909 Walnut (formerly Fidelity National Bank & Trust Building, Federal Office Building and 911 Walnut) is a twin-spired, 35-story, 471-foot (144 m) residential skyscraper in DowntownKansas City, Missouri. It was Missouri's tallest apartment building until the conversion of the Kansas City Power & Light building and the tenth-tallest habitable building in Missouri.
The structure was built in 1931 as the Fidelity National Bank & Trust Building (referred to locally as the Fidelity Building) at an estimated cost of $2.85 million, including bank fixtures.[2] The site had previously been a two-story post office and federal building until 1904, when Fidelity purchased the site for its headquarters. The two-story building was razed in 1930. The new building mimicked the original federal twin-spire structure, in an Art Deco-Gothic Revival architectural motif.
On June 14, 1946, under the administration of then-U.S. President Harry S. Truman, the Federal Government acquired the building at a reported price of $3.3 million. As a result, it was renamed the Federal Office Building.[2]
Another distinctive landmark was the "town clock" in the north tower, which had first started keeping time in the original 1885 post office and was then placed in the tower. A bell cast by the McShane Bell Company of Baltimore, Maryland chimed in 1882. The clock face has since been removed and replaced by large windows for the highest residential living unit within five states. The bell was sold by the former owner in 2000 and was carried away by helicopter.[2]
When the government left the building in 1995, Northland Management & Investment of Kansas City purchased it for $500,000. The building remained vacant until it was sold in 2000 to Simbol Commercial Inc. of Dallas for $2 million. Following the September 11 attacks, the building was renamed from 911 Walnut to 909 Walnut.[5] Simbol was said to have spent $64 million to convert this building and the 929 Walnut Building into 159 apartments and 110,000 square feet (10,000 m2) of commercial office space and to construct a 323-car public garage. The rooftop of the garage also includes a 12,000-square-foot (1,100 m2) award-winning garden.[6]
The first four floors are occupied by Entertainment Properties Trust (NYSE:EPR).
Referencesedit
^"Missouri: Jackson County". National Register of Historic Places.com. Retrieved 2015-05-27.
^ abc"Fidelity Tower". KS History Guy. June 6, 2009. Retrieved 2015-05-27.[dead link]
^Davis, Jim (April 27, 2001). "Developer calls for help with 911 building". Kansas City Business Journal. Retrieved 2015-05-27.
^"Cool Roofing". EcoBuilding Pulse. June 8, 2009. Retrieved 2015-05-27.
Kansas City, Missouri; An Architectural History, 1826-1990. (Copyright 1992). George Ehrlich. Retrieved August 11, 2007. (Pages 95–97)
American Institute of Architects Guide to Kansas City Architecture & Public Art. (Copyright 2000). American Institute of Architects/KC. Retrieved August 11, 2007. (Page 30, Number 42)
External linksedit
Media related to 909 Walnut Street at Wikimedia Commons
909walnut.com
Skyscaperpage.com profile
January 01, 1970
walnut, formerly, fidelity, national, bank, trust, building, federal, office, building, walnut, twin, spired, story, foot, residential, skyscraper, downtown, kansas, city, missouri, missouri, tallest, apartment, building, until, conversion, kansas, city, power. 909 Walnut formerly Fidelity National Bank amp Trust Building Federal Office Building and 911 Walnut is a twin spired 35 story 471 foot 144 m residential skyscraper in Downtown Kansas City Missouri It was Missouri s tallest apartment building until the conversion of the Kansas City Power amp Light building and the tenth tallest habitable building in Missouri 909 WalnutGeneral informationStatusCompletedTypeResidential apartmentsLocation909 Walnut Kansas City MissouriCoordinates39 06 12 N 94 34 54 W 39 103317 N 94 581776 W 39 103317 94 581776Construction started1930 94 years ago 1930 Completed1931 93 years ago 1931 CostUS 2 85 millionOwnerWorcester InvestmentsManagementWorcester CommunitiesHeightAntenna spire498 feet 152 m Roof471 feet 144 m Top floor465 feet 142 m Technical detailsFloor count35Floor area477 649 sq ft 44 375 0 m2 Design and constructionArchitect s Hoit Price amp BarnesDeveloperFidelity National Bank amp TrustMain contractorSwenson Construction Company In 1997 the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places 1 History editThe structure was built in 1931 as the Fidelity National Bank amp Trust Building referred to locally as the Fidelity Building at an estimated cost of 2 85 million including bank fixtures 2 The site had previously been a two story post office and federal building until 1904 when Fidelity purchased the site for its headquarters The two story building was razed in 1930 The new building mimicked the original federal twin spire structure in an Art Deco Gothic Revival architectural motif The building s architect Hoit Price amp Barnes also designed the nearby Power and Light Building in the Art Deco style The bank was liquidated in 1933 during the Great Depression On June 14 1946 under the administration of then U S President Harry S Truman the Federal Government acquired the building at a reported price of 3 3 million As a result it was renamed the Federal Office Building 2 In 1954 the headquarters of the newly formed Severe Local Storms Warning Service of the United States Weather Bureau moved to the building from Washington D C A Radome for a weather radar was constructed between the towers on a steel skeleton rising above them creating a landmark until 1995 when it was removed and the service relocated to Norman Oklahoma where it became the Storm Prediction Center 3 4 Another distinctive landmark was the town clock in the north tower which had first started keeping time in the original 1885 post office and was then placed in the tower A bell cast by the McShane Bell Company of Baltimore Maryland chimed in 1882 The clock face has since been removed and replaced by large windows for the highest residential living unit within five states The bell was sold by the former owner in 2000 and was carried away by helicopter 2 When the government left the building in 1995 Northland Management amp Investment of Kansas City purchased it for 500 000 The building remained vacant until it was sold in 2000 to Simbol Commercial Inc of Dallas for 2 million Following the September 11 attacks the building was renamed from 911 Walnut to 909 Walnut 5 Simbol was said to have spent 64 million to convert this building and the 929 Walnut Building into 159 apartments and 110 000 square feet 10 000 m2 of commercial office space and to construct a 323 car public garage The rooftop of the garage also includes a 12 000 square foot 1 100 m2 award winning garden 6 The first four floors are occupied by Entertainment Properties Trust NYSE EPR References edit Missouri Jackson County National Register of Historic Places com Retrieved 2015 05 27 a b c Fidelity Tower KS History Guy June 6 2009 Retrieved 2015 05 27 dead link Corfidi Stephen F January 15 1999 The Birth and Early Years of the Storm Prediction Center PDF National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Retrieved 2015 05 27 My Big Day The Ruskin Outbreak by Joe Audsley selskc net Retrieved December 30 2007 Davis Jim April 27 2001 Developer calls for help with 911 building Kansas City Business Journal Retrieved 2015 05 27 Cool Roofing EcoBuilding Pulse June 8 2009 Retrieved 2015 05 27 Kansas City Missouri An Architectural History 1826 1990 Copyright 1992 George Ehrlich Retrieved August 11 2007 Pages 95 97 American Institute of Architects Guide to Kansas City Architecture amp Public Art Copyright 2000 American Institute of Architects KC Retrieved August 11 2007 Page 30 Number 42 External links edit nbsp Media related to 909 Walnut Street at Wikimedia Commons 909walnut com Skyscaperpage com profile Kansas City Public Library Resources on original federal building Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 909 Walnut amp oldid 1167031505, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
