OFFICIAL: H&R Block HQ

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Fri May 16, 2003 8:18 am

Well more news is coming out on H&R Block in this week's Business Journal

http://kansascity.bizjournals.com/kansa ... tory1.html

Looks like they could be looking for as much as 750,000 sq. ft. building....that's a pretty big building in KC....for example, 2555 Grand is a little over 500,000 sq. ft.

I love how JoCo poaches companies and then plays it under the guise of...it will be a victory for Kansas City metro.....no, it's poaching.....to get them back, we'll land H&R block in Crown Center and grab Waddell & Reed from them and put them in One KC Place.

Sounds like the new MoDESA could really force H&R's hand to move north of 31st street......give me a new H&R Block tower to stare at.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Fri May 16, 2003 8:20 am

With floorplates the size of 1201 Wyandotte, we'd be looking at close to a 60 story building.

KCgridlock · Post by **KCgridlock** » Fri May 16, 2003 12:23 pm

I won't be anything real tall, sorry.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Fri May 16, 2003 12:26 pm

I figured...nobody wants small floor plates....thought I'd dream a bit though

KCgridlock · Post by **KCgridlock** » Fri May 16, 2003 12:29 pm

They won't go to KS, I'm pretty sure, but if they do, I will personally make every effort to tell everyone I know to never support their products and services again.

ignatius · Post by **ignatius** » Fri May 16, 2003 4:00 pm

I would like to see Block have the vision to build something spectacular downtown. If not, at least the slightly tallest building somewhere on Grand to balance the skyline, not too tall to be out of balance. They could build a 1million sq. ft. building and lease out a quarter like AmCentury originally did to their towers. Then have room to grow as third-party leases expire.

Royals Fan · Post by **Royals Fan** » Sat May 17, 2003 11:40 am

I agree, I would love to see them build around 16th-17th and Grand. Imagine the tallest building (slightly) in KC there! It would balance the skyline and force everyone (Natl. TV network stations covering sporting events) to include Crown Center in the overall KC skyline from now on.

That may spur more highrise development in Crosstown. I know I'm dreaming and Block or no one else in this city has the vision to do this.

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Sat May 17, 2003 11:44 am

I wonder if the Crossroads people would want something like that around 16th?

I agree it would really tie together the loop & crown center skylines.

Post by **dangerboy** » Sat May 17, 2003 12:02 pm

Royals Fan wrote:I agree, I would love to see them build around 16th-17th and Grand. Imagine the tallest building (slightly) in KC there! It would balance the skyline and force everyone (Natl. TV network stations covering sporting events) to include Crown Center in the overall KC skyline from now on.

That may spur more highrise development in Crosstown. I know I'm dreaming and Block or no one else in this city has the vision to do this.

I don't think that would fit in with the character of the neighborhood there. If high rise office buildings start encroaching into the Crossroads then you will see a lot of the interesting, entrepeneurial, and arts establishments moving out.

phxcat · Post by **phxcat** » Sat May 17, 2003 6:38 pm

That would still leave a huge gap in the skyline. I've been having mixed emotions about this. How much visual impact would one new building inside the loop bring? Crown Center would provide more impact. But, over time, we need several more buildings inside the loop to provide density. Too bad the Kansas City Place mostly fell through!

I would have concerns about doing too much with the crossroads. With the organic feel to it, I think providing access would be a good thing, but I agree with Dangerboy, and several other posters here, that too much planned commercialism will damage that feel to the corssroads. Although I wouldn't mind seeing residential highrises, like in Vancouver, going up in the area after the existing buildings are full.

tat2kc · Post by **tat2kc** » Sun May 18, 2003 3:41 pm

how about H&R moving to the trinity lutheren site and the Fed to the davis park site?

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Tue Oct 07, 2003 11:58 pm

bump

The Summit · Post by **The Summit** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:16 am

Posted on Tue, Oct. 07, 2003

DEVELOPMENT: Block's chief is downtown's man of the moment
By KEVIN COLLISON
Columnist

This fall is shaping up to be a pivotal time for downtown's revitalization, and a transplant businessman with small-town roots will have a huge say over what happens next.

Mark A. Ernst, the 45-year-old chairman and chief executive of H&R Block, has become downtown's man of the moment.

It will be primarily up to him to determine where H&R Block builds its new headquarters. With a projected 750,000 square feet of office space and more than 1,000 employees, the building will have a major impact wherever it goes.

City and civic leaders want that crucial investment downtown, preferably in the South Loop. They have been lobbying Ernst for months, and sources say he is listening hard.

No decision is expected from the company until late fall, but I want to add my voice to the chorus.

Simply put, a decision to locate the headquarters of one of the better-known corporations in America in downtown Kansas City would mark an epic turning point in the psychology of this community.

Downtown has had a slow but steady turnaround over the past few years. New housing developments are being regularly announced, and the Downtown Community Improvement District has been a big hit its first year.

Still, except for Stinson Morrison Hecker's gutsy decision to consolidate its law offices at 1201 Walnut, the news on the employment front hasn't been great.

Housing as a downtown revitalization strategy is vital, particularly when it comes to reclaiming obsolete buildings. But large employers bring the economic juice that can restore whole blocks.

The South Loop is a six-block-plus tract of downtown real estate that's needed help for decades. It rotted under the failed Power & Light plan and now holds the title of being downtown's biggest wound.

It's often the first and only thing visitors coming to Bartle Hall and the Midland Theatre see, and that impression unfairly poisons the reputation of the entire downtown area.

What city leaders have in mind, if H&R Block is willing, is rebuilding the South Loop into a downtown entertainment district with the company's new headquarters as an anchor.

The district would provide much-needed attractions for the convention industry and could generate the revenues needed to build and operate a proposed sports arena at 14th Street and Grand Boulevard.

Ernst is willing to play ball if it makes economic sense, sources say, but only if the South Loop becomes an environment where his employees feel comfortable.

To me, it sounds like there's enough good will and mutual interest for a real breakthrough here.

Trying to bring this all together is the Cordish Co., a Baltimore firm with a reputation for creating urban entertainment districts. The company recently entered into a development agreement with the Economic Development Corp.

Cordish representatives, I've been told, also have met directly with Ernst. Ultimately, his judgment of what the Baltimore crew can bring to the table to transform the South Loop will be what counts.

The H&R Block executive, a certified public accountant, is described as having razor-sharp analytical skills and a focus on performance and how the numbers add up.

He has an MBA from the University of Chicago and an undergraduate degree with honors from Drake University in Des Moines. He grew up in Bellevue, Iowa, a small town on the Mississippi River near Dubuque.

Ernst became chief executive of H&R Block in 2000, only two years after he arrived in Kansas City from Minneapolis, where he had worked for American Express. He became chairman of the company a year ago.

While Ernst clearly has the drive to be a top executive, he's apparently not all business. Sources say he has compassion for the little guy and feels strongly about helping the community.

In the short time he's arrived in Kansas City, Ernst has served as chairman of the March of Dimes, become co-chairman of the Kansas City Area Development Council and become a member of the Civic Council.

Now he may be on the verge of becoming a pivotal player in re-establishing downtown Kansas City as the undisputed hub of the region.

Having H&R Block lend its Fortune 500 prestige to downtown's revival would be the shot heard round the metro that it's safe for businesses and developers to come back after generations of running away.

I sincerely hope Ernst pulls that trigger.

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 6:25 am

would it do any good to email H&R and beg for them to move downtown?

I actually think citizens should start getting involved with these kinds of things.
hmm, itll have be at least 20 floors to be 65,032 square meters
thats in between the Town Pavilion (111,483 square meters) and 2555 Grand (63,174 square meters).

QueSi2Opie · Post by **QueSi2Opie** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:22 pm

The way I see it, if H&R Block leave Kansas City, MO they'll piss a lot of people off! However, if they stay in KCMO, nobody is pissed because that's their home. So, if H&R decides to go to JOCO, I'll personally lead a massive picketing campaign in front of their current headquarters. Plus, I wouldn't mind renting an interstate billboard to bash H&R Block for abandoning KCMO and the urban core. If peeps think border wars are bad now, jus' wait and see what will happen if they move across lines. I spent most my life on the Kansas side, but I'm a Kansas Citian at heart, and if they dump KC for JOCO, I'll switch sides. Unless of course they build their headquarters in downtown KCK

Seriously though, you can jus' imagine the impact they'd have on downtown KC if they make their move to the South Loop. It would show that they have balls like other big companies in America that remain in the urban core!

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 4:12 pm

how serious are they about moving to the south loop?
should we start emailing Ernst and encourage him to come downtown?

KCPowercat · Post by **KCPowercat** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 4:18 pm

yes, email him....can't hurt

nota · Post by **nota** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 4:38 pm

QueSi2Opie wrote:The way I see it, if H&R Block leave Kansas City, MO they'll piss a lot of people off! However, if they stay in KCMO, nobody is pissed because that's their home. So, if H&R decides to go to JOCO, I'll personally lead a massive picketing campaign in front of their current headquarters. Plus, I wouldn't mind renting an interstate billboard to bash H&R Block for abandoning KCMO and the urban core. If peeps think border wars are bad now, jus' wait and see what will happen if they move across lines. I spent most my life on the Kansas side, but I'm a Kansas Citian at heart, and if they dump KC for JOCO, I'll switch sides. Unless of course they build their headquarters in downtown KCK

Seriously though, you can jus' imagine the impact they'd have on downtown KC if they make their move to the South Loop. It would show that they have balls like other big companies in America that remain in the urban core!

Don't do that and wear any HICK clothing now.

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Wed Oct 08, 2003 5:18 pm

alrighty

anyone know his email? lol

KCDevin · Post by **KCDevin** » Thu Oct 09, 2003 11:07 am

I am confident whatever they build will be a big boost to the skyline. I have concluded it will be from 35 floors to 18 floors. Its the most logical.
70 floors = 10,000 square feet per floor
50 floors = 15,000 square feet per floor
35 floors = 20,000 square feet per floor *
28 floors = 25,000 square feet per floor *
24 floors = 30,000 square feet per floor *
20 floors = 35,000 square feet per floor *
18 floors = 40,000 square feet per floor *
16 floors = 45,000 square feet per floor
14 floors = 50,000 square feet per floor
13 floors = 55,000 square feet per floor
12 floors = 60,000 square feet per floor
11 floors = 65,000 square feet per floor
10 floors = 70,000 square feet per floor
* = most likely to be built.
here is some more figures:
70 floors = 280m = 918.6ft
50 floors = 200m = 656.1ft
35 floors = 140m = 459.3ft
28 floors = 112m = 367.4ft
24 floors = 96m = 314.9ft
20 floors = 80m = 262.4ft
18 floors = 72m = 236.2ft
16 floors = 64m = 210ft
14 floors = 56m = 183.7ft
13 floors = 52m = 170.6ft
12 floors = 48m = 157.4ft
11 floors = 44m = 144.3ft
10 floors = 40m = 131.2ft

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