Demolition begins at the Barney Allis Plaza site

In the heart of downtown Kansas City, the days are numbered for the above ground Barney Allis Plaza and Auditorium Parking Garage underneath. People may notice an increase of activity in and around the site as McCownGordon Construction prepares to mobilize and start demolition activities.

Contrary to the imagination, and perhaps to the disappointment of some, site demolition will not include a big implosion of the garage or explosion at the plaza. Rather, demolition activities will slowly ramp up over the coming weeks and the entire process will take months.

Working from the top down, people will start to see more construction-related activities as workers remove existing materials such as soil and concrete, take out the old cafe, and clear the pavilion and above-ground plaza.

From there, in the underground garage, the construction team will use large equipment to shore or support existing perimeter foundation walls. Every 10 feet or so big openings with be made in the lid of the garage, and a large steel beam will be eased into the hole and connected to tie backs drilled into garage walls. The old walls will be repurposed to support the new structure.

After that, crews will use a claw to slowly remove existing structures, walls and materials from the south to the north end of the site.

Please be cautious around the active construction site, and if you travel downtown or walk in the area remember:

Pedestrian Impacts

• For your safety, do not enter the construction zone or bypass the established perimeter barriers.
• All four sidewalks are closed on the Barney Allis Plaza side of the street.
• Please use the sidewalks on the opposite side of the streets.

Traffic Impacts

• Two lanes westbound remain open on 13th Street.
• Two lanes northbound remain open on Central Street.
• One lane eastbound is open on 12th Street. 
• This is due to the existing garage extending into the street underground.
• One lane in each direction, both north and south, remains open on Wyandotte Street.
• Traffic lanes are more narrow.