The Emporia Gazette

February 12, 2012

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Who would have thought that Kenyon Hall, sitting high, dry and unscathed on the old College of Emporia campus, was at risk of being another victim of the Greensburg tornado and the Coffeyville flood?

Yet that seems to be the case.

In Monday’s Gazette, Kenyon Hall owner Rick Mitchell said the demands placed on available state tax-credit money by those two disasters have so far blocked the plan to turn the old administration building into senior apartments.

Mitchell, a partner in Mitchell-Markowitz Construction, which owns the building, said projects in Greensburg and Coffeyville soaked up the money that was available last year and increased the competition for money this year. He said he is willing to make one more try, but does not hold out much hope. If the tax credits are not available, he thinks the building will have to be torn down and the land used for something else.

There is nothing more to be said about reasons to try to keep Kenyon Hall intact. It is an elegant old building and — for many people — a treasured link to Emporia’s past. The passion of the people who want to preserve Kenyon saved it from the wrecking ball once, but no amount of passion can save it forever unless a profitable use can be found for the building.

Mitchell-Markowitz has acted, and continues to act, in good faith, but if the tax credits are not available to make the conversion to apartments feasible, the company cannot afford to let Kenyon Hall stand much longer.

Is there another use for the old building that makes business sense? Retail, industrial and warehousing uses are out, of course. All that seems possible is residential or office use, but barring the arrival of a new big business in town, who would need that much office space?

The time to start brainstorming is now, before the current plan runs onto the rocks.

Any ideas? We’re listening.