Three historic buildings facing the Country Club Plaza have been given the green light for demolition.
On Thursday the City Council voted 9-3 against granting the Nelle Peters apartment buildings historical designation status.
“This was a very difficult decision for all of us,” said Councilwoman Heather Hall, who voted against the historical status.
The historical buildings, built in 1927, were purchased by the Price Brothers in 2014 for $3.6 million with the intentions to demolish the property. The Historical Kansas City Foundation, however, sought to preserve the buildings, arguing they are historically significant.
“I believe in the importance of time and place, and that place matters,” said Lucinda Rice-Petrie, a Historic Kansas City Foundation board member. “Buildings tell stories about our history, about who we were.”
City Council members ultimately sided with the developer, saying the apartments were too small, outdated and would be too costly to restore.
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