Historic Kansas City Foundation

EDUCATION -During 2021-22 we all had to find a new normal. In that, Historic Kansas City was no exception. HKC canceled 10 in-person events during 2020-21, including the Historic Preservation Awards, Young Preservationist Lawn Party, Annual Member Meeting, the 9th Street Moveable Feast, and a lecture event related to a postponed museum exhibit of Kansas City Art Deco. But HKC did not sit still. Our programming became virtual, allowing HKC to connect to our community through virtual events and educational opportunities. HKC's educational programs continue to highlight the important history of our city. We are raising public awareness and appreciation for the unique history and character of our city by offering the public the opportunity to explore and learn about the history of Kansas City. * Virtual Annual Member Meeting -The Annual Members Meeting was held online from 5:30 to 6:30 pm on May 6, 2021. We took a look back at 2020 and looked forward to better prospects in the future. It's also the time we use to report on the performance of HKC and hold our Board of Directors election. HKC Vice President Vicki Noteis spoke regarding the KC Playbook comprehensive planning process and KC Preservation Plan. (36 + attendees). * Virtual Historic Preservation Month - Early in the pandemic, HKC believed we should continue the tradition of Preservation Month. HKC transitioned our programing to providing 30-days of virtual educational content about historic resources and architecture through our large online community. * Virtual Outreach & Education - This past year saw tremendous growth in our virtual engagement offerings. We created a wealth of new content to share and to educate and engage the public. This included several online thematic series including Black History Month, Mindful Monday, Tech Tuesday, Westport Wednesday, Find It Friday, Greenest Building, Preservation 101, Modern Monday, Window Wednesday, Throwback Thursday, Authenticity, Preservation Award 16-day video series, 16-day Most Endangered Places video series, and Most Endangered series by the Urban Sketchers of KC Facebook group of community of artists. HKC provides up-to-date information about proposed changes to historic resources throughout the city with dynamic advocacy through our large online community, averaging a reach of 70,000; share local, regional and national preservation-related news and upcoming events through our quarterly e-newsletter the gazette; send gazette alerts when action from membership and interested parties is urgently needed. * Virtual Historic Preservation Awards - Although we couldn't gather in person for our annual Historic Preservation Awards event, we were not about to let a year go by without celebrating the places that matter to Kansas City. Despite current circumstances, we came together virtually as a preservation community to celebrate places saved, and shine light on the accomplishments of those involved. The Historic Preservation Awards took place virtually on Thursday, November 11th at 5:30 pm. Finalists were selected from nominations received from preservation supporters, prior award recipients, community leaders, and leadership from Historic Kansas City. The awards were announced before a live audience. The event showcased sixteen award-winning projects that honored our past. The awards and finalists were announced before a live virtual audience of owners, industry leaders, and representatives from around the Kansas City metro. (55 + attendees) * Research & Nominations - Recognizing landmarks and historic districts by advancing the implementation of existing legal protections by identifying important historic resources and helping citizen groups initiate their designation as landmarks or historic districts. * Published 80 e-newsletters.

ADVOCACY: MAIN ST FORUM OF HISTORIC STREETCAR NEIGHBORHOODS - The Main Street Forum of Historic Streetcar Neighborhoods is an alliance of midtown neighborhoods working to coordinate discussion and planning as the streetcar line extension is developed. Leaders use a private Facebook group for neighborhood presidents and their invited guests for discussion of related issues. We also have a public Facebook page that is open to anyone who wants to stay updated on development issues along Main Street. HKC convened the forum to help protect remaining historic resources and to create a "big picture" approach to development along the streetcar line. This group also meets quarterly. QUIKTRIP - HKC joined with three historic neighborhoods to oppose an announced QuikTrip at Southwest Trafficway and 39th Street. HKC released a position statement and a neighborhood-led petition drive quickly illustrated widespread disapproval of a store at that location and led to the proposal's defeat. QuikTrip subsequently dropped those plans and announced a new store opening at 135th Street and State Line Road. WESTMINSTER CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH - In 2021 HKC and the Old Hyde Park Neighborhood aggressively advocated against the demolition of Westminster Congregational Church. HKC issued a press statement calling for the city to take extraordinary efforts to implement a safe standstill at the midtown church. By that afternoon, the city had placed a hold on the demolition permit and retained a structural engineering firm to assess the building. Despite the engineer's recommendations, the owner elected to demolish the structure rather than repair it. A process is in place to prevent such a tragic outcome in the future. Why did it fail? Unfortunately, because of the owner's decision to move on, the outcome would not have been different for this structure even with a process in place. Kansas City ordinances do not currently allow pre-demolition review for most historic structures. Snap demolitions proceed with little more than an application filed with the City and a quick counter review. How can a building in historic district be slated for imminent demolition without any warning, instead of securing the building and site for safety, followed by a meaningful review? Is any historic building in this city safe when destruction so readily occurs? Historic Kansas City has sought to remedy the issue by seeking needed changes during the KC Playbook comprehensive planning process so to pivot this terrible loss from crisis to benefit. KANSAS CITY CALL BUILDING ASSESSMENT STUDY - As part of our field service outreach, HKC established a relationship with the owner of the Kansas City Call building, located at 1715 East 18th Street in the 18th and Vine National Register Historic District. HKC secured two Emergency Grants from the National Trust for Historic Preservation to conduct a hazardous material survey and multidisciplinary building condition assessment. The project team includes Taliaferro & Browne, STRATA Architects, Wallace Engineering and TetraTech. Progress to date includes completion of the Hazardous Material Survey and remediation recommendations. Today, as in the past, the Kansas City Call is published weekly, its coverage including events in the Black community of Kansas City and the nation. The Call grew to become one of the six largest African American weekly newspapers in the country and (at one time) the largest Black business in the Midwest. Through the years, the Call has continued to urge the community to be politically empowered and to speak out on issues affecting the welfare of African American people. KATZ DRUG STORE REDEVELOPMENT PROPOSAL - Throughout 2021, HKC remained at the forefront of advocacy efforts to save the former Katz Drug Store. The redevelopment plan was ultimately approved by the City Council. HKC placed the Katz Drug Store on our Most Endangered Places list in 2019 following a meeting with the building owner, Redeemer Fellowship, in which HKC requested that restrictive covenants be a part of any future sale agreement. This iconic Kansas City building was built in 1934 as home to the first Katz Drug Store outside the central business district. It was the first major work by architect Clarence Kivett, who would go on to become the most famous and influential of Kansas City architects. It incorporated elements of both Art Deco and Art Moderne styling. On December 29, 2020, a development proposal was filed with the city by St Louis firm Lux Living. The project included a building addition of six stories and about 192 apartments on the surface parking lot behind the existing building. The plan required demolition of the non-historic rear addition. The historic Katz building would be adaptively reused as offices, with some retail, and as an amenity center for the residents, including the addition of a rooftop pool. HKC met twice with the developer and project team and provided testimony at all public hearings in support of the project. HKC recognized the need for the historic building to evolve and adapt to a changing set of retail and economic circumstances. As preservationists, we knew from years of experience that adaptive reuse is frequently the best and sometimes the only outcome for saving historic places. The Katz building was a high priority save for preservationists. We were willing to accept that the project would entail additional construction in or around the historic building, and if properly done that was a price we believed should be paid. If we gave the Katz building new purpose and a chance to enliven that site, we hoped that would positively affect the historical context around it- a worthy preservation goal. Lux Living on January 31, 2022, acquired the property at 3948 Main St. from Redeemer Fellowship after going under contract with the church in September 2020. 2021 MOST ENDANGERED PLACES LIST - The 2021 Most Endangered Places List was released to the public and media outlets during Historic Preservation Month. Coverage included three print media outlets and radio. New in 2021, HKC launched a 16-day video series campaign across our social media platforms. A 30- minute overview video kicked-off the campaign, followed by a 3-minute episode on each endangered theme or site for 15-days. HKC's social media accounts allowed our small organization to reach a larger audience in a fast and cost-effective way. It has also proven to be an effective tool to inspire preservation action. SEVENTH CHURCH OF CHRIST SCIENTIST - In 2021 Drake Development shared with HKC plans for Cocina47, a three- to four-story restaurant development, at the corner of 47th and Pennsylvania. The proposal directly violated the Midtown Plaza Area Plan and Plaza Bowl Overlay District ordinance. Both were designed to preserve the character and integrity of the Country Club Plaza and to preclude demolition of the Seventh Church of Christ, Scientist. HKC worked extensively with City Councilwoman Katheryn Shields, met with the developer and key stakeholders several times and expressed the importance of following adopted ordinances, enforcing adopted area plans, and saving the Romanesque Revival church building. Our efforts resulted in a broad coalition of neighborhood leaders, historic preservationists, the Country Club Plaza landlord, property owners and tenants that joined together in opposition to the Cocina47 proposal.