Saw this reported on the news this morning:
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A woman driving a stolen vehicle crashed head-on into an old Ford dealership in downtown Kansas City Thursday morning. The crash happened at 18th and Oak streets at a building that housed antique and vintage cars.
Fire officials said the crash weakened the building and a portion of the roof collapsed, at which time a vintage car fell out and landed in the rubble on the street below. The collapse was captured on a nearby business’s surveillance video.
The owner of the building, Chris Willsey, said he used the building to store his collection of cars.
“They’re unrestored vehicles,” he said. “They’re old, antique vehicles from the 40s, 50s, 60s.”
....
Engineers assessed the damage.
“They’re very worried the entire building has been weakened by the collapse,” Garrett said.
Crews may be forced to demolish the building, although further assessment is needed before engineers make that decision.
http://fox4kc.com/2014/11/20/482563/
From the looks of Google street view, it could have in fact been an old Ford dealership.
Can anyone from the area or those that are good researchers confirm?
(Message edited by Dan B on November 21, 2014)
Not that building the one across the street.Turn 90 degrees to the right
Right you are.
Here's the building.
Dan figured out Street View faster than I did.
I have been trying to find out the name of the Ford dealer that was supposed to be in this building that was damaged.
The photo above of G. T. O'Maley was found, but they were are listed as being at 18th and McGee and the buidings are different.
Anyone know the name of the Ford dealer that was in the building? Could it have been O'Maley, who later moved?
What is the address?
18th & Oak.
That building posted by Dan G and Steve Jelf looks like it is sagging in the middle. You can see the bricks are out of alignment the third window from the left and also directly below it on the first floor. Also same problem at large door on right side. Note the cars in the window upstairs. They need to get those cars out as soon as possible and tear down this unsafe building.
Norm
Norm,
You aren't in the construction or renovation business, are you ?
That is kinda like saying "We need to amputate" because someone's hair is getting long.
I don't see anything in Steve's Google photo that indicates structural problems prior to the crash. I think the mismatch is the way Google pastes their images to make a continuous street photo.
The bakery near me and the light post show similar flaws.
George Clipner is from Missouri and knows K.C well. Maybe he can chime in; that is unless he's too busy celebrating his Birthday, TODAY !
From my iPhone:
I believe Tom is right about the source of the "sagging". It's different in the two different views.
I wonder if George is as old as I am yet.
Here is some interesting info I found from The Automotive Industries Vol. 34 1916:
http://books.google.com/books?id=0sgqAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA999&dq=mcgee+street+was+oak+street+ford+kansas+city&output=html_text&source=gbs_search_r&cad=1
McGee Street is the next street over from Oak. I believe the picture David posted above is the McGee Street property referenced and the Oak Street is the one that was damaged in this incident.
Here is a current picture of the McGee Street property to compare with David's picture.
And a street view with both buildings referenced in the picture (Oak Street building far left and McGee Street building far right)
The Ford Company from about 1912 through the 1920s built local distribution centers very similar to the one damaged. There is one in St. Paul, MN of similar construction that was saved from demolition several years ago.
It's been my observation that journalists are often as confused about geography as anybody else. The phrase "across the alley from the former purchase" in Rob's posts is a red herring. The damaged building is on the southeast corner of 18th and Oak. The other building is a block west, not across the alley, on the southeast corner of 18th and McGee.
Here's another view showing both buildings. Looking east on 18th, the McGee building is in the foreground and the Oak building (the damaged one) is at the next corner east.
If you look at the reflection in the window of 1 of the pics Steve posted you will see a portion of the "Google Mobile" that takes the pictures.That dang thing went down the road here at speed about a year ago and a little thing on top was spinning around and around.So the pictures would have to be pasted together and since it is not important for bricks to be straight in pictures they get it close and forget it.
I agree Steve. I wonder if the walkway they reference was ever constructed between the two buildings. Seems like a long span to me. Then again, it could have easily been torn down at some point in time.
GREAT job guys in figuring this out!!
I enjoyed this thread very much. Very, very interesting. Great detective work.
In about six hours time , we have seen a complete discussion of an old building in some town far, far, away. In that time we have learned some of its history, saw pictures of it from then and now. Discussed its "sister" building and have learned a little about some modern idiot likely destroying (maybe) something that has stood for years. It is amazing what this forum can figure out and bring to life in such a short time. "I love this place". The poor owner of the damaged building is probably unaware of anyone having any interest in his building.