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Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2022 9:10 am
by Cratedigger
Wow! What a neat surprise to wake up to this morning.

Former 7-story UMB Bank tower in downtown KCK may see new life as apartments, office

Veritas and BellaCore Developments, also based in Kansas City, Kansas, aim to remake the building a mixed-use project with 15,000 square feet of commercial and office on the first two floors. On floors three through seven, they would put in 25 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

The now vacant tower was built in 1925, and the developers want to restore it to its original architecture, including two-story archways similar to those at Union Station. The archways are hidden by a more recent facade.
https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... -plan.html

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2022 9:43 am
by TheLastGentleman
Awesome! KCK’s version of Oak Tower

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2022 6:04 pm
by Chris Stritzel
I hope they are successful. Would be lovely.

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Wed Nov 09, 2022 9:38 pm
by SilentSpades24
God I am so excited to see this come back through. Hoping this time it's successful and they can restore it and get her back online.

This, combined with the potential 6th & Ann Mixed-Use, as well as potential remodel of the International Brotherhood Building at 8th & Minnesota, could be a game changer.

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 4:45 pm
by Chris Stritzel
Cratedigger wrote: Wed Nov 09, 2022 9:10 am Wow! What a neat surprise to wake up to this morning.

Former 7-story UMB Bank tower in downtown KCK may see new life as apartments, office

Veritas and BellaCore Developments, also based in Kansas City, Kansas, aim to remake the building a mixed-use project with 15,000 square feet of commercial and office on the first two floors. On floors three through seven, they would put in 25 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

The now vacant tower was built in 1925, and the developers want to restore it to its original architecture, including two-story archways similar to those at Union Station. The archways are hidden by a more recent facade.
https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... -plan.html
Last night, a friend and I drove by this building and noticed they took some windows out on the west facade. Today, I went back and took some pictures. It's really something special. I took better photos with a good camera, but I can't upload them because I don't have a camera card reader handy. These are from my phone.

It's neat that you can see the brick through the glass if the sun hits it at just the right angle.

Does anyone know if the building next door will be addressed as part of this redevelopment plan? It's not looking too good.
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Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Mon Nov 21, 2022 10:58 pm
by SilentSpades24
The building next door was slated to be redeveloped separately, but it caught fire in early-October. It may redeveloped with this project though, but nothing is confirmed.

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:00 pm
by moderne
The east side apartments will have some of the best DT KCMO views in town. It looks like less damage was done to the underlying facade than was done to the old SW Bell/Oak Tower. So much was lost around 1970 when KCK tried to "modernize" its business district. Two gracious old residential hotels were torn down only to be parking lots since, The Gould hotel, and the Grund.

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:04 pm
by SilentSpades24
moderne wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:00 pm The east side apartments will have some of the best DT KCMO views in town. It looks like less damage was done to the underlying facade than was done to the old SW Bell/Oak Tower. So much was lost around 1970 when KCK tried to "modernize" its business district. Two gracious old residential hotels were torn down only to be parking lots since, The Gould hotel, and the Grund.
Luckily, the Grund hotel site has a proposal on the table to be redeveloped.

Though, good to note, Strawberry Hill has caught wind of it....I expect it could get interesting again.

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:13 pm
by Chris Stritzel
If Strawberry Hill people really end up bitching about something at the Grund Hotel site/6th and Ann, then that's truly unfortunate. It's downtown at that point. I know the plan is for 6-stories which is appropriate.

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:18 pm
by Chris Stritzel
Detailed zoom on 601 Minnesota...
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Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 8:28 pm
by FangKC
It's crazy to me that one would cover that great terra cotta design with that ugly metal and glass.

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 8:46 pm
by FangKC
moderne wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 12:00 pm The east side apartments will have some of the best DT KCMO views in town. It looks like less damage was done to the underlying facade than was done to the old SW Bell/Oak Tower. So much was lost around 1970 when KCK tried to "modernize" its business district. Two gracious old residential hotels were torn down only to be parking lots since, The Gould hotel, and the Grund.
I assume you meant the Grand instead of Grund Hotel.

Gould Hotel

https://kchistory.org/image/gould-hotel ... ffset%5D=1

Grand Hotel

https://kchistory.org/image/grand-hotel ... fset%5D=18

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2022 11:44 pm
by Cratedigger
Chris Stritzel wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:18 pm Detailed zoom on 601 Minnesota...
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Amazing it still looks this good

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 2:12 pm
by moderne
Never heard of it being called the "Grand" hotel. It was always the "Grund" as far as I know.

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 2:14 pm
by Cratedigger
Looks like it is Grund in the picture. Always love seeing these old buildings. Such a shame they were torn down

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 6:57 pm
by SilentSpades24
Chris Stritzel wrote: Mon Nov 21, 2022 4:45 pm
Cratedigger wrote: Wed Nov 09, 2022 9:10 am Wow! What a neat surprise to wake up to this morning.

Former 7-story UMB Bank tower in downtown KCK may see new life as apartments, office

Veritas and BellaCore Developments, also based in Kansas City, Kansas, aim to remake the building a mixed-use project with 15,000 square feet of commercial and office on the first two floors. On floors three through seven, they would put in 25 one- and two-bedroom apartments.

The now vacant tower was built in 1925, and the developers want to restore it to its original architecture, including two-story archways similar to those at Union Station. The archways are hidden by a more recent facade.
https://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/ ... -plan.html
Last night, a friend and I drove by this building and noticed they took some windows out on the west facade. Today, I went back and took some pictures. It's really something special. I took better photos with a good camera, but I can't upload them because I don't have a camera card reader handy. These are from my phone.

It's neat that you can see the brick through the glass if the sun hits it at just the right angle.

Does anyone know if the building next door will be addressed as part of this redevelopment plan? It's not looking too good.
Image
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To follow up, the building next door, which suffered a fire is going to be demolished. The UG has filed for a demolition certificate of appropriateness.

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 7:01 pm
by SilentSpades24
Chris Stritzel wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:13 pm If Strawberry Hill people really end up bitching about something at the Grund Hotel site/6th and Ann, then that's truly unfortunate. It's downtown at that point. I know the plan is for 6-stories which is appropriate.
Strawberry Hill has caught wind and does have "issues" with it. This is the same group the vehemently opposed the 505 Central project and is also assisting Rosedale with opposition of the Woodside expansion.

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2022 9:08 pm
by FangKC
moderne wrote: Wed Nov 23, 2022 2:12 pm Never heard of it being called the "Grand" hotel. It was always the "Grund" as far as I know.
The public library had it listed under Grand Hotel.

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 2:35 am
by Chris Stritzel
SilentSpades24 wrote: Wed Nov 23, 2022 7:01 pm
Chris Stritzel wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:13 pm If Strawberry Hill people really end up bitching about something at the Grund Hotel site/6th and Ann, then that's truly unfortunate. It's downtown at that point. I know the plan is for 6-stories which is appropriate.
Strawberry Hill has caught wind and does have "issues" with it. This is the same group the vehemently opposed the 505 Central project and is also assisting Rosedale with opposition of the Woodside expansion.
Yea well opposition to 505 Central sure worked well for them :roll: lol. I imagine the chances the 6-story project being approved are much higher considering this is firmly within downtown kck. If they're opposed to this, then they might as well be opposed to the redevelopment of 601 Minnesota.

And only NIMBYs cross county lines to try and get something else killed. It's a sign their influence is weakening where they have to get outsiders to sway people.

Re: Downtown KCK

Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2022 12:06 pm
by SilentSpades24
Chris Stritzel wrote: Thu Nov 24, 2022 2:35 am
SilentSpades24 wrote: Wed Nov 23, 2022 7:01 pm
Chris Stritzel wrote: Tue Nov 22, 2022 7:13 pm If Strawberry Hill people really end up bitching about something at the Grund Hotel site/6th and Ann, then that's truly unfortunate. It's downtown at that point. I know the plan is for 6-stories which is appropriate.
Strawberry Hill has caught wind and does have "issues" with it. This is the same group the vehemently opposed the 505 Central project and is also assisting Rosedale with opposition of the Woodside expansion.
Yea well opposition to 505 Central sure worked well for them :roll: lol. I imagine the chances the 6-story project being approved are much higher considering this is firmly within downtown kck. If they're opposed to this, then they might as well be opposed to the redevelopment of 601 Minnesota.

And only NIMBYs cross county lines to try and get something else killed. It's a sign their influence is weakening where they have to get outsiders to sway people.
Yeah, I don't see how Strawberry Hill could leverage complaints against 6th and Ann. It's a vacant lot that once had a building of similar size and scale.

The Woodside expansion is on the UG side of the line and is being heard (again) by the UG Board of Commissioners on December 1. Former senator Chris Steineger and former UG Planning Director Gil Pintar, as well as Rosedale Development Association have been in opposition as it "isn't meeting the master plan" (It's asking for one (1) deviation). The project has been through many iterations now.

The NIMBYism in Wyandotte County is beyond goofy to me.