Kansas City Power and Light Building
Encyclopedia
The Kansas City Power and Light Building (also called the KCP&L Building and the Power and Light Building) is a landmark skyscraper located in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri
. Construction was completed in 1931, as a way to promote new jobs in Downtown
, and since then, the Art Deco
Kansas City Power and Light Building has been a prominent part of the Kansas City
skyline
.
included a twin building to be paired on the immediate west side of the building, but plans were abandoned after the Great Depression
took a greater toll than expected. As a result, the west side of the building has no window
s. After its completion in 1931, the Power and Light Building was Missouri's tallest habitable structure
at 36 stories, until the completion of the One U.S. Bank Plaza building in St. Louis in 1976.
In 2002 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
.
The building is the centerpiece of the Power & Light District. The east side of the building faces this high-end entertainment and shopping district which bears its name. Mixing the "old" with the "new", the Power and Light District hopes to revitalize the downtown area and spark new interest in the Power and Light Building's history
.
Downtown Kansas City
Downtown Kansas City is the central business district of Kansas City, Missouri and the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. It is located between the Missouri River in the north, to 31st Street in the south; and from the Kansas–Missouri state line east to Troost Avenue as defined by officials of the...
. Construction was completed in 1931, as a way to promote new jobs in Downtown
Downtown Kansas City
Downtown Kansas City is the central business district of Kansas City, Missouri and the Kansas City Metropolitan Area. It is located between the Missouri River in the north, to 31st Street in the south; and from the Kansas–Missouri state line east to Troost Avenue as defined by officials of the...
, and since then, the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
Kansas City Power and Light Building has been a prominent part of the Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
skyline
Skyline
A skyline is the overall or partial view of a city's tall buildings and structures consisting of many skyscrapers in front of the sky in the background. It can also be described as the artificial horizon that a city's overall structure creates. Skylines serve as a kind of fingerprint of a city, as...
.
Background
The original plans designed by Hoit, Price and BarnesHoit, Price and Barnes
Hoit, Price and Barnes was an architect firm in Kansas City, Missouri that built several landmark buildings there.The firm was particularly noted for its Art Deco style which has defined the Kansas City skyline for many years including two of the city's biggest buildings the Kansas City Power and...
included a twin building to be paired on the immediate west side of the building, but plans were abandoned after the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
took a greater toll than expected. As a result, the west side of the building has no window
Window
A window is a transparent or translucent opening in a wall or door that allows the passage of light and, if not closed or sealed, air and sound. Windows are usually glazed or covered in some other transparent or translucent material like float glass. Windows are held in place by frames, which...
s. After its completion in 1931, the Power and Light Building was Missouri's tallest habitable structure
Missouri's Tallest Buildings and Structures
The tallest structures in the U.S. state of Missouri include a broadcasting tower, an chimney, a monument, and a office building.-Missouri's tallest accessible buildings:-Missouri's tallest structures:-Missouri's tallest chimneys:...
at 36 stories, until the completion of the One U.S. Bank Plaza building in St. Louis in 1976.
In 2002 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The building is the centerpiece of the Power & Light District. The east side of the building faces this high-end entertainment and shopping district which bears its name. Mixing the "old" with the "new", the Power and Light District hopes to revitalize the downtown area and spark new interest in the Power and Light Building's history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
.