NICK GOSNELL
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hutchinson and Reno County Chamber of Commerce CEO Debra Teufel told Hutch Post that the Downtown Hutch planning process is a public-private partnership.
"It became evident a few years ago that we really need a master plan," Teufel said. "An expert to come in and look from an architectural and land use and planning perspective, what's next?"
Downtown stakeholders started raising money for that effort.
"We hired a firm, Olsson Studios," Teufel said. "That would not have been possible without community partners. Laura Meyer-Dick and others that she went to, to help raise funds, raised half of the funding for this downtown master plan process. With that funding, we went to the city and said, if we can raise the private sector dollars, will you match us dollar for dollar to help with the plan? Ultimately, the city of Hutchinson will be the beneficiary, as we further develop downtown and raise property values, it's going to generate property tax and sales tax for the city. They absolutely were all in on the plan."
The downtown area is already seeing some movement, with new ownership getting ready to sign for the Landmark Building, though the name of those owners hasn't been announced, there's also the continuing work at the Hoke and the intent to find other innovative uses for the spaces between 4th and Avenue B or C along Main and a few blocks radius in that general area.
"Ken Boone is the principal we're working with there," Teufel said. "He has a team, including Vivian Fung and some others, who have already been to Hutchinson. They took a walk around Hutchinson with us in October and November, they sent an economist that they work with, they are putting together kind of the basis of the plan, but the visioning session is the first opportunity for the community to talk about what they want to see for downtown."
That visioning session is a virtual meeting Tuesday afternoon at 5:30 p.m. Call the Chamber office to get access to the link at (620) 662-3391.
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