Kansas City Power and Light Building

Kansas City Power and Light Building
Industry	Commercial real estate, Residential real estate
Founded	1931; 95 years ago
Founder	Joseph F. Porter
Fate	Converted from commercial offices to residential apartments and event space
Headquarters	Kansas City, United States
Area served	Kansas City, Missouri
Key people	Joseph F. Porter (President of Kansas City Power and Light at construction)
Products	Office space (original), Residential apartments and event venues (current)
Owner	Kansas City Power and Light; NorthPoint Development (developer of residential conversion)

Kansas City Power and Light Building

The Kansas City Power and Light Building—also referred to as the KCP&L Building or simply the Power and Light Building—stands as a distinguished Art Deco skyscraper located in Downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Erected in 1931 under the direction of Joseph F. Porter, then-President of Kansas City Power and Light and an Edison Pioneer, the structure was designed to promote employment growth within downtown Kansas City.

Rising 34 stories and reaching a height of 481 feet, it held the distinction of being the tallest building west of the Mississippi River at the time of its completion. It overtook the Smith Tower until 1962, when the Space Needle surpassed it in height. The building’s eastern exterior faces the Power & Light District, a neighborhood named in its honor. Its signature lantern has become an emblem frequently used in marketing materials for both the district and Kansas City as a whole.

Initially constructed to house commercial offices, the building has since been repurposed to accommodate luxury residential apartments and high-end event venues. Developed by Kansas City Power and Light and built by Swenson Construction Company, it offers roughly 230,000 square feet of interior space. The architectural firm Hoit, Price & Barnes was responsible for its design, and it continues to be a key element within Kansas City's commercial property landscape.

History

The architectural firm Hoit, Price & Barnes from Kansas City, also known for designing the Municipal Auditorium and 909 Walnut, crafted this building’s design. Despite persistent rumors, no plans ever existed for a twin tower; the west façade is windowless because it functions as a firewall and contains elevator shafts. Standing 34 stories tall, it remained Missouri’s tallest occupiable building from 1931 until it was eclipsed by One U.S. Bank Plaza in St. Louis in 1976.

Kansas City Power & Light Company vacated the premises in 1991.

In 2010, city officials identified the adjacent area as a potential site for a hotel and convention center to satisfy local demand. However, only two proposals were received, both judged insufficient, leading to discussions about reopening bids for alternative locations within downtown.

The building’s final tenant, BNIM—a firm specializing in architecture and planning—departed in September 2014. The following month, NorthPoint Development from Riverside initiated conversion efforts to transform the property into residential apartments. This redevelopment resulted in 210 apartments inside the historic tower along with an additional 81 units above a new parking garage featuring 500 stalls. The original lobby was redesigned into an upscale event space capable of hosting up to 500 attendees. This project established the tower as Missouri’s tallest exclusively residential building.

Lighting

Crowning the Kansas City Power and Light Building is an elaborate Art Deco lantern composed of prismatic glass panels that conceal red-orange illumination activated each evening at sunset. Originally, multicolored flickering floodlights positioned on each recessed setback simulated flickering flames. Currently, LED floodlights cycle through various colors, enhancing its visual impact during nighttime hours.

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