Old Kansas City Star building could power AI future
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The Kansas City Star building. Photo: Travis Meier/Axios
The long-vacant Kansas City Star building may soon trade printing presses for supercomputers under a new plan to turn it into an AI and tech startup hub.
Why it matters: The proposal would breathe new life into this iconic downtown structure that has sat empty for years, weaving it into Kansas City's growing tech industry and potentially bringing hundreds of high-paying jobs to the urban core.
State of play: Kansas City-based developer Patmos Holdings unveiled plans in November to convert the former Star printing facility into an "AI factory" with a hybrid campus mixing heavy computing power with collaborative office space.
- Developer CEO John Johnson said the goal is to put "creators, founders, and capital all in one place" to turbocharge KC's innovation economy.
Between the lines: The project would retrofit part of the building into a public-facing expo center, where entrepreneurs and artists could showcase work. Patmos also envisions an exhibit honoring the Star's journalistic past.
Catch up quick: The Star opened the 400,000-square-foot newsroom HQ and printing plant in 2006. It was billed as one of the most advanced in the country at the time. The facility cost $199 million to build and equip.
- But after a corporate merger and steep industry declines, the Star's owner, McClatchy, sold the building in 2019 for just over $30 million.
- The Star moved out in 2022, and the building's broken glass panels and barren shell have become a symbol of downtown's stalled momentum.
What they're saying: Jill Cockson, owner of Chartreuse Saloon across the street, tells Axios she is cautiously optimistic.
- "I asked the company specifically, 'Are human beings going to actually come to work at this building, or are they all going to work remotely?' It wouldn't help us. What we really need in downtown KC, more than anything else, is more consistent clientele."
Yes, but: The redevelopment hinges on approval from Kansas City Council on a zoning change, while Patmos is leasing the property with an option to buy.
- No public financing or incentives have been finalized yet, and details on tenant commitments are still emerging.
By the numbers: The facility's AI data center is planned to have over 100 megawatts of computing power capacity, roughly enough electricity to power tens of thousands of homes and support high-performance servers and cooling systems.
- The total estimated investment in the project is $1 billion. Patmos expects to bring even more high-paying tech jobs to Kansas City, with additional jobs generated through associated startups and businesses.
What's next: Kansas City Council has not yet voted on the zoning change needed for the project to proceed.
- If approved, Patmos plans to begin the transformation right away, with portions of the AI hub potentially operational within about 18 months.