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West Lawrence may not have the quaint neighborhoods that North and East Lawrence have, but their economic input is a valuable asset, along with the outdoor areas that provide the quality of life we seek.
LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHERS
We’re not talking about the original Old West Lawrence, which was is defined by the area west of Kentucky to Michigan and from 6th to Ninth Street. We are talking about Wakarusa Drive and the area west. According to old timers who were raised here or attending KU (including this editor’s father) in the past middle century, they talk about how there were no paved roads west of Iowa. And in the 80s, we thought that Kasold was way out there! In our article “Blazing a Trail” you can learn about the Drag Racing Road that started in 1958, off of what later became Wakarusa Drive.
In 2018, our “Portrait of North Lawrence” became a favorite for many of our readers (especially in NoLaw). We followed that up in 2020 with a “Portrait of East Lawrence” issue, which was our unexpected kick-off to the Covid era. Those geographic areas of Lawrence are close-knit communities, go ing back generations with their roots running deep into Lawrence’s history and culture. So in 2022, we have decided to explore West Lawrence.
Many thought that Lawrence would expand to the east, but geography and some businessmen with the desire to build a golf course out west had a different idea. And the western expansion began.
And to think this expansion only started 60 years ago – we hope you enjoy our “Portrait of New West Lawrence.”
Please remember that all of our advertisers have a stake in the local economy; we would like to ask you to first consider them before looking to source your needs outside of the community. Try and shop locally as much as possible, and avoid the urge to order online. If you find something online – see if one of our local stores has it. We know that they would appreciate the business, and when you hear someone say, “We are all in this together,” remember that our local businesses are at the center of our
Local - Shop Baldwin, Eudora, Lecompton, and Lawrence (and use Local Services). We are not just supporting those businesses but giving back to our community and building a future together.
As Lawrence grew and people moved west, new businesses emerged. West Lawrence has so much to offer the community, from Rock Chalk Park, to the restaurants, Theatre Lawrence, research labs, national and international businesses, many doctor and dentists offices, a new LMH, and outdoor recreation.
Sincerely, Ann Frame Hertzog
Editor-in-Chief/Publisher Chief Photographer/Publisher www.LawrenceBusinessMagazine.com Publisher: Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC Ann Frame Hertzog & Steven Hertzog Editor-in-Chief: Ann Frame Hertzog Chief Photographer: Steven Hertzog Featured Writers: Bob Michaelis,PatriciaLuderA.Ph.D.EmilyMulliganMatthewPetilloTaraTrenaryNickSpacekDarinM.White Copy Editor: Tara Trenary ContributingWriters: Mary AutumnDovetonBishop Photographers:Contributing Nick Spacek Lawrence Business Magazine, is published quarterly by Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC and is distributed by direct mail to businesses in the Lawrence & Douglas County Community. It is also distributed at key retail locations throughout the area and mailed to individual subscribers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reprinted or reproduced without the publisher’s permission. Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Statements and opinions printed in the Lawrence Business Magazine are the those of the author or advertiser and are not necessarily the opinion of Lawrence Business Magazine. INQUIRIES & INFORMATIONADVERTISINGCONTACT: info@LawrenceBusinessMagazine.com LawrenceBusinessMagazine.com Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC 3514 Clinton Parkway, Suite A-113 Lawrence, KS 66047 LEFT TO RIGHT: Connor O’Flannagan, Marin CoachMassa,Stanley Redwine, Aaron Combs, and Erin Meiusi Q32022Q32021 & DOUGLAS COUNTY
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7 TO UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS OR FOR SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: LawrenceBusinessMagazine.com/subscriptions/ CONTENTS 8 Lawrence in Perspective: Blazing a Trail by Patricia Michaelis, Ph.D. 26 Moving West by Bob Luder 34 Welcome to the Great Outdoors by Tara Trenary 44 In Good Company by Nick Spacek 52 Hiding in Plain Sight by Darin White 58 Western Alliance by Matthew Petillo 66 From East to West by Emily Mulligan 70 Moving to Higher Ground by Bob Luder 5 Letter From the Publishers 14 LMH Health Care: A Foundation 17 Professional Spotlight: Aaron Combs 22 Non-Profit: Theatre Lawrence 73 Local Scene 80 Newsmakers 82 Whose Desk? @LawrenceBizMag/lawrencebusinessmagazine DepartmentsFeatures:: Our Mission: We are dedicated to telling the stories of people and businesses making a positive impact on Lawrence & Douglas County. Q32022Q32021 & DOUGLAS COUNTY
by Patricia A. Michaelis, Ph.D., Historical Research & Archival Consulting photos by Steven Hertzog
Drag Strip Road, now Wakarusa Drive, ran along a drag strip built in the late 1950s by a high school club hoping to use it as a training track.
In 1958, William (Bill) Prince and his Lawrence High School auto mechanics club, the Crusaders Club, built a drag strip in Lawrence, Kansas. It was located 2½ miles west of the city, about three-quarters of a mile west of Highway 40. It was only an eighth of a mile long and 55 feet wide, not the standard quarter-mile track, and was considered a training track. The club spent $10,500 to build the asphalt track and hoped to make the money back from entry fees paid by competitors. The road beside the drag strip was known as Drag strip Road until 1987, when the name was changed to Wakarusa Drive.
BlazingaTrail
LAWRENCE & DOUGLAS CO [ ]IN PERSPECTIVE
The first races were held on Sunday, June 8, 1958, with approximately 100 cars participating. This was considered a trial run for the Crusaders Club drag strip, as timers were not yet in place. They were expected to be installed on June 15. The club held its first “Trophy Day” race on June 22 with about $350 worth of trophies awarded. Cars were assigned to classes such as “straight stock” or “modified vehi Incle.”publicizing the drag strip’s first trophy day in the June 21 Lawrence Journal World, Prince said: “It‘s a public facility, in that anyone can compete any Sunday. Only stipulations are the entry fee and the proper supervision. Any kind of car can compete and we class them according to their specification. There’s a class for about anyone.” The most important trophies to be awarded were for the top eliminator and for the driver with the top time on any of the races that day. Eliminator races were events with two-vehicle, tournament-style eliminations. The losing racer in each contest was eliminated, and the winning racers con tinued until only one remained. The June 22 competi tion had 64 entries vying for 36 trophies. The day was a success, attracting about 1,000 spectators. Don Baxter, of Lawrence, won the top time trophy driving
The races continued throughout the summer of 1958. On Aug. 24, a car owned jointly by Don Baxter, Art Sommers and Rolland Hueston won top eliminator and top time honors. The car reached 108.7 mph in a 440-yard drag race. Of the 88 cars entered in the various races that day, eight vehicles were driven over 100 mph. More than 750 fans viewed the races.
The Crusaders Car Club upgraded the drag strip for the 1959 season. Lights costing $750 were installed. The length of the drag strip was increased to a ½-mile with the addition of 600 feet of asphalt paving. At the end of the paved track was a dirt track used to slow the cars after a race. The size of the dirt track was in creased as the final improvement for the new season. A member of the Crusaders Club commented that having night races would make events at the drag strip more enjoyable for fans and competitors. These improvements helped attract a national competition in 1960. The Crusaders hosted the first American Hot Rod Association Eighth-Mile Drag championships on Aug. 27 and 28.
a 1932 Ford roadster, called Old Yeller, at a speed of 106.4 miles per hour (mph). Driving a 1958 Corvette, Jim O’Brien, of Topeka, was the top eliminator.
Mike Curtis circa 1986 photo by Patty Curtis
Ontion.Aug.
The aircraft-engined Nickelson Tool and Die Drag ster, from Wichita, is an early entrant. … Bob Nickelson, the car’s driver, is currently leading the AHRA national point system and will be out for bonus points here this weekend. Another Wichitabased machine, Whitey Myers’ fuel burning coupe which has clocked at over 130 miles per hour, is in second place behind Nickelson. He’ll challenge for the coveted Top Eliminator trophy.
Drag racing, an automotive sport, has had a tre mendous growth in the past few years in America. Timing is done by special clocks which measure elapsed time (E.T.) it takes the car to go from a stop to the end of the distance and top speed achieved by the car. Fundamentally, drag racing is a contest of acceleration in which two vehicles race from a dead stop to a finish-line.
In addition to races, time trials, where cars were timed individually, would be held to award prizes to drivers with the fastest times. Cars were divided into classes, so simi lar cars would race each other for a fairer competition. The article continued with a list of the various classes: There are stock cars, gas coupe sedans, street roadsters, altered coupe sedans, roadsters, gas dragsters, hot roadsters, modified roadsters, com-
26, Journal World readers were provided with a short primer on drag racing so race spectators would be more informed about the sport.
An article in the Aug. 25 Lawrence Journal World de scribed a couple of the cars competing in the event as follows:
Strip creator Prince expected about 200 entrants from across the nation. The winners were to receive savings bonds as well as trophies. The prize for the top eliminator was $100, and other bonds went to the following: middle eliminator, $50; little eliminator, $50; top fuel time, $50; top gas time, $50; street eliminator, $25; and stock elimi nator, $25. In addition, trophies costing more than $1300 were to be awarded. The newspaper article in the Aug. 16, 1960, Lawrence Journal World noted the trophies would be on display in Lawrence stores for the next week. The event was expected to attract some of the fastest drag racing cars in the nation.
The club provided bleachers for these races. The article noted that the area had been “oiled” to cut down on dust. Several of the local dragsters were going to be on display in downtown Lawrence on Friday night before the races began on Saturday. Any records set during the event would be recognized by the American Hot Rod Associa
petition coupe sedans, fuel dragsters, sports cars, four bangers and fuel coupe sedans.
Definitions of these historic classes are difficult to find, as the sport has evolved into classes such as top fuel drag ster, top fuel funny car, pro stock, top alcohol dragster and top alcohol funny car.
The American Hot Rod Association Eighth-Mile Drag Championships on Aug. 27 and 28 started with time trials on Saturday morning. Saturday evening included races for the stock cars and stock sports cars. One of the fastest dragsters in the U.S. ran an exhibition under the lights that evening. The car was owned by Creitz Automotive Co., of Tulsa, Oklahoma. It was a “supercharged” Chevrolet and ran on nitrogen fuel. It had been timed at a speed of 140 mph on an eighth of a mile track. Sunday afternoon would feature the “big car” eliminations. The savings bond prizes were sponsored by Marks Jewelers, Harnar Auto Supply, Dr. Pepper and the Douglas County State Bank. A number of other local businesses were sponsors of the championships. Local drivers had some success in their classes. Ron Hoover’s and Larry Stemmerman’s flathead dragster won its class, and an alcohol-altered car owned by Clifford Burgert and Harlan Miller was a class winner. It was estimated that more than 2000 people viewed the races over the two-day event.
After the excitement of the National Championships, the Crusaders Car Club purchased the newest safety devices for the cars they raced on the drag strip. They acquired four parachutes, which stopped cars in less than half the
Onephies.Lawrence
The Crusaders Club drag strip was definitely successful and provided various kinds of learning experiences for its students. Bill Prince could not have imagined the impact the automotive club races would have on the community. They capitalized on the growing popularity of drag racing (Kansas had 41 drag strips at various times), and their events brought several thousand competitors and specta tors to Lawrence.
B&W aerial photo courtesy of Lawrence Dragway Facebook group
This drag strip remained in operation until 1986.p
resident gained fame as a drag racer. Frederick Inyard, an African American, won a number of races during 1960 and 1961. In 1962, he won the A/Gas AHRA National Championship. He drove a supercharged Oldsmobile dragster.
More than 100 entries from Iowa, Colorado, Kansas, Mis souri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas competed for tro
distance it took using brakes. And of course, racing con tinued with additional races on Saturday, Oct. 8. 1961.
by Autumn Bishop, LMH Health photos courtesy LMH Health
Empoweringcare.Women
The LMH Health Women’s Center encourages self-care and offers a collaborative approach to treatment, as well as flexibility and accessibility, to all women in need of health
With a revolutionary focus on accessible, compassionate, collaborative care, LMH Health Women’s Center helps Lawrencearea women prioritize their health. Mi chele Bennett, M.D., FACOG, an OBGYN at LMH Health, sees it in her patients—and in herself.
Convenience Is Key
“Today, breast cancer can be treatable, but it requires multidisciplinary care by multiple phy sicians. Having all the members of the breast cancer team under one roof and communicating with each other helps decrease stressors in our patients,” she adds.
“As women, we can be really good at taking care of other people, but sometimes we can have a hard time taking care of ourselves,” she Addressingsays.
This approach, Hawasli adds, eliminates the fear women may feel while waiting for an appointment to address their concerns. Likewise, the health center’s patients benefit from its providers’ collaborative approach.
this issue is the LMH Health Women’s Center, a state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary facility focused solely on women’s wide-ranging health care needs. The center, located on the second level of the LMH Health West Cam pus, opened its doors in September of 2020 and offers a wide range of services, including breast health and mammography, ultrasounds, MRIs, gynecology, pelvic health, plastic surgery and general women’s health. But it’s the center’s extraordinary flexibility, accessibility and collaborative spirit that sets it apart.
“From its inception, this health center was designed to make it easy for women to seek health care,” says Jennifer Hawasli, M.D., a fellowship-trained breast surgeon with Lawrence Breast Specialists. “At our facility, everything related to breast health is in the same area. If a woman has a concerning mammogram or ultrasound, most likely I can fit her into my schedule for a consultation the same day.”
“Places like LMH Health provide so much to the people who live in the Law rence area, and we are pleased to support these efforts in any way that we can,” Jeff Weinberg says.
Dr. Richard Orchard, an LMH Health ophthalmologist for 33 years, and his wife, Georgia, also made a gift to support the Women’s Center. The couple felt compelled to donate in gratitude for Georgia’s breast cancer treatment in “Georgia2014. received excellent care from Dr. Sherri Soule and the surgeons, ra diologists, nurses and even the volunteers—they all just did a great job taking care of her,” Orchard says. “We’re lucky to have a top-notch community hos pital in Lawrence.”
The advanced maternal and fetal care team offers leading-edge care for women and babies prior to, during and shortly after pregnancy. As the largest, most comprehensive team in Kansas and the region, their expertise, resources and outreach improve patient outcomes and comprehensive care.
In December 2021, LMH Health welcomed the Advanced Maternal and Fetal Care Clinic to the LMH Health Women’s Center. Having such a specialized clinic close to home has been made possible because of the newly founded strategic clinical relationship with The University of Kansas Health System.
Michele Bennett, M.D.
For more information about the LMH Health Women’s Center, visit lmh.org/healthy-woman. p
Jennifer Hawasli, M.D.
“We are located on a bus line,” says Bennett, a further illustration of the cen ter’s push to streamline women’s health care. “Even if our patients have trans portation hurdles, they can easily get to our center from almost anywhere in the greater Lawrence area and check off many of their annual screenings in just an hour or two. We even offer walk-in mammograms.”
“Everyone at this center has an innate dedication to making it easy for women to access extraordinary health care,” Bennett adds. “At the end of the day, we are people taking care of people.”
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“We focus on the full continuum of cancer care,” Hawasli explains. “We are proud and privileged to offer the best and latest treatments available any where right here in our community.”
The center itself, Bennett notes, boasts a calming atmosphere with beautiful views of the Kansas prairies. As a Commission on Cancer-accredited institu tion, LMH Health Women’s Center provides the capabilities of a larger hospital or academic center close to home—an asset for women walking through a new breast cancer diagnosis. Additionally, the LMH Health Women’s Center works hand in hand with LMH Health Imaging and the LMH Health Cancer Center to offer patients a state-of-the-art breast cancer risk assessment. The results can be lifesaving.
Providing High-Risk Pregnancy Care
Private donors and foundations played an important role in supporting the center. A generous gift from Jeff and Mary Weinberg, of the Jedel Family Foundation, supported the purchase of 3D mammography machines.
“Since its implementation, the clinic has provided more than 400 patient appointments, almost all for Douglas County residents,” says Sheryle D’Amico, senior VP for strategy integration. “Patients are receiving collaborative care close to home, and they feel well taken care of.”
What are the things you want to know from a prospective client before you create a health plan for him or her?
From a prospective client, I want to know what their goals are and how long they have been after that goal. Goals give us direction and a purpose to strive for. This lets me know that they’re motivated to make some changes, which is a huge benefit for both coach and client. I also want to know if they have a support system. Do your friends, family, significant other work out or have an active lifestyle? At most, I may see someone four times a week for an hour each out of 168 total hours in a week. I’m supporting during my time with clients, but the numbers don’t lie. They need to have support outside of the gym. It’s very hard to make changes if you’re still doing the same old stuff with the same old gang.
PROFESSIONAL [ ]SPOTLIGHT
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What are your educational studies, and what is your degree?
AARON strengthCOMBS&conditioning coach
Official Sports: Movement with a Purpose
I attended Pinnacle Career Institute (a trade school) for the certified personal trainer program through the NSCA (National Strength and Conditioning Association). Postgraduation, I acquired specialty certificates for nutrition and fat loss, strength training postrehab and personalized hormonal profiling through skinfold analysis. Continuing education is a must in this industry, and I recer tify every two years to stay current on new science and trends.
C. What are their motivations, and are they internally or externally motivated?
What are the three to five most important things to keep in mind when developing an exercise/health plan for your clients?
I think people struggle with maintaining a healthier lifestyle, even after working with a trainer, because they have unrealistic goals for themselves, and/or their lifestyle hasn’t changed. We tend to want the best outcome with the least amount of effort put forth, and also in the shortest time possible. This isn’t realistic. Some aspects may have changed, but we “want it all” without giving something up. We have to make room to create a healthier lifestyle, which means leaving behind habits that previously served us well in the past.
The takeaway I want to leave people with is con fidence in themselves and, more to the point, an “I can” attitude. When you raise someone’s confidence, you elevate what they’re capable of and can accomplish. New goals always come once this takes place.
Since I was in fourth grade, I knew I wanted to own a business/work for myself. I wasn’t sure what type of business, just that I would own and operate some thing for myself. Our dad was always giving out advice for free on everything from how to stretch properly to being adequately nourished and hydrated for competition. He really did drop some gems back then, and as I got older, I realized we did have access to great information, but at the time, it was tough because it’s Dad, right, and he can’t be right all the time. I had this huge knowledge base from the multiple sports and coaches I had, plus Dad’s knowledge, and figured out a way to package it for others. Thanks Dad.
Why do you think so many people struggle to maintain a healthier lifestyle, even after spending time working out with a personal trainer?
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I put everyone through a movement assessment when they first sign up. I’m not looking for how strong they are. The purpose of the assessment is to see current ranges of motion, imbalances in the body and where they are located, and coordination. From this information and combined with their goals, I know where we need to start to be successful.
Why did you become involved (what inspired you—is there a specific thing, person or incident)? What keeps you motivated to continue doing this?
What is your organization’s most important priority?
B. How much time do they have until their goal date (wedding, reunion, sports team tryouts, etc.)?
The organization’s most important priority is getting positive results for the client’s individual goals. The client’s success is my success.
A. Is this program realistic for the person’s current lifestyle, are they able to stick with it?
What are the things you want your clients to take from working with you?
D. What, if any, allergies or injuries they have/had.
Knowing there is not one workout plan for everyone, how do you create a specific workout plan for each particular client you have?
The most important things to know in developing either a workout program or a dietary/lifestyle plan are:
Thinking outside the box and being an active listener. Guiding a new client through a workout can be difficult because both of you communicate a certain way already, and now you need to find dialog that works for the pair. “You know what I’m saying?” is too ambiguous for this line of work. I feel like a talk show host with new clients because I want to know where they’re coming from, what’s their story, what’s important to them. Having the knowledge of how a person ticks gives you info on how to best coach them.
What have been some of the most important aspects of your success?
What do you see as your biggest challenges for yourself and your profession in the future?
I think the biggest challenge for me personally is this huge uptick in adolescent sport specialization. The emphasis on specializing early is causing more harm than good. Physically because the movement patterns are repetitive, and the body doesn’t have new stimulus to adapt to. Overuse injuries are more common nowadays in kids. Psychologically because if they don’t “make” the team they’re trying out for, their career is over before it even began. Plus, all their eggs were in that basket. I’m all about being competitive, but this pressure to choose one sport/activity as a child doesn’t serve them best. Most athletes that compete professionally were multisport athletes when they were younger. Look at Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders and Michael Jordan (even if it was just AAA ball). p
recent addition of an outdoor stage has expanded summer the ater opportunities, and newly added free summer movies bring people together for hot popcorn, cold drinks and family fun. A bicycle rack by Kate Dinneen, Lawrence blacksmith, with a theater theme often boasts an as sortment of neighborhood bikes rang ing from those with training wheels to brand-new electric models.
When Theatre Lawrence felt the squeeze of too many people, productions and program ming in its tiny space at 15th and New Hampshire streets, the lengthy search for a new home ultimately led the organization west to Bauer Farm. As the theater opened its new doors in June 2013, one of the early visitors welcomed the group exclaiming, “Thank you so much for bringing the the ater to our neighborhood.”
Theatre Lawrence’s reputation makes it an attractive venue not only for local and nearby community members, but also for talent who come in from other locations to perform on its stage.
by Mary Doveton
NON [ ]PROFIT
22 22
Located just off Sixth Street and Wa karusa Drive, Theatre Lawrence is easily accessible not only to its imme diate neighbors but also to community patrons using adjacent major streets and highways. The large parking lot and close proximity to restaurants make it an attractive and stress-free evening out for community residents,
es often themed to the show, as well as a signature alcoholic milkshake. A large collection of masks from around the world, gifted to the theater by George and Eleanor Woodyard, as well as an ever-changing exhibit of art from members of the Lawrence Art Guild, give audiences interest ing pieces to view and discuss with their friends. In the coming season, Theatre Lawrence will join in the Law rence Final Fridays tradition by open ing art receptions featuring local art Theists.
The Theatre’s own eclectic stage of ferings range from Broadway-style musicals such as “Mamma Mia” to more contemporary dramas such as “The Girl On the Train.” The shows are performed in a “thrust” space, meaning audiences sit on all three sides of the stage. The raised seating offers unimpeded views of the actors and scenery, with every seat the “best in the house.” The Theatre’s reputa tion for producing great shows and its high production values make it an attractive performance venue for both local talent and actors who choose to commute from other locations to perform on the Lawrence stage. The Oldfather Lobby, a theater bar, carries a tempting variety of beverag
GO WEST!
as well as visitors from out of town. A wide array of nearby restaurants presents patrons the opportunity to indulge in leisurely preshow dining, a fast snack or an after-show dessert.
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Children claim a special place at Theatre Lawrence. During the school year, a series of one- and two-day workshops called “School’s Out, Theatre’s In” engages imaginations and fosters creativity on days when school is not in session yet most parents still need to work. For youth more severe ly bitten by the theater bug or who want more immersive material, there are after-school plays that culminate in public performances, as well as ex tended summer camp opportunities.
the ages of 10 and 21 with normally developing peer mentors of a similar age. During a four-month rehearsal period, the young people act, sing, dance and, most importantly, get to know each other before presenting a fully staged musical featuring the spe cial needs youth in the leading roles. The friendships and affiliations forged between the young people, their par ents, their friends and their neighbors reverberate through the community. Interactions continue at churches, schools and stores. Now in its fourth year of production, these musicals sell out to enthusiastic fans and are often accompanied by at least a few tears of joy and pride.
One of the most exciting projects for Theatre Lawrence is the theater’s participation as a national chapter in The Penguin Project. This program pairs special needs youth between
Theatre of Lawrence stage productions for Mama Mia and Camelot (below)
Child’s Play
with the community. A regular poll ing place, church rental location and vaccine clinic, the Theatre has also opened its doors to a host of commu nity activities on the rare days without scheduled rehearsals, classes and performances. Myriad activities from weddings, funerals, baby showers, political meetings, operas and dance recitals have found their way onstage.
Of course, none of this would be pos sible without the generous support of the community, the love, determina tion and hard work of the small pro fessional theater staff and the hun dreds of volunteers who make up the Theatre Lawrence family. All have happily relocated to their home in West Lawrence.
Another source of pride for the Theatre is its ability to share its facility
Once upon a time, the prevailing wisdom was that the city would expand east, toward Kansas City, eventually growing into a metroplex that would include towns that already dotted that landscape: Eudora, DeSoto, Tonganoxie, Bonner Springs. Alvamar, along with some prefera
by Bob Luder photos by Steven Hertzog
MovingWest
Alvamar, home to many of Lawrence’s most prominent and successful businesses and organizations, spurred the growth of Lawrence west of Iowa all the way to Clinton Lake.
And sometimes, two longtime friends bump into each other, chat about building a golf course and set an entire city on a path for future growth and development.
That, in essence, is the story behind the genesis of Alva mar, the 3,000-plus-acre golf/suburban living/recreation/ business/research development that, from the 1970s to up to a few years ago, spurred the growth of Lawrence west of Iowa Street all the way to Clinton Lake.
Many of life’s splendors occur when chance moments—coincidences really—grow into seismic events that leave lasting effects on many. Two people accidentally bump into each other in a hallway, end up falling in love and in a marriage that lasts 50 years. Explorers in the 19th century decide to pitch a tent next to a river as an overnight camping space, and a city emerges that today hosts millions. A scientist’s accident becomes the world’s next great invention.
Of course, Billings had a lot of help from investors, engineers, city officials and others in realizing the dream that was Alvamar. But ask just about anyone, and they’ll tell you the credit for developing Alvamar leads back to one man.
“The city bet on Bob Billings,” McGrew says. “And they bet on a winner.”
“The original plan was to build something that not only the people of Lawrence would enjoy but would also be appealing enough to attract people from Kan sas City,” says longtime Lawrence real estate devel oper John McGrew, who partnered with good friend Bob Billings on the golf course project, which quickly would expand into much more.
An understatement, to be sure. While Lawrence’s core business district on Massachusetts Street main tains its vitality as the city’s core, Alvamar, which was sold several years ago (the public golf course and country club today is The Jayhawk Club), remains to longtime Lawrence residents as synonymous with West Lawrence.
ble land characteristics that included lushly forested rolling hills and skirted away from flood-prone por tions of the Kansas and Wakarusa rivers, changed all
Teeing off and putting on the Alvamar Golf Course
began in the late ’60s as a 460-acre, 18-hole public golf course quickly grew into 3,000-plus acres and 55 parcels of land with more than 30 subdivisions including residential and commercial real estate, parkland and all the needed infrastructure to sustain it. Alvamar is home to many of Lawrence’s most promi nent and successful businesses and organizations, such as Landplan Engineering and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America.
“As soon as people from Kansas City were coming over to play golf, there was more demand, a lot more traffic. It made for a good environment for business.”
“It was slow in the beginning,” McGrew says. “I think we originally had 27 lots off Kasold (Drive) when it was just a rock road. The first house we sold for $35,000, which was way more than anything being built.
Whatthat.
It’s no wonder Alvamar has been referred to as a “city within a city.”
“I’d played a little golf with Bob,” says Anderson, who’s retired and living in St. Joseph, Missouri. “At that time, he was director of Student Aid and Awards at KU. It was 1965, and I remember talking to him about a public golf course in Lawrence. His immediate response was, ‘Mel, start looking for the ground. I’d love to do that.’ ”
RIGHT: 29 At a ground break ing, Mel Anderson is second from the left and Bob is onrightthe
Anyone who ever knew Billings would not be surprised by the response. The native of Russell, Kansas, who died in 2003 following a battle with cancer, was widely regarded
Melvin Anderson, golf course superintendent at Lawrence Country Club at the time, was in the pro shop one day speaking with the manager about how he thought Law rence badly needed a public golf course when he spot ted good friends Billings and McGrew walking off the 18th green, having just completed a round. He decided to ap proach the twosome to say hello and just happened to bring up the thought to his friends.
Bob Billings, the eternal optimist, appears to be pointing to the future
Bob standing in the empty fields that he turned into his vision - Alvamar
Beginnings
Billings, a former University of Kansas (KU) basketball player (he played with Wilt Chamberlain on the Jayhawks team that played in the 1957 NCAA championship game) and student body president who graduated Phi Beta Kappa, majoring in economics, business and political science, always referred to the development of Alvamar as an ac cident, and indeed, the plan came about as the product of a chance meeting with a longtime friend.
Mel Anderson, Bob Billings, Doug Shade, and Jack Brand pose at Alvamar Golf Club.
in community and university circles as an exceptional achiever, the ultimate people person and an eternal op
“Bobtimist.was the most generous person I’ve ever known,” says Beverly Billings, Bob’s wife who worked closely with him during much of the development of Alvamar. “He was always looking out for the best interests of Law Andersonrence.” went about studying local geological surveys and topographical maps seeking the best location for a top-notch, 18-hole public golf course.
Anderson says, “We were looking at things such as how (the land) drained, how the course would fit. Topography was 80 to 90 percent of it.”
Billings and his partners settled on buying land that had been occupied by Windy Hill Farm, just west of Kasold and between what was then 15th and 23rd streets. They began building the golf course in 1967. Billings named the golf course and development Alva mar in honor of both of his parents, Alva and Margaretta. In the original agreement, Billings owned 75 percent and McGrew owned the other 25.
“You couldn’t really go south, east or north because of the Kansas River, the way it snaked around and through everything,” McGrew says. “There was really no devel opment west of Iowa.”
In the decade from 1960 to 1970, the city grew from 32,858 to 45,698, a 40-percent increase. KU experienced even greater growth in student population, from 9,325 in 1960 to 17,947 in 1970, an increase of 90 percent.
Then, there was the growth of Lawrence.
In all, Anderson says 980,000 yards of soil was shipped in for the project. One hundred fifty to 200 miles of irriga tion tubing was installed. And thanks to Anderson’s stolo nization method, he was able to take sod from an $800, 2-acre nursery and plant more than $500,000 worth of grass on the initial 18 holes.
The 7,485-yard, par-72, 18-hole championship course opened in 1968 as the first course in the country with zoysia grass from stolonization for all 18 fairways and tees. It regularly received acclaim by Golf Digest and other pub lications as one of the top 50 public golf courses in the United States.
Then-City Manager Ray Wells, knowing that Clinton Reservoir was coming online in 1980, threw the new develop ment an additional lifeline by committing to run a water line from the city’s treatment plant down by the Kansas River all the way out west. The golf course now had its water
top to bottom Indoor swimming pool; Eating, drinking and relaxing at the bar; Morning Cycling class; Staying cool at the outdoor pool
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According to a chapter on Alvamar in the 2001 publication “Embattled Lawrence: Conflict & Community,” by Dennis Domer and Barbara Watkins, there were several factors favoring the development at the time. By the late 1960s, Americans were fleeing city cores for protected, suburban lifestyles on the edges. The political economy at the time was good, with financial incentives and low-interest loans readily available. Land was relatively cheap at the time, as were insurance premiums and taxes.
Anderson,source.who had experimented with stolonization of zoysia grass at his previous position at the St. Joseph Country Club and other courses, was instrumental in plant ing fairways, tee boxes and greens on the new course. Stolonization involved stripping stolons from the zoysia by grinding sod and spreading it with manure spreaders.
“No one could afford to sod an entire golf course with zoy sia,” he says.
“Alvamar is as fine a conditioned course as you’ll play,” golf professional Jim Colbert said in 1975. “The only greens I’ve played that are as good are at the Masters.”
A second 18 holes was built in the 1970s, which would become the private Alvamar Country Club. An executive nine-hole course, The Orchards, opened in 1979 off what was then 15th Street. It was sold in 1992. The Alvamar Racquet Club also opened in the 1970s. It was sold in 2002 and today is Bishop Seabury School.
“I’m not sure everyone agrees … . But, to me, it was.”
Two side by side water slides
genuine love affair with the community. Over the years, he borrowed some $8 million personally, while Alvamar Inc. borrowed another $5 to $7 million, and he worked on the project for nearly 40 years.
Alvamar eventually became the largest single, primarily residential development in the U.S. in a city the size of WithLawrence.theexploding residential expansion came the rapid growth of commerce, ultimately creating 300 acres and 66 lots planned and developed at the corner of 15th and Wakarusa. It was named Oread West Corporate & Re search Park, and attracted such cutting-edge companies as Oread Labs, Campbell-Becker Inc., Comdisco Sys tems and Strata Environmental Services. Eventually, de velopment expanded all the way out to the new South Lawrence Trafficway. Some communities, such as the Corpus Christi Community, centered around churches constructed in the area. Others were made into open park spaces. One of Billings’ favorite projects was Brandon Woods, an adult-care facility.
McGrew says his late friend Billings would probably be pleased with The Jayhawk Club’s continuing ties to KU and its golf programs, less pleased with the changes to the golf course. But if there was one thing Billings knew well, it was that time marches on, things change, and adaptability is a necessity in keeping communities vital and “Bobstrong.wasa real optimist,” McGrew says. “He always had very real emotional ties to Alvamar. He wanted it to be a real benefit to the community.
The Jayhawk Club
The Fritzels immediately began updating the golf facility. All of the greens were rebuilt. Several holes were rerout ed, in the end leaving one 18-hole championship course, which opened fully in June 2019. Part of the old, public side of the golf course was developed for the KU men’s and women’s golf teams to have a state-of-the-art prac tice facility.
In late 2015, Alvamar was sold to Eagle 1968, owned by longtime Lawrence residents Thomas and Dru Fritzel. The golf course became completely private in December 2016, and in February of 2017, it officially became The Jayhawk Club.
Lawrence was fortunate to have a developer such as Bill ings. Unlike many developers, who come into an area, develop it, make some money and leave, he was per sonally and emotionally involved with Alvamar and had a
More Than Just Golf
As the years clicked a decade into the 21st century, the golf boom initiated in the late 1990s by Tiger Woods was abating, and the golf industry was faced with an over abundance of golf courses competing for golfing dollars. This especially was true in the Kansas City area, where it seemed a new golf course was popping up on the horizon every week. Golfers were staying closer to home and no longer traveling to Lawrence for a round at Alvamar.
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“Not only was Bob fulfilling his dream,” Beverly Billings says, “but he was doing good for the city. He changed one little part of Lawrence and made it a better place.”
Following Billings’ death in 2003, Alvamar was beginning to show its age, especially the public-course clubhouse.
An outdoor pool opened in June 2017, and next door, a wellness center featuring weight and exercise areas, as well as a saltwater lap pool, opened in January 2018.
Initially, Billings didn’t have anything more than a golf course in mind, but it didn’t take long for him and McGrew to realize that, to be financially feasible, land surrounding the golf course would have to be developed with homes and attractive suburban neighborhoods.
“Thomas’ whole idea was to improve this place while maintaining the Alvamar history,” says Wes Lynch, gen eral manager of memberships, The Jayhawk Club. “I think we brought a reverence to this area. We have a real pas sion for this place and what we’re doing.”
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After Alvamar Estates, with its $2,000 to $3,500 lots and houses valued at $35,000, homes were quickly snapped up, demand grew so great that Billings began to develop one subdivision after another. Alvamar Heights, Wood field, The Masters, Prestwick, Quail Run, Foxfire, The Re serve at Alvamar … all went up in quick succession.
www.cekinsurance.com www.cekinsurance.com 90 90
Clinton Lake offers a treasure trove of outdoor activities for all community members, from the calm of trails underfoot and birds singing to the bluster of boats whizzing across the lake.
by Tara Trenary, photos by Steven Hertzog and Tara Trenary
Walkway to the Clinton Marina
OutdoorsWelcometotheGreat
The Early Days
Jones says the initial purpose and mission of the lake have not changed. “But the methods of achieving those goals are dynamic as we adapt to changing needs of the public, weather patterns and evolving technology.”
By 1969, Richland, the western-most community the museum represents, had been vacated, and construction of the lake had begun, she continues. Land throughout the valley was slowly and methodically bought into the early 1970s. The Clinton Dam was completed by 1977, but it took several years for the lake to fill to normal pool level. The dedication of the lake was celebrated on July 4, 1980.
During construction of the reservoir, many agencies, including landowners, took into consideration any environmental concerns that might arise, Massa adds. An intensive archaeological and historical survey by the Iroquois Research Institute was also completed in 1976, documenting any archaeological sites in the Clinton Lake basin area.
And being located near multiple universities doesn’t hurt. “While we thoroughly enjoy our regulars who have been coming for years, it’s fun to have new visitors who have not yet had the opportunity to experience Clinton Lake,” says Samantha Jones, natural resource manager, Clinton and Hillsdale Lakes, with the Army Corps of Engineers (the Corps). “This can come with complications, though, as we work to educate new visitors each year to the rules and regulations governing the lake for the safety of the people and the resources.”
One may not enter Lawrence, Kansas, and think they’ve stumbled into an oasis for outdoor enthusiasts. We’ve got the cool downtown, the college, the history, the diversity. But head west across town, and you’ll run right into our hidden gem: Clinton Lake.
The preliminary planning for the entire Wakarusa Watershed began in the 1950s, explains Marin Massa, president of the Clinton Lake Historical Society (CLHS), who helps run the Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum, which has a mission to preserve local Wakarusa Valley history, maintain the collection and educate the public about the historical importance of the Wakarusa River Valley. By 1960, the United States Corps of Engineers had proposed the dam across the Wakarusa River and Rock Creek, near Clinton, Kansas. The Flood Control Act was signed in 1962 to finance the purchase of land and the cost of the construction of the dam and reservoir.
For all of the reasons Clinton lake was created, it “will become more and more important as human populations increase and weather patterns become more dynamic,” she continues. “These manmade lakes across the nation provide flood damage reduction, water supply, tourism and recreation opportunities for communities who otherwise may not have those resources.”
An integral part of surrounding communities, Clinton Lake is a reservoir lake southwest of Lawrence, Kansas, and the most relied-on reservoir in the state. Initially built to control flooding in the area and provide water to the city of Lawrence, it is the source of water for more than 100,000 people in northeastern Kansas. In the years since it was built, it has become a sanctuary for those who enjoy camping, hiking, biking, fishing, horseback riding and just plain being outdoors.
“Domestic and industrial water supply, flood control, fish and wildlife preservation, soil conservation and recreation were the main factors for building the lake,” Massa says. “Some of these were problems to solve (like flood control), and others were potential future development (recreation).”
Throughout the reservoir planning process and construction, tensions ran high between the locals and the Corps, and groups formed so they could have a voice at the table, she continues. The lake’s impact to some of the communities was the destruction of their physical location, and many of the connections the communities had with each other were severed.
“While most people see the lake as only a place for recreation or a weekend escape,” Massa adds, “the importance of a safe wa ter supply and flood control” will continue to be of the utmost importance.
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Looking Ahead
Jones says that today, Clinton Lake pro vides great green space, as well as lands and water the public can use and appreciate. According to a 1995 study by the Na tional Wilderness Institute, the State of Kansas ranks last in the U.S. in percentage of public land, so these public lands are beneficial to the na tive flora and fauna, and they provide a much-needed location for outdoor recreation to the people of Kansas.
Kayaks stored inside the boat slips
It is estimated that Clinton Lake provided more than $827,500 of flood damage re duction in 2021 alone, Jones explains. The cumulative total for flood damage reduction since the lake was built is over $1.7 Billion. “Additionally, the lake receives over 1.5 million visitors each year, many of whom travel to the lake and aid in boosting the surrounding communities,” she adds.
Though the lake does provide many positives for area locals, that was not the view of the residents during the years of lake construction. “It is never easy for families to lose their homes and their link to the land when it is taken away by imminent domain,” Massa says.
Being built in the 1970s, Clinton Lake is now dealing with aging infrastructure. But the biggest environmental issue, Jones says, is silt. The Corps has safeguards in place for daily operations and guidelines to aid in waterquality management. “Some of these practices include taking fields out of crop production and planting into hay fields, and disallowing hay or crop fields within a certain distance of any body of water or stream to ensure there is a buffer to trap sediments,” she adds.
Silt has also reduced the amount of storage capacity, which could affect the water supply and flood damage reduction capabilities in the long run. At this point, Jones explains, the lake has not reached a siltation amount that is yet greatly impacting the lake, but there are ongoing discussions to best determine methods of handling the silt. “Of course, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so we need to stop the silt before it gets here to best manage the situation.”
Today, the Corps maintains the lake, the habitat, water storage and re lease, the campgrounds (in federal parks like Bloomington, Woodridge
Top to Bottom: Erin and Peter Meiusi, Owners of Clinton Lake Marina
A boat cruises past two boats harbored in their slips
The Great Outdoors
Today, the purpose of the state park is to provide a location with a multitude of outdoor recreation opportunities for all individuals to experience equally. “Clinton State Park offers these ame nities on a completely equal plat form,” O’Flannagan explains. “Nature and the outdoors is as equal as you can get. The outdoors does not care the color of your skin, your race, re ligion, creed, how you identify, who you are or even how you feel. It is go ing to treat you the same, and that is the beauty in it.”
As a federal lake, there is no pri vate ownership of the shoreline, leaving it open to public hiking, fishing or hunting. The Outlet Park encompasses the areas where the water is released from the lake through the dam and flows back into the Wakarusa River.
38 38 and Rockhaven), the trails, five campgrounds, three group camp areas and multiple day-use areas.
If being in the open air with your bike or your hiking boots is your thing, Clin ton State Park is the place to be. Es tablished in 1975, it is situated on the north side of Clinton Lake and “is Law rence’s ‘backyard,’ ” explains Conner O’Flannagan, Clinton State Park park manager, with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP). The park was developed to expand the state park system, and the goal was to have state parks situated around the state where any citizen is within an hour’s drive of a Thepark.Corps
(federal government) owns the land upon which the park is situated, he adds. In the 1970s, KDWP leased the area on the north side and devel oped it into what has become Clinton State AccordingPark. to the Kansas State Parks website, the 1,500-acre park is known for its clear water and good fishing. It boasts modern facilities and an ex tensive hiking/biking trail system. Visitors may encounter white-tailed deer, wild turkey, waterfowl, bald ea gles in spring and fall, and numer ous species of songbirds in the park.
The Historic Clinton Store
launching areas for windsurfers and personal watercraft, a beach with shower rinse-off station, picnic shel ter areas, playgrounds, a sand vol leyball area, an archery range, disc golf and more. The Clinton Reservoir is known for its white bass, channel catfish, walleye, wiper and crappie fishing. You can also find mudflats, drop-offs, river channels and rocks.
It offers boat ramps, courtesy docks,
Kansas State Parks are fee-funded, with a minimal amount of road money coming from the state, he explains. Operating budgets are in place but are dictated more on utilities such as water, electric and propane. “We operate on what we make, therefore camping fees, reservations and ve
Camping, boating, kayaking, trails (hiking, biking, trail running and horseback riding), birdwatching, beaches, disc golf and many more outdoor activities are offered throughout the lake and park. The Corps works with the City of Lawrence, which leases much of the area below the dam for the Ea gle Bend Golf Course, Arboretum, Youth Sports Complex, the paved trail through the spillway and the off-leash Mutt Run. “The City pro vides great services to lake visi tors beyond what the Corps offers in our more traditional parks and wildlife areas,” Jones says. It also collaborates with many other organizations in maintaining and improving the lake and its sur rounding areas.
The marina brings together people from different walks of life and al lows them to find commonalities, adds Erin Meiusi, owner-operator and Peter’s wife. “From power-boaters, campers, fishermen, sail boaters, bird-watchers, hikers, our customers keep us constantly laughing and enjoying the lake.”
If boating and water sports are what make you happy, the Clinton Marina is where it’s at. Originally built in 1980 and located on the Corps property in Bloomington, on the west side of the reservoir, the marina was relocated to its current location, on the State Park shoreline, in 1986 to be closer to Lawrence, CLHS President Massa “Clintonexplains.Marina is one of the key elements of the social climate,” says Peter Meiusi, owner-operator of the marina, “whether it’s the meeting place for people before they head out to the lake, hang out at their slip or join us for one of our ‘Float Local’ parties.”
The only marina in Kansas to provide a boat club, Clinton Marina is on the forefront when it comes to software and digital access for its
“We have fishermen (and women) who have been fishing at the lake since it was developed,” Erin Meiusi adds. “We also have new families who are just getting into boating.”
However,tem.”
hicle permits are the main source of income for the State Park sys
the park is tied to a great deal of money that goes back into the local area, he continues. According to the Kansas State Parks Economic Contributions to Regional and State Economies study, the 2020 total number of visitors was 642,176, with the na tional average being about 450,000. There were 340 employees, and contributions to other park industries, including agriculture, mining, construction, manufacturing, trade, service and government, equaled $22,146,349.
Initially opened in 1980 to provide boat storage, the marina now sells fuel, snacks and bait and tackle, has a deli, rents boats, offers a boat club and boat merchandise, and maintains a robust summer event schedule. “Boating trends have changed,” Erin Meiusi says, “allowing us to broaden our watersport items in the store to the new est boards and tubes.”
Connor O’Flannagan, Park Manager and Chris Orton, assistant park manager
The Clinton International Model Airport and the Mutt Run
Making Waves
It is also vital for Clinton Lake’s economic stability. “In addition to staffing up to 30 people during the summer, we help support lo cal breweries and brands with the products that we carry on our shelves,” he adds. “… we’re passionate about Lawrence, Clinton and the local market.”
Marina customers include all demographics and socioeconomic classes, “something we take great pride in,” Peter Meiusi says. Roughly half of the customer base lives in Lawrence, with the remaining 50% coming from Overland Park, Johnson County and the surrounding areas.
“Clinton Marina provides not only a place to store and fuel your boat, but it provides a sense of community … ,” Peter Meiusi says. “Our customers are proud to be a part of Clinton Marina; it feels like one big family.”
Erin Meiusi says they plan to become more involved in the city of Lawrence as they grow and learn, and hope to continue to provide a sanctuary for citizens right in their own backyard. They are currently active in donating boat rentals and throwing free parties for the com munity with their “Float Local Friday” events.
can be a hassle, so we launched the club to remove the friction of boating,” Peter Meiusi explains. The club purchased a wakeboard boat, tritoon and fishing boats, and club members have unlimited ac cess to the vessels. The club is responsible for boat storage, maintenance, cleaning, in surance, purchasing of watersports toys and life jackets. Members simply make reservations and show up. “Our club boats-to-family ratio is roughly 40% lower than the national average, and club members even have ac cess to all five of the marina’s rental boats.” Customized software allows members to se lect items such as pizza, beer, ice, etc., and have it waiting for them on the boat upon ar Therival.
The Museums outdoor patio hosts families, cook outs, concert and theater
A Most Precious Resource
Clinton Lake provides a valuable asset to the community, which, in turn, brings visitors and dollars to the area, adding even further support, the Corps’ Jones explains. “Ultimately, all the agencies and groups managing the lands and waters around the lake are working toward the same goal—protecting the people and the resources. So I believe we all work quite well together. As the landowners, we oversee the overall operations, but each other agency or group plays a vital role to help manage according to their specialty.
p
Marin Massa searches old photographs for the Lawrence Business Magazine
next to the marina store with furniture, lighting and speakers. They are partnering with the KU School of Architecture to design a new canopy for this space. “While we aim to continue to be family-focused and have zero intention of becoming a bar, we are also looking at options to add two or three draft beer heads so people can come hang out above the water and have a drink,” Peter Meiusi explains. “We envi sion live music and other patio events next year and beyond.”
“Clinton Lake hosts a thriving community of outdoor enthusiasts. The lake is truly a community resource, (to) which we invite all to come enjoy in one fashion or another,” she adds. “The Corps of Engineers and all who help manage Clinton Lake do great work … fostering that love of the resources, which will encourage proper management of our shared resources for generations to come.”
Meiusis feel the marina currently lacks a focal point, especially for those who don’t have a slip there. To address this issue, they plan to install a new 3,000-square-foot patio
Visitors explore one of the many exhibits hosted by the Wakarusa Museum
President of the Wakarusa River Valley Heritage Museum
42 customers. The No Coast Boat Club, Kansas City metro’s first boat club/boat subscription service, provides a unique, hassle-free boat ing “Boatexperience.ownership
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Originally opposed by an organization called “Citizens for a Sane Sixth and Wakarusa,” which was against the pro posal by developers The Peridian Group, the initial 2003 defeat would see backing from the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce and recommendations against such a de velopment by the Kansas Department of Transportation, with state officials writing, “The demand is being allowed to outstrip the supply, and failure of the arterial corridor will be the result.”
During the last 25 years, the intersection at Sixth and Wakarusa streets in West Lawrence has grown from empty fields to a collection of shopping complexes, rivaling the more established south Iowa corridor. Beginning with the development of the Wakarusa Commons by the Bristol Groupe in 1996, at the south west corner, followed by the Westgate Shopping Center in 1999, on the southeast corner, it seemed as though the west side of Lawrence was ending the millennium on an upswing. However, a Walmart store at the northwest corner of the intersection originally proposed in March 2003 would see more than half a decade of legal wrangling and commu nity discussion before it eventually opened in April 2009.
After plans reduced the size of the building to half of the initial plan of 200,000 square feet, the store would even tually open in April 2009, a full three years after another development, Bauer Farms, was opened at the intersection’s northeast corner.
It’s been something to watch, says Dan Chandler, owner of the Salty Iguana, 4931 W. Sixth St. As one of the first tenants in the Wakarusa Commons center, he’s had the
Construction of Rock Chalk Park and the continuing expansion of housing near the intersection of Sixth and Wakarusa have contributed greatly to the success of its local food and beverage businesses.
In Good
“Inesses.would say that Rock Chalk Park changed the demo graphics, because after KU was not in session, the sum mer months used to be just horrific for sales,” Chandler recalls. “And now, with the center being out there (near) Rock Chalk Park, summer months are not near as bad as what they used to be.”
Init.”
Company
45 Walmart to bring business to his side of town, Chandler points to the construction of Rock Chalk Park as being the real game changer for his and the surrounding busi
Salty Iguana’s two decades-plus in Wakarusa Commons, Chandler has seen a lot come and go as his res taurant has become the granddaddy of the Sixth and Wa karusa dining establishments. There’s been turnover two or three times, he says, not only in shops but in owner ship of the center. However, while one might’ve expected
While that’s the biggest change, Chandler goes back to the rooftop explosion he’d anticipated all those years before: “The rooftops have grown around us, and people don’t like to drive clear to the other side of town to eat. It’s gotta be something special for them to go over there, because there’s many options now in Lawrence.”
The Salty Iguana
long view ever since he began the improvements to move into the space 23 years ago. He chose what was, at the time, a remote spot because he feels he knows Lawrence
“Iwell.felt like that was the area where rooftops are going to explode, which has proven out,” Chandler explains from his retirement home of California. “That was where all the growth was. All the restaurants were over on the other side, but we always look at rooftops. Mom and Dad, and two kids—that’s what we’re after, so that’s why we chose
by Nick Spacek, photos by Steven Hertzog and Nick Spacek
“Without question, that’s a huge amenity, being that it’s community-based and half university-based,” Cramer says.
He says he feels Rock Chalk has helped the prestige of the neighborhood, and it’s a major reason why more con dos and apartment are being built.
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“One of the biggest things is a tremendous number of condos and apartments that have been built far ther out toward Rock Chalk and farther out,” Cramer explains. “Five years ago, a lot of those condos and apartments that are out there didn’t exist yet.”
Steven Cramer, owner of J&S Coffee (4821 W. Sixth St.), agrees. While he’s only owned his store for about five years after purchasing it from original owners, Joe and Sarah Farthing, in 2017, Cramer sees Sixth and Waka rusa as an excellent location, especially for his particular business. For him, it wasn’t so much a decision as an op portunity to take over an already-thriving business.
“I think that was a very good decision, because that par ticular area has continued to develop and grow,” Cramer says. “It’s actually one of the best places in Lawrence right now with a lot of convenience stores and food, and places like that. Very nice area to be in.”
He points to the same things Salty Iguana’s Chandler did, the housing expansion and Rock Chalk Park, having con tributed to the uptick in people coming through his doors.
The residential construction continued to increase as the commercial was built up, he continues, adding that the whole section around Walmart, with Old Chicago and Spin Pizza, was all built after he purchased J&S Coffee.
Those living units bring folks into J&S, he says, but so does Rock Chalk.
Steven Cramer, owner of J&S Coffee greeting a customer Customers sit outdoors, Steven and his staff, from left to right: Janessa Picotte, Sam Cramer, Steven Cramer, Mayzie Herreman (front kneeling), Mason Fowler (back row), Halli Horner (middle row), JT Jones Barista Halli prepares a capucino, and booths line the back wall inside J&S
“It has continued to grow, but the residential expansion, I think, was a big trigger on that just because there’s so many more living units out there.”
“A lot of people come in for coffee after their workout,” Cramer says. “A great many of those were at Rock Chalk, but there’s also other gyms in the area, as well. We have an incredible clientele, and we have a very universal de mographic and sociocultural mix.”
Survive and Thrive
JB Stouts, an upscale sports bar, was the main anchor at the south end, he explains, along with Hereford House as the north anchor. The steak house struggled for a time before closing, with a series of restaurants— including a Famous Dave’s barbecue fran chise—opening and shuttering before Six Mile Chop House finally succeeded.
“The first shopping complex that came out here was across the street over there, built by DiVilbiss (of The Bristol Groupe),” Renfro says, pointing to Wakarusa Commons. “That was that whole big thing over there. And they opened a bar, and there was nothing on this corner. There was nothing on that corner. Walmart wasn’t here—none of that stuff.”
He says Mariscos went really well, but it was slow in the early days of Sixth and Waka rusa’s expansion. “I felt sorry for Dillons, because I didn’t think they were gonna make it, and now they’re … the busiest Dillons store
JB Stouts was started by the eventual owner of Six Mile, Brad Ziegler, who was in partner ship with two others. Knowing that Westgate would be coming in, they didn’t want another sports bar with which to compete, so the trio went to the Johnny’s Group hoping to open a fine-dining restaurant to lock up the space, but one of the partners didn’t want to go in.
J. Wilson’s owners Rick and Nancy Renfro with Manager Lisa Wall
“They came to the Johnny’s Group and talk ed us into buying a third of JB Stouts and a third of this, which was called Mariscos,” Renfro explains. “We’ve been here six years as [J. Wilson’s], and we were here for 12 or 13 years as Mariscos, so 20 years-plus.”
Not Another Sports Bar
Rick Renfro is co-owner with his wife, Nancy, of J. Wilson’s (4821 W. Sixth St. Suite A), located just west of J&S in Westgate. The space used to be the fine-dining establish ment Mariscos until a rebranding six years ago. Renfro is a member of the Johnny’s Group, which owns 13 Johnny’s Taverns in the Kansas City-Lawrence metro area, in cluding Johnny’s West (721 Wakarusa), which is located right across Wakarusa from J. Wilson’s.
in town. The last 20 years, we’ve seen this whole corner rise up, and it’s all supported by all these housetops.”
While Mariscos did well enough, after a while, it was time to rebrand, Renfro says. He attributes that restaurant’s longevity to “deep pockets,” but the rebrand to J. Wil son’s let the restaurant become an adjunct not only to the Johnny’s franchise but also to what Renfro himself enjoys.
“I think a lot of it has to do with me personally,” the restaurateur says, “because I like to go to a beer joint, like Johnny’s in North Lawrence, but I also like to go to an upscale sports bar that has all the TVs going and all that. Then, I also enjoy fine dining, so it’s Renfroperfect.”recalls
It was a little longer here than Renfro thought it was going to be, he admits, saying that if he was the lone financial decision-maker, he would’ve gotten out and walked away from it a decade ago.
“But because I was able to hang in there, I figured it was gonna come,” he says. Given that early expansions in Kansas City happened at 119th and Glenwood, and on Ridgeview Road in Olathe—two locations where there was next to nothing nearby— only to see massive growth and expansion in the years since they opened, one has to admit that Renfro certainly knows about what he speaks.
not only the buildup of the corners on which his restaurant exists but also that of the Walmart across the street. When Mariscos first opened, the only thing at the northwest corner was a big shed with a dirt floor used by the Uni versity of Kansas rugby team for practice space, he remembers. However, that ties into the grander plan for Johnny’s as it has “Whenexpanded.we started expanding our Johnny’s stuff, typically we’ve gone in on the out skirts of wherever something’s going on in Johnson County or Kansas City, and we’ve had to wait until it came to us,” Renfro ex plains. “I was used to that, and I knew that was gonna happen.”
(T to B) J. Wilson Dining Room Sunday brunch on the patio The Bar and Dining inside J.Wilson’sat
Steve Wilson, co-owner of City Wine Market (4821 W. Sixth St. Suite N), might have placed the business he and Jamie Routledge started in 2010 at their location for different reasons, but it’s been no less successful.
“We were wanting a West Lawrence location,” Wilson explains. “This is less significant, but we wanted it northfacing so that we didn’t have sun shining in our windows, which damages liquor products; but we really wanted to find a hub for neighborhoods.”
Steve Wilson, co-owner of City Wine Market prepares for a wine tasting in their tasting room
The store is more of a bottle shop where he and Rout ledge hand-select everything, he points out, as opposed to a regular liquor store. So with the layout of the location and how it’s situated, he says it’s been great for them.
Neighborhood Hub
These business owners have rolled with the many chang es on the west side, and they’ve managed to remain sta “Ible.live in West Lawrence, my business partner and I went to high school in Lawrence, and we can remember back when Wakarusa was largely dark and bordered by fields,” City Wine Market’s Wilson recalls. “Just seeing what had happened even up to the middle 2000s was pretty im pressive. In looking at Westgate Center, we looked at who was in that center, and they were businesses that would not compete with ours. They would be, in some cases, very complementary. Most of the businesses that we looked at as great examples of the success of that shopping center are still there today, which is not totally typical in retail.”
View From the Top
“I was the sole owner of Mariscos for four years,” says Renfro of J. Wilson’s. “Prior to that, I had partners, but I feel like this is a continuation of that original business. I haven’t changed my kitchen hardly at all. We got all new booths and furniture and all that—new floor, new walls— but the bones were there. So I think it’s been longer in my mind than seven years. I think I’m over the hump. I think this place will be all right.”
We have a lot of people ask us if we were sad to leave Seattle, and yes, we were sad to leave Seattle. We loved it. It was hard to leave there, but it was very easy to move back to Lawrence.”
“I consider ourselves fortunate that we’re in the midst of that whole coffee culture of Lawrence,” J&S Coffee’s Cra mer says. “It’s a lot of fun because I hear stories—everybody’s story. People are phenomenal, if you understand some of the background of some of the people that you’re sitting with.
“It makes sense,” he explains. “It’s one of the areas in Lawrence that doesn’t butt up against a river or another river. Basically, you’ve got the Kansas River in the north and the Wakarusa in the south, and that kind of boxes you in. Eudora is to the east, so the west is really the place that growth most logically would happen. And the location has, like I said, provided us great access to that growth.”
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“We have access to a wide array of neighborhoods in West Lawrence because of Sixth and Wakarusa,” Wil son says. Interestingly, he offers another perspective on what’s driven growth in the area. While acknowledging that Rock Chalk Park plays a big role in helping drive business to the intersection, he points out that West Lawrence, and the area where City Wine Market is located, is a unique opportunity for expansion.
Usually, when traveling down Wakarusa, we are on a mission to get my daughter to soccer practice or a game not looking at the various companies that are located in this West Lawrence area. However, there are tales about companies that are doing unique or interesting work, quietly going about their business making positive changes in our community and beyond.
by Darin White, photos by Steven Hertzog
A Microtech Super Computer
Hiding in Plain Sight
These businesses serve our community and beyond with their unique products and services, boosting our economy.
53 Besides animation studios such as Pixar, many other com panies and government agencies use supercomputers for many different applications. Some Microtech clients include the Department of Energy, the Department of Defense, NASA, a large number of university laboratories and Fortune 1000 companies. Some examples of supercomputers in use include branches of scientific research, weather prediction, biochemistry, medical imaging and oil and gas. The compa ny has clients all across the United States, and most of its work is in the U.S., but some of its clients have locations in other countries.
Supercomputers Among Us
What is a supercomputer? “It’s a lot of servers con nected together to build a supercomputer,” Dana ex plains, “with a high-speed interconnect, a high-speed network. If a computer runs by itself, it has limited power; but if you link hundreds of computers together, it becomes extremely powerful.”
Whencenter.youthink
Supercomputers require a lot of power and horse power to be able to compute the data and perform the tasks they are given. Microtech also developed the software that allows the parts to communicate effec tively to support the supercomputer, which are hosted at a data center, or a grouping of supercomputers. There could be hundreds of supercomputers in one data
A new generation of 192-CPU (Central Processing Unit) cores in a “pizza box” from AMD are reported to be available in 2023. These new-generation proces sors save more energy, making them much more en vironmentally friendly, requiring fewer computers and saving power and packaging boxes.
Dana Chang President and CEO of Microtech/ computerBuildingTechnologiesAtipaasuperintheirshop
In the mid ’80s, Dana Chang graduated from the Uni versity of Kansas (KU) with a focus in computer sci ence and, in 1986, started Microtech Computers with a partner. She has served as its president and CEO since 2019. Microtech has been located in two differ ent locations, both near Wakarusa Street, since its in ception. The company began by creating customized, high-end workspaces and computer labs for its cus tomers, which include university research facilities, government agencies and other organizations with specific requests about how their computing systems are assembled. By 2002, Microtech had started Atipa Technologies, producing supercomputers.
about data centers, you might think of images of a computer from the 1960s that would take up an entire room. However, each supercomputer takes up little space. The servers are very high den sity, and as Chang notes,“[They are] about the size of an extralarge pizza box, 19 inches wide by 26 inches deep by 4 inches tall.” A data center may have 20 to 24 servers in a space. Now, cue images from movies with black boxes in a room and light pulsing on the front of each box.
My assignment was to find out about a few of these companies around Wakarusa Street, to pull back the curtain on any mysteries and to note anything that would be of interest.
The first Sigler location opened on Sixth Street and is currently the busiest of the two Lawrence stores because of its visibility, which is accessed off Folks Road, just west of Capital Federal Bank, at 4525 W. Sixth St. The West location is inside of Lawrence Family Medical Practice at 4951 W. 18th St., west off of Wakarusa and south off 18th..It’s tucked back behind a cluster of commercial buildings. The drive-through pharmacy is extremely easy to access, Sigler says, and the staff is committed to personal and quick service, as well as getting the customer in and out quickly. Clients come from as far as Paola and Eudora because of Sigler’s reliability, care and service.
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Getting to know about Sigler clients and their families through sincere care not only helps the pharmacy offer more holistic support but also provides better services. The pharmacy offers most of the same services you might find in a corporate-owned chain drugstore, including free delivery and competitive pricing. Because it’s independent, Sigler of fers flexibility and the ability to think outside of the box, as well as a personal, caring touch.
Jeff Sigler, owner of Sigler Pharmacy
Sigler Pharmacy doesn’t have a supercomputer; however, the industry in which it performs has certainly benefited from their use. There is plenty of cutting-edge technology upon which the pharmacy relies, and it is focused on providing small-town, personalized services in a mid-sized city.
Jeff Sigler, PharmD, founded Sigler Pharmacy in 2005 and has his roots in independent pharmacies. His first pharmacy job was at Raney’s Drug Store in downtown Lawrence, where he worked for 10 years. He worked as the manager for the Hy-Vee pharmacy for 10 years, as well. Originally from Olathe, Kansas, Sigler completed prepharmacy courses at Emporia State University and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy, and his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Kansas.
Where Everyone Knows Your Name
As he points out, “A lot of (this service) is just being respectful of our patients and their time. We know their time is valu able. We want to do everything we can to make their visit pleasant and quick so they don’t have to wait.”
Sigler Pharmacy is one of the few local pharmacies to compoundsmake
“Downtown off of Mass. Street, with a drive-through ... which I think will be really important,” Sigler says. “An independent pharmacy in downtown Lawrence, that was really one of my dreams. It’s near and dear to my heart.”
Be on the lookout for a new Sigler Pharmacy location, which will open in the somewhat-near future at 11th and Vermont streets, in the former Capital Federal building. It feels like coming full circle for Sigler from when he worked downtown at Raney’s Drugs at his first pharmacy job.
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In addition to providing services to its customers, the pharmacy likes to give back to the community. Dur ing the COVID-19 pandemic, it supplied vaccinations at retirement homes at the request of Douglas County. Working with volunteers at Theatre Lawrence, it of fered clinics to those wanting to be vaccinated. The KU School of Pharmacy asked the pharmacy to set up a clinic, as well. In addition, the pharmacy provides curbside COVID-19 testing at its locations. It has dispensed close to 40,000 vaccines since they have been offered.
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“We still honor that (working with the land). We put a lot of emphasis that what we do needs to match the ground,” Struble explains. “We want to be supportive of everything that goes on around it (the land) versus fighting it. In engineering, we can always move things around ... we don’t want to do that. We want to work with what we have. Have it fit the natural environment. It’s probably the original meaning of the word sustainable.”
“We call ourselves urban engineers ... We like to design neighborhoods,” he continues. “Most engineers think about plat lots (a planned or physical piece of land) and build streets. We want to build a community. Build a place that is walkable—a place where people want to live.”
Landplan Engineering is an offshoot of the 1970s landscape architectural company Pe ters, Kubota and Glenn. At the time, it was difficult to find engineering companies that un derstood the importance of land planning and that it should be incorporated into their servic es, explains Philip Struble, the last partner at the firm who eventually became the owner in the 1980s. Brian Kubota had the idea to start a business for this missing market, naming it Landplan Engineering. In the 1970s, most en gineers were providing square, block-shaped streets. Kubota looked at the natural form of the land and worked with the existing features.
Landplan also designs shopping centers. Rather than focusing on designing a shopping center, its focuses on designing a place where people want to go—working through design challenges to help keep people safe in all types of traffic while still providing attractive land scaping, Struble says.
Change is part of the process for land planning. Not only do peoples’ needs for land change, but project needs may shift in the middle of a project or later. Landplan works with the City to make adjustments needed to fit the current needs of a project, Struble explains. Land-use models have changed over time, some with very good reasons. For example, the redesign of 23rd Street is part of a new plan that has a more protected turnoff with a frontage road and fewer direct turnoffs, which will help with traffic
Building Communities
Perhapspromote.we
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There are many challenges in planning urban and suburban spaces. One example is the cul-de-sac. Cities find one issue after the next with them, including difficulties fitting fire engines, snow removal and trash pickup, in addition to other issues. On the other hand, developers love them because the lots cost more, ultimately bringing them more money. People like these types of areas for a number of reasons, Struble says, including a safer area for their children to play and the community they cre ate. Landplan is working on some good solutions to these and other challenges.
Landplan Engineering has continued to grow, pay ing very close attention to the market trends and working with real estate agents and home builders. Its client base consists of those not looking to cre ate the same project but to make something new and better than before. Overall, city governments are becoming more regulatory-oriented, which in cludes adding regulatory codes for new products such as solar panels or additions such as motherin-law homes. However, Struble has seen and be lieves there are other ways cities can become cre ative in growth and learning to limit regulation while maintaining the urban planning ideas the city wants to
flow and reduce accidents. This type of improve ment comes about over time as needs arise. Landplan works as a liaison between the landown er and the regulating governments, he continues. When clients hire Landplan with an idea about what they want to do with their land, Struble and his team do the best they can within the restrictions and codes to make the customer’s ideas a reality.
need to get a supercomputer involved in figuring out some of these challenges. These is sues come down to caring about our community, taking part, giving back, interacting and kindly com municating as we support one other in this amazing city, he adds. This is an opportunity to look for new, creative ideas without disposing of those that make our city a wonderful place to live and do business. When you are driving down the streets of Lawrence, keep an eye out for businesses creating interesting and distinctive commerce. There may be sectors, services or products we didn’t even know existed. They are all around us and represent Lawrence here and around the world. p
Alliance:Western
by Matthew Petillo, photos by Steven Hertzog and KU Athletics
In the eight years since it opened, Rock Chalk Park has delivered on its promise to maintain a comfortable community space where people can congregate and work out, as well as attract outside sporting events to boost the economy.
When Rock Chalk Park opened in 2014, the University of Kansas (KU) Track and Field team was able to move off of an outdated track that had fall en into disrepair.
And attract it did. Taylor Martin, the recreation facility operations supervisor, says the pavilion’s schedule is packed with tournaments, events and camps.
It’s safe to say that Rock Chalk Park is a wild success, both economically and sports wise. But how did it get here?
Rock Chalk Park & Sports Pavilion Lawrence
“We were probably one of two schools in the nation that had 440-yard tracks. That’s how outdated it was. And so, we were not able to host quality meets out there, because the requirement is having a 400-meter track,” says Stanley Redwine, the University’s track and field coach. “We practiced out there. We had to schedule our practices in the fall around football practices.”
“I’ve got it up to about 50 events for next year. You’re looking at 18 volleyball tournaments [and] 23 basketball tournaments,” Martin says. “We also worked with the University of Kansas as far as their volleyball and their Bill Self basketball camps each year, and then we have four craft fairs on the books and a pickleball tournament, as well. So we’re pretty much almost fully booked.”
And it wasn’t just track and field: Tennis, women’s soccer and softball all moved to brand-new spaces. With those new fields came the City’s Sports Pavilion Lawrence (SPL), a state-of-the-art recreation facility meant not just for the community to enjoy but also for Lawrence to attract conventions and tournaments.
Part of that was the ability to attract amateur sports events to the city, which in theory would have brought money in from outside of Lawrence. College sports teams, Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) tournaments and other sporting events were all believed to be the way forward for developing Lawrence.
Inviting Tournaments
“We want everybody to be able to go use the cen ter,” City Manager David Corliss said at the time to city commissioners.
frastructure needed to take Lawrence to the next level in terms of economic development opportunities, and now it is time to de liver,” he explained.
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Fast-forward eight years, and that vision seems to be coming true. The tournament schedule is full, and Hart says that despite the constant visitors, the pavilion has become a cultural center for Lawrence.
A New Beginning
Rock Chalk Park and Sports Pavilion Lawrence opened to the public at a reported cost of about $50 million. The difference between the two is im portant: One section is maintained in partnership with the University and KU Endowment, while the other section is completely maintained by the City of “RockLawrence.Chalk
big selling points of the complex at the time was that it would be free for all Douglas County residents to use.
In that year’s State of the City, Mayor Mike Dever said Rock Chalk Park was part of a new era that would attract new jobs and businesses to Law “Asrence.acommission, we’ve worked to build the in
Park was developed as a partner ship between the various groups, but as far as the City of Lawrence Parks and Recreation, we manage the Sports Pavilion Lawrence, which is the facility in that park, as well as the tennis courts that sit right outside of it,” says Lindsay Hart, assistant director for Lawrence Parks and
Part of the reason it’s become that cultural center is because Law rence Parks and Recreation has carved out a specific space for residents with exercise machines and classes.
As part of that mission, Martin says he is required to keep one court open for the community during events. However, he also says community members he’s spoken to don’t mind the constant events.
OneRecreation.ofthe
“It’s definitely a place where the community members…are feeling comfortable coming in and using it as their place to recreate,” Hart says. “We bring many visitors to town, which does have a posi tive impact on the community, as well. But we do a nice job of still providing space for the community to come in, use the cardio and the weights, and things like that, even when tournaments are go ing on. We really strive to continue to make it an easily accessible [and] friendly place for the community to come, as well as bringing in outside visitors for tournaments and big events.”
“I think community wellness is the reason we exist,” Hart says. “It’s why we offer all of our programming, all of our community centers, all these places for the community to recreate and be active. And so, we have done a great job of doing that not just at SPL but all over the city.”
Coach Redwine high fives one of his student athletes and answers questions to a reporter
Extraodinaryhoke-ley.com
KU Women’s soccer and Softball games at Rock Chalk Park
Interior Design
KU’s Sports Empire
The new facilities have also enabled KU to host events separate from Lawrence Parks and Rec. In 2017, KU hosted the USA Track and Field National Junior Olympics at the track and field facility. Part of the reason KU was able to host what Redwine calls a “huge win” was be cause the track was an IAAF Class I Certified track.
“I think what the new facility has done, it gives us a better opportunity,” he explains. “The surface in itself is a more
Taylor Martin and Lindsay Hart in front of SPL, an SPL trainer works with a client, pickleball and the weight room
The types of tournaments the pavilion hosts are vast. And the venue has been moving into bigger events, such as college-recruitment events and AAU tournaments. These events have been adding prestige to the building as a host, and Martin says he’s noticed an uptick in interested “Itournaments.trytorecruit
“We get a lot of positive responses. We get people that come out here and work out, and those that work out on the treadmills and watch an hour or two of great basket ball,” he explains. “So we get a lot of positive responses, and you know, people come out here just in the commu nity to watch the events, as well.”
That track has also enabled Redwine to conduct better practices, he says.
tournaments that I see that are successful when other states are in the region. And I’ve noticed that I’m getting a lot more responses last year (than) I’ve got in the last few years,” Martin says. “I’ll get requests where I’ll have multiple requests for a weekend. So, I’ll have to sit down and figure out which one’s best for us at that time.”
The Economics of Tournaments
The City of Lawrence is also able to gain money from these tournaments through taxes and economic develop ment. Martin says between hotels, food and shopping, the economic impact to Lawrence is huge.
advanced surface than it was at Memorial Stadium. So from that perspective alone, we’re healthier.”
Despite being close in proximity, KU rents out its facilities separately from the Sports Pavilion and the City of Law rence. However, both University and City keep in close contact and help one another maintain fields and roads surrounding the facility. Redwine says the KU sports de partment maintains a close relationship with the City to make sure it is consistently attracting sports events.
“We always like to just focus on the fact that we’re offering wellness for our community,” he explains. “… We’re pretty proud of what we’re able to offer.” p
“That’s a goal. And I think that’s an end goal, that it just depends on how much we can get accomplished between now and when it’s time to host a meet,” he adds.
“It just has a better cohesive atmosphere,” he says. “At Memorial Stadium, we’re hosting relays, and we were hosting meets. But that was a 55,000-seat stadium. And in having 10 to 15,000 people inside of a 55,000-seat sta dium, it made it look quite empty. (At) Rock Chalk Park, if you have a 10,000-seat stadium, and you’re putting 10,000 people in a 10,000-seat stadium, it’s a sellout. And so more people want to come and be a part of that.”
The track, along with the new stadium and the upgraded facilities, have all been important when recruiting new athletes. Redwine says recruits are interested in every thing the team can offer, including facilities.
“Recruits are not just interested in the academic part,” Redwine says. “They’re also interested in the bells and whistles of what a facility brings. And it allows us to show quality bells and whistles.”
“We also have a concessionaire inside our facility, where
Martin says that at the moment, the Sports Pavilion is just focusing on amateur and high school sports events. He says that part of his job, managing the NCAA calendar, brings certain challenges.
Much of the money the City of Lawrence and KU are able to make off of events is from rental fees. Although the amount of money from the facilities is not easily available, LPRD’s Martin says that rental fees aren’t the only way the City makes money.
One of the biggest differences in KU Track and Field’s new venue is the seating capacity. While Memorial Sta dium has an official seat count of 47,000, Rock Chalk Park’s venue can only handle about 10,000 fans. Despite a 75% reduction in potential capacity, Redwine says he is fine with the audience arrangements.
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“To be honest, the NCAA recruiting calendar plays a large part in my job, as well. They seem to make changes late, and a lot of the tournaments that I host, basketball tour naments, out here need to have specific dates because of the recruiting calendar,” Martin says. “So when those changes happen with the NCAA recruiting calendar, that kind of puts a wrench in my thing, because then I have to try to please those tournament directors and make sure they have top talent coming here.”
we take a portion of their revenue. And Sandbar Subs does a great job for us,” he adds. “During volleyball tour naments, they can bring in a pretty crazy amount of mon ey, because these volleyball teams kind of just stay here all day. [They] have breakfast and lunch here, and then end up going out into the community for dinner at that time. So your revenue source [is] through rentals, through the tournament fees and … we get a little bit of that cut from the concessionaire, as well.”
Redwine says it’s a goal for him to start to get professional athletes on KU’s fields, something which is already hap pening. Sporting Kansas City II, a Major League Soccer Next Pro team, regularly holds its home games at Rock Chalk Park’s soccer field, already home to KU’s Women’s Soccer team.
“There has to be a collaboration between KU and the City of Lawrence,” he explains. “When I say we want to put those things out there, that’s just the initial part of it. Now our administration has to be in agreement with the City of Lawrence in order to make those things happen. There’s a sports commission in the City that will help on the bids and everything else. So just the total details of hosting a meet like that.”
It’s not hard to see the success of both KU’s new fields and the City of Lawrence’s facilities eight years on. As Hart says, it has always been about the community.
“I go out on the weekend, and I see Johnny’s West full of six volleyball teams. And when you’re talking volleyball teams, you’re talking 10 players plus parents plus siblings, maybe grandparents; so you’re looking at a pretty good bill once they go out for dinner,” he explains. “We worked with the hotels a lot during the pandemic to get things started again, and they’re pretty happy with the success and number of events that we’re hosting out here.”
Johnny’s West opened near Sixth and Wakaru sa in 2009, and Lawrence Beer Co. (LBC) West opened at Bob Billings and Wakarusa in 2019. Each of the West Lawrence outposts differenti ates itself from the original, while also staying true to its core brand.
East vs. West
The expansion of Johnny’s to West Lawrence came at a time when the owner of Johnny’s original location in North Lawrence, Rick Renfro, and his partners were looking to take the Johnny’s brand larger scale in Kansas City. Two Johnny’s locations opened in John son County in the 1990s, but the expansions kicked into high gear and even crossed the Kansas-Missouri border in the late 2000s. In many ways, Johnny’s West more closely resembles the Kansas City locations than the original tavern, but the West location still has its “We’readvantages.really
Here’s something to add to those conversa tions: Lawrence is big enough to have two lo cations of the same local restaurant, if one of those locations is in West Lawrence. It’s true for both Johnny’s Tavern and Lawrence Beer Co., one a longtime stalwart, the other a rela tive newbie. Both have found success in West Lawrence in addition to their original locations in central Lawrence.
It’s a perpetual conversation among Douglas County residents: Is Lawrence a small town or a big city? Depends on who you ask. Many a chat goes something like, “Lawrence is big enough for ‘x,’ but small enough for ‘y.’ ”
by Emily Mulligan, photos by Steven Hertzog
These restaurants have established a unique vibe and following for themselves on both sides of Lawrence.
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lucky being in Lawrence and being near Johnny’s North, because Johnny’s North is its own entity and its own legend. It’s got so much history that it’s really cool to be here and see where it comes from,” says Justine Johns, Johnny’s West general manager since Lawrence2013.Beer Co. didn’t wait so long between its founding and its expansion to the west. The original LBC opened in East Lawrence in 2017, with the goal of being a neighborhood gathering spot in the then-recently established Warehouse Arts District, where people could walk or bike over to meet friends, owner Matt Williams says. Originally, there was no intention to do any more than brew beer and share food with friends, eastside-style. But when the particular spot
Justine Johns, general manager at Johnny’s West
From East to West
Banquet Room on TriviaNight Guest enjoying the pizza The Johnny’s Bar Justine conversing with customers during lunch
Location, Location, Location
“What we found is that people’s busy lives only allow them to ven ture closer to home to have time at the brewery, and LBC West would be closer to some people’s homes,” he says. “A lot of the hard part of opening a restaurant is gaining the trust of and en dearing yourself to the community. We had already done that. We weren’t some new, unproven restaurant.”
opened up in the shopping center just south of Bob Billings, Wil liams saw it as a solution for a segment of his customers.
The particular spaces for each of these West Lawrence locations were as much of a factor in the decision as anything else for both restaurants. Johnny’s West took over former local restaurant JB Stout’s space. And it was in an existing shopping center that al ready had steady daily traffic. In 2017, Johnny’s West expanded and took over the space to the north of the restaurant, where it added two party rooms that could accommodate 100-person par ties—a capacity Johnny’s North does not have.
Bothatmosphere.restaurants
have found that they have cultivated a distinct clientele for their westside locations, with only occasional overlap to their original locations, proving the expansions cast a wider net of customers instead of dissecting their core customer base.
For LBC, Williams says they liked the uniqueness of the West Lawrence space, in particular that it wasn’t the type of “building that exists everywhere.” With as much outdoor space as indoor space, they wanted to make it feel more like gathering with friends at their homes and in their backyards to have a beer and a sand wich, like residents in West Lawrence would do. Having a fireplace and Adirondack-style chairs in which to lounge adds to that
Inside and outside dining at The Lawrence Beer Company – West
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For Johnny’s West, Johns says that hosting the University of Kansas Athletics “Hawk Talk” radio shows with the KU foot ball coach and men’s and women’s basketball coaches has brought people to the restaurant and cemented it as a place to watch KU games in all seasons.
“We have a lot of new neighbors, which has expanded our business exponentially. New restaurants actually help us, be cause more people come our way,” Johns says.
Williams says that LBC has been “lucky” that the west loca tion has worked out even better than they thought. “What we found is that people who were at LBC East once a month now do LBC West about once a week,” he says, likely because of the shorter drive time from their homes. The East Lawrence location tends to draw about half of its business from people in the neighborhood or a short radius away, and the other half of its business comes from out-of-towners who are in nearby
Setting Themselves Apart
The TVs on the wall aren’t the only attraction to Johnny’s West. Because of its proximity to some other Lawrence and KU at tractions, the restaurant draws different core groups of cus tomers year-round. Youth sports tournaments at Rock Chalk Park can have a huge impact on business, Johns says, and often entire teams and their parents will show up for a meal between games or in the evenings after the competition. Having the expanded space accommodates those groups easily.
She explains that business used to drop off in the summer, but the tournaments have changed that entirely. And the Kan sas Relays are huge for business in April. Theatre Lawrence productions bring folks in for dinner or a drink before or after the show, and various events at Lawrence Free State High School also drive business, especially graduation and home football games.
An advantage to having two locations in a town the size of Lawrence is staffing. Of course, when it is the NCAA Championship game with every seat and table full, it doesn’t help much; but the rest of the time, collaborations are Johnspossible.saysJohnny’s
With the different clientele, both Johnny’s West and LBC West have food menus that diverge significantly from their original locations. Johnny’s West has the same menu as the 10 other Johnny’s Tavern locations in the Kansas City area, Johns says, which differs from the “hole-in-the-wall” feel of the menu at Johnny’s North. LBC West has about half of the same menu items as LBC in East Lawrence, Williams says. “West Lawrence is more casual, more deli items, with a quicker in and out that people seem to want,” he says. The LBC Burger is the best seller at both plac es, but the second- and third-most popular items at LBC West aren’t on the East menu at all: the Reuben sandwich and the hot ham-and-cheese sandwich.
tummies and parched throats on all sides of Lawrence can rejoice in the choice and save gas by hit ting the closest location of their favorite local restaurants. The town is indeed big enough for the two of them. p
“We’re lucky that we’re not corporate with people in offic es. The people who own also manage and actively work in the restaurants,” she adds.
owner Renfro is at Johnny’s West every day to check on the operation and staff. There are 15 partners who, combined, own all of the Johnny’s, so having one of those partners just across town is helpful when issues and ideas arise.
Williams says LBC has some staff members who work at both the east and west locations. “It helps the continuity between the two places,” he explains.
LBC has some grand ideas and plans to hold events in the near future that connect both locations, Williams adds. For one, the Lawrence Loop comes very close to each restaurant, so they are hoping to capitalize on that
Now that the Kansas City locations are well-established, Johns says Johnny’s West sometimes gets staff members who already have worked in a Johnny’s and are familiar with the menu and operations. It saves time on training, and the staff’s understanding of the brand enhances the customers’ experience.
Rumblingcreatively.
Working Together
downtown for any number of reasons and stop by to eat or have a beer. LBC West is almost entirely nearby neigh bors and regulars for lunch, happy hour and dinnertime.
The full kitchen at Arterra can be employed for on-site events, though most of the catering inventory is de
Exterior of Arterra –event gallery
“Starting2021.last year, we took over events that Arterra’s previous own ers had sold, and we fulfilled those
The Arterra space held appeal for many reasons, Maceli explains. For one, the West Lawrence location is different than downtown and poten
tially closer to home for some clients.
The timing for the expansion also co incides with Steve Maceli’s husband joining the catering and event opera tion. John Connolly retired from the University of Kansas in June after 38 years, most of those as graduate program coordinator for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Now, he will help oversee events at Arterra, where he had been helping out in the past year. Two of the couple’s sistersin-law also are coming on board, making the operation “even more of a big family business,” he says.
Steve Maceli says the Arterra purchase was finalized at the end of August, but Maceli’s, in its 27th year in business, had been partnering with Arterra on events at the space since June
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by Emily Mulligan, photos by Steven Hertzog
“It is smaller than our ballroom, so small events are nice there. There is an outdoor space, which we don’t have downtown, and it has landscaping and a patio. A lot of brides get married outside at Arterra. It’s a totally different vibe that is not at all what we already have,” he says.
A downtown caterer and event specialist has added a West Lawrence event space to its operations. Maceli’s banquet hall and catering, 1031 New Hampshire St., recently acquired Ar terra Event Gallery, 2161 Quail Creek Dr., and is hosting events at both venOwnerues.
“The golf course by Arterra is now de funct because they redesigned the course. So we have been planting hedges and stuff in the green space right next to us to the west.”
An Opportunity Brings New Life to a Long Time Business
contracts. We knew very quickly that applying the Maceli’s model at Arterra was going to be successful,” he says.
Arterra has a private parking lot, as well. The outdoor space is where Connolly first put his stamp. “He’s the landscaper in the family,” Maceli says.
Now you can hire the same company to cater and host your private event whether you want to be downtown or in West Lawrence.
A weekend wedding with indoor and outdoor space
Maceli sees the Arterra expansion as part of a new era for his business, particularly after improvising and surviving the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We were so tired trying to bring the business back last spring. But with Arterra, we were so giddy. How often do people in their 50s and 60s have the chance to reboot their lives? Arterra rebooted Maceli’s,” he says. p
livered and stored at the downtown Maceli’s build ing. Having the additional kitchen to help supple ment for very large events will be helpful, though, as Maceli learned this spring when Maceli’s catered the National Championship basketball banquet in April at Allen Fieldhouse. That event required both kitchens, with the staff meeting in the middle at the Fieldhouse to serve.
Stephen Maceli and John Connolly – co-owners of Arterra event gallery
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by Bob Luder
west in Lawrence moves residents and businesses out of flood zones, and
When it comes to the growth of communities through the years, the general trend has shown cities growing toward one other, melding together. Think about it. Anyone who’s made the drive between Los Angeles and San Diego finds it hard to differentiate ever coming out of one city and into the other. The Denver/Colorado Springs/Fort Collins corridor on the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains has become one huge metroplex of civilization. And don’t even get me started on the I-95 corridor in the northeastern part of the country. Then, there are the shifts in landscape and population of Lawrence as it pertains to the Kansas City (KC) metropolitan area. While Kansas City certainly has lived up to its side of the deal with expansion into western suburbs like Shawnee and Lenexa, Lawrence, which has prided itself in taking countercultural stances with the rest of the state in many as
Lawrence Kansas Flood Hazard Area https://lawrenceks.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=f11e9b2a57454839b970cf5ec15bc2a5Map
combination
new development and infill
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Moving to Higher
Expanding a of may the ticket for
well be
Lawrence moving forward.
West Lawrence was off and running. The 1980 opening of Clinton Lake exacerbated further development, and the
It’s as simple as that. Lawrence has learned the hard way throughout its history that there are areas north, east and south of the city that are prone to considerable and dam aging flooding during severe weather events. The worst flood in the city’s history occurred in 1951 and caused $3 million in damage, and nearly decimated all of North Lawrence. In 1993, the levees and reservoirs built follow ing the 1951 flood did their jobs, but flooding still resulted in $1.2 million in damage and $5.8 million to surrounding areas left unprotected.
Ground
By contrast, the west side of the city, which, prior to the 1970s, stretched no farther than Kasold Drive, featured rolling, wooded terrain that proved to be a developer’s dream. As soon as one certain local developer pitched a public golf course to the city in the 1960s, and the city committed to providing infrastructure to support it, it seemed there was no stopping Lawrence’s march west.
Billings, a former University of Kansas star student, bas ketball player and employee, teamed with some friends, purchased 460 acres of undeveloped land west of Kasold and between 15th and 23rd streets, and built Lawrence’s first public golf course, Alvamar, in the late 1960s (the course opened in 1968). Almost immediately, the 7,485yard, 18-hole, par-72 layout attracted widespread atten tion with its zoysia fairways and tee boxes, and immacu late bent grass greens.
Teeing Up Development
“Going east has always been a little difficult because of the Wakarusa River and floodplain,” says Jeff Crick, di rector of Lawrence’s Planning and Development Servic es. “That area of the Wakarusa blooms and gets wider south of town, and the floodplain blooms down on that side of things.”
71 pects, has gone the other way. Instead of spreading city development east and making Lawrence/Eudora/DeSoto/ Shawnee/KC its own metroplex, from the late 1970s to today, Lawrence has grown west, away from the KC meWhy?tropolis.It turns out the answer lies in the simple lay of the “Lawrenceland. expanded west because it was easy,” says Price Banks, a retired Lawrence attorney who was the city’s planning director from 1982 to 1994. “To the south, you had the Wakarusa River. To the north and east, you had the Kansas River and lowlands. Out west was high land. You could more easily put services in. Engineers liked it. It was easy to put infrastructure in.”
Golfers came from all around—mainly Kansas City and Topeka in addition to locally—to play, and the increased traffic quickly increased adjacent land values. That led to the development of homes and neighborhoods surround ing the golf course. The increased residential population led to commercial development.
“I’d say the entire area was heavily influenced by Bob Bill ings,” says Brian Kubota, who founded Landplan Engi neering in 1978 and helped develop and design the land scape for many areas of West Lawrence.
In more recent times, heavy rains have caused the banks of the Wakarusa to overrun, and floodwaters have reached as far north as 23rd Street and beyond.
“Today, we’re seeing trends of people wanting to be back downtown,” he says. “People want walkability in shopping and entertainment, eating. People tell me they like to live downtown to have a sense of Lawrence. More people are retiring to Lawrence, and they’re wanting to be down where a lot is going on.”
“Alvamarwest. caused a lot of infrastructure to be built,” says Kubota, who came to town in 1969 as city planner and landscape architect for then-City Manager Ray Wells. “The water main along the trafficway. There’s a new wa ter plant and main sewer line.”
“Having that plant allows for growth,” Crick says. “Streets, parks, fire coverage … . Constructing is one cost, but maintaining this infrastructure over the years is Foranother.”example,
Crick says a “water pressure zone” west of Kansas 10 would come at an estimated cost to the city of approximately $12 million. Future projects extending Bob Billings Parkway and West Sixth Street are estimat ed to cost approximately $18 to $19 million. Sewer-line alignments for future developments in West Lawrence would likely cost around $22 million, and some of the cost would be covered by the developments.
“We’ve seen a lot of permit activity in the southeast part of town,” Crick says. “There’s also a lot of infill devel opment closer to downtown. And another cluster out by Rock Chalk Park.”
One is a section of land just west of the South Lawrence Trafficway and north of Clinton Lake State Park, stretch ing from south of Bob Billings Parkway up to U.S. 40. That land has a high ridge running through that makes it good for stormwater drainage, and the Wakarusa Wastewater Treatment Plant is close enough to serve it. Another is ground adjacent to Lawrence Nature Park and Martin Park, about a half-mile north of Free State High School and east of Rock Chalk Park.
say West Lawrence doesn’t feel like Law rence,” Crick says. “But I think it does. It just has its own feel.”
Kubota, who planned a lot of the streets in West Law rence and developed with Jeff Hoffman the Villas at Alva mar and The Cove, says he foresees two areas prime for development in the coming years.
“Residential goes where it wants in many aspects,” Crick says. “All require infrastructure and connectivity.”
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As much as Lawrence has expanded in recent decades, it might not be enough to accommodate the annual influx of newcomers wanting to call it home. Roughly 1,000 more people move to the city each year, Crick explains. The city typically issues 140 to 150 single-family resi dential permits each year. About double that number is needed to handle the influx, her adds.
“The city hasn’t been very aggressive on growth,” he says. “Some of that has to do with the politics of the City. There is a lack of affordable housing. But the counterpoint to that is land prices have gone up. A lot of people now are buying the land as an investment and not developing. “I think the city is ready to take off again, but it needs an other Bob Billings.”
“Becauseneeds.ofland being scarce and utilities being expensive, we’re seeing more infill,” he says. “It’s how you want it as a planner. You want to fill in the gaps.” p
Indeed, the infrastructure spurred by the development of Alvamar was the most key aspect of Lawrence’s expan sion. And the most expensive. A second water-treatment plant came online south of the city, as did a second sew er facility, all large civic investments.
“Somefamilies.people
opening of nine miles along the west side of the South Lawrence Trafficway in 1996 (the full trafficway opened in 2016), making for more easy access to Interstate 70 to Topeka or Kansas City, pushed activity even farther
Attorney Banks, for one, agrees with Kubota’s assess “Iment.think there will be more growth north and west,” he says. “The utility folks have spent a lot of money buying land and expanding capabilities. Development is going to follow However,that.”Kubota
Crick says the current trend he’s seeing is more toward infill development—tearing down or adapting older, exist ing structures closer to downtown and redeveloping that land, or finding what little available ground exists near the city’s core and developing that.
How the Future Looks
As far as Banks is concerned, a healthy combination of new development and infill is just the combination Lawrence
points out that he wouldn’t be surprised to see Lawrence’s expansion, especially westward, slow some in the near future.
Regardless of recent trends, West Lawrence will always be an attractive and sought-after section of Lawrence for aspiring residents, both young and old, single and
VAN Benchmark,GOphotos courtesy Van Go
IndianHASKELLArtMarket
76 THE CHAMBER Events
UNITED WAY photos by Trina Baker, Shellie Bender, & Mike Gunnoe
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Shelly is a Kansas native and a graduate of the University of Kansas; she holds a BFA in Visual Communication with a dual emphasis in Graphic Design and Illustration. She has more than 15 years of experience in the business, building expertise that includes display graphics, layout design, packaging design, typography, branding and identity, and concept development.
Early Childhood Online Resource Goes Live
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As Tallgrass Studios’ Director of Art, Shelly works to ensure that each client’s desired message and image is conveyed. She is responsible for the overall visual aspects of projects and for directing them from concept to completion.
Through TYKES Douglas County, Community Children’s Center helps families with young children to navigate the early childhood years when there is no formal infrastructure such as what is found at public elementary and secondary schools. The purpose of the website is to make it as easy for parents and caregivers of young children to find the information they need while highlighting local resources and connection.
Prior to joining the Chamber staff, O’Brien worked at Uplift Coffee where she served as the Director of Marketing and Events for 2 ½ years. While there, she led the effort in restructuring the business and marketing plan to reflect more of a mobile model, in order to not only survive the pandemic, but to thrive and expand. Uplift Coffee now has 2 Lawrence locations, along with a fully operational mobile Coffee Truck.
Community Children’s Center launched TYKES Douglas County, an online resource hub for all things early childhood. This comprehensive resource serves as a “one-stop shop” for Douglas County families, caregivers, and early childhood professionals who need information, education and connection to better support and care for children from birth to five years of age. The site is collaborative in nature with an early childhood professional team curating content from national, state and most importantly, local resources. Users navigate the site by topic or by age and stage to locate those resources that best reflect their child’s developmental level. Site visi tors can self-refer for support services via a form found in the website’s footer. Requests are triaged by Community Children’s Center staff through a referral platform which allows the organization to track and close the referral loop. The online hub “connects the dots” through logical pathways, complex filters, and seamless navigation to resources for Douglas County families with young children.
Shelly Albrecht loves a good puzzle, but her favorite kind of brainteaser isn’t a jigsaw, crossword, or Sudoku. Instead, she solves design challenges to fulfill the project needs for clients.
Chamber Welcomes New Director of Communications
“I am honored and beyond thrilled to join this dynamic team at The Chamber! Through my stint at Uplift Coffee, I had the privilege of working closely with The Chamber staff through Chamber Envoys, Leadership Lawrence and Chamber Cares. The leadership shown by this amazing group of individuals is the main reason I wanted to be part of this team.”
NEWS [ ]
“We are delighted that Krys has joined the Chamber. Her communication skills plus her life ex perience helping start a new business give her a unique perspective and voice which will add exceptional value to our team”, Bonnie Lowe, Chamber President and CEO said.
& PEOPLE ON THE MOVEMAKERS
Krys O’Brien has been named the Director of Communications for The Chamber, Lawrence, Kansas. O’Brien is responsible for maintaining and enhancing the integrity of the organizational message through the design and implementation of professional and effective communications across a variety of media.
Shelly Albrecht celebrates her 6-year work anniversary with Tallgrass Studios
Despite concerns over supply chain interruptions and tariff in vestigations, the U.S. solar industry saw record solar and energy storage demand in 2021. Good Energy Solutions can attest to this, having one of its busiest years yet. Solar Power World has recognized our company’s recent success by ranking us at No. 139 on the 2022 Top Solar Contractors list. The Lawrence-based company also achieved the top overall rank in the state of Kansas for solar installers.
HorizonPSA Expands Facility
The Top Solar Contractors list is developed each year by industry magazine Solar Power World to honor the work of solar install ers in the United States. Solar firms in the utility, commercial and residential markets are ranked by number of kilowatts installed in the previous year. Companies are grouped and listed by specific services, markets and states.
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“2021 was a banner year for Good Energy Solutions,” said Mal colm Proudfit, CEO of Good Energy Solutions. I am extremely proud of the entire team, as there was a lot of scaling up that had to happen in order for us to meet the demand in the market. We are excited for the future, as we expect to continue seeing rapid growth in the market for solar and electrical services. Overall, we are proud to serve our community and help families and businesses to reduce their fossil fuel consumption and lower their long-term energy costs.”
Good Energy Solutions - 2022 Top Solar Contractors
The new facility increases production capabilities and reduces lead times as HorizonPSI continues to offset supply chain issues to better support clients. The fabrication facility in Parsons, Kansas, has doubled produc tion potential while adding key equipment and processes to HorizonPSI’s manufacturing capabilities. This new facility is twice as large as the original in Lawrence helping to better keep up with increased customer demand. Along with the new square footage, HorizonPSI will be expanding their team at the new facility.
“Adding 50,000-square-foot production space is just the start, we have also acquired additional equipment to increase efficiencies,” said Wes Kuhl, President of HorizonPSI. “We are excited to be bringing these expanded capabilities to provide the best solutions for our customers every day.”
HorizonPSI, an engineering and manufacturing company that designs inno vative material handling and automated transfer solutions for food, pet food, plastics and chemical manufacturers, has acquired a fabrication facility in Parsons, Kansas.
Be the first to correctly guess which local business figure works behind this desk. Winner receives a $50 gift card to 23rd Street Brewery. facebook.com/lawrencebusinessmagazine
WHOSE DESK ?
