Once an elegant and fashionably trendy locale, the Presidential Hotel played host to the 1928 Republican National Convention where Herbert Hoover was nominated for President, and acted as a hot spot for Kansas City Jazz in the '30s and '40s. The hotel was eventually abandoned in 1984, at which point it became a haven for vagabonds and pigeons, collecting animal waste and incurring significant smoke damage from indoor campfires.
The lobby was restored to its 1930s grandeur, a difficult task since the original fixtures and fittings had been sold, stolen, or damaged. Significant repairs saved the damaged and rotted entrance canopy (above). PHOTOS: MIKE SINCLAIR |
In 2002, the Kansas City Council overrode a long-term plan to demolish the hotel, and in 2004 a massive interior cleanup effort began. Faded black-and-white photos were reviewed and what remained of the hotel's interior architectural details were analyzed. Paint layers were peeled away to determine the hotel's original color scheme. Extensive molding and plaster work was eventually recast.
Another major renovation, led by JE Dunn Construction, involved transforming the original Presidential Suite from a two-story space into a single-story guest suite, thereby creating space for an entire new floor of guestrooms.
On the mechanical side, the hotel's elevators had to be resized to meet modern-day code requirements, and four feet of space had to be added to the top of the shaft for servicing. In addition, the basement had to be redesigned to make room for new ductwork and piping.
Today, the newly refurbished 16-story hotel offers 10,250 sf of meeting space, 200-plus boutique-style hotel rooms, including two presidential suites—one of which is the largest in the Midwest—fine dining and entertainment, while simultaneously lending a historic flair to downtown Kansas City.
Impressed with the overall restoration effort, BD+C Reconstruction Awards judge Robert L. Selby, FAIA, associate professor, School of Architecture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, said, “It's a catalyst for other downtown restorations.”
Related Stories
Healthcare Facilities | Jun 20, 2022
Is telehealth finally mainstream?
After more than a century of development, telehealth has become a standard alternative for many types of care.
Sponsored | Healthcare Facilities | May 3, 2022
Planning for hospital campus access that works for people
This course defines the elements of hospital campus access that are essential to promoting the efficient, stress-free movement of patients, staff, family, and visitors. Campus access elements include signage and wayfinding, parking facilities, transportation demand management, shuttle buses, curb access, valet parking management, roadways, and pedestrian walkways.
Healthcare Facilities | Apr 14, 2022
Healthcare construction veteran creates next-level IPD process for hospital projects
Can integrated project delivery work without incentives for building team members? Denton Wilson thinks so.
Projects | Mar 18, 2022
Toronto suburb to build the largest hospital in Canada
A new hospital in Ontario will nearly triple the care capacity of its existing facility—becoming the largest hospital in Canada.
Healthcare Facilities | Feb 10, 2022
Respite for the weary healthcare worker
The pandemic has shined a light on the severe occupational stress facing healthcare workers. Creating restorative hospital environments can ease their feelings of anxiety and burnout while improving their ability to care for patients.
Giants 400 | Aug 27, 2021
2021 Healthcare Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. healthcare facilities sector
HDR, AECOM, Turner Construction, and Brasfield & Gorrie head BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest healthcare facilities sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2021 Giants 400 Report.
Healthcare Facilities | Apr 30, 2021
Registration and waiting: Weak points and an enduring strength
Changing how patients register and wait for appointments will enhance the healthcare industry’s ability to respond to crises.
Healthcare Facilities | Feb 18, 2021
The Weekly show, Feb 18, 2021: What patients want from healthcare facilities, and Post-COVID retail trends
This week on The Weekly show, BD+C editors speak with AEC industry leaders from JLL and Landini Associates about what patients want from healthcare facilities, based on JLL's recent survey of 4,015 patients, and making online sales work for a retail sector recovery.
Healthcare Facilities | Feb 5, 2021
Healthcare design in a post-COVID world
COVID-19’s spread exposed cracks in the healthcare sector, but also opportunities in this sector for AEC firms.
Giants 400 | Dec 3, 2020
2020 Healthcare Sector Giants: Top architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. healthcare facilities sector
HDR, Jacobs, and Turner top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest healthcare facilities sector architecture, engineering, and construction firms, as reported in the 2020 Giants 400 Report.