JANSSEN PLACE: A Unique Kansas City Neighborhood

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If you drive — or better yet walk — past the 19 beautiful mansions built in Janssen Place in the early 1900s, you might think that time has stood still. Today these homes look remarkably the same as when each was completed more than a century ago. But, in fact, to achieve that same look has taken a lot of hard work, patience and persistence. 

The Great Depression and World War II were all periods during which home buyers could not afford to purchase and maintain these urban gems. What once were 7,000-square-foot single-family homes were divided into multi-unit apartment buildings. Deterioration set in. 

In the 1970s, positive changes began to occur. A new era of dedicated homebuyers began to see the potential the homes had to offer. With a lot of hard work and persistence, this new breed of homeowners could save the neighborhood and give it new life. All of the 19 original homes still exist. They have been joined by eight duplexes (one now converted to a single-family home). In their own distinct way, every resident adds to the neighborhood’s overall vitality. Each “mansion” has been restored with critical attention to architectural integrity. Over a century later, the homes are now steeped in history and tradition with unique legacies. Today’s families are no longer merely occupants, they are “stewards.” They have taken on the responsibility of safeguarding their home’s legacy.

Bruce Mathews and Stephen Mitchell. Foreword by Arthur Brookfield II.