KCRag Forum

On 8th Street across from SoHo Lofts and the Red Dragon restraurant, same block as the former Phoenix -- The Lucas Place building has been noticeably dark and empty for awhile now. A large sign indicates it is for sale.

On frequent evening visits to the Red Dragon, this building always showed signs of activity with office lights on and so forth. Street level businesses in the building such as Drafters appear to be gone as now as well.

I freaking love this building, and that tiny little stretch of fantastic and beautiful urbanism along 8th between Broadway & Central is it (?). They sure don't build 'em like they used to.

I remember when Lucas Place was one of the first restored buildings in the Garment District.  It probably needs some love again by now, but I agree it is a wonderful old building and needs some life.  Is it just me, or is the Garment District slowing down, what with this space empty, whatever is going on with Phoenix, and the late Spaghetti Factory?

Now, thanks to Toss' thread, I am waxing nostalgic for Gino Schiraldi's Pizza...

jimb wrote: Now, thanks to Toss' thread, I am waxing nostalgic for Gino Schiraldi's Pizza...

Don't forget the Edge!

Tear it down!! 


&&&


Maybe could make a nice department store w/ lofts atop?

is the bar still there?  what's it called...?

zonk wrote: is the bar still there?  what's it called...?

Drafters. Looks to be closed.

jimb wrote: I remember when Lucas Place was one of the first restored buildings in the Garment District.  It probably needs some love again by now, but I agree it is a wonderful old building and needs some life.  Is it just me, or is the Garment District slowing down, what with this space empty, whatever is going on with Phoenix, and the late Spaghetti Factory?

Now, thanks to Toss' thread, I am waxing nostalgic for Gino Schiraldi's Pizza...

I remember eating at the Spaghetti Factory with family as a kid.

When was Lucas renovated? THANK GOD they didn't pulverize this little piece that's left of the area.

Tosspot wrote: When was Lucas renovated? THANK GOD they didn't pulverize this little piece that's left of the area.

It was restored back in the 80s.  The bar at that time was called "Murphy's Landing" and radio host Mike Murphy had some kind of connection to it.  HOK Sport was in the offices in that building for a long time.

The building was originally the Brand-Puritz clothing company.  I met Mr. Brand in the mid-80s when he was running a uniform company in NKC.  He must have been in his late 60s at the time.  I had some wonderful conversations with him as he told stories of the glory days of the KC Garment District - a time when a label that said "Made in Kansas City" meant something across the country.  My boss didn't like me taking potentially billable time up listening to these stories, but they were too good to miss.

Drafter's reformed itself as the Belfry(apparently as the exact same place with just a different name) early in 2006, and closed permanently shortly afterward. It's a shame too. They had sensational burgers and a very good tap selection.

I believe DST has a number of offices in the building right now.

whats the address of the building?

http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/877195.html

Sherman also wants to redevelop another historic downtown building, Lucas Place, an eight-story building at 323 W. Eighth St. It was formerly the headquarters of HOK Sport until the architecture firm relocated to new space in the River Market in 2005.

The firm has a contract to purchase the property and is seeking tax credits from the Missouri Housing Development Commission to renovate Lucas Place into 117 apartments. A decision is expected in December.

Alright!  The progress isn't dead!

beautiful building. can't wait for it to convert!

i think the tax credits for this project were approved. i'm not used to reading this kind of info. can anyone else verify? page 3 of the first PDF...

http://www.mhdc.com/nofa/FY2009_Funding ... efault.htm

I couldn't find it....no page 3 on any of the PDFs. 

I don't think they've filed their application yet.  Maybe they'll file in the Fall....i think there is another application deadline then.

sorry, try this PDF:

http://www.mhdc.com/nofa/FY2009_Applica ... ceived.pdf

DaveKCMO wrote: i think the tax credits for this project were approved. i'm not used to reading this kind of info. can anyone else verify? page 3 of the first PDF...

http://www.mhdc.com/nofa/FY2009_Funding ... efault.htm

Dave, they (Lucas Place) were turned down for credits last fall.  I believe the document you have attached is  the list of projects that applied last year, for credit issuance this year.

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/02/22/26 ... a-new.html

"One of the Garment District?s finer old industrial buildings is set to be redeveloped into 130 market-rate apartments starting this summer.

An out-of-town developer has a contract to buy the 107-year-old Burnham-Hanna-Munger Manufacturing Co. building at 323 W. Eighth St. The building, now called Lucas Place, has been empty since Populous, formerly HOK Sport, left for new quarters in 2005."

good news!

This is amazing news.  As is the Crossroads Lithograph building news.  I've felt for some time that DT is really missing market rate apartments.  This influx will help service that need. 

Also, a great opportunity to add some energy and life back into this neighborhood.  One of the most attractive in the CBD, IMO. 

215 parking spaces dedicated to the 131 units in the building.  hmmm.  i really hope this just means that the developer has secured the permission to use 215 of the 2,000 parking spaces that occupy a half-square mile in our north loop, or part of the nearby parking garage, and not that the developer is going to create even more parking.

This is awesome news. Exactly what DT needs more of.....