to call it my second favorite, but I think its both clean and kitschy at the same time, is really exemplary of its time. I think it's every bit as cool and stylish as the BMA building, if not quite as "architecturally significant".

I think it's an example of good, solid Modernist architecture. It doesn't hurt that it's next to a parking garage and the hideous 811 Main building. Plus, it's tall. Tall is good.

Eon Blue wrote:I think it's an example of good, solid Modernist architecture. It doesn't hurt that it's next to a parking garage and the hideous 811 Main building. Plus, it's tall. Tall is good.

I do like the double-height (?) lobby. And I'm partial to the way the building is setback just a little from Main so you approach it through the plaza.

chaglang wrote:ISWYDT

Behind the P&L Building, that's my favorite building in downtown.

2nd that.

smh wrote:

chaglang wrote:ISWYDT

Behind the P&L Building, that's my favorite building in downtown.

Wait, is this sarcastic? If not, can you elaborate on why it is your second favorite building downtown? It isn't a terrible building by any means, but I'd be interested to hear how it appeals to you.

No sarcasm. The exterior is really finely patterned, to the point that it looks plaid, but the skin is very smooth, taut even. The double height lobby is echoed at the top in (what I assume are) the mechanical spaces. Working those into the design keeps them off the roof and out of view, and gives the building a nice cap at the top. To keep things interesting, there's that little room sticking out of the top of the north side of the building. And the structural supports for that are also worked into the patterning. It also reminds me of the Seagram Building in NYC, and that never hurts.

I'm somewhat ashamed to admit that like it mainly because it looks like something that wouldn't be out of place in Mad Men.

Commerce Tower is not even on my Top 50 downtown building list. For me, it’s easier to put together a list of buildings that are worse than Commerce Tower.