Joe Jarosz
Northeast News
June 4, 2015

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — There are two definitions for the words facade.

The Save Thacher, Save Our Schools grassroots group is interested in preserving the former Thacher Elementary School’s north-facing facade. However, they believe the Kansas City Public Schools are putting on a facade to mask their own building plans.

On Thursday, June 4, demolition crews began tearing into the building’s northeast corner. Manny Abarca, one of the group’s organizers, rushed to the site of the building when he leaned of the news.

“We’re literally being bulldozed,” Abarca said.

Just hours before a hole was left in building, Abarca said he spoke with KCPS representatives about preserving the building’s front facing archway. The group’s main goal was to save the facade, with the hopes the school district would use it as part of their repurposing plans. He said he was told work wouldn’t be done around the archway facade in order to preserve it. Now, he’s not sure it will be saved.

“If its been impacted, then we lost our crown jewel,” Abarca said. “The district is forcing us to just accept bricks.”

Early Thursday morning, Abarca said he spoke with district representatives about how the group can save the archway and how it could be used by Northeast Middle School. If demolition continues before the group can save any building materials, Abarca expects there to be a protest soon.

“We were very much in the middle of conversations and then this happened,” Abarca said. “It’s disheartening.”

Ray Weikal, Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator for the KCPS, said through conversations with Shannon Jaax, Director of the KCPS repurposing effort, there were verbal agreements with the the demolition contractor, Gator Industrial LLC., to delay demolition on the old portion of the building until a decision is made with the community.

“Unfortunately, there’s was some miscommunication with the contractor and they got ahead of things,” Weikal said. “We’ve clarified with them so that doesn’t happen again. Our understanding is that there is other work the contractors can be doing that doesn’t involve the old building.”

Weikal noted the district has made the commitment to salvage materials and provide the Northeast community with those salvaged materials. In conversations with Jaax, Weikal believes the archway facade can still be preserved.

“We’re serious about saving as many pieces as possible,” Weikal said, adding the district isn’t ignoring the community’s request. “Bear in mind, though, that our job is to do whatever we need to do to increase student achievement. We want to serve the community and be good neighbors, but the students are our top priority.”

The earliest a decision can be make by the school board on salvaged materials would be at the next meeting, Wednesday, June 10. Weikal, however, couldn’t guarantee a decision would be made at the meeting.