Historic preservation group opposes plan to demolish buildings at 31st and Main in KC
A permit to begin demolishing a block of buildings at 31st and Main streets was filed Thursday, raising concerns about efforts to preserve buildings with historic significance in Kansas City.
Approval of a commercial “pre-demolition inspection” is pending, according to city records.
The application lists seven properties on the northeast corner of 31st and Main, which is along the route for the expansion of the KC Streetcar.
In a report on the streetcar extension, two of the seven addresses were listed as eligible for the National Register of Historic Places: 3041 Main Street, which was built in 1888, and 3037 Main, constructed in 1905.
The Historic Kansas City Foundation opposes the demolition.
The buildings “tell a unique and important story, define the development history of the community, and provide tangible reminders of the past that create a unique sense of place,” the group said in a statement, noting in particular the building at 3041 Main which features a “predominately Victorian aesthetic.”
“The Main Street corridor has lost many historic buildings and many that are left are threatened,” the foundation said.
The organization would like to see the property developers meet with the Union Hill Neighborhood Association to get input from residents and has called for the city to enact a more thorough demolition review process.
An attorney for Price Management Company, which owns the properties, declined to comment.
Correction: The original story misidentified the name of the company that owns the properties. The story has been updated to reflect the correct name.
This story was originally published April 22, 2022 at 12:48 PM.
