City Hall History

City Hall, located at 414 E. 12th St. in downtown Kansas City, Mo., was completed in 1937 at a cost of $5 million. It is the tallest and most obvious of three buildings in a construction program passed in 1931 by Kansas City voters. It was part of a "Ten-Year Plan" bond program offered to the public as a vision of stability, progress and faith in the future to counter the effects of the Depression. It also was tangible proof of the political effectiveness of Kansas City's Democratic machine, led by concrete company owner Tom "Boss" Pendergast.

Comprised of 29 stories plus a 30th-story observation deck, City Hall is the third tallest building in the city. It measures 443 feet from the sidewalk at the north door to the top of the building. Since it's on a hill, it dominates the downtown skyline. When it was first built, it was the tallest building in the state. It remains one of the tallest city halls in the country, housing about 1,500 city government employees.

The building, which required 22 months to construct, is considered to have a neo-classic or beaux arts architecture, but is most notable for its art deco details and ornamentation. This is evident in a myriad of interior details, including sculpted brass elevator doors depicting the four major modes of transportation (planes, boats, cars and trains) that serve Kansas City; elaborate light fixtures in the lobby and elsewhere; and even custom brass doorknob plates. Outside, at the top floor of the six-story base, windows are replaced with a frieze of relief sculptures depicting the early settlement and growth of the Kansas City area.