By Michael Bushnell
Northeast News
August 12, 2015

The Kansas City Power and Light building is arguably one of the finest examples of Art-Deco architecture in the country, rivaled only by the Chrysler Building in New York City.

This building is located at 14th and Walnut Streets and was completed in 1931.

The building was the brainchild of Joseph Franklin Porter, then president of the Power and Light Company. Porter, who had previously worked with Thomas Edison — the father of modern electricity — commissioned local architects Hoit, Price and Barnes to house the company’s growing work force. The result was a 31-story, 476-foot tall building, capped by a 97 foot tower with lights that changed colors, creating a glow that was visible for many miles. So spectacular was this new addition to Kansas City’s skyline, Boy Scouts actually charged 25 cents for tours of the building.

During its heyday, there was a company doctor located in the building who treated work-related injuries. On the fourth and fifth floors there was a 1,000-seat auditorium, complete with pink marble wainscoting and a movie-quality sound system. Over the years, the unique features of the building were remodeled out, only to be replaced with modern “cube-farms.” The Power and Light Company eventually moved their headquarters to 12th Street and Walnut in 1992. In the late 1990s, the building’s future seemed questionable in the Stan Durwood (AMC) downtown entertainment district. The building still stands today, a testament to the staying power of a long-time Kansas City landmark. The card was published by Max Bernstein and was never mailed.