The Topeka Capital-Journal | Sunday, August 27, 2017 | 1
2 | Sunday, August 27, 2017 | The Topeka Capital-Journal
Manhattan area deemed ‘Silicon Valley for biodefense’ By Morgan Chilson
morgan.chilson@cjonline.com
MANHATTAN — The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility is rising out of the ground, taking shape on the Manhattan skyline. It is a significant piece of the puzzle that is earning Manhattan the designation “Silicon Valley for biodefense.” The term came from former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle when he spoke at a December 2016 conference about biodefense, and it’s stuck. “Believe me, we’re trying to leverage that,” said Ron Trewyn, Kansas State University’s NBAF liaison. “It gets people’s attention to know that this is kind of a big deal. I truly believe we have more assets in the biodefense realm, bio-agro defense realm, here than anywhere in the country, perhaps in the world. That critical mass that allows you to solve these problems more quickly.” But “quick” is not the word of the day when it comes to NBAF, which is a project designed to teach patience. When the $1.25 billion federal facility was proposed in 2006, an original timeline projected opening in 2015, Trewyn said. Project delays pushed that date out to 2022 or 2023, but there’s still plenty to do as the 707,000-square-foot facility is built. “My focus is on then trying to do other things around NBAF, looking at other opportunities, other things we can leverage with this big $1.25 billion lab coming here,” Trewyn said. “We think that will open the doors for others wanting to either locate here in the region or to do work in that area here in the region.” The change in federal administration hasn’t had a significant impact on the project, Trewyn said, but all the NBAF officials are making contacts to educate everyone about the biological threats that NBAF research will fight. “Clearly the biological threat, I think, is being more recognized today than it was even a year ago,” he said. “Most of
Thad Allton/The Capital-Journal
The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility is slowly taking shape as Manhattan and Kansas State University work to prepare for the opening of the $1.25 billion facility in 2022 or 2023.
‘‘
Now, the enthusiasm, I’m convinced, is going to stay. It’s going to now get other entities interested in locating here beyond those that already have.” Ron Trewyn
Kansas State University’s NBAF liaison
the things focus on the human threat; most of those human threats are actually diseases that come from animals and in certainly many cases from food animals. It’s the sort of things where I think NBAF will play a pivotal role, not only in protecting animal health but human health, public health.” It’s challenging to maintain the interest level on such a longterm project. Although many companies contact Trewyn and Kansas State University about research opportunities as NBAF opens, it’s a long process to make things happen.
“Going way, way back to when we were first selected in January 2009 officially, we got hundreds of calls,” Trewyn said. But it took time for the funding to get in place, and maintaining high interest levels is challenging. “As I look back at some of the efforts we made to recruit entities here in the past, it always seems to take years,” he said. “These processes are never fast. Now, we didn’t get the final federal funding for the lab until 2015, and so they weren’t going to start the main lab without all the funding. Week to week,
you can see big changes on the site. Now, the enthusiasm, I’m convinced, is going to stay. It’s going to now get other entities interested in locating here beyond those that already have.” Critical mass — such as in Silicon Valley — makes a difference in business sectors. “The synergies that come, it’s not just an additive effect,” Trewyn said. “You get multiples of outcomes. Science moves faster when you have a lot of people working on similar problems. With as quickly as some of these diseases emerge and can overwhelm an area, you
need to have a lot of folks working in similar areas.” K-State’s Biosecurity Research Institute already is working on four of the diseases studied by NBAF, which pulls students and researchers into projects. “In many ways, we are helping to train the technical workforce for NBAF just with those projects going on,” Trewyn said. The potential is enormous. It’s helped, too, Trewyn said, by the appointment of Richard Myers as Kansas State University president. “Clearly President Myers has some name recognition globally, and that I think has helped us get the topic of agro-defense, protecting the food supply and agriculture onto the national stage a little higher than it was in the past,” he said. Myers is a retired four-star general in the United States Air Force and served as the 15th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He admitted that his “credibility around national security is still pretty high,” and he’s hoping to put not just NBAF but other K-State issues on the national stage. “Back when NBAF was awarded to Kansas, I think it was the speaker of the House who said it would have a bigger impact on Kansas than the railroad,” Myers said. “We know it’s going to be big. The doors won’t open until ’23; we think that’s far away, but it’s not. The beauty is I think it’s going to be really important for the state of Kansas, for the region, to have a one-of-a-kind facility in this country where we’re looking at some of the worst diseases, the transboundary diseases that move between humans and animals.” Like Trewyn, Myers sees the partnerships and collaborations that spring from NBAF as solid opportunities for K-State and Kansas “in ways that I don’t think we even know.” “The largest animal vaccine company in China is renting space in our new office park,” Myers said. “They want to be where the action is as well. I think it’s really exciting.”
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4 | Sunday, August 27, 2017 | The Topeka Capital-Journal
Downtown rocks 10 years after redevelopment By Luke Ranker
luke.ranker@cjonline.com
Thad Allton/The Capital-Journal
Jan Miller, owner of Steve’s Floral, is committed to downtown Manhattan. She owns her building, which is also home to The Winged Lion, and has plans for a second-floor office and fourth tenant.
MANHATTAN — Poyntz Avenue and the rest of downtown Manhattan buzzes with life on any given evening or weekend, said Jan Miller, property and shop owner. She is quick to tout the businesses district dominated by retail stores and anchored with Manhattan Town Center at the tip of Poyntz Avenue as “exciting,” “vibrant” and “dynamic.” “I absolutely believe in this downtown,” she said. “I will shout it from the rooftops any time I’m asked.” Miller owns Steve’s Floral, a business her brother moved downtown in the late 1980s. In 2010, despite the slow economy, she purchased the building at the corner of 3rd Street and Poyntz Avenue. It was a risk that paid off. Besides her flower shop, the building is home to The Winged Lion, an interior boutique, and later this year office space and a new tenant in former restaurant space. “I couldn’t be happier here,” she said. “I truly believe we have the best of the best in our downtown.” Business and retail in the city’s core
DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN View more at cjonline.com have grown significantly over the past 10 years, said Gina Scroggs, executive director of Downtown Manhattan Inc. A decade ago, occupancy was about 40 percent in the district, now it’s closer to 90 percent with more than 300 businesses, she said. That includes the Manhattan Town Center and developments around it such as the HyVee to the north. Unlike many cities that developed malls outside the core, driving business away from downtown, keeping Town Center downtown has helped businesses along Poyntz Avenue, Scroggs said. Combined with recent residential developments in the area, a walkable community has formed that caters to both young professionals and retirees, she said. From June 2016 to June 2017, the area saw a net gain of four new businesses, she said. DOWNTOWN continues on 5
The Topeka Capital-Journal | Sunday, August 27, 2017 | 5
Downtown: Plenty of growth opportunities remain in Manhattan
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Continued from 4
The growth has been across three sectors: retail, restaurants and general services, which feed off each other, she said. “I think we’ve finally reached a point where we are a truly sustainable community,” she said. Lyle Butler, Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, said the growth began in 2002 when the city kicked off a multimillion-dollar redevelopment of downtown. That led to a conference center and the Flint Hills Discovery Center, which Butler said has been crucial to pulling outsiders to retail and other businesses downtown. Even with a high occupancy rate, there are still plenty of growth opportunities in the downtown. Ward Morgan, owner of Civic Plus, a website company with a downtown headquarters, has purchased several downtown buildings with the mind to maintain a vibrant retail and restaurant atmosphere, he said. A building being renovated off 4th and Houston streets is prime for retail, he said, but the plans are still being finalized.
This is truly a better location. I really feel like all of us downtown help each other.” Josh Kinder
owner of Yee Haw Country Outfitters
Thad Allton/The Capital-Journal
Josh Kinder’s Yee Haw Country Outfitters at 431 Poyntz Ave. opened in May 2016 and rapidly expanded. Kinder had to double his inventory to meet customer requests. One of the newer businesses is Josh Kinder’s Yee Haw Country Outfitters at
431 Poyntz Ave. Kinder, a former sports journalist, opened the western apparel
shop last May and saw quick growth, he said. He first considered a location outside downtown, but circumstances led him to the corner store he now rents. High foot traffic and visibility and friendly competition with other downtown businesses has helped the store succeed. “This is truly a better location,” he said. “I really feel like all of us downtown help each other.” The store offers a range of Western apparel that draws college students, older residents and folks from outside Manhattan as well, he said. Since opening, he’s had to double his inventory, largely in response to requests for customers. “We’re definitely better now than we were a year ago,” he said.
6 | Sunday, August 27, 2017 | The Topeka Capital-Journal
Street. The Chef’s breakfast varieties include tuna salad, mac and cheese breakfast scrambles, and the classic Denver omelet.
Little Apple Brewing Co.
Address: 1110 Westloop Place Hours: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday to Saturday; 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Sunday
Thad Allton/The Capital-Journal
Kara Guy, doughnut slinger at Varsity Donuts, shows off some of the doughnut ready for sale, including Blueberry Opal, glazed, Mermaid Love, lemon berry and Honeymooner with vanilla filling.
MANHATTAN turns up the flavor
By Savanna Maue
savanna.maue@cjonline.com
MANHATTAN — The food scene in Manhattan has changed drastically in the past five years. Quaint restaurants have filled downtown, giving life to some of the city’s most historic buildings. Options include any type of cuisine you can imagine, from New Orleans-style Cajun to sushi to the classic cheeseburger. Restaurants vary from international chains to locally owned mom-and-pop restaurants to food actually being produced on the premises (check out the Call Hall Dairy Bar). What started as an intended list of 10 options quickly expanded as favorites began flooding in. Take a few minutes to get the flavor of what you can expect at some of Manhattan’s most famous eateries. Then let me know which of your faves we missed.
Tallgrass Taphouse
Address: 320 Poyntz Ave. Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday
to Thursday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday to Saturday The Tallgrass Taphouse is an 11,000-square-foot brewpub in the historic, revitalized downtown district of Manhattan. It has one of the only rooftop decks in the city overlooking downtown toward the Flint Hills. At the core of the taphouse is a 10-barrel brewhouse that produces a rotating lineup of a half-dozen craft brews featured on tap alongside Tallgrass Brewing Co.’s yearround varieties and seasonals.
The Chef
Address: 111 S. 4th St. Hours: 6 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday to Friday; 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday to Sunday The Chef opened in 1943 and has been known for its breakfast. With a variety of options and the freedom to mix and match, it’s truly the place to bring the whole family. In 2008, the famous “the chef” sign came out of retirement at the Riley County Historical Society and now hangs above the restaurant on 4th
The Little Apple Brewing Co. has the feel of comfy, down-home cooking. Known for its certified Angus beef steaks, it has a knowledgeable staff to pair the perfect beer to your meal. It opened in 1995 and stays true to the locally owned business model. One of the owners, Russ Loub, is also a chef for the restaurant and oversees the menu. In addition to steaks, LABCo offers trout, salmon, meatloaf and pork chops, along with many other delicious items.
Radina’s Bakehouse
Address: 227 Blue Earth Place, Suite 111 Hours: 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday; 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday; and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday Radina’s Bakehouse is another locally owned and operated bakery in Manhattan. It makes fresh artisan breads daily, and through its Daily Bread Program donates a loaf of bread to the Flint Hills Breadbasket for each loaf it sells. It also roasts its own coffee and has four different locations across Manhattan.
Kite’s Grille and Bar Address: 615 N. 12th St. Hours: 11 to 2 a.m., Monday to Sunday
Named after legendary Kansas State athlete Keith “Kite” Thomas, this sports bar has some of the oldest roots in Aggieville. Opened in 1954, the spot’s owners have changed and the menu has continued to expand, but Kite’s is known for never missing a K-State game — as well as its delicious burgers. A signature option is The Wildcat Burger: a beef patty topped with smoked ham, hickory sauce, melted cheddar and a fried onion ring. It’s served best with curly fries.
Harry’s
Address: 418 Poyntz Ave. Hours: 4 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Monday -Thursday, 4 p.m. to midnight, Friday to Saturday
Located in the historic Wareham Hotel, Harry’s is an iconic restaurants downtown. The dining area is huge, extending from bar-stool seating in the front of the restaurant all the way back through two different dining areas to an enclosed meeting area for large groups in the rear of the hotel. It specializes in fine dining and has an amazing sommelier to recommend the best wine for your dish. The ambience is beautiful, the food is delicious and it’s a perfect change of pace from the hectic scene of its Aggieville neighbors.
Chris Neal/The Capital-Journal
Sarah Easterday holds up a freshly made plate of sushi rolls.
The Hut: Bayou Bar & Grille
Address: 429 Poyntz Ave. Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday Once known as the Hibachi Hut, this 1959 Manhattan tradition recently rebranded. As of Aug. 1, the Cajun restaurant changed its name to The Hut: Bayou Bar & Grille. The Hut blends the chefs’ histories to bring diners unique tastes from all over the world. Their origins are inspired from the Japanese-style hibachi grill but have since taken on the Creole spice of authentic Cajun cooking. Bud and Bobby Cox now manage the restaurant, owned by Ward Morgan since 2014. The menu is Cajun-centric, with different styles of shrimp, creole-stuffed jumbo mushrooms, Louisiana gumbo and Chicken Baton Rouge, a creole Parmesan cream sauce mixed with crawfish tails and toasted pecans over fettuccine.
Savanna Maue/The Capital-Journal
One of the many delicious salads offered at Taco Lucha.
Savanna Maue/The Capital-Journal
Vinod Kumar, a chef from India, is one of the co-managers of the Dancing Ganesha.
Bourbon & Baker
Address: 312 Poyntz Ave. Hours: 11 a.m. to midnight, Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday to Saturday (kitchen closes at 10 p.m.); Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Rooted in the Midwestern and Southern influences, the foundation of Bourbon & Baker’s menu is the comfort and soul of many cuisines. It is designed for guests to enjoy small plates at their own pace. The restaurant is also a bakery and requires a 24-hour notice on special orders. It offers baguettes, biscuits, carrot cake, purple pride cake, chocolate, the traditional birthday cake and many other options. FLAVOR continues on 7
Savanna Maue/The Capital-Journal
The Dairy Bar is located in Call Hall on K-State’s campus and offers about 30 flavors of ice cream daily.
Thad Allton/The Capital-Journal
Bourbon and Baker is located in downtown Manhattan.
The Topeka Capital-Journal | Sunday, August 27, 2017 | 7
Flavor: Manhattan restaurants offer several options for patrons Continued from 4
Varsity Donuts
Address: 704 N. Manhattan Ave. Hours: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Sunday Varsity Donuts makes its doughnuts fresh every day. Known for the Otis and Opal, its cake and traditional doughnuts, Varsity makes dozens of icing-covered treats in Aggieville. It offers fun variations such as red velvet doughnuts, blueberry flavors to represent K-State pride and even fun cereal doughnuts, topped with Lucky Charms and Cinnamon Crunch. New specials rotate weekly, so there’s always something new to try.
Rock-a-Belly Deli
Address: 718 N. Manhattan Ave. Hours: 10 to 2 a.m., Monday to Saturday Savanna Maue/The Capital-Journal
Kite’s Bar and Grill is known for their bar food and delicious hamburgers.
Thad Allton/The Capital-Journal
Radina’s Bakehouse manager Amanda Hagenmaier holds up some of the varieties of bread baked at the store.
Thad Allton/The Capital-Journal
Rock-a-Belly server Carly Bird delivers a Chicken Tinga Black Bean Wrap and a spicy sandwich on the outdoor patio of Rock-a-Belly.
Thad Allton/The Capital-Journal
Tallgrass Taphouse bartender Adam Keating shows off three brews; Raspberry Jam, Buffalo Sweat and Screaming Eagle.
Chris Neal/The Capital-Journal
Marley Evans holds up a plate of The Chef’s eggs benedict with homestyle potatoes.
When asking K-State alumni their favorite places to visit in Aggieville and relive the glory days, they often answer “Rock-a-Belly.” It’s easy, quick cuisine, perfect for a night with friends or to grab and go on your way to class. Sandwiches vary from the spicy sandwich, with salami, pepperoni and provolone cheese; to the Reuben, corned beef piled with sauerkraut, Swiss cheese and spicy mustard; to the simple turkey and cheese, turkey breast topped with four different kinds of cheese, lettuce and tomato.
Taco Lucha
Address: 1130 Moro St. Hours: 11 to 2 a.m. Tuesday to Saturday; 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday Taco Lucha is known for its huge portions. The nachos, piled high with assorted toppings, are a local favorite. Even the salads are weighed down with so much pico de gallo, queso fresco, avocado, tortilla strips, salsa and sour cream that you almost don’t taste the lettuce. The Mexican restaurant is eclectic and cozy, often with students crowded around booths to enjoy a pitcher of margaritas or lounging outside on Lucha’s spacious outdoor patio.
Vista Drive-In
Address: 1911 Tuttle Creek Blvd.
Savanna Maue/The Capital-Journal
A waitress at Harry’s shows off one of the restaurant’s signature entrees, the Pinot Noir Blackberry Duck. Hours: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday to Sunday With two drive-through lanes that wrap around the length of the building, Vista has been a popular hamburger joint since 1964. A huge neon sign is visible from the highway, and the interior feels like stepping back in time, with faux wood paneling and orange vinyl booths. It is known for its quarterpound burgers and ice cream and still serves the original chili recipe that founders Charles and Martha Streeter created in 1941.
K-State Dairy Bar
Address: 144 Call Hall, Kansas State University Campus Hours: Summer and winter hours vary: 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday to Friday during the summer, and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday to Friday, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday in the winter Call Hall is located at the intersection of Mid Campus Drive and Claflin Avenue on campus, and is a Manhattan secret. Run by mostly K-State students, the Dairy Bar sells products produced and raised by students. About 30 flavors of ice cream are available daily, with eggs, pancake mix, cheese, milk and meat available for sale, all from the university farm. The shop has daily breakfast and lunch specials, and you can order a 3-gallon tub of ice cream in advance for any event needing extra flavor.
Dancing Ganesha
Address: 712 N. Manhattan Ave. Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday to Sunday
Undergoing a recent renovation, Dancing Ganesha is offering a fresh face to begin the latest school year. Located in the heart of Aggieville, Dancing Ganesha moved next door to La Suzette’s for the summer while being remodeled. Ganesha is known for its traditional Indian cuisine and even brought in a chef from India to ensure its meals stay as traditional as possible. Using the tandoor, a clay oven, to prepare such traditional foods as naan and tandoori chicken, Dancing Ganesha offers a variety of buffet options to satisfy its hungry guests.
Bi Bim Bap
Address: 702 W. 11th St. Hours: 3 to 10 p.m., Monday; 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday; 10:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday to Saturday; 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday Two blocks east of K-State, Bi Bim Bap offers Korean, Chinese and Japanese style-cuisine featuring sushi, sashimi, teriyaki, bento, hibachi and other delicious Asianstyle foods. For those not sold on raw fish, Bi Bim Bap also offers hibachi dinners, with possible vegetable, chicken, shrimp, steak, salmon, scallops, calamari and lobster options. For a quick on-the-go option, the restaurant offers bento, or to-go boxes, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
MANHATTAN flavor View more at cjonline.com
8 | Sunday, August 27, 2017 | The Topeka Capital-Journal
Wheat center’s work may change world By Luke Ranker
luke.ranker@cjonline.com
MANHATTAN — Research at the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center could revolutionize farming not just in Kansas but around the world. Scientists there use advanced breeding techniques to isolate sought-after qualities. Different than genetic modification, breeding selects wheat varieties that need less water, can grow in extreme heat, or are durable against disease and pests in process that can take nearly a decade. Researchers at the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center hope to reduce that time so farmers can grow better wheat, faster, said Aaron Harries, vice president of research and operations. This year, the wheat streak mosaic virus ravaged wheat crops in western Kansas. A tiny mite that remained active during an unusually warm winter spread the disease over a larger area than before. Within a few years, a variety of wheat resistant to the virus will be in the hands of farmers, Harries said. But even as researchers develop tougher wheats, Mother Nature catches up. Disease evolves and climates change. “We’re always striving to improve the yield,” he said. This year, a consortium of international geneticists will likely finish sequencing wheat’s genome. Similar to the Human Genome Project that mapped human genetics, the project, which began in part with the center’s research, will lay out the fundamentals of the wheat gene so scientists can more easily identify desirable traits. It’s not just farmers that benefit from Kansas Wheat research. Varieties are being developed that are naturally sweeter, so bakers and food companies can use less sugar to sweeten doughs. Researchers are also talking to the growing number of people who have celiac dis-
PHOTOS BY Thad Allton/The Capital-Journal
Heartland Plant Innovations research associate Tyler Suelter pulls reproductive elements out of a wheat plant as he demonstrates the doubled haploid process used to select desirable wheat traits. ease. Those with the condition are unable to digest gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. With clues unlocked in the wheat genome, the institute hopes to locate the specific portions of the protein that cause the reaction and breed it out or silence it, Harries said. “That’s the protein that makes bread rise, so we’re not trying to make it ‘gluten free,’” he said. “We’re trying to make it ‘celiac safe.’” To find the wheat qualities farmers and consumers want, researchers not only turn to wheat currently being grown, but they also have a store of ancient grains — the wild grass varieties bred together to form modern wheat. Scientists collected the grains from places such as Syria, Iraq and Israel. “We go treasure hunting for traits from those relatives and cross them into modern bread wheat,” Harries said. With all these different types of wheat on the market, Harries said the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center sees a revolution coming in the way wheat is grown, sold and processed. Currently, farmers growing consumer grain sell it to the elevator at harvest,
Kansas Wheat researchers work in a lab at the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center.
Kansas Wheat by the numbers
n $11 million facility completed in 2012. n 15,000 square feet of research laboratories, including 13 growing chambers n 10,000 square feet of greenhouses n 2,500 wheat species in gene bank n 85 percent funded by Kansas farmers n About $1.5 million annually spent on research at Kansas State University
wheat’s worth View more at cjonline.com
A wheat seed grows in a test tube at the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center. which turns it over to a company in the food industry. In future, farmers may contract directly with a certain company to grow a specific type of wheat. A farmer with 100 acres may grow 50 acres of consumer wheat, 25 acres of sweet wheat and 25 acres of celiac-safe wheat, Harries said. “Ultimately that will change the way we grow wheat.” he said.
Advanced research
These advances in wheat are years away, but they begin in tiny pots in the institute’s more than 35,000-square-foot, $11 million facility. That’s
where Heartland Plant Innovations research associate Tyler Suelter and a team breed new wheat varieties using a doubled haploid technique that can shave years off the breeding process. Suelter said it sounds complex, but it’s really an acceleration of traditional breeding. The process involves producing plants that have all the same genetics. When a variety is identified, scientists emasculate the plants, leaving only the female reproductive system. Maize is used to pollinate the plant so an embryo is produced. Since the embryo wasn’t pollinated with wheat,
it has half the number of chromosomes. Breeders will later double the count, so the plant has two copies of identical chromosomes — a process that takes generations with typical breeding. The research has produced nearly 100,000 doubled haploid variations and reduces the amount of time it takes to breed a new wheat variety. “The time savings comes from how long it takes to grow the plants out. With (traditional breeding), you grow out several generations, and each takes six months,” Suelter said. “With doubled haploid, you basically fix those traits in a single generation.”
City plans for population spike By Luke Ranker
luke.ranker@cjonline.com
MANHATTAN — Manhattan’s steady growth will present challenges that will likely reshape the biggest city in the Flint Hills. Over the next two decades, Manhattan’s population of about 56,000 could soar to nearly 80,000, according to a comprehensive plan the city completed in 2015. By that same projection, more than 60,000 will call Manhattan home at the end of next year. Accommodating that population will be a challenge for Manhattan, which is “boxed in” by the floodplains of the Blue and Kansas rivers to the east and south and Fort Riley to the west, said Eric Cattell, assistant director of planning for the city. Citing a large multicolored map showing the city’s expected growth, Cattell listed several areas prime for continued expansion. To the northeast, growth will continue off Marlatt Avenue, which will see a new 600-unit apartment complex open in August. Land is available for development off McCall Road in Pottawatomie County, and in the southwest, Miller Parkway is buzzing with new development, Cattell said. Even older areas such as downtown, Aggieville and space around the Kansas State University campus have seen renewed development. “We’ve got to strike a balance,” he said. “There’s only so much infill development you can do before you have to considering extending the city.” As areas inside the city grow, a large section east in Pottawatomie County will also see continued expansion. The Manhattan city limit already extends into to the county in a small area that includes a Walmart and an Academy Sports, and an island annexation is further down US-24 highway corridor. Just north, homes have been sprouting for decades. “The density of that area of Blue Township is urban, so they have urban needs,” Cattell said. “We’re not going to force an annexation. We let developments come to us with that, but it’s something that may be on the table in the future.” Despite the growth, experts expect little change to the city’s demographics. Manhattan has one of the the youngest average ages in the state — between 24 and 25 years old. The age group, along with those 25 to 30, is the fastest growing, largely because of Kansas State University, according to the comprehensive plan. The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility at K-State will bring in hundreds of new jobs, but Cattell doesn’t expect much change. The facility will add more than 300 full-time lab jobs each with support staffs, but in a city of that will likely have a population larger than 60,000, that’s a small number, he said. “I don’t see any major changes in our demographics,” Cattell said.
Thad Allton/The Capital-Journal
Eric Cattell, city of Manhattan director of community planning, describes growth estimates for the city. Manhattan’s roughly 56,000 population could reach nearly 80,000 over the next 20 years.
Manhattan’s expected population growth 75,000
50,000
•
•
73,141
2035
• 52,709
•
60,113
54,983
2010
2016
2018
Census Census City City estimate estimate projection projection
DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN View more at cjonline.com Though the city is home to a large population of blue-collar workers, white-collar employment has historically dominated the city because of the university, said Lyle Butler, president and CEO of the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. “That’s not going to change,” he said. “There may just be more people here.” Blue Township in Pottawatomie County has seen growth related to Manhattan since the 1990s, said Gregg Webster, Pottawatomie County zoning administrator. The area hit a peak in new homes in 2006 that quickly dropped off after the 2008 recession, but since 2011, the area has steadily been growing again, he said. About 60 new homes were built in Blue Township last year. That urban development in an unincorporated area creates a number of issues the county will have contend with. The area is served by a rural water district, and through an agreement with the city of Manhattan, new homes have access to sewage services. Those needs will continue to grow as the population grows, Webster said, along with the need for paved roads and better fire and police coverage.
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10 | Sunday, August 27, 2017 | The Topeka Capital-Journal
Thad Allton/The Capital-Journal
StoneHouse, a four-bedroom home originally built in the 1860s, offers a comfortable setting for family reunions or small weddings.
Thad Allton/The Capital-Journal
The open stone barn at StoneHouse is often used for outdoor receptions.
Become one with the prairie at Flint Hills Prairiewood Retreat and Preserve boasts three venues on almost 500 acres
By Luke Ranker
prairiewood retreat
MANHATTAN — Down Wildcat Creek Road, Manhattan’s western sprawl gives way to the largely untouched Flint Hills. Here in the creek’s valley and in the ranch land to the south, Kail and Becky Katzenmeier have amassed a prairie preserve they hope will offer not only a unique getaway but also inspiration to connect with the land. Prairiewood Retreat and Preserve boasts three venues on almost 500 acres open to hiking, kayaking, canoeing and other outdoor activities. The retreats’ close proximity to Manhattan and the Kansas State University campus make it a popular spot for weddings, reunions and those coming in for game day weekend, said Julie Kiracofe, reservations coordinator. More than offering places to stay that are neither bed and breakfasts or hotels, Kail Katzenmeier said the couple wanted to introduce people to the Flint Hills. “It’s harder to access nature in Kansas,” he said. “In Colorado or
View more at cjonline.com
luke.ranker@cjonline.com
Minnesota, there’s public land it seems every few miles. We want to create access to something that’s not behind barbed wire.” About 20 years ago, the Katzenmeiers moved west of town and saw Manhattan’s development marching towards Scenic Road, which now passes apartments and housing developments rather than rolling hills. “We started toying with what could be done to preserve this land before the development reached it,” he said. “We couldn’t just write a check.” Over nearly a decade, the couple has slowly bought land in the area, marketing three retreat locations as private places to stay outside the city. They first purchased a ranch home at 1085 Wildcat Create Road. After expensive renovations, two private-access rooms, dubbed HomePlace, are available on the ground floor. They feature stone walls and small fireplaces.
Prairiewood Retreat Venues: n RetreatHouse n Blue Sage Barn n StoneHouse n HomePlace Suites n Walnut Pond n Preserve
submitted
A former equine barn and large home at Prairiewood Retreat and Preserve are often booked as an all-in-one spot for a wedding, reception and overnight stay. The rooms offer an easy getaway for anniversaries, Kiracofe said. Roughly 10 years ago, they expanded down the road to 1484 Wildcat Creek. A former equine barn and large home are often booked as an all-in-one spot for a wedding, reception and overnight stay. Behind the house, a hiking trail crosses about 190 acres of Flint Hills prairie, in-
cluding a pond and overlook. The trail also connects to trails around the HomePlace and Walnut Pond at 1111 Wildcat Creek. About 2013, Prairiewood added one of the more historic homes in Riley County. The original 1860s homestead of Sam Kimble, a prominent resident, has been modernized and features a four-bedroom limestone home, open barn and spring-fed
pond. Small weddings and large families looking for a retreat find StoneHouse at 5020 Anderson Avenue comfortable year round, Kiracofe said. Information about the retreat is available at www.prairiewood.com. The retreat hopes to start connecting the general community to the preserve. Next year, the Prairiewood Connect Foundation will launch with the goal of providing educational opportunities on the prairie, Katzenmeier said. Programs will include apple-picking and cider-making, beekeeping and honey-making. “What we’re trying to do even more than preserve this piece of history or this piece of prairie is infuse the values of preservation,” he said. “We want people who come to Prairiewood to leave wanting to do more to preserve the Flint Hills.”
The Topeka Capital-Journal | Sunday, August 27, 2017 | 11
Manhattan slices off a piece of Silicon Valley By Luke Ranker
luke.ranker@cjonline.com
MANHATTAN — From a balcony on the top floor of CivicPlus’s downtown Manhattan high-rise, founder Ward Morgan surveyed a hodgepodge of offices the company worked out of as it grew over the past decade. “We were in this one and that one and the building there,” he said pointing to office rentals along and off Poyntz Avenue. “We would walk, but in the winter time, it was bad.” The tech company that specializes in websites for municipalities worked out of four offices before consolidating in 2014. Moments earlier, he pointed to a half-dozen other buildings he owns privately as effort to keep the city’s core lively. Those properties and the CivicPlus’s home at corner of Pierre and 4th Streets are a tangible sign of Ward and his company’s commitment to Manhattan. The tech industry typically draws companies to Silicon Valley; Seattle; or Austin, Texas, but that’s not on the table for CivicPlus, Ward said. “We wanted to be around the vibrancy and have some action going on outside the windows,” he said of keeping the company’s headquarters in the heart of Manhattan. “I got thinking, is this vibrancy as great as it could be and will it be down the road?” The answer to that was — maybe not. Ward approached property owners about locating unique restaurants and other shops in their buildings, but he said he was told it was too much of a risk. Instead of waiting for other developers to move restaurants, bars and other shops downtown and risk having having too many offices, so people only visit “when they have to,” he decided to start the process himself. “I’m not one to be deterred,” he said. “So I thought I’d buy buildings and be the one who’s there.” Ward was reluctant to get into in the res-
photos by Thad Allton/The Capital-Journal
Building a strong work culture has been vital for CivicPlus’s recruiting.
MANHATTAN TECHNOLOGY View more at cjonline.com taurant business, but his first investment in the downtown came when Hibachi Hut, a Manhattan mainstay, shuttered in Aggieville. As a Kansas State University graduates, Ward and his wife were troubled by the closing and decided to move it downtown. He then partnered with Tallgrass Brewing Co. to open a brew pub on Poyntz. Nearby, 324 Speakeasy operates like an old-time speakeasy with a semi-secret door. These venues and another property he’s renovating for a retail location add to Ward’s vision for a vibrant downtown that’s walkable and attractive to everyone. There’s another motivation, too — CivicPlus employees. “We realized we were hurting ourselves on recruiting,” he said of operating out of multiple offices. “From this building to what we’re doing downtown, it’s all focused on being the employer of choice.” When Brian Rempe, CivicPlus president, started in 2008, about 35 employees served 350 clients. Now 255 work for CivicPlus across the country, and 2,500 clients turn to the company for website needs.
Founder Ward Morgan believes an open-air work environment facilitates communication at CivicPlus in downtown Manhattan.
12 | Sunday, August 27, 2017 | The Topeka Capital-Journal