• The complex at the north-eastern fringe of Kansas City, Missouri, was millions of years in the making. The limestone deposits from which it was carved are some 270 million years old. When the limestone – a mineral which is hard and only slightly soluble – was being mined, the miners left pillars every 40 feet as they dug farther and farther. Without meaning to, they were providing the rudiments of what is now the world’s largest underground business complex. Connie Zhou / OTTO
    The complex at the north-eastern fringe of Kansas City, Missouri, was millions of years in the making. The limestone deposits from which it was carved are some 270 million years old. When the limestone – a mineral which is hard and only slightly soluble – was being mined, the miners left pillars every 40 feet as they dug farther and farther. Without meaning to, they were providing the rudiments of what is now the world’s largest underground business complex. Connie Zhou / OTTO
  • Deep in the earth, the ambient temperature in SubTropolis is a steady 20°C, which allows tenants to shave 50 to 70 per cent off their energy bills. Connie Zhou / OTTO
    Deep in the earth, the ambient temperature in SubTropolis is a steady 20°C, which allows tenants to shave 50 to 70 per cent off their energy bills. Connie Zhou / OTTO
  • The coolness of this crypt is especially valuable for companies that store films (the original reels of Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz are here), stamps and foods (two years ago an experiment to age Fiscalini Bandage Wrapped Cheddars in these caves went rather well). Some people even keep their RVs and old boats here, out of reach of the Midwest winter. Connie Zhou / OTTO
    The coolness of this crypt is especially valuable for companies that store films (the original reels of Gone with the Wind and The Wizard of Oz are here), stamps and foods (two years ago an experiment to age Fiscalini Bandage Wrapped Cheddars in these caves went rather well). Some people even keep their RVs and old boats here, out of reach of the Midwest winter. Connie Zhou / OTTO
  • The latest push is for a technology hub, which landed its anchor tenant, the cloud computing company LightEdge, last April. Connie Zhou / OTTO
    The latest push is for a technology hub, which landed its anchor tenant, the cloud computing company LightEdge, last April. Connie Zhou / OTTO
  • Other SubTropolis tenants include the United States Postal Service, Vanguard Packaging and EarthWorks. In all, 52 tenants and 1,600 workers occupy this limestone lair each day. Connie Zhou / OTTO
    Other SubTropolis tenants include the United States Postal Service, Vanguard Packaging and EarthWorks. In all, 52 tenants and 1,600 workers occupy this limestone lair each day. Connie Zhou / OTTO
  • SubTropolis was founded in 1964 by the late Lamar Hunt, a Texas oilman of vast ambitions. Connie Zhou / OTTO
    SubTropolis was founded in 1964 by the late Lamar Hunt, a Texas oilman of vast ambitions. Connie Zhou / OTTO
  • The underground industrial park SubTroplis. Connie Zhou / OTTO
    The underground industrial park SubTroplis. Connie Zhou / OTTO
  • The underground industrial park SubTroplis. Connie Zhou / OTTO
    The underground industrial park SubTroplis. Connie Zhou / OTTO
  • The underground industrial park SubTroplis. Connie Zhou / OTTO
    The underground industrial park SubTroplis. Connie Zhou / OTTO
  • The underground industrial park SubTroplis. Connie Zhou / OTTO
    The underground industrial park SubTroplis. Connie Zhou / OTTO
  • The underground industrial park SubTroplis. Connie Zhou / OTTO
    The underground industrial park SubTroplis. Connie Zhou / OTTO
  • The underground industrial park SubTroplis. Connie Zhou / OTTO
    The underground industrial park SubTroplis. Connie Zhou / OTTO

Business

The underground lair in the US that’s become big business – in pictures

Liz Claus

March 28, 2015

  • English
  • Arabic

SubTropolis in the American Midwest is vast and highly unusual business park where everything from movie reels to ageing boats are stored.

EconomyTechnologyUS