Mitchell Kaminski
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KIMZ)
The city of Columbia could be looking at an additional $5.27 million price tag to make the McKinney Building usable for an event space.
Members of the McKinney Building Task Force on Friday received an update on a feasibility study outlining potential renovation plans for the historic downtown structure, as officials continue evaluating costs, structural concerns, and future uses.
The two-story building at 411 E. Broadway, built in 1917, once served as a hub for Black culture in Columbia. The second-floor McKinney Hall hosted music legends including Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, according to the Historical Marker Database.
The city purchased the McKinney Building in August 2023 for roughly $1.7 million after it had sat vacant for roughly two decades.
“It’s a very important building on a very important piece of land right on Broadway. So it’d be unfortunate to see that building continue to sit vacated, not being used to its fullest potential,” Jen Hendrick, President of SGA Architecture, told ABC 17 News.
After purchasing the property, the city tapped the mayor’s task force to come up with a report on ideas of how to best utilize the space. The mayor’s task force first presented a report to the City Council in December 2024, before taking it to SOA Architecture to review and conduct a feasibility study.
The feasibility study examined building compliance, structural conditions, potential programming and cost projections.
“There have been several iterations of this feasibility study as we talk through what made sense, what didn’t make sense. And so that was really this whole past year in between all of that,” said Amy Schneider, who is the director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. “There were some structural deficiencies, and so we had to stop for two or three months so we could look at that west wall of the building, make sure we get it shored up, and make sure it’s safe for the community before we can move on and finalize that feasibility report.”
Proposed uses from the presented study include social gatherings, performances, educational programming and rotating exhibits. Plans show a first-floor multipurpose room with space for concerts and events, along with a lobby, exhibit area, catering kitchen and restrooms.
The second floor would house the Office of Cultural Affairs, a public classroom, a conference room, storage and a restroom. The cellar would not be used due to structural limitations.
The multipurpose room has four different layouts, depending on the event. In a conference or banquet setup, it can accommodate roughly 42 people, 36 in a classroom layout, 48 for performances and up to 100 in an open-floor configuration.
Hendrick said the building’s long vacancy presented early challenges.
“When buildings are vacant, HVAC systems deteriorate and then we have problems with plumbing fixtures and those types of things. So the building experienced some water damage and then just over time, the building has deteriorated,” Hendrick said. “We were not expecting the structural ramifications that we had associated with really that deterioration. So, I think we’ve got a really good grasp of it. But those are some of the things that right off the bat we were like, ‘Wow, these are very surprising to us.’”
Hendrick added the mayor’s task force’s vision guided the design process.
“Really, that just guided us on the total vision for the project and how it could be a community investment and a community amenity. And so all of the conversations that we had, we really just kept turning back to that, that document from the mayor’s task force, and that’s what guided us,” Hendrick said.
The estimated project cost totals $5.27 million, including roughly $4 million for construction and $1.2 million in owner’s costs. Hendrick said the feasibility study did not begin with a set budget.
“Because it was a feasibility study specifically, they came to us and said, ‘Let’s look at the big picture. In an ideal world, how can we really utilize or repurpose this building?’ So they didn’t give us constraints on the budget. What they wanted to understand is if we want to meet the goals of the mayor’s task force, what will it cost to do that as opposed to this is the budget, what can we afford to do?” Hendrick said.
City officials have already addressed some structural concerns. In an email to ABC 17 News, city Public Works spokesman John Ogan said a professional structural engineer identified deterioration in a cast iron column and portions of the foundation and masonry wall in the southwest corner of the original structure.
Temporary structural supports have been installed, and survey targets placed in January 2026 are being monitored for movement. Permanent structural modifications will be required as part of any renovation project, Ogan said. To date, the city has spent about $22,530 on temporary stabilization and monitoring.
When asked about the project’s price tag, Schneider said she believes the investment is worthwhile, even if the city does not see a direct financial return.
“I think our return on investment is providing something that the community needs. This is something that is in our downtown area. This is something that the community of central Columbia could use for meeting rooms, for performances. So, yes, I think the return on investment is emotionally for the community, even more so than that financially,” Schneider said.
She said additional steps remain before final plans are approved.
“What we’ve shown is the feasibility study, so there is many, many more steps to come before you see a final version of the McKinney Building. But what we will do is once we get past the feasibility study, we start the fundraising, we get some final plans. There will be time for public input from the community, and we will certainly be asking for that,” Schneider said.
The feasibility study is scheduled to be presented to the City Council on April 6.
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