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The Grand Wins Excellence in Adaptive Reuse from Historic Kansas City
When it was originally constructed in 1962, Traders on Grand was the first high-rise building erected in downtown Kansas City after the Great Depression. More than 50 years later, Traders has been transformed into The Grand, once again standing as a symbol of urban revitalization. On March 27, Historic Kansas City honored The Grand with an Excellence in Adaptive Reuse award, the highest level of recognition from the organization.
Before the adaptive reuse project began, The Grand was a Class C office building with only 30 percent occupancy.
In contrast to downtown Kansas City’s abundance of turn-of-the-century architecture, The Grand is part of a smaller collection of mid-century buildings present in the iconic skyline. Before the adaptive reuse project began, The Grand was a Class C office building with only 30 percent occupancy. Its 10,000-square-foot floorplates were no longer seen as desirable or functional by modern companies looking for new office space. However, they presented a perfect opportunity for the growing population looking for a place to call home in the urban core.
Co-developers Sunflower Development Group and Block Multifamily Group, along with architects and interior designers from Helix Architecture + Design, reimagined this historic 21-story building into luxury high-rise apartments with mixed-use space on the ground level. The Grand is on the National Register of Historic Places, which inspired the design team to recapture the building’s original 1960s style and incorporate a mod, glamorous aesthetic throughout the interiors.
A stunning multi-level atrium, which at one point was covered in order to increase leasable office space, was reintroduced into the building’s lobby. The renewed opening now connects the main entry and lobby to the lower level, flooding the space with natural light and allowing it to be used once again as a community space for tenants.
Unique features such as the roof-top pool with event space and smart-building technology sets this high-rise apart from other downtown multi-family buildings. Other amenities include a fitness center, a private movie theatre, and a club room.
