10th Street, East of Wyandotte

Tenth Street looking east from Wyandotte, with the tall towers of the Fidelity National Bank & Trust Co. (now a federal office building) in the background, was described as the financial center of Kansas City on the legend printed on the reverse side of the postcard. At the left is the Graphic Arts Building, built in 1917 to house businesses in the publication, engraving, typesetting and graphic arts trades. F.B. Tarbet was the architect. Special structural considerations were observed for the support of 10-ton printing presses. The eight-story building, known today as Corporate Corners, cost $150,000 to build. Also at the left is the Shubert Theater. It closed its doors in 1935 and was razed in 1936. Today the site is used as a parking facility for the First National Bank, across the street. At the foot of 10th and Main, the narrow eight-story building is the one now being razed. The site was originally that of Turner Hall, a German community club. Max Weil, a clothing merchant who came to Kansas City in 1885 and outgrew his store at 5th and Main, decided in 1895 this corner would be a good location. He negotiated with Frank H. Kump for the erection of a six-story building at a cost of $50,000. F.E. Hill was the architect. The Model Clothing House was to be the most modern store in the West. Six tailors and 32 salesmen were employed. In 1910 the design of architect Walter E. Lovett was used to add an additional two stories to the building, as pictured. Old city directories show later tenants to have been the Boley Clothing Co., in 1906; the National Reserve Bank in 1910; the Owl Drug Co., in 1917 and the Krigel Jewelry Co., a recent occupant. A contract has been awarded to the J.E. Dunn Construction Company for the erection on the site of a 350,000-square-foot 18-story office complex, by the Commerce Bank and Tower Properties, Inc. Kansas City Times. January 27, 1984