The owners of a historic Midwest mansion who sought to demolish it after three generations of family ownership in favor of a luxurious high-rise apartment project have been stopped in their tracks. Brothers Steve and Matt Vawter inherited the 7,400-square-foot house at 4526 Warwick Boulevard in Kansas City, Missouri, from their late mother Susie after her death in 2020.
The Mansion's History and Features
The 7,400-square-foot mansion, built in 1913 and known as the George B. Richards House, is adorned with a classic white balustrade, Corinthian white pillars, ritzy plaster ceilings, and carved fireplaces. It also features five bedrooms and a music room. However, the brothers had argued since 2023 that the mansion was actually uninhabitable and needed to be razed.
Plans for Demolition and New Development
In 2024, the Vawters revealed their plans for an "upscale residential apartment project" with studios and one-bedroom apartments to be enacted in the home's place, according to a 421-page planning document viewed by the Daily Mail. Yesterday, the Kansas City Art Institute announced that it had scooped up the historic Edwardian mansion. It is unclear how much the institute paid for the mansion.
Art Institute's Vision for the Property
The art institute said it would repurpose the mansion into a "cultural hub that honors its past while stimulating the future of the arts." That plan could include using the historic site as an event space for lectures and exhibitions, having artist residences with private suites, and offering students hands-on experiential learning related to event production and historic archive management.
Background of the Dispute
The mansion has been empty since 2021. Its windows and doors were covered in plywood just two years later, the Kansas City Star reported. The brothers have long insisted that the one-acre property the mansion sits on is worth more than the actual historic home. A "For Sale" sign was put up on the front lawn in May 2023, suggesting that the mansion was going to be used for a high-rise development in the future. At the time, the brothers were asking for $2.5 million, according to the outlet.
Neighborhood Opposition
The Southmoreland Neighborhood Association pushed back, arguing that the mansion was a historic site and getting it listed on the Kansas City Register of Historic Places. This protected the mansion from being demolished, but only for three years. That time period would have expired in November.
In the document sent to Kansas City's plan and permitting services viewed by the Daily Mail, the Vawters called the mansion "unfixable." They argued that the designation as a historic site would create "more vagrancy and blight." "We have cared for this property through three generations, but ultimately, we own this property and we should be the ones who decide what to do with it," the brothers wrote. Restoring the house was estimated to cost up to $1.9 million, they said. "The fact is, you cannot save every building," the brothers added.
Vandalism and Arguments for Demolition
The Vawters claimed that the mansion had been vandalized since it began drawing attention, with copper piping having been ripped from the floor joists and a wall safe having been torn from a wall. "We were then forced to board up the house," they wrote. Photos showing a white door with broken glass, as well as a shattered window, were attached in the document. A sleeping arrangement with bedsheets, a strewn pillow, and littered food wrappers was also depicted next to one of the mansion's white columns. The brothers planned to seek rezoning in regards to their property currently being zoned for a single, residential home.
Sale to Art Institute
Funds for the art institute's purchase were provided by the William T. Kemper Foundation, which was established in 1989 after Kansas City philanthropist William T. Kemper Jr.'s death. Kemper, a prominent banker who championed the arts, was a trustee of the institute for more than 40 years. Other funds were provided by the Vawter family, the institute added, though no details were given. The price point for Tuesday's announced purchase is unknown, but the mansion was previously valued at roughly $1.3 million, according to the Kansas City Star.
Future Plans and Reaction
A future use for the site still has not been decided. An advisory committee will meet "in the coming months" to evaluate options. A three-week cleanup of the mansion is also expected to restore its appearance and artifacts, as well as remove possible hazards. The Vawter brothers told the Daily Mail on Thursday morning that the outcome was "ideal." They said they were "enthusiastic about the philanthropic partnership with the KCAI, and are very pleased that this historical and family property will be re-purposed for good." "Since the house will be restored to its former glory, we feel like this sale provides continuity for the neighborhood and for our family legacy," the brothers told the Daily Mail.
Other Interested Buyers
At least one other buyer was interested in buying the mansion but turned down. Ryan Hiser and David Tran, who own a pair of bed-and-breakfast boutique hotels in the Southmoreland neighborhood, made a $1.3 million offer, per the Kansas City Star. Hiser and Tran would have had to spend up to $1 million in order to renovate the mansion into a boutique hotel, according to the outlet. The Daily Mail has reached out to the Kansas City Art Institute for further comment.
