Historic Troost space getting restocked; long-vacant Safeway next on Screenland’s grocery list

A one-story, long-empty, red brick building on Troost is now on the National Register of Historic Places — and set for new uses that reflect the modern-first vision behind its original construction.

The former Safeway building at 3740 Troost Ave.; photo by Joyce Smith

Redevelopers from Screenland Real Estate Services said the space at 3740 Troost Ave. was one of the first — if not the first — purpose-built structures (circa 1940) in Kansas City for grocery store giant Safeway.

Many more of the chain’s stores popped up across the metro and have since been demolished or put to various uses — dry cleaners, pawn shop, laundromat, auto supply store — but none restored. 

Screenland has loftier plans for this former Safeway No. 357, said business partners Butch Rigby and Byron Pendleton.

The duo will use historic tax credits to help create a multi-tenant complex that will also be energy efficient. The 6,000-square-foot building will then have two or three tenants — perhaps retail, a salon, a restaurant.

“Whoever we put in there we want it to be positive for the neighborhood and bring the neighborhood forward,” said Rigby.

Safeway closed the Troost store in 1963 and then various tenants moved in — coin-operated laundry and dry cleaners, barbecue restaurant, auto repair shop and DeLaSalle school and counseling center.

Screenland started work on the building earlier this month and said it should be ready for tenants in about a year.

“The roof was just shredded. There had been an old fire,” Rigby said. “It is rare that you can restore the beauty and significant architecture in an area of town that will not support higher rents, yet we are able to deliver a beautiful, safe and fully modernized property to the small business community along Troost Avenue.”

Byron Pendleton and Butch Rigby, Screenland Real Estate Services, outside the former Safeway building at 3740 Troost Ave.; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Screenland has redeveloped high-profile properties in the Crossroads Arts District, Midtown, East Brookside, North Kansas City, and Kansas City, Kansas. Three are on the National Register, including Screenland Armour in North Kansas City; Granada Theatre in Kansas City, Kansas; and the Luzier Cosmetics building at Gillham Road and Linwood Boulevard in Midtown. 

Rigby said Safeway used a blueprint for their intentionally-designed stores, so no matter where customers visited across the country, they would have a similar experience.

A 1942 advertisement for a new “streamlined Safeway” in The Kansas City Times proclaimed the stores were “modern, complete, convenient.”  

They had expansive storefront windows (to attract attention and serve as billboards for specials), minimal ornamentation, cast stone detailing, cut stone cornices, chrome awnings, and no set-back from the sidewalk. 

The interiors also were simple, designed to maximize selling space and reduce overhead.

Rigby sees them as a bridge between the full-service chain grocery stores of the 1920s and the larger supermarkets of the 1950s.

Historic enameled porcelain Benjamin reflector lights near the roof of the former Safeway building are set for restoration as part of the redevelopment at 3740 Troost Ave.; photo by Joyce Smith

The Troost location still has two green enameled porcelain Benjamin reflector lights near the roof on the south side. They will be restored, Rigby said.

The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in March 2023. 

The high-traffic spot looks out to DeLaSalle High School with two-story houses to the north, and the stone St. Mark Hope and Peace Lutheran church to the south.

Startland News contributor Joyce Smith covered local restaurants and retail for nearly 40 years with The Kansas City Star. Click here to follower on X (formerly Twitter), here for Facebook, here for Instagram, and by following #joyceinkc on Threads.

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