MARC JACOBS
Hutch Post
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Renovations at the historic Landmark building in downtown Hutchinson are entering the final stages, with developers targeting a July opening for the long-vacant property at Fifth and Main.
Developer Laura Meyer Dick said interior work is progressing rapidly, with countertops and flooring being installed and painting underway throughout the building. She expects to begin taking reservation agreements for apartments next month and anticipates welcoming tenants this summer.
The project will create 36 market-rate apartments, including studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Meyer Dick said original plans called for 40 units, but layouts were adjusted to provide larger living spaces.
“It’s really starting to come together,” she said.
The Landmark is part of a broader STAR bond redevelopment district led by the Cosmosphere and Memorial Hall. Meyer Dick emphasized that the Landmark project is separate from the city’s current sales tax election and has been in development for about three years.
Under the STAR bond structure, state sales tax revenue generated within the district is used to retire bonds that finance eligible improvements. Meyer Dick said the financing relies primarily on state sales tax dollars that would otherwise go to Topeka.
Communities with fewer than 50,000 residents can use the STAR bond program for rural revitalization efforts. Meyer Dick said restoring the Landmark, long considered a cornerstone of downtown Hutchinson, fits squarely within that purpose.
The renovation has required extensive work to modernize the early 1900s structure while meeting historic preservation standards tied to state and federal tax credits. Meyer Dick said all plumbing, electrical and HVAC systems have been replaced, and original materials are being restored or replicated where required.
“There’s not a wire or a pipe that’s original,” she said.
Historic tax credit requirements have limited design flexibility, including preserving hallway configurations and using authentic materials such as real wood flooring. Meyer Dick said the most intensive paperwork will come after construction is complete, when final documentation is submitted for tax credit approval.
In addition to the apartments, the building will feature a restaurant on the main floor, which is expected to open in the fall. Retail space is also planned. The restaurant’s name has not yet been released.
The project includes a two-part documentary chronicling the building’s history and restoration. The Landmark once hosted President Harry Truman and appeared in the 1941 film “When the Sun Shines, Nellie,” according to project materials.
Meyer Dick said she took on the project to preserve a key piece of Hutchinson’s history and stimulate additional downtown investment.
“Economics 101 is if you invest $15 million on a corner, it will spiral on the blocks going either direction,” she said.
She credited Curtis Mitchel, Tyler England, and NBC Construction along with city officials, for helping keep the project on schedule. Despite supply chain challenges in recent years, she said delays have been minimal.
A grand opening is being planned for late June. Meyer Dick said her primary goal is to complete the project successfully and contribute to downtown revitalization.
“I’m doing this project for the city,” she said. “I hope it makes downtown more vibrant. That’s the whole goal.”