This middle school in south KC could be historic. It could also get demolished

Murals of graffiti. Piles of debris. Busted walls. Exposed ceilings. Hanging pipes. Shards of glass.

All are seen in an urban exploration video from May that appears to show the inside of the former Paul Robeson Middle School, 8201 Holmes Rd. in south Kansas City, which has sat vacant for years as a proposed redevelopment project has yet to fully materialize.

The owner is now proposing to demolish the school building, which was built in 1960 as the Jewish Community Center and closed at the Holmes location in 1984 after its membership there dwindled and moved to Johnson County. The building later became a middle school, which shuttered in 2006.

Kansas City Public Schools sold the property to Robeson Holding Co. in 2018, with plans to redevelop the site with recreation facilities and other mixed uses.

The property has experienced severe damage from frequent break-ins, fires and vandals, Sean Pickett, representative for Robeson Holding, told the city’s historic preservation commission on Friday. He said it’s more economical to demolish the property because of all the damage, including materials being stripped from the site.

Pickett also said neighborhood residents and the mayor’s office want to move forward as quickly as possible for safety reasons. He said people are trespassing on the property weekly since the site has gained publicity in the news, attracting urban explorers.

“We are open to if there’s things that can be saved,” Pickett told the commission. “It was always part of our original plan.”

The demolition proposal went before the historic preservation commission under the city’s review rules, which call for taking a closer look before demolishing older buildings that could be historic and considering alternatives or options for reuse.

Buildings that are more than 50 years old and are possibly eligible for the local or national registers of historic places, but are not on those lists, could be subject to the review.

Manuel Morris and Robet Sixta’s architecture firm was behind the Jewish Community Center/Robeson School, which has unique design flourishes. The group designed other notable buildings across the metro, including a bowling alley that became the Johnson County Arts and Heritage Center in Overland Park.

Nearby residents told the commission they see people going in and out of the building, cutting down materials to steal them and the poor condition of the building from the outside. They say the building presents a blight and a danger to the community around it.

“We’ve all wanted to see something happen with this building, but the fact that it’s sat vacant for almost two decades is causing more problems,” said resident Nathan Corsi. “If the applicant is trying to create a new community center, then I would like to see some of their plan to be able to go forward, even if that includes demolition of, you know, an arguably cool looking building that is maybe beyond reasonable repair at this point.”

City staff determined that the Robeson School building could qualify for historic status as an example of Modern architecture and for its history serving Kansas City’s Jewish community during a time they were not accepted at other clubs.

The historic preservation commission voted to delay the demolition for 45 days.

City pushes for change on site

Mayor Quinton Lucas has been outspoken about the dilapidated state of the property, saying he grew up running on the track at school and lived nearby at President Gardens.

“After nearly a decade of ownership and unfulfilled promises since (the purchase) from Kansas City Public Schools, the time for private discussions has passed,” he said in October. “Our community has had enough of the abandonment, graffiti, weeds, and trash at the site, and so have I. Too many Kansas Citians are forced to live near deteriorating, dilapidated structures.”

The City Council voted last month to direct city staff to begin receivership, a legal maneuver that would involve going to court and could place the property under the control of a different developer.

Lucas said then he planned to use the approach for dilapidated buildings elsewhere throughout Kansas City to improve neighborhood quality of life.

The city council signed off at its Oct. 2 meeting. According to a news release, the receivership process includes a 60-day notice period for the property owner to address code violations. If violations remain unaddressed, the city could file a petition in court to transfer control of the property for rehabilitation.

The city is also expected to gather community input during the process.

“Pursuant to the ordinance, the city continues to take steps necessary to ensure abatement of blighting conditions on the property either by the current owner or a court-appointed receiver,” the city said in a statement. “The city will ensure the process, as spelled out by law, protects the best interests of neighbors of the property long term and eliminates the numerous ordinance and quality of life violations on the site since the school’s sale to the owner.”

Meanwhile, if no one formally files an application to give historic status to the Robeson school property, demolition can proceed after 45 days from the preservation commission’s Nov. 21 meeting.

Demolition could also go forward if the city officially designates the property as dangerous. Pickett has said a multi-phase redevelopment plan remains in place and that there has been progress on the site, including repairing and seeding the track for spring use and clearing the tennis court.

This story was originally published November 25, 2025 at 5:58 AM.