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Develop your own KC Castle

Grab your hard hats — the Kansas City Workhouse Castle is on the market once again. Now it’s your turn to transform this crumbling castle into treasure.

KC Workhouse postcard

The Kansas City Workhouse | Image via the Kansas City Public Library

Originally used as the city jail from 1897 to 1924, this 126-year-old limestone castle off 21st & Vine Street has hosted everything from city storage, to a Marine training camp, to a dog euthanization center (yikes) before its abandonment in 1972.

Its latest owner, UrbanAmerica, had hoped to preserve the castle as an event, retail + open community space with rooftop amenities, along with creating an all new attached 60-room boutique hotel catered to weddings + corporate events, before plans fell through.

Time is ticking for this historic landmark — so here’s the big question dear readers, what would you do with this Kansas City castle? Let us know.

A. Forget crowns and country clubs, I want retail therapy at the Castle Plaza.
B. Turn it into a hotel and be royal for a night.
C. Historic castle, meet high-end community center.
D. I have something else in mind...

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