Film Row building threatened with demolition

[Chris Stritzel]

Helzberg proposing to renovate the old MGM and Universal Pictures buildings in Film Row as office. MGM is in really bad shape and many thought it would simply collapse. No incentives or tax credits. Two buildings will be joined together via a walkway, which will require vacation of one of the two north/south alleys in that block.

The north half of the block (height restriction of 55' per GDAP) will become apartments over parking with street level retail. Due to the site slope and height limit it will be 5-6 stories from east to west along 17th.

While not a Film Row building, the Kenton Brothers building at 18th & Baltimore will be renovated and the parking lot will become a pocket park (opening up more on-street parking by removal of the many curb cuts).

Interested to see what comes of this. A new infill building plus the renovations of several existing is a great idea. Looking forward to seeing more.

[FangKC]

I'm relieved mostly that the MGM Building will be renovated. I worried that it would be lost.

[FangKC]

Crossroads Plan Would Revive Film Row Buildings, Add Apartments, Retail

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The proposal would save the derelict MGM Studio building at 220 W. 18th St. and the Universal Artists building at 214 W. 18th and convert them to office space, according to Robert Harris, co-chair of the Crossroads Association infrastructure committee.
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The proposed five- to six-story apartment building would replace parking lots on the south side of 17th street east of Central and across from the Performing Arts Center Garage. No renderings or unit count were available of the residential plan.

The proposed renovation of what’s called the Kenton Brothers building at 18th and Baltimore would convert it a retail center featuring small shops. The parking lot facing Baltimore would become a “parklet,” according to the concept.
...

https://cityscenekc.com/crossroads-plan ... ewXqof13SA

Film Row buildings

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0919233 ... 384!8i8192

18th and Baltimore site (Kenton Brothers)

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0918443 ... 384!8i8192

New apartment building site.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.092862, ... 384!8i8192

[Chris Stritzel]

Crossroads Plan Would Revive Film Row Buildings, Add Apartments, Retail

...
The proposal would save the derelict MGM Studio building at 220 W. 18th St. and the Universal Artists building at 214 W. 18th and convert them to office space, according to Robert Harris, co-chair of the Crossroads Association infrastructure committee.
...
The proposed five- to six-story apartment building would replace parking lots on the south side of 17th street east of Central and across from the Performing Arts Center Garage. No renderings or unit count were available of the residential plan.

The proposed renovation of what’s called the Kenton Brothers building at 18th and Baltimore would convert it a retail center featuring small shops. The parking lot facing Baltimore would become a “parklet,” according to the concept.
...

https://cityscenekc.com/crossroads-plan ... ewXqof13SA

Film Row buildings

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0919233 ... 384!8i8192

18th and Baltimore site (Kenton Brothers)

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.0918443 ... 384!8i8192

New apartment building site.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.092862, ... 384!8i8192

Alley vacation request on the August 18th plan commission agenda. The site next door is where the new building will eventually go. No applications on that component have been made yet.
https://compasskc.kcmo.org/EnerGov_Prod ... =locations

[Chris Stritzel]

Plan Commission approved of the alley vacation. Some renderings of the renovated buildings were shown as well. A link would be built between the two film row buildings to make them more viable for an office tenant. Parking will be in the neighboring warehouse.

In the future, the two parking lots along 17th, and the warehouse, will be demolished with the sites then dugout for underground parking. Two, 5-story apartment buildings would then rise on top of the site preserving the space where the alley used to be (a visual corridor). No firm plan on the apartment buildings has been provided yet, but will come later. I imagine around 150 apartments could be fit in two, 5-story buildings here. Depends on their design and orientation though.

[Cratedigger]

No details, but sounds like the vision is less than 150 units.

Lacy said the number of units hasn’t been determined but would be “relatively few.

“It’s will likely be high-end residential, it’s ocean front property,” he said, referring to the view of the Kauffman Center.

https://cityscenekc.com/crossroads-off ... afy-oasis/

[KCPowercat]

Glad to see this move forward. Most excited about the green space.

[FangKC]

Also included in the plan is renovation of the former Kenton Brothers building on the NW corner of 18th and Wyandotte and creation of a leafy plaza in the parking lot there. There is a possibility a restaurant will be the tenant there.

...
As for the former Kenton Brothers building, Lacy said the developer is in discussions with a potential restaurant that would use the entire 5,000-square-foot building.

“If that doesn’t happen, it could be broken up into three or four separate spaces for a small restaurant and retail,” he said.

The L-shaped building would have canopies on the plaza frontage for outdoor seating. The plaza would include ample trees and benches. Lacy said the north section of the building has a barrel ceiling that would be exposed.
...

https://flatlandkc.org/news-issues/shir ... rossroads/

[moderne]

Will make for a nice link corridor between Main and Broadway. The parklet will be a good place to view the TWA rocket The high end housing on 17th would be a good fit with the 5 star hotel that may or may not ever happen

[AlkaliAxel]

I'm glad downtown is starting to finally embrace real green space. Between the south loop cap, new BAP, the Vince Bryant project next to City Club, and now this project there's starting to some real quality greenery occurring downtown now over the next few years.

[dukuboy1]

I'm glad downtown is starting to finally embrace real green space. Between the south loop cap, new BAP, the Vince Bryant project next to City Club, and now this project there's starting to some real quality greenery occurring downtown now over the next few years.

Agreed, and the benefits of have dense development in and around the greenspace so it is utilized but having a mixed use for it. Not just a vast expanse of green that has nothing close by to use and appreciate it. That is one key that I like and a trend that these proposals/developments are starting to see the value of as well.

[KCPowercat]

Also included in the plan is renovation of the former Kenton Brothers building on the NW corner of 18th and Wyandotte and creation of a leafy plaza in the parking lot there. There is a possibility a restaurant will be the tenant there.

...
As for the former Kenton Brothers building, Lacy said the developer is in discussions with a potential restaurant that would use the entire 5,000-square-foot building.

“If that doesn’t happen, it could be broken up into three or four separate spaces for a small restaurant and retail,” he said.

The L-shaped building would have canopies on the plaza frontage for outdoor seating. The plaza would include ample trees and benches. Lacy said the north section of the building has a barrel ceiling that would be exposed.
...

https://flatlandkc.org/news-issues/shir ... rossroads/

This has a fence around it now

[DaveKCMO]

This intersection is going to be transformed!

[TheUrbanRoo]

So it’s really starting now?

[FangKC]

Film Row Projects Underway, Latest Crossroads Investment by Helzberg

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Helzberg’s latest project is renovating the former MGM Studio building at 220 W. 18th, and the former Columbia, later Universal, Pictures building next door at 214 W. 18th, into high-end office space.
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The plan for the two Film Row buildings on West 18th Street calls for them to be connected via an existing alley that’s been vacated. The combined 22,350 square-feet of office space will share amenities including a conference room, kitchen and lounge.

The buildings will be divided for small office users with nine suites ranging in size from 600- to 3,000 square-feet. While the downtown office market has been very soft since the Covid pandemic, Lacy said there still is a market for quality, smaller offices.

“It’s the high-end, professional tenant who wants the latest technology,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of interest in smaller spaces, less than 3,000 square-feet and often less than 1,000 square-feet.”

The project also will include installing solar panels and substantially improving the landscaping in the area.
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One block farther east at the corner of 18th and Baltimore, she is renovating the L-shaped former Kenton Bros. building into commercial space, and creating a 5,000 square-foot park with trees on its current parking lot.
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As for the Kenton Bros. building at 18th and Baltimore, the developer is excited a top restaurant group already has expressed interest in part of its space.

The former warehouse building will be divided into a 2,500 square-foot space and two, 500 square-foot spaces.
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Construction fencing is in place at both projects and work is expected to begin soon. It should be completed by early next year.
...

https://cityscenekc.com/film-row-proje ... swY4TgJ5k8