Below are some historic images (borrowed from Michael Barrier's website) with comments of mine to give a contemporary perspective of how the neighborhood has changed over the years.  From the 1920's until the early 1960's, this was the place to live in KCMO.

The building's original appearance in its heyday of the 1920's

This photo was taken facing southeast; the building in the background is now an empty lot as seen....

...here in this recently taken image. The field belongs to the Central Patrol KCMO Police Dept., while in the background can be seen a low building that houses a shipping pallet business, and from left to right, St. Vincent de Paul Academy, then Church (my parish), then a red brick hall, and finally the Scottish Rite Temple. As a point of interest and reference, my work is to the far left of this image down Tracy Avenue, while my house is situated on Flora just between the Church and the Temple.

Another view slightly further to the right. The corner of the police station is just clipped on the far right of the photo.

Michael Barrier is correct; the photo is facing northwest towards 31st and Troost. The limestone building in the background was...

...a Congregational church that was torn down in the late 1950's and replaced with a Jones Store, now St. Vincent's Operation Breakthrough.

This photograph from 1954 facing north down Troost towards the 31st Street intersection shows the columned church building on the right. The modern building on the left was Macy's, then it became a post office, now it is a custom wood products shop.

For more fascinating information on the 31st and Troost intersection in its heyday (which was the busiest intersection in KCMO then), cf. The Kansas City Star's books, Kansas City: Then and Now.