Eleven months after approving a demolition permit for Kenyon Hall, the Emporia City Commission has voted to support the renovation of the 1920s-era building.
The city commission voted 3-0 to support an application for tax credits that would let Kenyon Hall be turned into senior housing. The resolution does not commit any city funds, but it makes it possible for contractor Mitchell-Markowitz to apply to the state for the credits.
Company co-owner Rick Mitchell said the company would probably apply in February. Mitchell Markowitz hopes to get both these senior housing credits and tax credits for historic renovation before proceeding on what could be a $6 million construction project.
“Structurally, it’s sound,” Mitchell said. “It just hasn’t had anything done to it for 30 years or more.”
Kenyon Hall was once the main building of the College of Emporia, a Presbyterian college that is now defunct. Work on the Gothic-style building began in 1917 and was completed in 1928. Its high windows and castle-like exterior were a distinguishing mark of the campus, while on the inside Kenyon housed offices, classrooms, a noted chapel and auditorium, a browsing library established by William Allen White, and the snack bar “Presby Pete’s,” a favorite student hangout.
Kenyon’s last renovation came in the 1970s, when the campus was briefly taken over by The Way International. The auditorium was carpeted, the stage floor refinished and a new lighting system was installed, along with new dressing rooms.
From 1994 until 2006, the building was occupied by the Rock of Life Church. But the cost of keeping the building going eventually prompted its sale to Mitchell-Markowitz.
The city approved a demolition permit in September 2006 after Mitchell-Markowitz concluded that renovation would be too costly. At the time, Mitchell said, he had known about the historic tax credits, but not the senior housing ones.
“It’s a pretty complicated process,” he said.
A court injunction halted the demolition. The court case was dropped in February, due to Mitchell-Markowitz’s decision to pursue the tax credits.
There is no final design for the building yet, but if approved, Kenyon Hall would eventually house between 35 and 47 apartments. Residents would have to be over 55 and make less than 50 percent of the average Emporia salary.
Mayor Julie Johnson and Commissioner Kevin Nelson were absent. In other action:
• Commissioners agreed to annex a 40-acre site that is intended to become part of the Hill’s pet food plant. The site’s rezoning from agricultural to light industrial will be voted on Aug. 15.
• Carter-Shown Construction of Emporia won the bid for the sanitary sewer project for the Schellhamer at Cedar Bend Second Addition. The bid was $46,170. The water main project for the subdivision will be done by Matador Construction of Lane for $20,677.
• Water meter testing fees will go up. Water meters are tested any time a resident thinks they are getting a false reading, but the fees are only charged if nothing is wrong with the meter. The city has charged $15 but the testing costs $50. The fee will now match the cost. According to City Clerk Susan Mendoza, only one or two tests are requested each year.
• Eric Johnson, the co-owner of Natasha’s, will be allowed to close Seventh Avenue from Commercial Street west to the alley for a Sept. 15 concert. The bands would set up on a flatbed trailer north of the pool hall. Entry would be through two guarded gates and only those 21 or older would be admitted. Alcohol will be served. The final permit, a one-day liquor license, will be held until fire and health authorities have a chance to inspect the arrangements.
• A bid for two thermal imaging cameras went to Wise Fire & Safety of Salina, for $26,750. The cameras can be used to spot hidden fires and to find people in a smoke-filled room. The fire department has been without a thermal imaging camera for a year and a half and has been borrowing one from Olpe.
• Bids for 2,200 feet of fire hose and seven nozzles went to Conrad Fire Equipment of Olathe for $10,117.62.
• The commission proclaimed Aug. 7 “Purple Heart Day” and Aug. 5 through Aug. 11 as “Purple Heart Week.” “We’re the fortunate ones,” said Aaron Bura, a Purple Heart recipient who was wounded in World War II. “The ones that were left over there, that didn’t come back, are the real heroes.”
sciguy (anonymous) says...
Awesome. Such a beautiful piece of historic architecture should be preserved and used if at all possible.
August 1, 2007 at 5:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )