The beginning of 2026 has brought with it the end of three blighted and unsafe properties. A look back at what were once thriving entities.
Paul Robeson Middle School
The old Paul Robeson Middle School building, located at 8201 Holmes Rd., opened in 1961 as Kansas City’s Jewish Community Center. The 151,880-square-foot building contained a 300-seat theater, Olympic-sized swimming pool, tennis courts, softball fields, a playground and more. It flourished until 1984, when the current JCC opened in Overland Park.
The building was then purchased by the Kansas City Public School District as the Kansas City Middle School of the Arts. In 1990, a portion of the building was used to house the district’s Greek magnet school. In 1998, the building became Paul Robinson Middle School before closing in 2004.
In 2017, attorney Sean Pickett and a few investors purchased the property with the intention of repurposing the property for the community. Plans were announced in 2018 for a free youth recreation center and senior living facility on the site…