Commerce Trust Building

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Commerce Trust Building
Information
Location 922 Walnut, Kansas City, Missouri
Status Completed
Constructed 1906
Use Office
Roof 78.6m
Floor count 17
Floor area 24,154 square meters
Companies
Architect Jarvis Hunt
Contractor George A. Fuller Company
Owner Tower Properties

Commerce Trust Building is a 17-story tower built for Kansas City Missouri's biggest bank Commerce Bancshares in 1906 and was Kansas City's first skycraper.

It has facade of red granite and white terra cotta tiles and was Missouri's tallest building when it opened.

Formerly on the site was the home of the Kansas City Journal which in turn was taken over by Commerce. Harry Truman worked in the predecessor building.

Its architect Jarvis Hunt also designed Union Station and the headquarters of the Kansas City Star. The construction company George A. Fuller Company which built the Flatiron Building in the New York City and as a company continues to build major skyscrapers around the world.

In 1965 Commerce built a larger adjoining building Commerce Tower but has continued to use the original building.

In 2004 Commerce Bancshares conducted a $48 million renovation of the building expanding its square footage to 300,000 square feet[1] by filling in the light court between the fourth and 15th floors.[2]

Part of the renovation also included illuminating the lobby's ornate glass ceiling to replicate natural sunlight.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

Preceded by
New York Life Insurance Building
Kansas City's Tallest Building
1906—1921
258 feet
Succeeded by
Federal Reserve Bank
Preceded by
Union Station (St. Louis)
Missouri's Tallest Building
1906—1914
258 feet
Succeeded by
Railway Exchange Building (St. Louis)