Priceless TTHURSDAYHURSDAY Take One VOLUME 16, NUMBER 60 THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2008 WINNER OF THE KANSAS GAS SERVICE 2006 KANSAS PROFESSIONAL 2006 KANSAS PROFESSIONAL WINNER OF THE KANSAS PRESS EXCELLENCE IN EDITORIAL WRITING COMMUNICATORS PHOTO ESSAY AWARD COMMUNICATORS EDITORIAL AWARD ASSOCIATION ADVERTISING AWARD Retail Space Conference Hotel Parking Housing Understanding The Project Component Sq. Ft. Space Rooms Spaces Units North Area Fight Over HyVee Building A – Junior Anchor 30,000 Building B – Out Parcel (Restaurant) 5,900 Editorial A with 30,000 sq. ft. and Building L with 34,000 Building C – Out Parcel (Restaurant) 6,500 By Jon A. Brake sq. ft. Building D – Small Shops 4,800 Yes, it is over. The large lady with the spear In mid-2007 things changed when it was came out on stage and hit the high note. thought that Kohl's Department Store was com- Building E – Out Parcel (Restaurant) 6,400 Why did so many people came to the fight? ing to the project. The Free Press notes taken in a Building F – Junior Anchor 23,000 Why were they so passionate? phone interview with City Staff shows the Kohl's Building G – Junior Anchor 12,000 Here is what the City staff said about the first Store with 60,000 sq. ft. Building H – Junior Anchor 19,000 meeting on Downtown Redevelopment: “The first All of the contracts between the City and Dial Building I - Small Shops 9,000 public meeting was held October 30, 2003, for the Realty were finished in February 2007. Even at Building J – Junior Anchor 18,000 Downtown Redevelopment Master Planning that date it was clear that Dial was having prob- Building K – Junior Anchor 18,000 process. The developer and design team presented lems in securing the leases needed to finish the Building L - Junior Anchor 34,000 storyboards to the community at a participatory project. Building M – Out Parcel (Restaurant) 7,000 workshop. Citizens, stakeholders, Downtown Agreements were changed without City Building N - Small Shops 12,000 By Jon A. Brake Redevelopment Steering Committee members, and Commission approval. Dial had purchased the Building O - Out Parcel (Restaurant) 6,000 property owners participated in the workshop by Steel and Pipe land and that was to be their con- Residential 200 placing green dots on the photos within the story- tribution to the North Development. North District Totals 211,600 200 boards they preferred in the following categories: Other agreements were change with City That’s housing, streetscapes, awnings, and storefronts.” Commission approval. Staff had projected that South Area The Free Press attended most of the Steering Dial was taking all of the risk but then it was Committee meetings for the next three months. changed to where the City was to take the risk. Flint Hills Discovery Center The Over and over committee members voiced their Dial was to purchase the properties in the South Hotel 13,000 120 concerns about a “big box” store being the anchor District but the Commissioners were told that Conference Center 30,000 for the redevelopment. Over and over City Staff Dial could not finance the South end and the City Movie Theatre 40,000 Brake’s and consultants agreed “No Big Box Stores.” had to take over. Restaurants 12,000 As late as August 2006 Canyon Research That is when HyVee came in to save the day Retail Shops 12,000 Give Her A Break Southwest, Inc. used this table at right to show the for the City Staff and Dial but they wanted or Parking Structure 400 buildings and the Retail Square Footage. This need more than 60,000 sq. ft. Residential 24 Two weeks ago Friday was just report was given to the City Commission and sent That is why people fought City Hall knowing South District Totals 77,000 30,000 120 400 24 like any other day at the Brake to the State of Kansas to get the $50 million in they would not win. home. I was in the office working on STAR Bonds. Well, not until the next City election. the paper and Linda was working on The two largest stores in the table are Building Grand Totals 288,600 30,000 120 400 224 the house. (She) has been remodel- ing the stone A-frame house in our hometown of Blue Rapids for the past year-and-a-half. Linda came into the office talking City To Close On South Redevelopment District Properties January 31 about air coming in around the front The City of Manhattan will purchase all of the land in the South Development District from the door and she had plans of fixing the people and companies listed below on January 31. The City owns four properties that were Richard M. Haynie and Bella Haynie, problem. taken by eminent domain. Two properties that were condemned and are now owned by the City husband and wife and R.M. Haynie A few minutes later I heard a loud but the amounts awarded by the District Court are being appealed. Art Craft Printers were and Associates awarded $166,260 and Manhattan Ice and Cold Storage, Inc. received $3,200,000 but have 2/20/2007 308 Yuma $ 265,000 crash. I could feel the pain just from appealed. Two other properties received the District Court Award and then the City made a set- her screams. tlement with them rather than go back into court for the appeal. Dean Conkwright was award- Fraternal Investors, L.L.C. When I got to her she was com- ed $331,250 and then settled for $475,000. Bernard Garibay received $150,000 from the Court 3/14/2007 221 Colorado Street $ 1,071,000 pletely in control, although deep in Order but settled for $249,125.75. pain, she said she could not move Ronald Harrison a/k/a Ronald Keith Harrison, her feet or legs and that her left wrist Kansas Big Brothers Big Sisters, Inc., a single person was broken. f/k/a/ Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Manhattan, Inc., 11/29/2006 301/309 Yuma Street $ 585,000 I cannot describe what happened The Manhattan Optimist Foundation, Inc. next. Let’s just say she was gone and and Boys & Girls Club of Manhattan, Inc. Bobbie Jean Neugent, a single person not responding to me. I called 911, 3/26/2007 301/305 S. 4th Street $ 568,750 3/5/2007 315 Yuma Street $ 185,000 between trying to wake Linda from Norman R. Michal and Charlotte A. Michal, Alfred M. Umscheid and Patricia A. Umscheid, the dead and talking to the dispatch- husband and wife husband and wife er it did not come out too clear. 5/15/2007 315 S. 4th Street $ 272,500 2/21/2007 323 Yuma Street $ 399,000 The dispatcher put two and two together and said she was sending an Duane A. Miller, Jr. and Deborah J. Miller, Lyle D. Shepard and Jerilyn R. Shepard, ambulance. husband and wife husband and wife I then called Linda’s sister 12/6/2006 331 S. 4th Street $ 102,500 2/20/2007 325 Yuma Street $ 155,000 Virginia, who lives down the street. And did the same thing. She didn’t D & R Rentals 3/28/2007 $ 449,338 214 Colorado Street Michael L. LaFebere, a single person know who it was or what was going Laramie Partnership 2/20/2007 511 S. 4th Street $ 125,000 2/8/2007315 S. 3rd Street $ 300,000 on. Three minutes later I called back SUB TOTAL $ 7,425,588 and very slowly I said “Virginia, this All Kansas Property, L.L.C. f/k/a is Jon, Linda has fallen, come up” Manhattan Real Estate, L.L.C. O'Reilly Automotive, Inc. and they did. 3/12/2007 230 Colorado Street $ 284,500 I was holding Linda’s head and 2/9/2008 324 Fort Riley Boulevard proposed $ 1,750,000 taking control like a manly-man Patrick J. Keating, Independent Special trustee when Linda said, “stop that, I’m of the Manuel G. Navarro andMarie C. Navarro SUB TOTAL $ 9,175,588 going to be alright.” She then told Charitable Remainder Unitrust No. 1, dated May 25, 1993 me that she wanted to go to the 2/11/2007 335 Colorado Street $ 310,500 Condemnation Properties Manhattan Hospital and wanted Dr. Hinkin. And she wanted to go to Davis L. McManis and Arlia J. McManis, Dean Conkwright Manhattan by ambulance not by air. husband and wife 301 Colorado And then she said, “I’ll never get this 12/6/2006 343 and 347 Colorado Street $ 407,500 Awarded by District Court $331,250 house done.” Settlement $475,000 It wasn’t my finest hour or five G. M. Stunkel, a single person minutes but it is all that I could do. 2/23/2007 311, 315, 319, 323, 327 and 331 Colorado Street Mr. & Mrs. Bernard M. Garibay By the time that Virginia, Harold and $ 985,000 211 Colorado the ambulance got there Linda was Awarded by District Court $150,000 able to move her feet but did not try Keystone Development Company Settlement $249,125.75 2/20/2007 411 S. 4th Street $ 150,000 to move her back because she knew Art Craft Printers & Design, Inc. it was bad. Manhattan Building Corp 339 Colorado Awarded by District Court $166,260 When Linda fell she broke her 11/29/2006 320 Yuma Street $ 407,500 back and her left wrist. Manhattan Ice and Cold Storage, Inc. We are very, very lucky. The Robert R. Swenson and Telva M.