Freight House

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Freight and passenger trains continue to pass just to the south of the 500 foot long Freight House. Lidia's occupies the far right portion of the structure including the two-story area, City Tavern is located in the middle of the building, and Jack Stack Barbecue is at the west end.
Freight and passenger trains continue to pass just to the south of the 500 foot long Freight House. Lidia's occupies the far right portion of the structure including the two-story area, City Tavern is located in the middle of the building, and Jack Stack Barbecue is at the west end.

The Freight House is a historic railroad building just north of Union Station in the Crossroads Arts District of Kansas City, Missouri. The renovated Freight House is now home to three award-winning restaurants: Jack Stack Barbecue, City Tavern and Lidia's. The building is located immediately east of the Stuart Hall Building, and it is connected via pedestrian bridge to Union Station. The pedestrian bridge was added in 2003, and its main component is an 1892 railroad span that had been sitting unused on the river bluffs until it was moved to its new location.[1]

The Freight House was originally constructed in 1887. Over the years, the structure fell into severe disrepair until it was purchased by Sterling Capital in 1995. The 500 foot long and 40 foot wide Freight House would have likely been demolished, but the group of investors envisioned a restaurant, retail, and office center with a hotel and parking garage. Those plans were soon scaled back to focus on developing three restaurants on the property.[2]

The first restaurant to open at the Freight House was Lidia’s Kansas City. Lidia's is an Italian restaurant that was opened by celebrity chef Lidia Bastianich in October 1998.

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.downtownkc.org/content.aspx?pgID=875&newsID=349&exCompID=82
  2. ^ http://www.restaurant-public-relations.com/pressReleases/index.htm
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Crossroads Arts District