Historic Tudor Home's Demolition Sparks Debate

0:00A 1932ter-style home in Kansas City Sunset Hill neighborhood has been torn down. The 3,000-square-foot house on the 5200 block of Mercyhurst Street was worth about 1.3 million dollars. Owners Christopher and Andrea Ketcherside lived there for 13 years before deciding to replace it due to ongoing flooding, drainage, and, foundation troubles. The couple plans to build a new home in a similar tutor style, working with local firm homily design plus build. They intend to reuse original features like wood beams and gothic archways to keep some of the old charm. Many in the neighborhood feel upset about losing another historic gem amid a wave of tear downs in the area. The Ketcherside's understand the frustration, but say the problems became too expensive to fix. Just last December, City leaders passed a new rule to protect older buildings. It requires a review by the historic preservation office for any structure over 50 years old before demolition. Staff looked at this house and suggested a 45-day delay for a public hearing.

1:04That hearing got canceled due to a lack of quorum, and on March 2nd the exact 45th day, the permit automatically went through without. Discussion Now the site is clear, with construction expected to wrap up in 12 to 14 months. That's the story for today. Kansas News Today, Driven by AI, I'm Corey with the story.