Downtown Kansas City, Missouri

Kansas City Power and Light Building

The Kansas City Power and Light Building was the tallest skysscraper in Missouri for decades, only surpassed by a modernist skyscraper in St. Louis.Its Art-Deco detailing once features a dramatic light show when the building first opened.Hoit, Price and Barnes designed this remarkable building, as well as other buildings around the city.Again, how did St. Louis not get around to building so many tall buildings during this era, even though it was a larger city?

Art Deco Skyscraper, Kansas City, Missouri

Why does Kansas City have so many taller historic skyscrapers compared to St. Louis?

Missouri Pacific Building

Slightly outside of the heart of downtown and not really near any major attraction, the Missoui Pacific Building recently underwent a massive renovation. I'm not happy that what was originally intended to be another condo tower was downgraded into a hideous parking garage, fronting the major north-south axis of downtown; but nonetheless, I am glad that the building was renovated, and if it took the parking garage being built to get it done, then so be it. The parking garage can be replaced with a more elegant structure in the future.

Interestingly, it seems the Missouri Pacific Railroad was once headquartered in one of the buildings demolished for the Gateway Mall.

Note that the builders didn't sheath the inside wall of the skyscraper; it seems that in the optimistic days of the turn of the century, people were certain that wall would one day be obscured by a skyscraper of similar height.

If only their optimism had come to fruition, we would have possessed a wonderful block of Art-Deco buildings fronting the civic plaza.

I have to admit that the new windows really make the building look great, even if they're not 100% historically accurate.

The Art-Deco detailing, above on the rampart of the building, and below, in the stunning entrance lobby, are what make this building stand out.

I particularly enjoy how the stone switches to gray on the first floor, highlighting the entrance.

The giant C-scrolls, rife with careful detailing, are a stark contrast to the clean lines of the terracotta white building rising above them.

National Guard Armory, Delavan, Illinois

Finished in 1939, the National Guard Armory in Delavan is a fascinating work of Art Deco architecture.Humming with activity the day I was there, it's nice to see an armory that's not sitting empty, like so many across the country.

Chase Park Plaza

Valley Center, Kansas

Valley Center, Kansas is an interesting town north of Wichita, and seems to have been built largely around the 1910's or 20's, as there is an abundance of Arts and Crafts bungalows throughout the center of town. I really like this house, which actually has a port cochere, a rarity on this style of house.This cement block building on Main Street anchors this corner of the downtown, across from a massive grain elevator.I really like this stream-lined, Art Deco brick building which also faces Main Street.This cemetery, to the east of town, sits in the shadow of a water tower and interstate.

Continental Building, Grand Center

Kennedy-Warren Apartments, Woodley Park, Washington, DC

The Kennedy-Warren is a fascinating work of Art-Deco architecture, built in two phases, one in the 1920's and the second one only five years ago. Plans had existed for the building to have its second wing completed one day, and the new addition seamlessly blends with the old building.Can you tell where the new building begins and the old one ends?

Government Art, Washington, DC

Art Deco Butchery

?I always loved the sleek, Art Deco design of the overhang of Saleem's on Delmar in the University City Loop.Apparently not everybody appreciated it, as it has recently been reworked in a horrible, architecturally inaccurate manner.