The Building

Technical Information

The Site

  • A 13-acre property purchased in 1999; PAC Holdings, Inc. was created to hold the real estate for the facility.
  • Site is bounded by 16th and Broadway on the north and west, and by 17th and Wyandotte to the east and south.

Building Overview

  • A 284,470-square-foot facility with two main performance halls.
  • Exterior surfaces include glass, pre-cast concrete and bead-blasted stainless steel.
  • 27 cables are anchored by the weight of the pre-cast walls and hold up the glass in the lobby.
  • A café will offer snacks and drinks.
  • There are 196 public restroom stalls in the building.
  • Houses office space for Kauffman Center staff plus rehearsal spaces, warm-up rooms and dressing rooms.

The Grand Lobby

  • One large glass-enclosed area, called the Grand Lobby, serves both halls.
  • Guests can enter Grand Lobby from the north, on 16th Street, or from the Kauffman Center drive, just south of the building.
  • Box office, coat check, refreshment bars and a gift shop will be available.

The Proscenium Theatre

  • A 1,800 seat hall, home to the Kansas City Ballet and the Lyric Opera; as well as other national and international acts, including contemporary artists, country and western, some light rock and comedians.
  • Features suites adjacent to box seats and three balconies.
  • An acoustical joint isolates the theatre from the noise of the lobby and surrounding spaces.
  • The stage itself is roughly 50 feet deep and 100 feet wide (5000 square feet).
  • The orchestra pit can be adjusted from a "broadway pit" holding about 60 musicians to a "Wagner pit" that seats 100 musicians.  The orchestra pit can also disappear entirely, leaving additional room for seating or extending the stage area.
  • The fly space above the stage is 74 feet tall, with 70 linesets on a six-inch center spacing.
  • Audience seats are 20 - 22 inches in width.

The Concert Hall

  • A 1,600-seat concert hall, home to the Kansas City Symphony and other musical organizations.
  • Seating is arranged in an open, vineyard-style format arrayed around the performers in such a manner that members of the audience can see and interact with one other.
  • An acoustical joint isolates the concert hall from the noise of the lobby and surrounding spaces.
  • The platform for musicians is approximately 2,400 square feet.
  • There are 156 seats behind the stage area.
  • Audience seats are 20 - 22 inches in width.

Parking Garage

  • A 1,000-space parking garage is directly attached to the Kauffman Center with multiple access points to surrounding streets.
  • Audiences can enter the Kauffman Center underground and avoid the weather. There will be ample sidewalks, and elevators to and from the garage.
  • During good weather, guests can choose to emerge from the garage and stroll to the center on top of the garage, through landscaped green space.
  • The garage will be owned and operated by the City of Kansas City, Missouri.

Accessibility

  • The Kauffman Center fully complies with all disability requirements of both the City of Kansas City Missouri and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
  • Two drop-off areas allow guests to easily access the center: one on 16th Street to the north, another from the private drive just south of the building.
  • Handicapped parking slots in the south garage will be close to building access points; pathways will be obvious, well-marked and ample.
  • Several elevators in the Grand Lobby make the center fully accessible.
  • Both performance halls have seating that does not require any stair use at all. Both have seating areas in varying locations and at multiple ticket price levels reserved for patrons using wheel chairs. Each wheel chair position has a companion seat available.
  • Signage conforms to ADA standards, meaning that major support and life safety spaces, such as stairs and restrooms, will be identified with tactile and Braille signs. Elevator panels and jambs will provide raised letters and Braille text, as well.
  • Backstage areas are accessible, including dressing rooms, stage area, control booth, follow spot and other technical areas.

Contact Us

contact@kauffmancenter.org
816-994-7200