I think I’m turning the corner on the so-called controversy over Polsinelli Shugart’s plan to build a glass castle on The Plaza that has some many new-found architectural purists up in arms.
In fact, I’m discovering that there are a great many reasons to support the project.
Maybe it was ritzy the Plaza denizens who claimed persecution who annoyed me. Or maybe it was a rather horrible article by Mike “Walking Contradiction” Hendricks that not only didn’t inspire but also didn’t live up to it’s hype. Whatever the case, it’s clear that Polsinelli Shugart and its proposed Plaza building is far more important than middle-class white people complaining about architecture.
Here’s why:
1. The “Architecture” of The Plaza is all phony anyway. I know it’s beloved but it’s nothing but a scale model of Seville, Spain that’s already disjointed and full of rats on Sunday morning.
2. Most people don’t think about it but it’s founded on racism. J.C. Nichols pioneered “racial covenants” in Kansas City. The Plaza is his legacy, that’s really about telling people of color where they can live.
3. Business first: A bigass, glass Plaza building means money and jobs. From construction dudes to lawyers, more development means more money. To argue against this is insane as this Great Recession moves forward.
Finally, it’ll be nice to watch so many self-interested Plaza denizens losing on this one. These folks don’t really have a stake here. They’re simply trying to impose their will. It’s Un-American. What is as American as apple-pie is throwing down a bigass, fast and towering building amid a bunch of complainers who really don’t bring much, if anything to the table.
Tony Botello
Chuck
“Most people don
Kansas City Lover
Fuck you Tony!
Chuck
Uh, Tony…
In your attempt to be contrarion you overlooked something: “A bigass, glass Plaza building means money and jobs. From construction dudes to lawyers, more development means more money. To argue against this is insane as this Great Recession moves forward.”
This is money for WHITE lawyers and WHITE contractors on the WHITE Plaza. THIS BUILDING IS FOR WHITE PEOPLE!!!!!!! How can you possibly support this atrocity?
Chuck
That last chuck ain’t chuck.
chuck
8:28—You ain’t Chuck
matthew lero
I’d agree mostly however architecture should be a response to the context and the firm responsible for that building did not take that into consideration. As hard as things in the architecture industry are right now and as much as firms need these projects i think that unless they start to do their homework the project should be taken away from them. We don’t want Polsinelli to move to the suburbs and they didn’t design this building. They have hired a local firm to do the tenant finishes and should be commended for these things.
New development is good and necessary, keeping the plaza clean, safe and rented costs money, probably a lot more money then people realize.