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Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:08 pm
by TheLastGentleman
moderne wrote: ↑Thu Jul 22, 2021 11:43 am
The UMB tower was not to have been over what is built, but built across the north end of the block, similar in footprint to the Commerce Bank building.
Would have required demo of the old HSA building at the corner of 10th and Grand. With the current trend of rooftop signage would like to see the old rooftop Continental sign restored. It was quite prominent.
It’s amazing, everyone seems to have a different opinion on where the tower was meant to go! I’ve heard that it was intended to be built on top of the northwest corner, on top of the northeast corner, in place of nearby buildings, and even that the whole building was engineered to be built taller!
At some point I’ve spoken to a person who was an intern at the firm which designed the building, and he says it was definitely intended to go on top of the existing structure, though he couldn’t remember which corner
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:40 pm
by flyingember
TheLastGentleman wrote: ↑Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:08 pm
moderne wrote: ↑Thu Jul 22, 2021 11:43 am
The UMB tower was not to have been over what is built, but built across the north end of the block, similar in footprint to the Commerce Bank building.
Would have required demo of the old HSA building at the corner of 10th and Grand. With the current trend of rooftop signage would like to see the old rooftop Continental sign restored. It was quite prominent.
It’s amazing, everyone seems to have a different opinion on where the tower was meant to go! I’ve heard that it was intended to be built on top of the northwest corner, on top of the northeast corner, in place of nearby buildings, and even that the whole building was engineered to be built taller!
At some point I’ve spoken to a person who was an intern at the firm which designed the building, and he says it was definitely intended to go on top of the existing structure, though he couldn’t remember which corner
https://www.flickr.com/photos/darrell_james/4677058822/
they took this from their website years ago
The first design for this bank was submitted by noted architect I.M. Pei, of New York, NY. It featured two triangular towers, ten stories, filling a city block, with a giant cut between, on the diagonal, like a cheese sandwich.
Ultimately, the design was scaled back, and the firm Abend-Singleton designed the final product. It has a 3-story side, and a 6-story side, but the structural capability to go UP, if necessary.
The opposing triangular towers design was used, and there is a large diagonal cut, providing fountains and natural light.
My guess, it's not one corner that was going to be expanded up but three of them. The structure is designed with the bank branch on the west side at ground level and the main building entry on Grand a story up. There's an interior courtyard with an escalator connecting the two and the lower ground level is filled with art, or was for many years if not still
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:56 pm
by moderne
I am just recalling the rendering that was in the KC Star all those decades ago. It was a block wide slab on the north end covered in the same red granite. You can see how the north end of the present building is not finished off with granite. Ehrlich's "KCMO: An Architectural History" merely states "the building has been designed to receive at some later time a glass-clad tower at the northwest corner..."
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 3:48 pm
by TheLastGentleman
TheLastGentleman wrote: ↑Thu Jul 22, 2021 1:08 pmAt some point I’ve spoken to a person who was an intern at the firm which designed the building, and he says it was definitely intended to go on top of the existing structure, though he couldn’t remember which corner
I should clarify that the person I spoke to was an intern there
in the 80s when the project was being designed
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Thu Jul 22, 2021 5:58 pm
by herrfrank
Kite Singleton is still around -- someone should ask him.
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 11:36 am
by Major KC Fan
Great article in the The KC Star today in the “What’s Your KC Q?” Series about the EBT/UMB building site history. What a major historical loss for the city. And what an example of the ongoing “parking lot sickness” that continues to this day (example the block north of the T Mobile Center, Grand to McGee, 12th to 13th Streets).
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Sun Jul 25, 2021 5:09 pm
by Highlander
Major KC Fan wrote: ↑Sun Jul 25, 2021 11:36 am
Great article in the The KC Star today in the “What’s Your KC Q?” Series about the EBT/UMB building site history. What a major historical loss for the city. And what an example of the ongoing “parking lot sickness” that continues to this day (example the block north of the T Mobile Center, Grand to McGee, 12th to 13th Streets).
I read that. Good article. I'm old enough to remember being in the EBT building and although I was very young, it made an impression on me. It's a shame that building was torn down. Also a shame is that the high rise portion of the squat UMB bank building was never built. That building was designed to have a tower on top of it with the same granite facade and set at an angle to the street direction.
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Sun Oct 10, 2021 4:47 pm
by Chris Stritzel
This webpage has a cool GIF showing how the building will be laid out.
https://www.varenhorst.com/twain-building
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Fri Jun 17, 2022 5:47 pm
by Chris Stritzel
The building now listed on apartments.com and other places as "The Mark KC". Rent ranges from $1050-$3300 per month for a studio - three-bedroom loft. Floor plans aren't available yet, but they say units will be available beginning on September 1st. Four interior renderings are included, but nothing else.
https://www.apartments.com/the-mark-kc- ... o/0bnc880/
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Sat Jun 18, 2022 12:12 pm
by taxi
Those look like they were done by grade schoolers.
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Wed Jun 22, 2022 12:58 pm
by AlkaliAxel
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2022 8:49 pm
by Chris Stritzel
Chris Stritzel wrote: ↑Fri Jun 17, 2022 5:47 pm
The building now listed on apartments.com and other places as "The Mark KC". Rent ranges from $1050-$3300 per month for a studio - three-bedroom loft. Floor plans aren't available yet, but they say units will be available beginning on September 1st. Four interior renderings are included, but nothing else.
https://www.apartments.com/the-mark-kc- ... o/0bnc880/
Property website now active with floor plans shown and links to social media pages (with unit walkthroughs) linked.
https://themark-kc.com/
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Wed Aug 03, 2022 9:06 pm
by FangKC
This building is so convenient to things.
Remember when a former developer planned a parking garage in the lower floors? Crazytown!
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2022 8:03 pm
by Chris Stritzel
Sidewalks reopened. Curb appeal isn't the best. Some trees could've been planted. Some windows also have old window blinds in them while some need a good cleaning. But I can't complain too much considering this building has been repurposed
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2022 9:45 pm
by shinatoo
Walking around Minneapolis I noticed a few stark contrasts between MSP and KC. The most obvious is the retention of pre war built environment and the beauty it adds to their city. The second was the sidewalks. At least twice as wide as most of what we have in KC. And it makes a huge difference—street trees and not having to doge utility boxes and poles when there are more than two people.
Really a shame ours are so narrow and I don't know how we fix that.
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Sun Sep 11, 2022 11:09 pm
by TheLastGentleman
But we need that space for cars to park, for cars to drive, for cars to turn, for cars to do donuts, for cars to speed into pedestrians……
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Mon Sep 12, 2022 11:08 am
by KC1963
I lived in Quality Hill apts in the early 80s. It was a food desert back then. Just a tiny mom and pop grocery store on Jefferson (long gone). In my view it won't be necessary to have a grocery nearby as it was back then. I'm in Dallas with a Tom Thumb, Kroger, and WalMart all within a mile but either pick up food in the parking lot or have Fresh or Whole Foods deliver. I grew up in the KCAC and if they kept the club intact I'd be buying a condo today.
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2022 5:15 am
by AlkaliAxel
Chris Stritzel wrote: ↑Fri Jun 17, 2022 5:47 pm
The building now listed on apartments.com and other places as "The Mark KC". Rent ranges from $1050-$3300 per month for a studio - three-bedroom loft. Floor plans aren't available yet, but they say units will be available beginning on September 1st. Four interior renderings are included, but nothing else.
https://www.apartments.com/the-mark-kc- ... o/0bnc880/
Are residents moved in yet?
Also wondering when the ground floor retail will be ready
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Wed Nov 16, 2022 11:16 pm
by FangKC
https://www.instagram.com/p/ClCjuRZJXHT ... _copy_link
I still don't understand what is wrong with just calling the building Mark Twain.
People already know the building by that name. "The Mark" just sounds like a bunch of 30-year-old branding people trying to be cute.
Re: OFFICIAL - The Continental Apartments (former Mark Twain Tower)
Posted: Thu Nov 17, 2022 8:40 am
by DaveKCMO
What was the link you intended to share?