TKC EXCLUSIVE!!! COUNCIL DISPUTES KANSAS CITY HISTORIC DESIGNATION FOR COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA CHURCH!!!



A valiant effort to preserve another endangered Kansas City Country Club Plaza landmark is, unfortunately, doomed.

To wit and behind the scenes for election time . . .

A COUNCIL MAJORITY VOWS TO DENY ANY HISTORIC DESIGNATION RECOMMENDATION GIVEN THE WILLINGNESS OF THE CHURCH BOARD TO REDEVELOP THE PROPERTY!!!

Lost in all of this discussion is the opposition of the Church to efforts by Historic KC to "save" the building.

In a recent letter to the Landmarks Commission they write about the "ill intent" of anti-development activists and emphasize : “While we treasure our present structure and property, we have never considered it historic, nor worthy of designation as such. We have never sought, nor do we intend to consider in the future, a 'Historic' designation,” the letter noted.

More to the point . . .

KANSAS CITY ANTI-DEVELOPMENT ACTIVISTS WANT TO ENFORCE THEIR WILL ON PROPERTY OWNERS!!!

As always, we thank KICK-ASS TKC TIPSTERS for this info and offer FIRST word on this faux controversy . . .

"This is part of a holiday fundraising push by a lonely group of activists, nothing more. The demolition and construction of a new building has been planned for years. What's unfortunate is that the media has been so easily manipulated by their hype. The developers and the current owners are in favor of this project. The only effort to prevent this was concocted at the last minute by a small cadre of obstructionists who have, to date, failed to preserve any local building they've sought to rescue. 

Of course the Council is against this and Historic KC has no love from their district reps or any of the candidates running to replace them. Already the Landmarks Commission has brushed this effort aside . . . 

They're crying wolf on this structure because they've grown even more desperate and attempting to push around a church congregation during the Christmas season is as low as they can go!"

That's harsh but accurate inasmuch as the fight to save buildings from the wrecking ball on the Plaza has been a losing battle.

Moreover, amid the Christmastime season of redemption, it's important to note that this church doesn't want to be saved.

Developing . . .

Comments

  1. Finally, was waiting for you to talk about their landmarks FAIL. was afraid somebody else was going to pick that up. I noticed the fundraising campaign as well. They're lucky nobody reads the city planning docket.

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    1. Such a shame that our city wants to tear down the very things that make it unique. The council should be ashamed of themselves for all of the ways they cater to developers.

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    2. Save The Plaza12/20/18, 10:18 AM

      THIS IS A GODDAMN DISGRACE!

      LOOK AT WHAT THE REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES IN KC SAYS ABOUT THE CHURCH:

      “The Seventh Church of Christ, Scientist is an excellent example of the Romanesque Revival style, specifically the latest evolution of the style that witnessed a resurgence in the 1940s."

      and you're just going to tear it down without a discussion? That is a crime against our city and our neighborhood.

      To hades with the council if they act this way, they will not get my vote for mayor or dog catcher!

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  2. ^^ Calm down grandpa. They are going to build a new Christian Science Reading Room for you.

    There will be applesauce.

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    Replies
    1. Your smugness is outdone only by your ignorance. I’m not sure if you strive to be clever or funny (if so, major fail) or just feel it necessary to pop off to everyone with whom you disagree. Regardless, it’s ironic the way you disrespect a generation that helped grow the city of which you feign an interest. People like you think they have it all figured out and fancy themselves as experts on pretty much any topic. But the truth is, wiser souls, from teenagers to centenarians, know your type as the blowhards you are and hope you will someday take that difficult first step and seek the help of Assholes Anonymous that you so desperately need. Best of luck.

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  3. Voices from the past12/20/18, 10:20 AM

    Nelle E. Peters says F YOU !

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  4. "WE WANT TO BUILD SOULLESS MONSTROSITY SHOPPING BUILDING AND THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO OPPOSE THIS ARE A SMALL GROUP OF LOSERS WHO HATE PROGRESS!!!"


    The current state of KC, my dudes

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  5. There should at least be some discussion about the historic value. Yes, the property owners want money that is always the case but they are sacrificing KC's history because of their greed.

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  6. Eh? I also pretend to care about this. Hrumpf..hrumpf...hrumpf.

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  7. More Christmas cheer.

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  8. If the shootings don't destroy the plaza.

    The developers will do the finish the job.

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  9. Christian Science was invented in the 1800's -- before folks understood that germs caused disease. Its membership peaked about the time this church was designed, and has been dropping like a rock since the wide use of antibiotics and perfection of antiseptic surgery meant gave medicine an advantage over prayer alone.

    Its newsletter evolved into The Christian Science Monitor -- one of the best and most trusted news sources in the 1960 -'70 era -- before bad management decisions caused a collapse.

    The Church refuses to give the number of its membership worldwide -- but acknowledges that most new members come from Africa. Some estimates are UNDER 100,000 worldwide. The Plaza church claims to have 50 members with perhaps a dozen attending any service. (Understandably, if one of your tenets is refusal of medical treatment, you tend to die off.)

    It would be sad to see this beautiful building destroyed. But it would be obscene to see it replaced by a 12+ story building go up in that small space right in the heart of the Plaza -- which is what is really at stake here. For eighty years, the Church has enjoyed this prime real estate tax-free, as its value sky-rocketed. Enjoying services subsidized by us taxpayers. Now, it wants to monetize the location.

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  10. The real problem here in KCMO is everyone thought and was under the impression that local government was working to protect these historic assets-attractions since the post WW2 to present.


    Unfortunately everyone has recently discovered they were totally wrong in assuming that.

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  11. KCMO.gov » Historic Preservation Commission

    And how long has this useless branch/division enjoyed being subsidized by taxpayers.

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  12. Another big ugly glass box.. Temple of Commerce on The Plaza?

    How imaginative.

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  13. The cleave and bow tie the clown sLIE are the best examples of mayors destroying all things white, cant have that white history hanging around, no siree. Besides, this sounds like sLIE’s last attempt at giving more more to rich developers and his last chance at getting a tidy check for services rendered.

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  14. They need to go to the state and national level to get this church put on national historic register as a historic place. The city can not tear it down! It would be illegal! If they really want to keep this church they would get the paper work filled out NOW so the city can't touch it. If the city tears it down before that they should sue the city.

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  15. I'm going to defer to Phil above. If the church wants to sell and no one is going to offer to buy the church, it seems like this is a futile effort. 50 members to support this type of structure isn't sustainable. Perhaps some of the $$'ed supporters of historical preservation can buy the church instead of the developer? If the church can't afford to keep the property, should it just deteriorate until it becomes an eye-sore?

    I'm not an expert on historical designations, but my understanding is there are designations that the owner can "apply" for that involve tax breaks, grants, etc. that would inhibit the current or future owners from tearing down the church. There are other designations that that are just that - they don't prevent the structure from being torn down. I'm guessing this is an example of the former.

    I'm going to suggest that the preservation club focus on the Plaza itself rather than these ancillary buildings. Season's 54 refacing is the exact type of redevelopment that they should be involved with. The changes for Nordstrom will be another development battle to watch closely. I think the property owners will listen if shoppers and customers say they are turning away from the area if new development does not match the character of the Plaza.

    My two cents.

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  16. Fuck the city council

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  17. The 11:57 comment nails it.

    This is a KC asset and it must be protected. Shame on the devlopers for trying to run this scam.

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  18. I dated a Christian Scientist one time. She said she liked the religion because they didnt care if you banged a bunch of people when you weren't married and you could have all the abortions you want.

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