City View at St. Margaret's Almost Ready to Open

One of the very first posts I ever made to this blog came in May 2012 when I wrote a short story about the pending renovation of the long abandoned St. Margaret's hospital at 759 Vermont Avenue into a beautiful loft / apartment building (see previous post).

That renovation is nearly completed, and on Thursday, December 19, I was blessed to be able to attend the ribbon-cutting for the new City View at St. Margaret's.

Coincidentally, one of the postcards that I recently scanned for my "then and now" series was of old St. Margaret's Hospital. The postcard shows what the hospital looked like many decades ago. Some of the structures visible in the postcard (like the tower with the flag on it) were demolished over time leaving the building in the configuration that I have always remembered. Click on any picture to see a larger version.

Here are a couple of photos that I took back in May 2012. The building was in horrible shape and I believe it could have easily qualified as the worst eyesore in Kansas City, Kansas.

Here are a couple of photos that I took as I arrived for the ribbon cutting Thursday. Wow! My photos don't do justice to how much the building and grounds have been transformed.

The renovation was completed by Foutch Brothers, LLC. They specialize in renovating and repurposing historic structures like St. Margaret's. Managing director Steve Foutch has been the driving force behind this renovation and other similar projects in Kansas City, Kansas including the renovation of the old Horace Mann School at 824 State Avenue.

The company completed the physical renovation of St. Margaret's in just about 12 months, but Steve said that he has been working on aspects of the project for almost 5 years.

The company's mission statement is:
"Respecting the past as we build for the future."

City View at St. Margaret’s is a $16.2 million project. It features 111 energy-efficient, loft-style apartments for seniors ages 55 and over. There will be a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units in the building with contemporary interiors, two rooftop decks, a community lounge, on-site dining and laundry facilities, paid utilities and Google Fiber.

Because the project was partially financed by Low Income Housing Tax Credits, about half of the apartments will have rents that are adjusted for seniors who have lower incomes. Rents will range from $400-$600 for tax credit units and $750-$1200 for market rate units.

Foutch Brothers expects to have units available to the public by January 1, 2014. See their website for contact information.

I can't tell you how thankful and appreciative I am to have a company like Foutch Brothers working with us to steadily improve historic Kansas City, Kansas. Here are a few more photos of the ribbon-cutting event.

The ribbon cutting took place in the former hospital chapel.
The stained glass windows survived years of neglect.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Hurrelbrink)

Steve Foutch joined Kansas Governor Brownback (center),
other dignitaries and some neighborhood residents to cut the ribbon.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Hurrelbrink)

Here's a look at one of the finished units. Wow!
(Photo courtesy of Bill Hurrelbrink)

Steve Foutch (left) spent a few minutes telling Governor Brownback
about the project and sharing how his company used state-of-the-art
construction techniques and mechanical systems in the building.

It was a privilege to be a part of this group.
From left - Steve Foutch, Governor Sam Brownback,
Mayor Mark Holland, myself, Commissioner Jim Walters.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Hurrelbrink)

Three views from one of the rooftop decks.
You should definitely click on this photo to see
a larger version and fully appreciate the view.
(Photo courtesy of Bill Hurrelbrink)

Until next time, have a great weekend!

~ Brian

bmckiernan@wycokck.org

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Then and Now in Postcards (Part 2)

I'm still working on my "infrastructure" blog, so here's another batch of postcards from "old" KCK in the meantime. I hope you enjoy them.

If you haven't already seen my other picture posts, you might be interested in:

• Central Avenue Then and Now (in Pictures)
• Minnesota Avenue Then and Now (in Pictures)
• Then and Now in Postcards (Part 1)

We're going to jump around a little in time today, with a couple of fairly recent postcards to go along with the ones that are much older.

As always, you can click on any picture to get a much larger view if you want to see more details.

Although it's much newer than the rest, I thought you might
like to see this aerial view of Minnesota Avenue looking west.
There's no date on the postcard, but it has to be before 1969
as the Grund Hotel is still visible at the corner of 6th and Ann.
State Avenue is visible at the right side of the photo.
Minnesota Avenue is the most visible east-west street.
That's 5th Street running left-to-right in the foreground.
Those of you who know the area will definitely want to click on the
picture to enlarge it for a better look. There have been a TON
of changes in these past 40 years.

I couldn't get an airplane to take a "now" photo, but
just for the heck of it, I took the same photo as above and
labeled some of the biggest and most visible changes.

This is probably taken from the same airplane as above,
but with the camera turned toward Fairfax Airport.
Many of you might not know that there was a downtown airport
on the Kansas side of the river (that's the Missouri River
coming in from the top right and the Kansas River coming
from the bottom left - Kaw Point is located where the come together).

Many of the structures shown in the aerial shot above
are still in place today. However, this photo from
Google Maps shows how the current GM Fairfax Assembly Plant
is located on the same land that used to have airport runways.

Someday I should devote a "then and now" blog to all of the churches
(of every denomination) that seemed to occupy every other street corner
on the eastern end of town in "old" Kansas City, Kansas.
This is St. Anthony Church on a postcard dated 1912.
The church is still located south of City Hall
and across the street from Memorial Hall.

Here's St. Anthony Church as it stands today.
Notice that the two towers in front have been added on to.

What a cool playground!
This is Splitlog Park located between Splitlog and Ohio Avenues
just west of 7th Street. This view is from the northwest corner
of the park looking toward the southeast.

Oops! Where did all the park equipment go?
Sorry for the shadows. Took this late in the afternoon.
You can still see remnants of the old stone steps
at the right of the picture and at the far end of the park by Ohio Street.

This postcard and the one below are from 1909.
We were proud enough of some of our residential streets
to put them on postcards!
This is 9th Street looking south from Minnesota Avenue.

The sun was in just the wrong place when I took this "now" picture.
The lay of the land and the location of streets and alleys is the same,
but the view is dramatically different today.

This postcard is also from 1909.
I "think" this is looking east on Barnett
from the corner of 9th and Barnett.

Until next time, have a great week!

~ Brian

bmckiernan@wycokck.org
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Then and Now in Postcards (Part 1)

Hello again. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving holiday!

The pictures of old Kansas City, Kansas are definitely popular. After I published my first two "then and now" blogs, a gentleman emailed and said that he has collected about 50 postcards of old Kansas City, Kansas. He agreed to share them, so I scanned them and will share them with you over the next few weeks.

The postcards range from about 1906 to 1971. Some are actual photographs and some look like watercolor paintings (probably painted from an actual photo).

I tried to go out and get as many "now" pictures as possible, but some of the perspectives were impossible to duplicate.

I'm certainly learning a lot about the history of Kansas City, Kansas. I hope that all of you continue to find these enjoyable. Feel free to click my email or Suggestion Box links at the bottom of the page if you'd like to share thoughts or additional photos.

Today's post cards will all be on the far east side of Kansas City, Kansas (in and around the Strawberry Hill and downtown areas). You can click on any picture to get a larger and better view.

The Lewis and Clark viaduct was a very popular postcard subject (it was referred to as both the interstate viaduct and the intercity viaduct on different postcards).

Here are a few postcards that show the viaduct and the areas around its west end. Some had postmarks on them, so I know the date they were mailed. Others didn't have postmarks and I don't really have a good idea about what year the postcard was published.

Looking west toward KCK from the Missouri end of the bridge.
Notice the lack of "skyline" on the Kansas side.

Another perspective from Missouri looking west.
The postmark on this card was 1909.
What strikes me is how far south the river water extends

The postmark on this card was also 1909.
It looks to me like a somewhat stylized watercolor
of the actual photo above.

The postmark on this card was 1915.
In some ways, it looks like it could just be
an updated version of the 1909 photo.

Can you see the viaduct through the trees?
I couldn't get anywhere close to the original perspective.
Look how much "river" we have reclaimed along the south bank.

A view of the viaduct looking east toward Kansas City, Missouri.
I'm not 100% sure, but I wonder if that's Armstrong Avenue
coming in from the right and running down to the toll house.
I'm guessing that this road is similar to the current eastbound lanes.

Again, I couldn't get the old perspective
(although I think I'm pretty close).
I put a red line on the right where Armstrong Avenue sits now.
Assuming that it's in roughly the same location as always,
then all of the bridge lanes are higher than they used to be.

I'm told that the viaduct was a toll bridge in the early 1900's.
The house next to the roadway on the right is the toll house
for people passing from Kansas to Missouri.

Much more modern looking in this 1948 postcard.

This perspective is looking southwest from the intercity viaduct.
Almost every structure along the river in this picture
was demolished for construction of  I-70.

Those of you who know Strawberry Hill well can tell me what you think,
but this 1907 postcard appears to give a view looking northwest
from what would have been Sandusky down by the river
(i.e., 3rd or 2nd Street long before the interstate was built).
The two dark brown buildings at the horizon look to me like
St. John's church (left) and the Scroggs mansion (left of center)
before the orphanage was built (now part of the Strawberry Hill Museum).

The Grund Hotel on the northwest corner of 6th Street and Ann Avenue.

I think the lot has been vacant since the hotel was torn down.

The caption says, "Presbyterian and South M.E. Churches."
Located on the northeast corner of 7th Street and State Avenue.

Only one of the original churches remains (minus the spire).

Here's the old courthouse on the northwest corner
of 7th Street and State Avenue.

Your can see the steeple of the remaining church (without spire)
under the two stoplights.
Police Headquarters sits where the Courthouse used to be.

That's all for today.

We'll talk infrastructure (streets, curbs, sidewalks and alleys) in my next blog.

Until then, have a great week!
~ Brian


bmckiernan@wycokck.org
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First "Give A Darn Awards"

Unfortunately, it's human nature to pay more attention and to dwell longer on the bad (negative) things that happen in our communities and in our lives. Any bad event makes a greater and longer lasting impression than a comparable good event.

Although that may have had its advantages during prehistoric times (it's definitely important to remember a bad encounter with a sabertooth tiger so you don't have another one), it leads us to fall into a trap of thinking that everything is bad and nothing is good.

But in a 2001 article titled, "Bad Is Stronger Than Good", Roy F. Baumeister and Ellen Bratslavsky concluded that we can still be happy in our lives by, "...having far more good than bad events."

So, as we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, I think it's time that we remind ourselves how important it is to deliberately honor good people, good actions and good outcomes in our city.

Two weeks ago, on November 12, I was privileged to be able to recognize two people who've done a lot of good in District 2 as I presented the first two of what I hope will be thousands of awards.

Many people knew Anna (Ann) Dercher. She was a lifelong KCK resident and, among other things, had been president of the St. Joe Watchdogs neighborhood group and had served as my appointee to the Unified Government Planning Commission.

Ann passed away in September. As I reflected on all the positive things she had done in her neighborhood and our district, I was disappointed that I hadn't done a better job of thanking her for her service, and I had an idea about a small way that I could recognize her and everyone else who "gives a darn" and makes a difference in the district.

I asked the UG Director of Urban Planning and Land Use, Mr. Rob Richardson, if I could make a presentation to Ann's husband Joe at a Planning Commission meeting. He graciously agreed, so here's the presentation I made at the Planning Commission meeting on November 12.

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"Thank you for the opportunity to make this short presentation.

"I became Commissioner two and half years ago. One day as I was really beginning to sink my teeth into the task of solving problems, meeting challenges and getting things done, I lamented, 'No one gives a darn anymore.' (except I actually didn't use the word 'darn').

"Well, of course, that wasn't and isn't true. There are thousands of people in our city who truly do give a darn about their block, their neighborhood, their district and the entire city and county.

"By virtue of the fact that you (Planning Commission) are sitting in those seats tonight, you have demonstrated that you absolutely give a darn.

"And as I further reflected on this topic, I began to think that I really should take proactive steps to begin to recognize and thank those citizens who are stepping up every day in every way to make this a great place to live. I thought that I should try to recognize those people who may or may not have any elected, appointed or hired position but are leading in our community by word and example.

"So... I had the idea that I would create a 'Give A Darn Award'.

"The award certificate says that this award recognizes citizens for "...going above and beyond to support and enrich the people and places of Unified Government District 2”.

"The first two people I thought of when creating this award were Ann and Joe Dercher.

"They have both worked tirelessly for years in their neighborhood and beyond to enrich and improve our city. Ann's years of service on this Planning Commission are just one example of that work.

"When I was told that a representative from Foutch Brothers would be present at the September 11 picnic of the St. Joe Watchdogs neighborhood group, and that he would be talking about the nearly completed renovation of the old Saint Margaret's Hospital and that Ann was going to do her best to be present for a few minutes because that project meant so much to her, I thought that the picnic would be the perfect place to present the inaugural Give A Darn Awards.

"Unfortunately, Ann went into the hospital for the last time just a couple of days before that picnic and I never had a chance to present the award to her.

"As I thought about the next best venue for presenting the award, I thought the Planning Commission would be ideal, given Ann's years of service in her role as a member of this group.

"I am grateful to Mr. Richardson for agreeing to let me make the presentation tonight and I hope that Ann is watching and listening tonight as I say, 'Thank you Ann for all that you did. Thank you for giving a darn about our city.'

"Thanks also to her loving husband Joe Dercher who was her daily partner and worked so hard right alongside her and who demonstrated a give a darn spirit as big as hers.

"Joe, I am honored to have the opportunity to present the inaugural District 2 Give A Darn awards to you."

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Here's what the Give A Darn Award looks like without a frame.

Joe Dercher holds a proclamation for Ann from the Planning Commission
and the nameplate that marked Ann's seat in the Commission Chambers.

I was privileged to present the first two Give A Darn Awards to Joe Dercher.

Having presented the inaugural awards, my plan is to create a "Give a Darn Award" web page linked from my Commissioner page on the UG website. My goal on that page will be to describe the history of the award, outline the basis on which it is given, list all of the recipients to date and tell people how they can nominate someone for a future award.

While I'd love for this to be considered a prestigious award, I don't want to make it an exclusive award. I'll give out as many Give A Darn Awards as there are deserving people to receive them! Wouldn't it be marvelous if we ended up with thousands of names on the Give A Darn Award honor roll?

Click my email address or my Suggestion Box link below to send me a note and nominate one or more people that you believe deserve a Give A Darn Award. Be sure to include their name(s) and the reason(s) that you believe they deserve an award.

I hope everyone has a safe and blessed Thanksgiving!
~ Brian

bmckiernan@wycokck.org
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Minnesota Avenue - Then and Now (in pictures)

Woohoo!

Fate is working in my favor these days. Let me explain...

When I mentioned to Marty Thoennes that my blog post with Central Avenue pictures was getting a great response, he said that the photos had come to the Central Area Betterment Association from retired KCK Police Captain Charles Steele.

Just a morning or two later, I read an email from Patty Dysart in which she said that the special guest at the Armourdale Optimist Club meeting this month would be… Charles Steele... talking about the history of Central Avenue!

Jackpot! How could it get better? A great lunch and an opportunity to talk to Mr. Steele about the photos. The Optimist Club meeting was last Tuesday and it turned out better than I could have ever hoped. Mr. Steele had brought along a handful of new photos that I hadn't seen yet and he loaned them to me so that I could scan them and share them with you.

These photos shift our focus from Central Avenue to the east end of Minnesota Avenue and some of the blocks around it.

He also told me how he ended up with the photos.

As we figured last time, most of the photos in these two collections were taken in the mid-1940s. They were taken by Police Department photographers (for a variety of reasons including documenting the streets, planning traffic control, planning future street improvements, etc.).

Mr. Steele said that in the early 1970s some of the administrators within the Police Department ordered the photos to be thrown away because they were taking up storage space that was needed for other files.

He said that one day at Police Headquarters, he happened to see some employees tearing the old photos in half and putting them in a trashcan. He said that he stopped them and told them he would take all of the photos rather than see them thrown away. Way to go Captain Steele!

So here we go… Avenues (Part 2). As I did last time, I took my cell phone camera out on the street and snapped a current photo that is as close to the original view as possible.

I hope you enjoy this set as much as you did the first. I've also picked up a couple of leads on additional photos and postcards, so this definitely won't be the last post in the "Then and Now" series.  :-)

This picture was taken from the southeast corner of 5th & Minnesota
(where the EPA building is) and is looking
north / northwest up 5th Street.

The Federal Court House on State Avenue dominates the view today.
The Reardon Center is in the foreground on the left.
The Children's Campus is just out of the picture to the right

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From the edge of Huron Park looking east on Armstrong.

Fire Headquarters still looks much the same,
but the rest of the picture is remarkably different.

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Looking north along an alley that was "behind" the old City Hall
(now City Hall lofts). The photographer was standing
just east of 6th Street on Ann Avenue.

The old City Hall building is still there (now converted to lofts).
The building on the right served for years as the Police garage.

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Looking west on Minnesota Avenue.
The photographer was standing about halfway
between 5th and 6th Streets.

The Commercial National Bank building (now UMB)
is still present at the corner of 6th (at left)
and the Kresge building (white) is still present across the street,
but there have been lots of other changes.

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Still looking west on Minnesota Avenue.
The photographer is now standing
just a little west of the 6th and Minnesota intersection.

Lots of changes (and a few new gaps) on this block.

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Looking north on 7th Street
from the intersection of 7th Street and Ann Avenue.

The Security Bank building now dominates the view on the left.
The old Scottish Rite Temple on the right is now the 7th Street Casino.

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Looking south / southeast from 8th and State Avenue.
The antenna in the right background was for KCKN radio
(which had studios on the 2nd floor of the Kansan building).

The KCKN antenna is gone on the right, but you can see
the reflections from the windows of the new Brotherhood tower on the left.

Have a great week!
~ Brian

bmckiernan@wycokck.org
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