Bill Broderick, an inspector with the city's Dangerous Buildings division, was driving in the Pendleton Heights neighborhood of northeast Kansas City a week ago when he noticed a vacant building at 308 Brooklyn that people in the neighborhood refer to as "the Chateau." Part of the roof was missing, leaving the building exposed to the elements. The inspector went inside -- he told his supervisors that the structure wasn't secure -- and saw disrepair that, in his opinion, was so egregious that the structure threatened to collapse.
Broderick scheduled the building, and another nearby, for emergency demolition. By Monday, a crew was on the scene with heavy equipment, ready to start chomping away.
Though the Dangerous Buildings Demolition Program is out of money for the fiscal year, a little extra is held over in the budget to tear down buildings that are imminent threats to public health and safety. The Chateau qualified, according to Susan Crider, field supervisor in Dangerous Buildings. When she checked on it herself, she says, she saw that the Chateau's attic floor had broken through the second and third floors and landed in the basement, leaving a gaping hole in the building's core. The north wall was so fragile that a heavy snow could knock it down. The four-plex on the corner of Lexington and Brooklyn was even worse.
"If they were closed to entry, no one would have known what was going on with the conditions inside," Crider says. "But you could climb into the basement," and a curious kid might have found a place to play under three stories of unstable material, she says.
But some people weren't ready to see the Chateau go. The president of the Pendleton Heights Neighborhood Association, Kent Dicus (pronounced "Die-cuss"), was shocked to see a demolition crew outside the Chateau on Monday. He called the Landmarks Commission and was told that Pendleton Heights' historic designation couldn't trump an emergency demolition order.
Dicus contacted an architect friend who found a colleague at his firm who was willing to put a new roof on the building if it would stall the demolition. Dicus fired off an e-mail to his district's councilwoman, Deb Hermann, the mayor, and city staff in the housing department, begging for a delay. "PLEASE give us until Monday (March 30th) to meet to put a plan together to try to save these important buildings. You can tell by looking at the attachments that they are beautiful and deserve every opportunity to be saved. Please don't make the neighborhood suffer permanent losses as a result of one negligent person," he wrote.
The negligent person Dicus refers to is Gary Marsh, the owner of the four-plex, the Chateau and his own home, all clustered near the corner of Lexington and Brooklyn. He had maintained the facade of the Chateau with new coats of paint, effectively concealing the disrepair inside for years. Crider, with Dangerous Buildings, says Marsh hadn't realized that the properties were so structurally unsafe until talking with the inspectors. "He seemed to understand and didn't object," Crider says, adding that he hasn't called her office since.
Despite Dicus' last-minute efforts, the demolition went on as planned. Here's what the Chateau looked like on Wednesday:
The loss of the Chateau is still reverberating in the neighborhood. The picture above comes from the blog F-Stop Etcetera, where some historic-building-lovin' outrage is chronicled.
Had the city notified the neighborhood association that demolition was pending, Dicus says, they might have been able to convince Marsh to sell to someone who could save the building.
"We see so many other dangerous buildings," Dicus says. "I'm not justifying them standing, but ... there are others in much worse shape, and for us to not have been notified of any pending demolition in a supposedly historically protected neighborhood, I found that inexcusable."
Marsh has not yet responded to a request for comment.
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Who said that old buildings are more important than children? You are mistaken that the "vast majority in norteast this was a dangerous building not a historic treasure. It is of no importantance to anyone but that tiny minority of citizens who refuse to accept the fact that their vision of Northeast is a delusion as dangerous as that building." Clearly you weren't around (or vocal) when the building was being demolished.
Get informed--and keep children out of buildings in the "Norteast" where they don't belong.
Who are these people who believe that old broken down and dangerous buildings are historic treasures and orginal wood more important than children?
To the vast majority in norteast this was a dangerous building not a historic treasure. It is of no importantance to anyone but that tiny minority of citizens who refuse to accept the fact that their vision of Northeast is a delusion as dangerous as that building.
It was a death trap waiting for the first child or homeless person to walk in at the wrong time. If the jaws of this historic trap were to crush out the lives of an inocent human being, would we raise a monument to the negelect and hubris that caused their death: or would we just plow it under like we did the death of those children who were burned alive on the corner of St. John and Benton.
If we are to shed our tears let us do so because our contribution to the future history of Norteast is that we have allowed it to be turned it into a garbage can.
We will never solve the problems that plague our neiborhood by continueing to put round pegs in square holes.
Mr. Carrillo
As I have watched the story unfold on the demolition of these two historic structures a few facts have surfaced.
*Communication between the City and Neighborhood Associations is poor to non-existant.
*Multiple Codes Violations, even those carrying a fine, are neither legaly or personally a deterrent to further violations by the same individual.
*Laws and penalties concerning the derioration of and in our neighborhoods including everything from graffity by juveniles to neglect by property owners need to be strengthened.
*People need to quit bitching and spend their energy helping to make needed changes.
W#hile there are certainly fingers that can and should be pointed at certain people and Thank Yous to be spoken to the Neighborhood and its leaders for all of the attempts to save these Historic Structures, let us move on and find a solution to these problems that have to be corrected to prevent this kind of disaster from occuring again.
I for one am sick of reading all of the comments by uninformed, uninvolved people.
You make accusations and assumtions that you can not support with investigation and/or fact. I doubt that most of you have ever taken an active part in improving your neighborhood. I suspect that you are the pot calling the kettle black. Quit wasting your time and join in the effort to cause positive changes to our city government and its laws so that we can stop slum landlords and property owners that do not care about this type of terriable loss. Wake Up
Kansas City needs an active Historic Building Moth Balling Program and Group to preserve Historic Sites for future rehabilitation.
A Friend
Just ran across this blog; wow, what a drag to lose those buildings. It sounds as if it isn't a matter of IF dangerous buildings should come down, but a matter more of how the city prioritizes their removals i.e. which are worse than others and notifies the surrounding community or doesn't in this case. I think that letting this happen in some way rewards negligent property owners. For those who own multiple properties, if you can't afford to keep them fixed up, then reach out and try to sell them. Common sense, folks.
My personal belief is that it's too late for personal opinion as to whether or not this was the "right thing to do". It's done. The buildings are gone. I'm watching them cart the bricks away as I type from my home.
What's important to me is that we establish a process by which our neighborhood is informed by the city before these types of things occur. I believe from reading, and from personal experience that a number of us have the relationships necessary to be able to seriously affect outcomes like this for the better. We'll move forward from this occurrance, but in Pendleton Heights we have a strong neighborhood association and a number of neighbors who invest their personal time in making sure our neighborhood is on the path to move ahead and be successful. Every active member of our association also has a financial stake in the neighborhood that is diminished everytime something like this happens. We DESERVE the right to at least be informed, if not intervene in these situations.
"The second floor was navigable but definitely missing" HUH? Check out the photos... all floors are there.
I have to disagree with Dicus' account of the Chateau's condition. When I snuck into the building, indeed, the significant portions of the roof and second floor were resting on the first floor. The second floor was navigable but definitely missing.
THANK GOD THERE ARE INSPECTORS WILLING TO SHUT DOWN UNFIT AND DANGEROUS HOUSES OR BUILDINGS THAT CAN COLLAPSE AND INJURE OR KILL SOMEBODY. THE CITY ONLY DEMOLISHES DANGEROUS STRUCTURES "IN A WHIM" WHEN IT IS DEEMED A DANGER TO COLLAPSE AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT, OTHERWISE THE OWNERS ARE GIVEN AMPLE TIME TO REPAIR THE BUILDING BEFORE THE CITY DEMOLISHES IT.
THANK YOU
SINCERLY, BROOKE FROM NORTHEAST
From what I have learned over the past ten days, this is truly a story of Pride & Prejudice (with little resemblance to Sense & Sensibility). In speaking with the property owner on Monday morning last week (immediately after the arrival of the demo crew), he told met hat he first learned of the pending demolition when he arrived home from work the previous Friday, greeted by the Chateau and the fourplex being taped off and posted with Dangerous Building/Demolition notices. He said that until then, he had no idea that demolition was imminent.
Throughout the early days of last week, (along with others) I called and e-mailed countless people (both within the neighborhood and those in civic positions) to gain information and support on this situation in effort to, of course, try to prevent�or at the very least, postpone�the demolition. From the very civic few people who responded to my contacts (only one person in the Dangerous Buildings returned my message in a semi-timely manner, and that one was done only when a former staff person within Dangerous Buildings made the request of her. One other within that department did return my calls from Monday and Tuesday�on Friday, when obviously the situation too late to halt), I was told that fines had been assessed to (and paid by) the property owner of the Chateau and fouprlex for several years running. I was also told that, as recently as 30 days prior, the owner had been notified of the imminent demolitions.
Problem: word against word.
While I do agree that there is no disputing that the buildings should have been secured to keep out anyone who didn�t belong in there, there is a right way to do things, and those in power at City Hall who were involved in making this decision did not exercise this process. No notification was made to the neighborhood association or surrounding neighbors of this situation�ever. When I spoke with Landmarks that same Monday morning, those in that office had no idea that demolition was happening to two properties that were �protected� within a historic district.
Apparently those who can make decisions about demolition within Kansas City do not need to consult neighbors, the neighborhood association or the Landmarks Commission (if the properties are on the Kansas City Register of Historic Places)�nor, according to the owner of the Chateau and fourplex�do they need to provide advance notification of their intentions. Perhaps most astonishingly, those same individuals are able to come up with the justification (and existence) of ~$50,000 in demolition costs from a City bank account that is (from what I�m told) overdrawn.
As an aside, the question pervades: how can a building with no inner floor supports and no roof that is propped up with poles remain in Kansas City, neglected and dangerous when these relatively unassuming buildings (the fourplex and the Chateau) are demolished within a matter of a couple of days? I�m talking about the Walt Disney building on East 31st Street. It is wonderful (and a miracle) that this building has a link to such a well-known Kansas Citian and I hope that it can continue to avoid the wrecking ball and eventually be rehabbed, but it does make me wonder what the priorities are when it comes to demolishing �dangerous� buildings.
A few people at City Hall told me of the Chateau, �the second floor has fallen through all the way to the basement.� Monday morning with the demolition contractor�s permission, I went into the Chateau. Both stair cases were completely in tact, as were all but one or two of the balustrades (but those disconnected were propped up against a wall). Once upstairs, there were holes in the floor, and not all of the second floor was safe to walk on. Throughout the Chateau, doors, brass hinges, crown molding and baseboards were in tact. If the second floor had fallen through to the basement, how did I walk up those stairs and walk around? At that point in time, only the northwest second floor bedroom had fallen through to the basement. In addition to correcting people who clearly did not know the factual condition of the Chateau, I asked them, �have you seen this building?� They said that they had, but if that were the case, they would have known that the second floor was mostly in tact (albeit unstable).
Overshadowed by the demolition of the Chateau is the removal of the fourplex on the southwest corner of Brooklyn and Lexington Avenues. This proud building stood at the busiest intersection within Pendleton Heights, and despite its upkeep being more neglected than the Chateau�s, it was still a solid building at a high-traffic intersection. It needed to remain.
Perhaps the most infuriating point is that on Tuesday, a Pendleton Heights neighbor who is an architect by trade blasted out an e-mail to his associates, describing the two buildings asking if anyone was interested in them to immediately respond. On Wednesday, as the result of this correspondence, I received a call from a different architect who wanted the buildings and would �immediately put roofs on them and secure them.� I called the demolition foreman, and was told that it was too late; too much destruction had already been done. Had anyone whom I attempted to contact within City Hall listened to others� and my pleas, a one-week delay would have been granted, these buildings would now be safely secured and the City wouldn�t have a ~$50,000 bill to pay out of an empty bank account.
To me, by virtually all who played a part in contributing toward the removal of these buildings, there was no common sense utilized throughout this debacle, little courtesy toward fellow Kansas Citians and knee-jerk reactions to demolish based on those who really did not have all of the facts. As a result, those of us who live and believe in our own little village of Pendleton Heights and the other surrounding Northeast communities are going through a grieving process, and will have to live with their errors in judgment.
Pride (on the negligent owner of the buildings� part) combined with (what may be perceived as) some type of prejudice toward him (perhaps to make an example out of his less-than-acceptable upkeep on the homes) resulted in the irreparable removal of two beautiful buildings and in their places will be vacant land.
I would like to again thank Nadia for covering this and would urge her to follow up. There seem to be differing versions of how this came about and we need the services of a good journalist to help find the truth. Believe me, this story has legs.
At neighborhood meetings, I have seen how Mr. Marsh is proficient at pointing out others' shortcomings. Leaders lead by example through their actions. Mr. Marsh sits on many boards, and has (to say the least) not provided a service to his surrounding neighbors by letting (i.e. ALLOWING) his buildings fall to the wrecking ball. It's funny that HE wasn't on the news saying, "don't tear down my houses!" Where was HE during all of this mess while others were apparently trying to save HIS buildings? Step down, Mr. Marsh. It's time, and is the right thing to do.
I'm remaining anonymous. I dug around this property 'urban-spelunking' in the Fall. The room on the southeast side of the first floor was carpeted in plastic water bottles bearing the 'Pendledton Heights' logo. That was the oddest detail of the structure; the most gorgeous was the patio on the east side. Complete with fountain and terra cotta detail. For a city so past its prime and vain about it, noone City organization commits much for its prime historical details, large or small.
Ok First off we are to believe Bill Broderick
was driving up & down every street looking for dangerous buildings? That he just happened to
stumble upon this building? I don't think so.
Second we are to believe that the city moves THIS fast in demolishing a building? Yet the Chatham on Broadway has been allowed to rot for over 10 years.
Third as this obiously cut corners & there is a possibility there WAS NO internal damage & could have easily been saved I can only guess that Marsh is behind this & we should expect him to rebuild something in it's place.
Fourth is Gary Marsh the same on who co-owns Marsh's Sunfresh in Westport?
The responsibility, care and upkeep of that building clearly falls on its owner, Mr. Gary Marsh. He had many people nearby who offered their help time and again with this property, and they were, repeatedly, turned away. We all want to point our fingers at the city, or blame residents of Pendleton Heights for this tragedy, but don't be mistaken: it's Gary's fault and his alone that brought these turn of events.
Ironic, considering Mr. Marsh works on so many committees to help preserve KC's unique history, only for he himself to be one of its strongest abusers.
There are many individuals the country right now who have stories of hopelessness and despair. While I don't pretend to know Gary's financial status and indeed, that's none of my business, I can imagine the upkeep for 'The Chateau' was certainly not cheap. Indeed, to be an owner of many of the wonderful historical homes in Kansas City, one knows there are expenses to be had. I'm sure there's no exception to that as far as Gary is concerned.
However, I am still infuriated over these buildings being torn down. When the city makes a decision to demolish a building, it is not done 'on a whim'. There are months, if not years, taken before this ultimate decision is made.
This is why I'm so freaking mad about this. If Gary did not have the financial means to sustain The Chateau, there is certainly no disgrace in that. However, for Gary to sit idly by and not say anything to anyone, knowing the possible consequences, is inexcusable.
Furthermore, the fact Gary has been a past president of the Pendleton Heights Neighborhood Association, currently serves on the PHNA board, and is on numerous other boards in the city, he KNEW the process!! Why just sit by and do nothing?!? I just don't understand it. At times, Gary can be quite adamant about others who may not be following processes correctly and yet, he gives a great example of exactly what NOT to do. I'm just sick over this and the more I think about it, the sicker I get.
I never feel sorry for slum lords. If a person buys a historic house or structure they know that they take special care. In that neighborhood folks care and would have helped. I hope that the owner doesn't try to build another piece of junk in the beautiful neighborhood. All of the people who live there and love that neighborhood should rise up and kick some serious you know what at city hall.
All he had to do was put the ego and pride aside and ASK for assistance--from a neighbor, the neighborhood association or some other friends and those twyo buildings would be standing. Would he be there for us in this situation? I'm not so sure.
If we are truly neighbors, we should be there for Gary. He clearly wasn't able to take care of this building, and felt he couldn't approach the association or anyone else about it.
Good neighborhoods are more than beautiful buildings. Good neighborhoods are made up of good neighbors who care for one another.
Otherwise, in these thin times, you can consider many of these historic homes...history.
It's a sad comment that the city, so strapped for money, still has the where-with-all to destroy this type of building in a historical neighborhood of KC. Clearly bad decisions have been made across the board. Nevertheless,Mr. Marsh bears the brunt of shame and blame for neglecting two valuable buildings in our neighborhood. Having been a past president of the Pendleton Heights Homeowner's Association, and presently serving on the board of the same group, I trust Mr. Marsh has the good sense to resign his position with the PHHA, and frankly, leave the neighborhood all together. Neighbors like him are not worth having and only serve as an example to others, of how to obfuscate the noble goals of the Pendleton Heights Homeowner's Association.
It's a sad comment that the city, so strapped for money, still has the where-with-all to destroy this type of building in a historical neighborhood of KC. Clearly bad decisions have been made across the board. Nevertheless,Mr. Marsh bears the brunt of shame and blame for neglecting two valuable buildings in our neighborhood. Having been a past president of the Pendleton Heights Homeowner's Association, and presently serving on the board of the same group, I trust Mr. Marsh has the good sense to resign his position with the PHHA, and frankly, leave the neighborhood all together. Neighbors like him are not worth having and only serve as an example to others, of how to obfuscate the noble goals of the Pendleton Heights Homeowner's Association.
It's not always about neighborhood notification. The neighborhood association leadership (as well as Kessler Society membership, dedicated to preserving the boulevards of Kansas City against German non-pig-organ-selling grocery stores that happen to sell cheap bottled wine) has contained the property owner who apparently never went into his buildings to notice that the floors had fallen apart.
And, others in the area must have known ��and must have known how to look up property records and Neighborhood Preservation cases and Dangerous Building reports, etc.
All I have to say is: "Sigh! I wanted to live in those buildings. Great job, Gary!"
It's not always about neighborhood notification. The neighborhood association leadership (as well as Kessler Society membership, dedicated to preserving the boulevards of Kansas City against German non-pig-organ-selling grocery stores that happen to sell cheap bottled wine) has contained the property owner who apparently never went into his buildings to notice that the floors had fallen apart.
And, others in the area must have known ��and must have known how to look up property records and Neighborhood Preservation cases and Dangerous Building reports, etc.
All I have to say is: "Sigh! I wanted to live in those buildings. Great job, Gary!"
Excellent article. At last everything about this debacle is now out in the open and maybe, just maybe, we won't have to lose another historic treasure in a Landmark neighborhood without proper notice. More pictures here: http://hyperblogal.blogspot.co...
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