HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Landmarks Commission on Tuesday will look at a draft of a letter to ADM proposing that when Elevator B in Hutchinson is no longer usable, that it be turned into a museum.
According to agenda documents, the commission plans to send a letter under the name of chairman Joel Haag to ADM.
The letter says that the original part of Elevator B was built in 1919-1920 and has historical significance to the grain handling industry, as well as to the City of Hutchinson.
"Before a decision is made concerning the future of this landmark, we would appreciate an opportunity to explore with ADM options to re-purpose Elevator B into a tribute to the grain handling and telling the story of the grain processing industry over the last century," the commission wrote.
The commission believes that ADM would incur a significant expense to raze a concrete terminal grain elevator.
"History shows that there was a refinery just west of the Elevator when it was built over 100 years ago," the letter says. "The environmental clean-up costs before the site could be developed for another use would also need to be considered."
The commission would like to explore with ADM the adaptive re-use of the property as a unique interactive attraction that would facilitate people learning about grain elevators.
The commission says this particular elevator is a very good prospect to be re-purposed as a museum/attraction because it has a full sized headhouse with a freight elevator, allowing space for a passenger elevator to take visitors to the upper levels.
The commission notes that this elevator was used for film scenes in the movie “Picnic” in the 1950’s because the large freight elevator inside enabled the film crews to take their cameras, lighting and sound equipment to upper levels needed to produce the movie.
The idea would be to create a third museum that would be an uncommon attraction in Hutchinson, like Cosmosphere and STRATACA.
The Hutchinson Landmarks Commission meets Tuesday at 4:15 p.m. at City Hall.
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