As the Kansas City Business Journal reported, DST Realty Inc., a division of DST Systems Inc., is hoping to turn the space into a training facility for the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA is still considering whether it will relocate the Center for Management and Executive Leadership from Palm Coast, Florida, to one of seven cities (Kansas City among them) vying for the project.
The Lyric Theater represents another opportunity for Kansas City to show that downtown development can be sustainable. If the FAA deal or some other reuse for the former Lyric Opera building isn't found, the city will just be repeating the mistakes of the Sprint Center and Kemper Arena.
KC can't consider a new building a true success if it comes with the burden of an older, underutilized building. And older theaters are not exactly being snapped up. Case in point: the former Alanz Theatre at 624 East 63rd Street. While tax incentives may prove to be the most expedient method of rehabbing the 86-year-old Lyric structure (though, it's hard for DST Realty to claim hardship when it purchased the building in 2007 knowing that the Kauffman Center would be built), the clock is ticking.
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Hey let it take over the American Royal livestock and rodeo. Perfect place for it, right downtown in the center of the cowtown. It would be great for the American Royal BBQ contest too......
Why not let one of the Amateur Theater, Dance, or Burlesque companies take over the place?
The money doles regarding problems downtown and elsewhere seem to always have a DST stuck in there somewhere. Dig into that company a bit deeper and you'll find they have long time connections to big business and old time KC family money. Here's some links for you to consider and perhaps attach: DST+KC Southern+Sprint+Russell Stover Candy...and I'm sure there are more. All family connected.
I think if they can't find someone to buy the building, they should knock it down and sell the real estate. Not every old building needs to be saved. This was, at varying times, a Shriner Temple, a blood bank, KMBC hq, and an opera house.
Seems like it is already on its 9th life. White Elephants that are too 'historic' to tear down but too expensive to use are a problem for cities (ahem, Union Station, ahem). This isn't even the best example of Masonic architecture in KC. The Scottish Rite Temple is a much more aesthetically pleasing old masonic temple.
Calling the Kauffman Center a "mistake" if the Lyric Theatre doesn't get developed into something else is just stupid. But not surprising from The Pitch who has consistently ignored opera in Kansas City until the Kauffman Center opened.
Wait why is sprint center a failure? Because it doesn't have a tenant? Last I heard the city isnt losing money on the sprint center.
http://www.sprintcenter.com/news/detail/sprint_center_recognized_among_2009_worlds_best_venues
NO MORE TIF'S UNLESS WE, THE PEOPLE, GET TO VOTE ON THEM!
After all, it is OUR money they'd be giving away.
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