Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity
Encyclopedia
The Todd Bolender Center for Dance and Creativity, named after the late Todd Bolender
, is located in what used to be the Union Station
Power House in Kansas City, Missouri
. It opened on August 26, 2011. Following extensive renovations on the historic building, it became home for the Kansas City Ballet. In 2011, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
, the new performance stage for the Kansas City Ballet, the Lyric Opera, and the Kansas City Symphony
was also completed.
. Construction of the original building was completed in 1914 and represents an important era in Kansas City history at the turn of the previous century. The Power House supplied coal powered energy to the Station and other buildings.
Architects were challenged with adapting the Power House structure into a new facility. Design elements from the historic building will be incorporated to create unique interior elements, such as coal hoppers and ash chutes as children’s dressing rooms. Restoring the abandoned Power House building to the new home for the Kansas City Ballet cost approximately $39 million, which included a $7 million endowment. Of the costs, $11 million came in the form of state and federal historic tax cuts given to the Kansas City Ballet for restoring this near extinct building.
Todd Bolender
Todd Bolender was a renowned ballet dancer, teacher, choreographer, and director. He was an instrumental figure in the creation and dissemination of classical dance and ballet as an American art form...
, is located in what used to be the Union Station
Union Station (Kansas City, Missouri)
Union Station Kansas City in Kansas City, Missouri, is one of many union stations in the United States.-History:Around the turn of the 20th century, the Kansas City Terminal Railway, a company controlled by the *12 railroads serving Kansas City, decided that a new location was needed for the train...
Power House in Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
. It opened on August 26, 2011. Following extensive renovations on the historic building, it became home for the Kansas City Ballet. In 2011, the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts
The Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is a newly inaugurated performing arts center in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, USA, at 16th and Broadway near the Power & Light District, the Sprint Center and the Crossroads Arts District. Its construction was a major part of the ongoing redevelopment...
, the new performance stage for the Kansas City Ballet, the Lyric Opera, and the Kansas City Symphony
Kansas City Symphony
The Kansas City Symphony is a United States symphony orchestra based in Kansas City, Missouri. The current music director is conductor Michael Stern. The current home of the Symphony is the Lyric Theatre, located in Downtown Kansas City on 11th Street between Wyandotte and Central Streets...
was also completed.
Building History
The Union Station Power House was originally designed in 1913 by Union Station architect Jarvis HuntJarvis Hunt
Jarvis Hunt was a "renowned Chicago architect" who designed a wide array of buildings, including train stations, suburban estates, industrial buildings, clubhouses and other structures....
. Construction of the original building was completed in 1914 and represents an important era in Kansas City history at the turn of the previous century. The Power House supplied coal powered energy to the Station and other buildings.
Construction
Ground was broken on November 13, 2009 and was completed in the summer of 2011. The renovations used the 65000 square feet (6,038.7 m²) of space to create seven studios, including the 180-seat Michael and Ginger Frost Studio Theater. The building design includes areas for production, wardrobe/costume, physical therapy, storage, artist locker rooms and administration. BNIMBNIM
BNIM is an architecture and design firm founded in 1970 in Kansas City, Missouri. With offices in Kansas City, Houston, Texas; Des Moines, Iowa; Los Angeles, California, and San Diego, California, the firm has nearly 100 design professionals and support staff.BNIM has completed many significant...
Architects were challenged with adapting the Power House structure into a new facility. Design elements from the historic building will be incorporated to create unique interior elements, such as coal hoppers and ash chutes as children’s dressing rooms. Restoring the abandoned Power House building to the new home for the Kansas City Ballet cost approximately $39 million, which included a $7 million endowment. Of the costs, $11 million came in the form of state and federal historic tax cuts given to the Kansas City Ballet for restoring this near extinct building.