Tag: Downtown Wichita revitalization
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Good intentions, and planners, can sap a city’s soul
The following article by Kansas City writer Jack Cashill, courtesy of Ingram’s Magazine, explains some of the problems with city planning of the type Wichita is undertaking at this time.
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For downtown Wichita, Mayor Brewer has a vision
In Sunday’s Wichita Eagle, Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer penned a piece that states his belief in the importance of downtown and prepares the people of Wichita for the start of a prescriptive planning process, with accompanying subsidy to politically-favored developers willing to fulfill the plan.
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Wichita downtown boom could be over before it starts
As Wichita moves towards the release of the plan for the revitalization of its downtown, urban planners — both local and out-of-town — tell us that there’s a big demand for downtown living. People are tired of suburban living, they say. The recent draft presentation by the city’s planning firm Goody Clancy contained bullet points…
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Wichita downtown master plan meetings scheduled
Recently planning firm Goody Clancy presented the master plan for the revitalization of downtown Wichita. This plan is in “draft” form, meaning that input is being solicited, with revisions appearing in the final version expected to be ready in September.
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Wichita, other city elections on horizon
Next spring Wichita and other cities in Kansas will hold elections for city council members, school board members, and perhaps mayor.
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Goody Clancy: public subsidy required for Wichita downtown plan
The recent presentation of the draft master plan for the revitalization of downtown Wichita gave Wichitans a preview of the forms of public assistance that Goody Clancy recommends the city use. The plan may be viewed at the Wichita Downtown Development Corporation website.
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Downtown Wichita planning events scheduled
Last October the City of Wichita selected the Boston firm Goody Clancy to develop a plan for the revitalization of downtown Wichita. Now the draft master plan is ready, and will be presented to Wichitans on Monday June 14.
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Wichita mayor speaks on economic development
At last week’s Wichita City Council meeting, Mayor Carl Brewer spoke in favor of the city’s economic development policy, specifically as it related to a downtown Wichita development partly financed with tax increment financing, or TIF.
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On Wichita’s Exchange Place TIF, Janet Miller speaks
Last week’s meeting of the Wichita City Council featured a message from Council Member Janet Miller that illustrated her firm belief in centralized government planning for the purposes of economic development. It also contained a material mistake in the understanding of the facts of the project.
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Tax increment financing is not free money
Cato Institute Senior Fellow Randal O’Toole has written extensively on the subject of urban planning, development, and tax increment financing (TIF) districts. The following article contains many points that the Wichita City Council may wish to consider as it considers expansion of a downtown Wichita TIF district at tomorrow’s council meeting.
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Kansas historic preservation tax credits: the hearing
On Wednesday, the Taxation Committee of the Kansas House of Representatives heard testimony on HB 2496, which would expand the historic preservation tax credit program. This program provides tax credits to qualified historic preservation projects. I testified at the hearing, and my written testimony is at Kansas historic preservation tax credits should not be expanded.
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Destination ICT rollout presents a look at the future of Wichita
Yesterday Rebecca Ryan of Next Generation Consulting presented “Destination ICT.” This is a program designed to “attract and retain talent to Wichita.” It’s sponsored by Young Professionals of Wichita which is an initiative of the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce.