KCPD Headquarters Renovation Project Wins Design Excellence Award

For more information, contact:
Eric P. Bosch, AIA, City Architect
816-564-0877

The AIA Kansas City Design Excellence Committee honored the Kansas City Missouri Police Department’s Headquarters Renovation Project with a reception on November 11, 2016. The celebration included the KCPD Headquarters Renovation winning of a Project of the Year and a Design Excellence Award. Conceptualized and designed by Helix Architecture + Design, and constructed by J.E. Dunn Construction Co., the award-winning structure outmatched the competition with a creative strategy that helped the simple renovation needs to make a bold statement.

Built in 1938, the KCPD Headquarters at 1125 Locust St. is one of the most recognizable and historic structures in Downtown Kansas City. As part of the Headquarters Renovation Project, the newly transformed ceiling structure of the community room activates at night, illuminating the floor-to-roof windows in a welcoming glow. Through the windows, the spacious community meeting room, which also serves as the regular meeting room for the KCPD Board of Police Commissioners, impresses with contrasting coffered slab and sound-absorbing wood, serving as a space to listen and be to heard.

“The age and stature of the building contrasts the controlled chaos of the bristling public art inside – a piece called ‘Formidable’ by Rob Ley – that fortifies the bond between historic and contemporary and reminds us of the incredible power of a community that works together,” said City of Kansas City, Missouri, City Architect Eric P. Bosch, AIA.

The award comes at a poignant time in history, when civic and community partnership is more important than ever. The decision and commitment to design a community space that feels open and engaging sets a new standard for police departments and the communities they serve.

“The Kansas City Police Department project says everything that’s right about how a police department relates to its community,” said architect Steve Ziger, AIA, one of the AIA Kansas City jurors. “They took a limited program and communicated a welcoming civic presence that communicates that the police are an integral part of their community. This is civic architecture at its finest.”

Funds from the 2001 Public Safety Sales Tax began renovations on the building, and funds from the latest Public Safety Sales Tax Renewal completed the renovations in the fall of 2014. The end result preserved this historical beauty and importance of the building, while providing for additional updated capital improvements for all those that work and utilize KCPD’s Police Headquarters.