Kansas City’s Hotel Phillips working to fix fire escape issue; no guests currently allowed above 4th floor

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — No guests are allowed to occupy rooms above the fourth floor at the 22-floor, 450-room Hotel Phillips in downtown Kansas City, Missouri, as officials work to bring a fire escape up to working order.

The order comes after the hotel’s annual inspection on April 6, 2023. During the review, inspectors noted concerns about the fire escape on the east side of the building, located at 106 W. 12th St. Following those concerns, inspectors ordered an engineering report on the fire escape.

Although the hotel is part of the Hilton Group’s Curio Collection, it is independently owned and operated by a St. Louis-based company.

A spokesperson for the company said it was relocating any guests who had been booked above the fourth floor down to lower floors.

The spokesperson said the hotel did not anticipate any guests would need to be re-booked at other hotels.

Kansas City, Missouri, Fire Department spokesperson Jason Spreitzer said Friday that city officials are actively working with hotel officials to come up with a solution to the fire escape, while also taking into consideration the historic designation of the building, which was opened in February 1931.

Spreitzer said while the building was built to code in the era it was built, codes involving fire escapes have evolved to where they are today.

“It’s a life-safety feature that needs to be in good working order,” the spokesperson said.

City engineers and inspectors are working with the hotel to make changes. Once they are made, inspectors will review the changes and then make a determination whether to modify or leave the occupancy limits.

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