KCRag Forum

The Kansas City Fire Department responded to a large fire at a vacant building at 501 Knickerbocker Place overnight.
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Firefighters were called to the Knickerbocker Apartments at about 12:30 a.m. Thursday.

41 Action News cameras recorded flames shooting from the roof of the three-story building. An investigator from the fire department said it was most likely homeless people staying in the building who caused the fire.

The 114-year-old building is on Historic KC’s 2019 most endangered list. The group focused on preservation publishes a list of buildings in danger of being demolished every year. The Knickerbocker Apartments have been on the list since 2011.

Jackson County property records show The Kansas City Life Insurance Company owns the property. It has been vacant for years.
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The building is a representative and rare surviving example of the work of L. G. Middaugh. Built in 1906 in the Century Revival style for developer James A. Rose, the Knickerbocker Apartments are located on what remained as one of Kansas City's few private streets until it was deeded to the city in 1958. The elegance and prestige of the Knickerbocker were highly expressed in its design features and its private street status.

In 1966 Knickerbocker Place was purchased from the Charles F. Curry family by Kansas City Life Insurance for future expansion of their facilities. In 1981 an attempt to protect Knickerbocker Place from demolition was made by the Valentine Neighborhood Association and the Landmarks Commission of Kansas City. The owner stated that the cost of saving the buildings would place undue hardship on Kansas City Life and that the addition of a new Computer Center to the company's facilities at Broadway and 36th Street out-weighed the issue of preserving the Knickerbocker apartments. In 1982, the north building (500-530 Knickerbocker Place) was demolished. One-half of the complex still remains.
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The building is owned by Kansas City Life Insurance (KCL). On July 8th, KCL notified the Valentine area that as a result of a recent fire, the Knickerbocker Apartments were deemed unsafe for any residents in their current status. The Valentine neighborhood then reached out to KCL asking for a 30-day extension to find a new developer who would be willing to restore the place.

KCL denied their request on July 13th despite locals claiming that several developers had privately expressed interest in the building.

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In his letter to the neighborhood, Bixby said KC Life has no specific plan in place for the Knickerbocker property.

“Moving forward, we hope to breathe new life into this location for future generations to enjoy, while also improving the aesthetics of Knickerbocker Place,” he wrote.
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TheLastGentleman wrote: ↑Thu Jul 23, 2020 1:25 am Why does KCL pull this crap anyways?