By ROD ZOOK
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Mark and Phoebe Davenport like to, as they put it, “bite off a lot” when it comes to making major renovations to older properties. The Kansas City couple who has been in the midst of renovating the Plaza Towers and preparing to do the same to the Hoke building in Hutchinson are now the owners of the Landmark Hotel at 5th and Main.
The couple is hoping to renovate the rundown property that has seen its share of neglect from its previous owner.
“I drove past the property about a year-and-a-half ago when we were planning to purchase the Plaza Towers,” Mark said. “I was astonished as to how beautiful the building was and had to drive back again and take a closer look.”
While there was some interest in the building, Mark says the decision to rescue the building came shortly after the recent wind storm.
“It was a situation that happened recently with some of the windows getting blown out in the wind storm, we felt the time had come to bring some new luster to the Landmark,” Mark said.
A combination of damage from everything from earthquakes to wind to broken water pipes has certainly put wear and tear on the building, but overall, the structure is sound.
“The interior is in really rough shape,” Phoebe said. “We had a structural engineer check it out with us yesterday (Tuesday) and the building is structurally sound . . . nothing that can’t be repaired.”
While the Davenports have sound plans for their other two projects in Hutchinson, the future Landmark is a bit of an unknown for the moment.
“On the first floor I think there would probably be a chance for commercial space,” Mark said. “And I think floors two through five, some kind of residential situation.”
The couple is working quickly to get all of the details of the purchase in order and start making plans for the building. The couple hopes to close on the building at the end of March, which would be followed by nine to 12 months of design and planning for the building. The couple will also be looking at different funding sources for the project. With the Davenports already preparing for the renovation of the Hoke building into a hotel, they are eager to take on the Landmark.
“We think we can pull this one off too,” Phoebe said. “Our hope is that by the time the Hoke project is winding down and getting ready to open up as a hotel, our crew will be ready to move on to the Landmark.”
Landmark looked to be on the way to some type of action by the city after years of neglect. Developer Manske and Associates, who were responsible for renovating the Wiley Building, had shown interest in the Landmark back in 2012, but the needed $4.5 million in tax credits to help fund the renovation was denied by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation and the proposal was withdrawn.
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