Can This Building be Saved: 331 Merchant Street, Emporia, Kansas

I was asked to write a support letter to the Heritage Trust Fund in support of this beauty.

 

My letter.

 

 

 

10 Comments

  1. Aaron W on October 30, 2019 at 8:28 pm

    Thank you Ross for doing your part to help save that diamond in the rough. Its really sad to see so many communities treat their greatest resources with total disregard. They can justify a tif zone to allow a big business to pay no taxes for a decade or two for bulldozing a “blighted” area and slapping up an eyesore, big box but see no value in helping improve or save an old beauty.
    BTW, love that patented “baby steps” method. It really works!

  2. Annette on October 30, 2019 at 8:53 pm

    Oh that building is gorgeous. I sincerely hope it finds an owner who lovingly restores it. I love the phrase no city demolishes its way to prosperity. Fingers (and everything else) crossed.

  3. Karen Spencer on October 30, 2019 at 9:20 pm

    Yes thank you Ross!

    I am just about to attend the first New Rochelle Preservation meeting. Our historic city is putting up too many high rises…although I must say that they are often incorporating historic buildings into the towers, for example a tower built on top of an 1920s movie theater and another is being built around an old classical style newspaper building from around the same period. Weird and sad but better than razing those old beauties. There was a lot of destruction of beautiful buildings in New Rochelle in the 1960s.

    Thank you for your efforts. That is a gorgeous building. Here’s hoping for a caring response.

  4. Cindy Belanger on October 30, 2019 at 9:22 pm

    Your description of the Spanish-Mission style building is eloquent and spot on. What a shame if this were replaced with a parking lot. I’ve seen this too often in the past few years. What’s happened to Historic Preservation, it seems to have fallen by the wayside in favor of the almighty dollar. I hope your letter will make the Heritage Trust Fund think long and hard and know there are many, many people that agree with you.

  5. C. Chambers on October 31, 2019 at 6:33 am

    I agree it needs saved. I actually grew up in the cross house my dad lived there when I was little. I’m so glad you’ve done what you have to it!

  6. Linda Clarke on October 31, 2019 at 9:43 am

    I heard that this building was just bought to be restored?? I certainly hope it is not to be destroyed!!

  7. Sandra Lee on October 31, 2019 at 3:47 pm

    Bravo Ross!

    Excellent letter & I hope it yields fruit for a grant.

  8. Mike on February 11, 2020 at 12:46 pm

    Any update on this building, Ross?

  9. Sarah Bulinski on July 8, 2020 at 4:13 pm

    It is saved! it is!! I’m a Realtor with Advantage Realty Group and we are the current guardians of this amazing piece of Emporia history! We have been granted the Heritage Grant and we are so excited to restore this beautiful space. So humbled to be a part of the Welfare Building’s history and to help preserve it for generations to come!

    • ColleenYukon on June 8, 2021 at 5:04 pm

      Congratulations!

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