Power & Light Building, Kansas City

The Kansas City Power and Light Building stands as a distinguished Art Deco skyscraper in Downtown Kansas City. Constructed in 1931 under the leadership of Kansas City Power and Light President and Edison Pioneer Joseph F. Porter, the building was initially envisioned as a beacon of economic hope, aiming to generate new jobs in the heart of the city. Designed by the local architectural firm Hoit, Price, and Barnes, the Power and Light Building swiftly became a prominent feature of the city's skyline.

Upon its completion, the 34-story tower was the tallest building west of the Mississippi River, maintaining this status until the Seattle Space Needle was completed in 1962. The structure remained Missouri's tallest habitable building until One U.S. Bank Plaza in Saint Louis took the title in 1976. The building's east façade overlooks the Power & Light District, a vibrant area that owes its name to the skyscraper, and its iconic lantern is a symbol of Kansas City, prominently featured on promotional materials and signage for both the district and the city.

After Kansas City Power & Light Company left in 1991, the building remained mostly empty until 2014, when NorthPoint Development transformed it into a residential tower with 210 apartments, 81 more units around a new parking garage, and a lobby repurposed as a premier event space for 500 guests, making it Missouri's tallest residential-only building.

Crowning the Power and Light Building is a stunning Art Deco lantern, adorned with prismatic glass panels that conceal red-orange lights, glowing every evening at sunset. Originally, the building's setbacks were illuminated by multicolor flickering floodlights, creating the impression of blazing flames—a spectacle that has since been modernized with rotating LED floodlights that continue to enchant onlookers with a vivid display of colors.