Municipal Auditorium Exterior Restoration Completed Early
City Celebrates Building’s 75th Anniversary
Kansas City’s iconic Municipal Auditorium has received a face lift just in time for the building’s 75th anniversary celebration.
After 75 years of continuous service, the historic Art Deco building was showing its age. The City of Kansas City initiated a project in 2010 to restore the building’s exterior to its former glory.
Completed ahead of schedule, the project wrapped up in time for the building’s 75th anniversary celebration. The event marks the building’s formal dedication by President Franklin D. Roosevelt on October 13, 1936. Hosted by the Kansas City Convention Center, the lunch-time celebration is open to the public and features entertainment reminiscent of the events hosted at Municipal Auditorium throughout its history such as presidential impersonators, an Elvis impersonator, circus clowns, the Shiner’s band, an organ concert, photo booths, pop-a-shot basketball games, and a photo display of Municipal Auditorium’s history.
About the Restoration
The project’s design-build team worked to clean and repair the exterior limestone, granite and decorative metals including doors, light poles, marquees and windows. In addition to masonry restoration, the project entailed the design and installation of exterior lighting improvements to complement the building’s grand presence and respect the surrounding neighborhood. The new architectural lighting focuses on the north and south facades, and illuminates the carved bas-relief medallions and friezes. According to a 1930s brochure, the friezes and medallions are portraying “the intellectual and social purposes for which the building will be used, and depicting the agricultural and industrial activities of the Middle West.”
The restoration project was completed while keeping Municipal Auditorium fully operational for scheduled events. The project team was led by The Konrath Group and included BGR Engineers, Derek Porter Studio, Malco Construction, Treanor Architects, Walter P Moore and Western Waterproofing.
Municipal Auditorium After Exterior Restoration