Old School

  Over the holidays, I spent a significant time driving and walking through some of Kansas City's older neighborhoods.

One thing that really struck me is the number of old, formerly city-owned buildings, that have been left abandoned.

Old Schools. Old Libraries. Just left, empty.

What is really unfortunate about a lot of these buildings is that because of the sheer size of the buildings, they basically leave nearly entire city blocks -- often in emerging neighborhoods -- just abandoned.

The abandonment leaves to blight -- and if you subscribe to the broken windows theory at all -- a feeling of neglect in the neighborhood.

The first two buildings pictured here, the old Switzer School and a former Public Library, take up nearly two full blocks in the city's re-emerging West Side - that has just created dead space on the West Side.

Several other old school buildings also litter other areas.

Also pictured are a school that resides just east of the 18th and Vine area, one on the 3500 block of Paseo, and one that is at 39th Street and Garfield. 

I confess, I don't know how many of these old building are still owned by the city and the school district -- but I'm assuming a fair number. It is pretty embarrassing when one of KCMO's biggest problems is the inabililty to enforce codes violations -- and yet, the city is a part of the problem.

My recommendation?  Sell each of the buildings for $1000....with a contingency. The contingency is that whoever buys the building has to have it remodeled and open within 3 years -- with substantial movement made in the remodeling within the first 18 months. If these conditions weren't met, the sale would be void.

I think that many of these buildings could be used for apartments, lofts, office space, charter schools, neighborhood run community centers -- many options. In fact, a similar, but smaller, building 2 blocks north of the Library on Summit on the west side remodeled and put in lofts that are selling for between $250-$500,000.

Sure, the city would lose money on the   buildings -- but they would gain tremendously in property taxes on the back end. With the buildings functioning as buildings, businesses, residences, office spaces, whatever, the property value of all surrounding properties would go up because they wouldn't be next to blighted buildings. The property itself would increase in value and bring in tax revenue also. 

And in the short term, you would be creating some construction jobs for a struggling construction/remodeling market that would also gain tax money through the E-tax.

Ending the full city blocks of dead space would benefit everyone in the city -- and would be worth the loss on the buildings to end the blight in these neighborhoods.

As the city looks to deal with their budget crunch, they need to look at areas where they can increase revenue and their tax base, not just places where they can cut costs. This would be one area where they could increase the tax base -- with something they already own and are doing nothing with.

Comments

[Kyle Rohde]

Great idea Brent - one I don't see on here that I always notice is right on the east side of Hwy. 71 at 39t Street - I believe its an old school but am not sure. The city would surely benefit from these old buildings finding new use.

[Dan]

Has the city somehow taken over the school buildings? Don't they belong to the KCMSD?

On the other hand, if the city can sell property they don't own for $1000, that's a real win/win. Maybe they could sell the Brooklyn Bridge, too . . .

[Dan]

By the way, I intended that to be more humorous than obnoxious . . .

[Brent]

Kyle,

The one last one pictured, at 39th and Garfield, is the one you mentioned at 39th and 71 Highway.

Dan, at least a few of the Library buildings would fall under KCMO's rule - and maybe the city could incentivize the school district to sell? I'm not sure what the answer is as the city would benefit more than the school district from their sale. But leaving these buildings to just rot doesn't benefit anyone, that's for certain.

It's bad enough that the school district is an educational problem...we certainly don't need them to be a blight problem as well.

[eastsider]

39th and US 71 is Horrace Mann school and is now owned by Ivanhoe Neighborhood Council, slated for senior apartments. The KCSD won't sell for $1000 because their bonds are tied to the value of their real estate. Plus, they only make sweetheart deals to their business friends...

[Eric Rogers]

Great post. I totally agree that abandoned schools a big un-discussed blight in many neighborhoods. But I don't understand how it's the city's fault. The city has no control over the school district.

The only thing the city could do is use eminent domain to seize these properties from the school district - and that would be a fight like no other we have seen here. Fortunately there is some good news, the school district has put many of these buildings up for sale. Hopefully they will start finding new uses in the next few years.

[Julie]

a very similar project w/ an old school is here http://www.covecreek.net/

[Fred]

This is a great article! It would even be nicer if the KCSD didn't put deed restictions on the buildings saying that if someone buys it, that it CANNOT house a charter school, considering the buildings were built with public monies for the purpose of educating our children.

It would be great if you could look into that.

[KC Sponge]

If they are owned by the city, why not rent the space to small businesses that can not afford real estate as a start up cost. The refurb costs can be considered investment into the property that can be converted once the business wants, or is at a point considering, to seek ownership.
Something. Develop the economy. Erase blight. C'mon, someone in charge of these buildings has to be coming up with something, right?

[AJ Vanderhorst]

Great article! I just drove by the Switzer School this morning, and was looking for info online. According to Block Realtors, it was up for auction last November. Any idea what happened there? The West Side (where we're hoping to move) could use a tenant/renovator in there.