This 1910 post card pictures the narrowest of the early downtown Kansas City office buildings, the 8-story Victor building, at the northwest corner of 10th and Main. The building had a 27 1/2-foot frontage on Main and 129 feet on 10th. The entrance to the building was on 10th. Victor H. Laederich, who built the unusual structure at a spot where early plotters had left a jog in 10th brought together two leases on two narrow strips of land.One strip of ground with 20 feet on Main Street was owned by the Kellogs. The other, a 7 1/2-foot strip on the corner, cost Laederich a fee of $80,000. He was unable to procure additional space to the north of the site and so proceeded to erect the tall narrow building, referred to in early news stories as the toothpick building. The fireproof structure was erected in 1908 at a cost of $200,000. Corridors had marble floors and marble wainscoting to the height of 7 feet. There were 75 offices in the building, many of which were occupied by realtors. The Valerius cafe, with entrance on 10th, occupied space in the basement. It was especially popular as a businessmen's luncheon spot. The First National Bank was the neighbor to the west. The building was razed in June, 1965. Today the 14-million-dollar, 20-story office building and parking complex, Ten Main, occupies the Victor building site, as well as the remainder of the block, north to 9th and Main. Kansas City Times, August 28, 1971.
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