Commission Backs Historic Landmark Protection for Buildings at 31st and Main

Posted June 29th, 2022 at 12:15 PM

Above image credit: The Historic Preservation Fee supports safeguarding the 134 12 months-outdated Jeserich Building and adjoining structures at the corner of 31st and Key streets. (Kevin Collison | CitySceneKC)

A unanimous recommendation last week that numerous endangered buildings at 31st and Main streets be declared community landmarks has Kansas Town Councilwoman Katheryn Shields inspired about avoiding their demolition.

The Historic Preservation Commission voted 6- to support the properties, like the well known Jeserich Constructing (1888) at 3041-45 Key, be spared demolition by developer Doug Price tag of PriceMgmtCo.

That advice, which is opposed by Rate and 31 Most important, his progress entity, now goes to the Town Strategy Fee and eventually the Town Council.

“I really do not have a head count however,” Shields said of fellow council associates.

“I’m hopeful just simply because the developer associated has an evident track document of tearing down historic structures and allowing the plenty sit there.”

Price purchased the four buildings at the prime corner alongside the prepared streetcar route 5 many years back with no enhancement strategies in thoughts, although he did existing the Preservation Fee with a tentative concept for the web-site.

He claimed he was unaware of their history. In addition to the Jeserich Constructing, the other properties are the Ward Creating (1905), 3035-37 Most important a developing at 3039 Primary (1990), and a assets at 6-10 E. 31st St. (1921).

“I want when I acquired it as a result of a personal bankruptcy sale on the web that I realized it had historic precedent,” Selling price explained to the Preservation Fee.

“This acquisition was kind of happenstance, serendipity. There is no progress strategy now. It’s not some sinister plan.”

Price’s reputation as a developer, even so, spurred the strange move by Shields and fellow Councilman Eric Bunch, who both represent the district, to seek out landmark designation for the buildings without the need of his permission.

Regional landmark standing, which protects buildings from demolition for at the very least two years, has quite rarely been sought around the objection of the constructing owner. The only exception was Union Station.

In 2016, Cost Brothers of Overland Park razed the Green Gables residences built in 1927 by the renowned architect Nelle Peters west of the Place Club Plaza more than the objections of historic preservationists. Value was affiliated with the organization at the time.

The Price tag Brothers redevelopment plan known as for apartments to be created there, but the residence on the 4700 block of Summit Avenue stays vacant.

“The developer who procured these qualities has a very clear history of destroying historic qualities and then sitting on the vacant internet site,” Shields informed the Preservation Commission. “We only have to appear to the Nelle Peters buildings on the Plaza to know that is his record.”

Price’s legal professional, Christine Bushyhead, told the commissioners that 31 Key submitted for a permit to demolish the attributes soon after thorough thought.

“As you have heard,” she explained, “the purchase was an unpredicted chance and supposed to be a extensive hold genuine estate financial investment.

“31 Key is in no hurry to produce the property and needed to consider Kansas City’s coverage  direction for growth in the 31st and Key place.”

The developer did current a tentative strategy for redeveloping the corner that calls for recreating the visual appeal of the Victorian-period Jeserich developing and its adjoining professional structures and incorporating them into a 12-tale household job.

Bushyman said a progress of that scale was necessary to make the task get the job done with out seeking tax incentives from the metropolis and suits with design and style standards set up by the area’s community advancement district.

“The means to make 12 tales in height is constant with Midtown KC Now prerequisites and financially supports 31 Main’s professional forma for this attainable, combined-income job without having incentives,” she explained.

The landmark designation request submitted by Shields and Bunch was supported by Historic Kansas City, the city’s most important preservation group, and the Union Hill Neighborhood Association. It also received 73 letters of support to the Preservation Commission.

In their dialogue, the commissioners expressed sturdy aid for designating the 31st and Primary attributes as a local landmark. They also prompt they be shown on the National Sign-up of Historic Spots, which would make them eligible for historic tax credits.

“This is a fantastic illustration of a little something that must continue to be for the reason that its instructional for people to discover about the record of the town,” reported Commissioner Sarah Legg.

“It generates that sensation you simply cannot place into text and its actually a stunning making with fantastic architectures and resources.”

Commissioner Amanda Loughlin dismissed the idea of making a faux Victorian facade as portion of a new project.

“If there was new enhancement on this corner and there was Victorian wannabe recreation I would not aid that,” she said.

“What we have right here is the actual product, we have the true design and precise building of the existing facades and buildings. We just cannot replicate that.”

In a individual interview, Shields reported she could not support the type of project envisioned by Cost.

“I imagine it’s much too dense for the web-site,” she mentioned. “A talented architect and committed designer could figure a way to involve those facades.”

Flatland contributor Kevin Collison is the founder of CityScene KC, an online resource for downtown news and issues.