611-613 Forest Renovation

In December 2023, an application appeared on CompassKC for a development assistance team. The applicant described the project as follows.

The existing structure is primarily brick, load bearing masonry. All of the existing wood interior framing needs to be removed, including all floor joists and the entire roof structure. Based on our preliminary analysis of the structure, the safest way to preserve the existing brick shell while removing all of the wood framing is to progressively demolish and replace the existing floor joists level by level.

From that application on, this project became a focus of mine. The building is, and was, in no condition for any mistakes to be made during renovation. The delicate masonry, roof with holes, and obvious decay of mortar between the bricks makes this project a challenge. A little over a year prior to this application being made, the neighboring building at 609 Forest was lost in an overnight fire. Nevertheless, the owner ended up moving forward by first clearing the property of trash and other random items.

Throughout 2024, boards came down from the windows and slowly, but surely, some masonry repair work was made. However, for all the work that has gone on to restore the building, mortar continues to fall out of sections of brick, leaving the building’s exterior walls in a precarious situation. It’s obvious that some work has been done on the inside of the building in the form of new wood framing and stairs being built.

Still, tons of work remains to be done. The roof is still in poor shape. The building remains unsecured (save for a fence around the property). Building permits advancing work have not been filed. In late 2024, a building just around the corner, on Independence Avenue, burned.

If the renovation is successful, 611-613 Forest will be one of the multi-family buildings in the Paseo West neighborhood to not face demolition or be burned to the ground.

Gallery 1: The building on December 3rd 2023.