{{short description|Historic building in Kansas City}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}} {{Use American English|date=January 2025}} {{Infobox building |name = Kansas City Power and Light Building |image = Kansas City Power and Light Building 1931.jpg |image_size = 250px |caption = View of the southeast |alternate_names = KCP&L Building<br>Power and Light Building |location = 1330 Baltimore Ave<br>Kansas City<br>MO 64105<br>United States |coordinates = {{coord|39.09751|-94.584743|display=inline,title}} |status = Completed |construction_start_date = {{Start date and age|1930}} |completion_date = {{Start date and age|1931}} |building_type = Commercial offices originally, now luxury apartments and upscale event space |antenna_spire = |roof = {{convert|481|ft|m|abbr=on}} |top_floor = |floor_count = 34 (+2 below-grade)<ref>{{cite web| title=Kansas City Power & Light Building| url=http://www.skyscrapercenter.com/building/kansas-city-power-light-building/9104| website=Skyscraper Center| accessdate=21 November 2017}}</ref> |elevator_count = 7 |cost = |floor_area = {{convert|230000|sqft|abbr=on}} |architect = [[Hoit, Price & Barnes]] |structural_engineer = |main_contractor = Swenson Construction Company |developer = [[Kansas City Power and Light]] |owner = NorthPoint Development |operator = |references = <ref>{{ctbuh|9104}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.emporis.com/buildings/121884 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307024922/https://www.emporis.com/buildings/121884 |url-status=usurped |archive-date=March 7, 2016 |title=Emporis building ID 121884 |work=[[Emporis]]}}</ref><ref>{{skyscraperpage|557}}</ref> {{Infobox NRHP | name = Kansas City Power and Light Company Building | embed = yes | locmapin = Missouri#USA | built = {{Start date and age|1930}} | architect OR builder = | architecture = Art Deco | added = {{Start date and age|January 9, 2002}} | area = | refnum = 88001852<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref> }} }} 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|Downtown]] [[Kansas City, Missouri]]. It was constructed by [[Kansas City Power and Light]] President and Edison Pioneer, Joseph F. Porter<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kansas City Power & Light Company {{!}} Encyclopedia.com |url=https://www.encyclopedia.com/books/politics-and-business-magazines/kansas-city-power-light-company |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=www.encyclopedia.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Porter-Harvey family papers, 1815-1989 (bulk 1917-1969) |url=https://researchworks.oclc.org/archivegrid/collection/data/56511743 |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=researchworks.oclc.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-09-19 |title=Kansas City Power & Light Building |url=https://pendergastkc.org/article/buildings-orgs/kansas-city-power-light-building |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=The Pendergast Years}}</ref> in 1931 as a way to promote new jobs in [[Downtown Kansas City]]. Since then, the [[Art Deco]] building has been a prominent part of Kansas City's [[skyline]]. The structure was the tallest building west of the [[Mississippi River]] upon its completion after succeeding the [[Smith Tower]]<ref>[[Smith Tower]]</ref> until the completion of the [[Space Needle]] in 1962.<ref>[[Space Needle]]</ref> The east façade of the building faces the [[Power & Light District]] (which bears its name), and the building's iconic lantern appears on promotional materials and signage for the district and even Kansas City as a whole.

==History== The building was designed by the Kansas City architecture firm of [[Hoit, Price and Barnes]], which also designed [[Municipal Auditorium (Kansas City)|Municipal Auditorium]] and [[909 Walnut]]. Rumor for years said the original plans included a twin building to be paired on the immediate west side of the building, but the second tower was never built due to the effects of the [[Great Depression]] on local real estate prices. This was debunked in 2013 by local architect Dan Hicks who reviewed plans and interviewed [[Clarence Kivett]], a well known architect working for Hoit, Price and Barnes at the time of the building design.<ref>{{cite news| title=Why is the Power & Light Building's west side bare? Here's the story| url=http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/blog/2013/12/the-mystery-at-the-power-light-building.html?ana=e_du_pub&s=article_du&ed=2013-12-19&page=all| first=Austin| last=Alonzo| newspaper=[[American City Business Journals|Kansas City Business Journal]]| date=December 19, 2013}}</ref> The west side of the building has no windows because it was meant to be a [[firewall (construction)|firewall]] if there was a structure building built immediately next to it, plus the elevator shafts are along that side of the building. The Power and Light Building, at 34 stories, was [[List of tallest buildings in Missouri|Missouri's tallest habitable structure]] from 1931 until the completion of One U.S. Bank Plaza in [[St. Louis]] in 1976.

Kansas City Power & Light Co. left the building in 1991.<ref name="Sale">{{cite news| url=http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/blog/morning_call/2012/03/kansas-city-power-light-building.html| title=Kansas City Power & Light building goes up for sale| date=March 28, 2012| newspaper=Kansas City Business Journal| accessdate=July 20, 2012}}</ref>

In 2010 Kansas City selected the area adjacent to the Power and Light Building as a potential location for a hotel and convention center, to fulfill a need for the city. However, the city only received two proposals from property developers for a convention hotel at the site. The city considered the two proposals it received in 2011 as lackluster and were considering reopening the bidding process for a different downtown location.<ref>{{cite news| last=Klaus| first=Krista| url=http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/print-edition/2011/05/20/kansas-city-may-reopen-bidding-for.html?page=all| title=Kansas City may reopen bidding for convention hotel site |date=May 20, 2011| newspaper=Kansas City Business Journal| accessdate=July 20, 2012}}</ref>

The building lost its last tenant, BNIM, a Kansas City-based architecture and planning firm, on September 2, 2014. The 36-story Power & Light building began a conversion into an apartment tower in October 2014. The project, led by NorthPoint Development of Riverside, which has now been completed includes 210 apartments in the historic tower, with an additional 81 units constructed wrapping around and built above a new 500 stall parking garage serving the building. The building lobby was converted into a premier event space holding up to 500 guests.<ref name="Sale"/> The conversion made it Missouri's tallest residential-only building.

==Lighting== The Kansas City Power and Light Building is crowned by an ornate Art Deco lantern, which features prismatic glass panels concealing red-orange lights that glow each evening at sunset. Originally, each recessed setback of the building also held multicolor flickering flood lights that dazzled nighttime viewers with the impression of blazing flames.<ref>The Kansas City Chapter of the American Institute of Architects (1979), ''Kansas City,'' "N° 52: Kansas City Power and Light Building," Kansas City, Missouri: KCAIA, p. 71</ref> Today, LED floodlights rotate through an abundance of colors and dazzle onlookers.

==Gallery== <gallery style="text-align:center;"> KCPL Building at Night.jpg|Power & Light Building at night 1exterior KCPL Bldg Kansas City MO.jpg|Exterior detail 1interior KCPL Bldg Kansas City MO.jpg|Main floor office 2interior KCPL Bldg Kansas City MO.jpg|Light fixture,<br>main floor office 3interior KCPL Bldg Kansas City MO.jpg|Air vent,<br>main floor lobby Power and Light Lobby.jpg|Power and Light lobby under renovation during its transformation into an residential apartment building View from Power and Light.jpg|View of downtown Kansas City from Power and Light's new apartment units </gallery>

== See also == * [[List of tallest buildings in Kansas City, Missouri|Tallest buildings in Kansas City]] * [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Jackson County, Missouri: Downtown Kansas City|National Register of Historic Places listings in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{commonscat-inline|Kansas City Power and Light Building}} * {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20061215074612/http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=1usbankplaza-streetlouis-mo-usa One U.S. Bank Plaza]}} * [http://eng.archinform.net/projekte/14171.htm?scrwdt=1024 General Building Information] * [http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/681473/Main/681473 Google Earth Info] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130505034848/http://bbs.keyhole.com/ubb/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/681473/Main/681473 |date=May 5, 2013 }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20070707045138/http://rewebportal.com/powerandlight/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=8 Power and Light District] * [http://www.kcpl.com/ Kansas City Power and Light Website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190924202202/http://www.kcpl.com/ |date=September 24, 2019 }} * [http://www.kansascity.com/news/business/development/article88164047.html]

{{Buildings west of Mississippi timeline}} {{Buildings in Missouri timeline}} {{Buildings in Kansas City, Missouri timeline}} {{Kansas City, Missouri}} {{National Register of Historic Places}}

[[Category:Art Deco skyscrapers]] [[Category:Skyscrapers in Kansas City, Missouri]] [[Category:Art Deco architecture in Missouri]] [[Category:Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri]] [[Category:National Register of Historic Places in Kansas City, Missouri]] [[Category:Residential skyscrapers in Missouri]] [[Category:Office buildings completed in 1930]] [[Category:Downtown Kansas City]] [[Category:Evergy]]