Shankman Building

Constructed in the late 1920s, Kansas City's three-story Shankman Building is best-known today for its elaborate terra cotta ornamentation, which characterizes the Zigzag Moderne, the first phase of the Art Deco period. Art Deco became a popular architectural trend during the late 1920s and early 1930s, and numerous public buildings constructed under the Works Progress Adminstration utilized this style. Russian immigrant and local businessman Morris Shankman hired the Kansas City architectural firm of Greenbaum, Hardy, and Schumacher to design the building, which took place in 1929. The building opened shortly after the Crash of '29 and the onset of the Great Depression, a time when publicly-funded buildings continued to utilize Art Deco designs while private companies more often chose to limit ornamentation due to its cost. Like its neighbor, the Michelson Building, the historic building arose at a time when residential construction and commercial activity boomed along Troost Avenue owing to the streetcar and wide streets that could accommodate heavy traffic. By the 1950s, Troost was regarded by many residents as a dividing line between neighborhoods that were home to white middle-class residents and neighborhoods that were home to African Americans. As Troost became a symbol of segregation, the area saw a decline in commercial investment that led to deferred maintenance in the last half of the twentieth century. However, more businesses and residents are returning to the major thoroughfare, and a 2021 plan to redevelop the district demonstrates the resiliency of the city and community.

The three-story Shankman Building enjoys elaborate terra cotta ornamentation, which characterizes the Zigzag Moderne, the first phase of the Art Deco style, a popular architectural trend during the late 1920s and early 1930s. Local businessman Morris Shankman hired the Kansas City architectural firm of Greenbaum, Hardy, and Schumacher to design the building, which took place in 1929. The building was part of the bustling commercial heart of the Troost district from the 1920s through the 1950s.  

Art Deco's popularity boomed during the late 1920s and early 1930s, but the early period defined by its ornamentation waned becuase of the Great Depression. The Art Deco style first gained public attention in 1922 when Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen submitted an Art Deco design for the Chicago Tribune Building. Though the project managers did not choose Saarinen's design, it was widely publicized and embraced as an exciting new architectural style. In 1925, at the Exposition des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, the Art Deco style garnered further attention, and its popularity soared. The Art Deco design style, notably in the late 1920s during the ZigZag Moderne period, was known for its vertical lines, zig-zag building setbacks, terra cotta, shiny veneered surfaces, bright colors, and an abundance of ornamentation. The ZigZag Moderne movement proved short-lived as the Great Depression halted numerous projects; builders deemed ornamentation an unnecessary expense during the 1930s. 

Morris Shankman (1889-1947) emigrated from Russia in 1903. The U.S. Government granted him citizenship after he fought for the U.S. in World War I. He began his career in Kansas City as a grocery clerk before opening his first delicatessen shortly thereafter. In 1921 he purchased the building that housed his deli and, in 1928, Shankman purchased the lot and building located across the street (effectively beginning his second career as a property developer). Shankman engaged Greenbaum, Hardy, and Schumacher, a prominent local architectural firm known as early adopters of Art Deco style. Morris Shankman broke ground on a three-story commercial building at 3115-3123 Troost in May 1929, with most retail stores opening six months later (after the Crash of '29). With its terracotta facade featuring geometric patterns, the design incorporated primary characteristics of the ZigZag Moderne style. Terracotta panels and ornamental features became mass-produced during the Art Deco period, reducing its cost and making it widely available. Its ornamentation speaks to the project mainly transpiring before the storm market crash when optimism reigned. 

The three-story Shankman Building consisted of commercial storefront bays flanking a central building entrance on the ground floor and offices on the second and third floors. The ground floor businesses included the City Ice Company with a Kitchen Aid model kitchen, a shoe store, specialty shop (draperies, linens, hosiery, and lingerie), Shankman family deli and a postal substation (the largest postal facility outside downtown Kansas City). Upper-floor occupants included a dentist, osteopath, real estate and loans firm, and an insurance company. 

Shankman also played an active role in the Southside Business Association, which promoted business in and around Troost and Linwood (now called Midtown). During the 1920s, Midtown experienced substantial population growth, leading to the construction of hundreds of multi-family residences and commercial properties like the Shankman Building that catered to the mainly middle-class residents moving to the area. Indeed, the Shankman Building arose towards the end of a period when Troost Avenue blossomed. By the 1890s, Troost Avenue (up to 77th Street) was inside the city limits, had a state-of-the-art streetcar system, and enjoyed the nickname "Millionaire's Row." However, by 1910, most wealthy residents moved south and east, with apartment-hotels, apartments, and a host of single and multi-family dwellings emerged. By the late 1920s, the city widened and paved Troost Avenue, making it the longest street in the city. A street lighting system lined Troost Ave, and Kansas City zoned it for commercial business from 27th to 75th streets by the decade's end. Shankman remained actively involved in the local business community until 1947, and his family retained ownership of the building until 1974.  

After the 1950s, Troost Avenue was seen as the dividing line between African American and white residents. Numerous high-end homes and apartments built west of Troost included racial covenants in their deed which prohibited Black or Jewish residents from owning or renting. For decades, the average income of people living west of Troost far exceeded those living east. As a result, Troost Avenue's significance declined dramatically.

Buildings, including The Shankman Building, suffered from high vacancies and deferred maintenance for many decades. Recently, developers have unveiled plans for a redevelopment project involving the Shankman and other nearby buildings, with hopes of bringing new life to Troost Avenue and the surrounding areas. 

Breeze, Carla. American Art Deco: Architecture and Regionalism. New York: W.W. Norton, 2003. 

Collison, Kevin. "Developers Propose Ambitious Plan To Revive Kansas City's Historic Troost Business District." NPR: KCUR. kcur.org. May 20, 2019. https://www.kcur.org/arts-life/2019-05-20/developers-propose-ambitious-plan-to-revive-kansas-citys-historic-troost-business-district.

Salzman, Eric. "For decades a dividing line, Troost Avenue in Kansas City, Mo., sees new hope." NBC News. October 12. 2018. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/decades-dividing-line-troost-avenue-kansas-city-mo-sees-new-n918851.

Spencer, Brenda and Michelle Spencer. "Nomination Form: Shankman Building." National Register of Historic Places. mostateparks.com. 2017. https://mostateparks.com/sites/mostateparks/files/Shankman%20Bldg.pdf.