Draft:Lost Buildings of Wichita

Background

The urban landscape of Wichita, Kansas has changed greatly over the years, shaped by periods of rapid growth, changing architectural styles, and shifting economic and social forces. Many of the city's early structures, from ornate theaters to dignified commercial buildings, were demolished due to a variety of factors, including "urban renewal" programs, shifting priorities—such as space for automobiles—and the devastating effects of urban decay that many American cities faced after World War II. This article highlights some of the notable buildings that once contributed to Wichita's distinct character, offering a glimpse into the city's rich architectural history and the forces which led to its destruction. This list is by no means exhaustive, as unfortunately, reliable records of many of the lost buildings are hard to come by.

Lost Buildings

The Forum (1911-1965)

Looking southeast at the Forum on Water Street between William and English (Circa 1928).

The Forum was constructed in 1911 for the price of $170,000 ($150,000 for the building and $20,000 for furnishings). The building was designed by the Columbus, Ohio architecture firm Richards, McCarty, & Bulford and built by the Dieter-Wenzel Construction Company. Other names considered for the building included "The Coliseum", "The Hippodrome", "Wigwam", "Auditorium", and "Convention Hall"

The main auditorium featured a 35 by 63-foot asbestos fire curtain, which showcased a painting of the famous chariot race from the popular novel Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ by Lew Wallace. At the time, it was the second-largest curtain in the United States, only surpassed by the one at the New York Hippodrome. The curtain was created by the Kansas City Scenic Company.

In 1965, The Forum, along with the surrounding nine square blocks of buildings, were razed to construct a new city library and Century II, the city's new performing arts center.

Eagle Building (1908-1963)

Wichita Eagle Newspaper Building, southwest corner of William and Market (Circa 1908).

The Eagle Building was constructed in 1908 on the southwest corner of Market and William to house a local newspaper, The Wichita Eagle. The original cost of the building was $50,000 and it housed housed both the paper's offices and printing equipment.

In 1961, The Wichita Eagle moved their offices to a new headquarters at 825 East Douglas. Soon thereafter, in 1963, The Wichita Eagle entered a 99 year lease with Circular Ramp Garages, Inc. of San Francisco, California at $50,000 per year. That same year, the new owner razed the Eagle Building in order to construct a 7-story parking garage at the cost of $1,500,000.

Allis Hotel (1929-1996)

The Allis Hotel was constructed in 1929 for a cost of $1,000,000. The namesake for the building comes from the Allis Hotel Company of Kansas City's president at the time, Barney L. Allis. The building was designed by the architecture firm of Schmidt, Boucher and Overend in the Art Deco style and stood 17 stories tall, making it the tallest building in Kansas at the time of its completion.

The hotel operated from 1929 until its closure in 1984, where it then sat abandoned until 1996, when it was demolished. Plans had been considered to renovate the hotel but it was deemed too costly, as the building had suffered major structural damage since its closure and following abandonment in 1984.

Barnes Block (1905-1925)

Southeast corner of Douglas and Lawrence (Broadway) (Circa 1905)

The Barnes Block was constructed in 1905 by O. D. Barnes on the southeast corner of Broadway (then Lawrence) and Douglas. It was designed by the architect C. W. Terry and cost $75,000. It was 75 feet by 120 feet and was 76 feet tall, having five floors and two passenger elevators.

In 1917, the Union National Bank moved their offices from 1st and Market Street to the Barnes Block. Eight years later, in 1925, the Union National Bank razed the Barnes Block in order to construct their new 14-story headquarters, which still stands today as The Ambassador Hotel. The new headquarters, whose base was similar in size to the Barnes Block, being 75 feet by 125 feet, cost $550,000 and was completed in 1926.

Zimmerly Block / Winne Building (1888-1956)

Zimmerly Block (later renamed Winne Building) shortly after construction in 1888; 200 block of East Douglas, north side (Circa 1889)

The Zimmerly Block was completed in June of 1888 after one year of construction. It was designed by the architects Dumont and Hayward and had a cost of nearly $90,000 once completed. The building was five stories tall and featured a Hale hydraulic elevator. The namesake and visionary of the building, Michael Zimmerly, died June 21st, 1887 at the age of 37 while the building was still in planning.

On September 14th, 1899, the Zimmerly Block was sold to Scott E. Winne on behalf of the Union Central Life Insurance Company for $60,000. With this change of hands, the building was renamed to the Winne Building. On March 23rd, 1910, a petition was sent to the Wichita city commissioners from the residents of Winne Street asking for their street name to be changed, some suggesting to revive the old name of the Zimmerly Block. It is noted that the Zimmerly name had fallen into disfavor in Wichita at the time.

The Winne Building traded hands for several decades, undergoing several renovations until February 1st, 1956, when the Winne Building was razed to make way for a new three story commercial building housing the Lerner Shops Company.

Wichita Theater (1918-1970)

Wichita Theater, located at 310 East Douglas (Circa 1919)

The Wichita Theater opened December 23, 1918 as Wichita's latest motion pictures and vaudeville house. It was built by the Peerless Theater Company and boasted 1,400 seats. Though the initial budget had been $78,000, the final cost rose to $150,000.

In 1929, the properties of L. M. Miller, the president of the Consolidated Amusement Company of Wichita, were taken over by the William Fox Film Corporation and Fox West Coast Theaters. These properties included the Wichita Theater along with many other theaters in Wichita, including the Miller, Palace, and Orpheum Theaters. Now under the ownership of Fox Theaters, in September of 1930, the Wichita Theater began undergoing a $100,000 renovation, turning it into a deluxe first run house. The renovations would last three years with the theater once again opening its doors on September 3rd, 1933. In 1941, a new $4,500 marquee was erected.

In May of 1970, demolition began on the Wichita Theater, carried out by Ark Wrecking Company of Wichita. The Wichita Theater was razed first in order to make room for a crane needed to demolish the Buck's Building, which sat beside the theater. The site was owned by Fourth Financial Corporation and was being cleared to construct the new Fourth Financial Center (now known as the Ruffin Building). This new building finished construction in 1974 at a cost of $20,000,000.

Missouri Pacific Depot (1901-1964)

Missouri Pacific Depot, 302 West Douglas (Circa 1925)

The Missouri Pacific Depot was constructed in 1900 by contractor H. J. Wallie of Jefferson City, Missouri at 302 West Douglas and had a total cost of $45,000. Construction began in early June but was halted by a worker strike until July 9th, 1900, when the strike was resolved. The building was designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, measuring 145 feet in length and 66 feet in width. It featured a prominent tower on the southwest corner, which rose 88 feet from the ground.

This new depot replaced the old Missouri Pacific Depot, which had been constructed in 1888 to accompany a passenger station. However, there wasn't enough demand for the depot, so it was used as the division office for the railroad until the new depot opened in January of 1901. With the old depot now serving no function, J. W. Burton purchased it for $450 and moved it to the corner of Pattie Avenue and Prince Street, where he then used it to construct three new houses.

The Missouri Pacific Depot served as Wichita's Missouri Pacific Railroad hub, offering critical passenger and freight connections for the city. In the decades after its construction, as Wichita grew in size, the depot experienced significant growth in activity, leading to several remodels of the building itself and various infrastructure improvements. In 1928, the high passenger demand warranted an extension of the passenger station platforms from Douglas all the way to 1st Street. That same year, in response to the increasing freight traffic, a new automobile dock was constructed between 1st and 2nd Streets, and the track infrastructure was expanded to accommodate an additional 35 freight cars.

However, with the rise of the automobile and the decline in passenger rail travel, the depot fell into disuse. The building remained in-use until mid-May of 1964, where it was then abandoned. The site of the depot was selected to be a part of a larger urban renewal project in the area, which would culminate in the construction of the Garvey Center. Demolition of the depot and the accompanying rail infrastructure began on November 27th, 1964 and lasted until March of 1965, carried out by Booker Wrecking Company. In 1965, construction began on the R. H. Garvey Building (300 West Douglas) at a cost of just over $1,000,000. The new office building stood ten stories tall and was designed by the architecture firm S. S. Platt and Associates.