A multi-story data center development is being proposed in downtown Kansas City, Missouri.

First reported by BizJournal, Miami-based historic preservation fund Revitalization Unlimited is considering a 384-foot-tall data center with ground-floor retail in place of the Western Newspaper Union Building at 304 W. 10th Street in Jackson County.

Recently acquired by Revitalization, the company and architect Skidmore Owings & Merrill (SOM) outlined the proposals during a meeting with the Kansas Downtown Neighborhood Association this week.

The existing three-story building, totaling 29,990 sq ft (2,785 sqm), would be demolished and replaced with a 20-story, 30MW facility. Some 18 floors would be dedicated to data center use, with retail space on the ground floor.

The 142,085 sq ft (13,200 sqm) facility would reportedly be equipped with natural gas fuel cells.

The meeting was aimed at gathering community feedback ahead of a final development decision, Revitalization CEO Steve Austin told BJ.

Reports of a potential data center at the site surfaced in January after a city filing by SOM and Weitzman Real Estate Consulting suggested evaluation for a 19-story, 142,085-square-foot (13,200 sqm) tower with a "Communications Service Establishment & Commercial Uses."

Located in Kansas City's Library District, the existing building dates back to around 1900. It originally housed the A.N. Kellogg Auxiliary Newspaper Co., with Western Newspaper Union (WNU) acquiring the company in 1906. The building was renovated in 2017 and housed offices and short-term rental units.

Revitalization acquired the site in January, saying at the time it planned to “continue the careful preservation of the building’s architectural features, building on the work of the prior owner.”

“We are not just preserving historic properties; we are ensuring their long-term viability through sustained capital investment and historic preservation easements that legally protect these buildings for the future,” CEO Austin said at the time.

The property is already on the National Register of Historic Places. It would likely require a special-use permit for demolition, as it is eligible for the city’s local historic register.

Revitalization Unlimited describes itself as an investment fund dedicated to preserving historically significant US real estate, and says it is committed to safeguarding America’s heritage while revitalizing historic assets. The company has said its investors receive a non-cash charitable deduction that can reduce their taxable income. The company has properties in Colorado Springs, Miami, and another in Kansas City.

According to a sales brochure, 304 W. 10th Street was previously on sale for $5.4 million and was 100 percent occupied until the end of 2025 by three tenants.

The site is located close to Netrality’s carrier hotel facility at 1102 Grand Avenue.