Ted Seligson, one of Kansas City’s leading architects of 20th century, dies from COVID
Theodore “Ted” H. Seligson, one of Kansas City’s leading architects of the 20th century, died Monday of COVID-19, according to his obituary at Louis Memorial Chapel.
The 90-year-old Seligson was described in his obit as a true Renaissance man who was an architect, urban and interior designer, professor, fine art consultant and curator.
“In his spare time he was a semi-professional violin player, reader of hieroglyphics, historic preservation activist, antiquarian, lover of comics, compulsive teacher and raconteur,” according to the obituary.
Highlights of his career include his work on such projects as Bartle Hall Convention Center, Temple B’nai Jehudah, Missouri Public Service building, Fire Station No. 30, several UMB bank buildings, Maple Woods Community College, Seaboard Corp.’s offices and residential homes.
He also taught as a visiting professor at Washington University and at the University of Missouri-Kansas City for 30 years.
“He was devoted to improving Kansas City and a big advocate for urbanism in Kansas City,” said Michael Frisch, department chair for architecture, urban planning and design at UMKC.
“I would say he’s one of the leading architects in the 20th century in Kansas City both in terms of his designs but also in terms of teaching,” Frisch said.
Seligson was born in November 1930 in Kansas City and grew up in Westwood Hills. He graduated from Shawnee Mission North High School and Washington University.
He began his career at Kivett & Myers Architects in Kansas City, where he became head of design and was responsible for some of the signature work produced by the firm.
In 1962, he formed his own architectural practice, where he worked for more than 40 years and received more than 25 local, regional and national honors.
He taught as a visiting professor both during his career and after retiring from private practice. His passion to work with students stemmed from an optimism and enthusiasm for doing better, and in design he was able to communicate that, Frisch said.
“He was able to push his students to refine and refine their designs,” he said. “When I was with him in studio, he would often take a contrary view so the student would have to form his or her own response, and that is exactly the training that you need to work in the built environment because you’re going to run into competing views right and left.”
Seligson was modest about the buildings he worked on, Frisch said, often not saying which projects were his.
Frisch said he believed that was Seligson’s way to motivate people to contribute to the built environment and make the city better “so it isn’t just his contribution that mattered.”
Steve Paul, a board member of Historic Kansas City and onetime architecture columnist at The Star, said in an email that Seligson’s architectural legacy includes a wide range of modern buildings in neighborhoods, commercial spaces and public landscapes throughout the Kansas City region. His long career at Kivett & Myers tells only part of the story.
“His influence extends to his work for the city’s landmarks commission, the preservation efforts of Historic Kansas City, and more recently for architecture and urban planning students at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where his vision for merging the disciplines of design and planning helped shape their programs and their futures,” Paul said.
Kansas City’s City Planning and Development Director Jeffrey Williams said in a statement that he was honored to have served with Seligson as a member of the advisory board for UMKC’s architecture department.
“Seligson’s work establishing the Landmarks Commission created a foundation to recognize Kansas City’s resources, but also set procedures to protect them from demolition and mistreatment,” he said.
Seligson was elected to the American Institute of Architects’ College of Fellows in 1979. In 2011, he was awarded the Presidential Award by AIA Kansas City, and the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Historic Kansas City Foundation.
“Seligson certainly was a revered and very engaged member of the American Institute of Architects Kansas City chapter,” said Dawn Taylor, executive director of organization.
“I would say his impact was not only on the buildings that he designed and his impact on the built environment, but also on generations of students,” she said.
She described him as being very wise and willing to share that wisdom with his students, his colleagues and fellow members of AIA Kansas City.
According to his obit: “Ted held a fundamental belief that each of us has the ability to make our community and country a better place to live.”
Services were held Wednesday afternoon. Memorials may be sent to the Seligson Fund c/o UMKC Foundation at 5115 Oak, AC202, Kansas City, MO 64112. The fund, established in 2011 by friends and colleagues, continues to foster his legacy through public lectures and scholarships for architects and urban planning students at UMKC.
This story was originally published January 6, 2021 at 3:12 PM.
