KC Artifact Offers Industrial-Strength Decor

By Kevin Collison

Developer Vince Bryant is mining his redevelopment properties including the old Kansas City Star building for salvageable gold and has opened a weekly venue where people can shop for those industrial treasures.

The space debuted in mid-December and is called KC Artifact.

It’s only open Saturdays and is located on the ground level of the Superior Moving & Storage Building at 2020 Walnut. Superior, by the way, is another redevelopment project being pursued by Bryant.

The developer was inspired to open a place where people can shop for salvaged industrial items after visiting several similar warehouses in Minneapolis.

While the Crossroads once had Architectural Salvage at 2045 Broadway, the now-closed business specialized in items salvaged from residences.

Industrial items are different, according to Bryant.

KC Artifact features items salvaged from buildings being redeveloped by Vince Bryant. (Photo courtesy Sherpa Media)

“We have porcelain sinks, 100 year-old doors and a lot of industrial parts and pieces that can be made into benches, frames, etc.,” he said.

Other items include 1920 Kawnee boiler doors, steel railings, caster moving carts, safe doors, work tables, 1950s steel desks, antique ladders, old fashioned pallets and fountains from the old Star building.

Besides the Star and Superior buildings, Bryant has salvaged items from his Corrigan Station project as well as office renovations of the historic Creamery and Candle buildings in the Crossroads.

As part of his KC Artifact venture, local artisans have been commissioned to fashion furnishings and decorative items from the industrial relics including coffee tables and artworks.

For example, in gutting the old Star building to create his mixed-use Grand Place development , Bryant wound up with 10 pallets of two-by-two foot tiles used for false floors in the building.

The unique tiles lend themselves to reuse as tables or art pieces.

Artisans have used some of the industrial items to fashion furniture and other decorative items. (Photo courtesy Sherpa Media)

“I’m reaching out to crafts people to take these wood and steel pieces and turn them into furniture,” Bryant said.

Items can be purchased for amounts ranging from $5- to $10 up to $2,000. On his first Saturday that KC Artifact was open, 70 people came through the 7,000 square-foot space.

“One guy was renovating a building for a bar tenant and other people were looking for items for their house,” Bryant said.

“It’s fun to not throw stuff away,” he said. “This is full-scale salvaging.”

Saturday hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. People can also make appointments on the KC Artifact website.