HUTCHINSON, Kan. (KSNW) – Some of Hutchinson’s most recognizable landmarks are one step closer to getting a facelift.
Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) bonds were the center of discussion at a public hearing held in Hutchinson. The city council heard from the public and then voted to push STAR bond(s) to the next step.
The Cosmosphere, Memorial Hall, and the old Landmark building are all set to be improved, remodeled or renovated.
The owner of the old Landmark building spoke about what this would bring to the community.
“When I walked in, I got a vision of what it used to look like, what it could be. It was built in 1922,” said Laura Meyer-Dick, the owner of the old Landmark building.
Her company owns the old landmark building, and she is dedicated to restoring a building in disrepair.
“There’s a lot of pigeons that came with the building. It’s very blighted right now, but you can still see the remnants of the old hotel that it was,” said Meyer-Dick.
She hopes to welcome more people by converting the ground floor into a retail hub, then restore the apartments above.
Mayor of Hutchinson Greg Fast cites a previous STAR bond as evidence that this new trifecta of investments will pay off.
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“We’ve already has a successful STAR bond with Strataca back in 2006. It was paid off early, it was a very successful program,” said Mayor Fast.
Some at the meeting shared concerns about revenue from the projects not staying in Hutchinson, but the city council said the additional revenue goes to pay off the STAR bonds.
Laura is looking forward to seeing her vision in full focus.
“he lived here all 98 years of his life … it’s kind of a memorial to him. The more I get into it, the more excited I get about it. I think it’s going to be great for downtown,” said Meyer-Dick.
Now, she’ll be working on a downtown master plan.
Next for Hutchinson STAR bonds is a cost analysis study followed by detailed plans for the project areas, which will need to be approved by the city council.
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