It can be appropriate for history to trump progress, but the Wichita City Council was right to override its own Historic Preservation Board Tuesday and give Sedgwick County the go-ahead to demolish seven "historic" buildings in the footprint of the downtown arena. These buildings arguably fit the criteria for gaining historic status, yet weren’t so special as to merit scuttling the arena; the fate of eight more buildings remains to be determined. Going forward, the city, county and community will need to do all they can to help Episcopal Social Services relocate and raise money for a new building. "It’s just kinda sad, . . . but I know it’s for the community good," said Sandra Lyon, executive director of Episcopal Social Services. She’s right on both counts.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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LETS REPLACE THE DOWNTOWN WHITE ELEPHANT ARENA WITH A SUPER WAL-MART STORE ON THE PROPOSED ARENA FOOTPRINT.
SEVERAL REASONS:
** Wal-Mart would bring people to downtown all day, all night, seven days a week.
** Located near downtown bus transfer station.
** Save Sedgwick County taxpayers $250,000,000.53 for an unneeded, unwanted white elephant.
** Would finally provide retail and grocery location for downtown loft apartment dwellers.
** Located in epi-center of Wichita.
** Many other excellent reasons to be revealed later.
** Would be alternative location for the proposed Wal-Mart on east Kellogg.
THIS PROPOSAL MAKES SENSE. WHAT DO YOU THINK?
They should put it to a vote.
Let the demolition begin.
Thank God! The right of rich patrons of ice hockey is presevered over everyone’s right to live in a city of cultural heritage.
Because what would the news media report on if not for the meaningless “the team from my geographical area is better than the team from your geographical area”?
I love that aerial photo.
Where’s the parking again?
I can’t wait until those long, slow moving trains block traffic to and from events.
God help history and culture if it stands in the way of a stampeding WHITE ELEPHANT.
It’s clear the paper’s a cheerleader for this boondoggle - what’s the Eagle’s stake in this?
Yeah, I was wondering that too, GMC.
More reportage on events that come to town, sports?
Lord knows we wouldn’t want to have to cover a peace protest or anything that represents a grass-roots effort instead of brought to you by corporate interests.
Another powerful advantage of putting a new Super Wal-Mart in the proposed downtown ice hockey arena footprint — almost no retail businesses remain in downtown Wichita today for the Wal-Mart to compete with.
Actually a downtown Wal-Mart would be a strong magnet for new businesses, museums, expanded convention facilities, renovated hotels, etc. to locate in downtown Wichita.
A downtown Wal-Mart grocery department would be a godsend for downtown “loft” residents. Imagine walking to a downtown Wal-Mart for produce, milk and a cup of coffee on a Saturday morning.
Contrast this with a temporary “surge” of traffic in/out perhaps once per week, on a Thursday afternoon and evening leaving a pathway of destruction and food wrappers in downtown Wichita from a professional sports fan base.
SO LET SEDGWICK COUNTY VOTERS VOTE AGAIN. REMEMBER THE ARENA UNDER DIFFERENT NAMES WAS VOTED DOWN SEVERAL TIMES. THE LAST TIME IT ONLY WON BY A NARROW THREAD. SINCE THEN PUBLIC OPINION HAS CHANGED — I NOW ESTIMATE THAT 90% OF SEDGWICK COUNTY VOTERS DON’T WANT TO PAY FOR THE ARENA.
IT’S TIME for three county commissioners, David Unruh, Tom Winters and Tim Norton, to step up and admit they made a gigantic mistake supporting the proposed $250,000,000.17 white elephant downtown arena.
You know the old saying, people in big jobs often make bigger mistakes.
Now we have a chance to slow the waste of tax dollars on this albatross … that is, transform the arena site to a Super Wal-Mart to serve the urban center of Wichita.
It would be near the new downtown loft apartments, the city’s bus transportation center, considerable downtown employees, museums and various high schools and the downtown technical college.
Shopping has become the #1 sport of busy citizens. So, let’s vote again before a massive amount of money is wasted.
SECRET MEMO TO WAL-MART COMPANY OFFICIALS:
Sedgwick Countians and Wichita citizens are looking for a face saving way out of this proposed $250,000,000.19 downtown arena debacle. (STOP)
Suggest your real estate people immediately take next train to Wichita to assess this situation. (STOP)
This prime RETAIL location, the proposed arena site, is adjacent to downtown Wichita’s railroad station. It is on the east end of downtown Wichita’s business district. (STOP)
The only TWO unaffiliated arena supporters, meaning those who do not or will not directly or indirectly profit from the arena, apparently have left Wichita. (STOP)
SO, WAL-MART ITS UP TO YOU TO MAKE AN OFFER. (GO)!