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The old Park College Power Plant smokestack had been a prominent landmark in Parkville for many years... |
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It could be seen for several miles on Highway 9 West from Kansas City (far right) |
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At Christmas a lighted star added to the night view of the towering smokestack |
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Later the smokestack became a sort of Logo for the Power Plant Brewery that was established in the old power Plant |
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But then tiles began falling from the nearly 90 year old landmark, from the deteriorating exterior of the stack, creating a possible danger to passing traffic and pedestrians below |
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Several local authorities and the owner of the property decided the stack must be removed for public safety and insurance reasons |
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The Power Plant Restaurant operators did not agree and wanted the smokestack repaired and maintained as did many citizens of Parkville |
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Later the operators filed a lawsuit, complaining the stack was a part of the leased premises and that it should be repaired and maintained |
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But protests failed and demolition was started, most work progressing at night when they could close off the streets to traffic |
| Press Release: "Demolition of the smoke stack at 2 Main Street in downtown Parkville, Missouri is scheduled to begin Sunday, March 4, 2007 at 10:00 p.m. Once started, the demolition is projected to last for five to ten days. During that time, Mill Street / FF Highway will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic from Main Street to West Street. Vehicular traffic will be detoured around downtown. |
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The Power Plant Brewery operators had used the Stack as a sort of trademark for the restaurant |
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The lease with the Power Plant operators required insurance on the restaurant but not the smokestack, it actually was several feet to the rear of the building and on a separate foundation |
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It was decided by the property owner that demoliton was safer and much less costly than renovation so demolition was ordered, costing a reported $35,000. |
| The building owner's engineering firm had assured city officials that the smokestack was not in danger of toppling. |
| And the operators of the Power Plant Restaurant had said They believed under their lease on the building, it was the building owner's responsibility to repair and maintain the smokestack. |
| The owner the former power plant, said he had already planned to tear down most of the smokestack because it's gotten too expensive to maintain. |
| The owner said he understands that people are upset over the demolition, but that he is planning to rebuild a similar structure in its place. His plans are to construct a 150-foot replica of the smokestack that would be used by cellphone companies. |
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They didn't take it all the way to the ground, the top is now about level with the roof at the rear of the Restaurant |
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The smokestack originally was more than 110 feet tall before an earlier repair, now is about 20 feet tall and capped with concrete |
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Now all but gone except as a memory, a Parkville Landmark may be gone forever... |
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