Mid Century (Kansas City, Independence, Gladstone: cul-de-sac, houses, neighborhoods)

[famusdarlin]

I love Mid Century modern and unique mid century homes, that don't necessarily the modern look. What neighborhoods in Kansas City have great mid-century architecture (residential)?

[muman]

I'd say the areas immediately west of the Plaza on both the MO and KS side would have some nice mid-century homes. Those areas would be my personal favorites with homes in that age range. Other than that, you could find many mid centuries in several of the older and inner suburbs. Sorry to not be more specific, but there are many homes like this in the KC area.

[brussels]

I've been looking for the same and there's a similar problem-- most that you find in the south KC burbs above Grandview area very traditional raised ranch and splitlete-- nothing Eichler style let alone really custom. Too many cheap ranches. And the areas have gone way down because the houses are so generic, no one wants them. Whereas Waldo, Tower Homes areas with Craftsman/ Tudor style homes are very hot and expensive. I found a few interestig Eichler type homes in Grandview but in very ordinary boring far out areas. There are several great mansions in the Plaza area I've seen online but they're very expensive. Gladstone has a lot of 60s homes, but again, very blah traditional.

So-- yes, isn't there a great neighborhood of better designed modern homes, even just a few blocks? Looks to me like people were just too conservative to dare to get hip to the more classic designs. You find many more great modern homes in Fayetteville Arkansas, for instance, than you do in KC unless my many hours of Trulia hopping have been in the wrong places.

[kcmo]

Would you call the Victorian homes along Ward Parkway near Waldo mid-century? Those are some charming and classy homes. Many of which seem quite mondern and updated.

[Samantha S]

Originally Posted by kcmo

Would you call the Victorian homes along Ward Parkway near Waldo mid-century? Those are some charming and classy homes. Many of which seem quite mondern and updated.

Victorian refers to homes from the late 1800's to about 1920. More the Queen Anne style. Ornate architecture, turrets, gingerbread ... (my personal favorite style)

Mid-century refers to the middle of the 1900's, 1940-1965ish. Think bungalows, splits, and raised ranches.

You can google "mid-century homes" for some pix, you can also google "victorian homes" for comparison.

[kcmo]

Have you looked at the 49/63 neighborhood? That might be a little more mid century, not sure. I suppose Prarie Village, Gladstone, places like that?

[OneKC]

Prairie Village, old Overland Park/Lenexa, Mission and Fairway have a lot of post-WWII houses.

[TabulaRasa]

To be fair, many bungalows are earlier construction than 1940-1965. Ours is 1915, Arts and Crafts movement time period, so not really midcentury. Although there are bungalows that were built later.

[famusdarlin]

That may be part of the challenge, that here in KC they weren't building mid-century modern, but were building tudors in Brookside, ect.

I was actually looking for something like this. Eichler City

In alot of western cities they have neighborhoods full of homes like this, but I haven't seen whole neighborhoods, just one or two in a neighborhood. I'm actually not looking to buy, just looking to window shop.

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by famusdarlin

I was actually looking for something like this. Eichler City

There are a lot of those in Prairie Village, at least like the one in the first picture. I think there are whole cul-de-sacs full of them along 75th.
Independence has a few west of Sterling, but it's like what you said, there's just one or two here or there.