In 1967, during a launch rehearsal, a fire killed the three astronauts in the command module of Apollo 1.

During the investigative hearings, Frank Borman stated that the tragedy was due to a failure of imagination.

A failure of imagination.

He explained that NASA had taken into account the many dangers posed to the crew while in space, or on the Moon, but had failed to imagine how dangerous Earth might prove.

A failure of imagination. And three men died a horrific death.

And now, fifty-five-years later, in Emporia, Kansas, a failure of imagination is currently in play.

 

 

Directly across the street from the Cross House is Plumb Place.

When I was considering making an offer on the Cross House in late 2013, a significant impediment was its immediate surroundings: a parking lot, car wash, and liquor store. It made zero sense to invest breathtaking amounts of time and money into the Cross House when its neighbors were a parking lot, car wash, and liquor store.

But…drum roll, please…another neighbor was Plumb Place, a house of comparable behemoth scale, and also on the National Register.

In standing on the front porch of the Cross House that winter of 2013, I kept looking across the street at the well-maintained Plumb Place and knew my endeavors would have, well, a good twin. A companion. A sister. A second bookend.

Simply: I would not be alone.

And so I purchased the Cross House eight years ago this month.

Here now though in 2022 the Plumb House is in danger, something once unthinkable.

 

A BRIEF BACKGROUND

In 1921, the Plumb family donated the house to be used as a place to help women. The house also hosted events and this allowed its grand reception rooms to be accessible and enjoyed by the public.

At the end of 2020, after helping women for almost a century, Plumb Place was closed.

A judge decreed that the board of Plumb Place could sell the building and use the resulting funds to continue supporting women.

This same judge will prove, again, pivotal.

 

THE WORST-EVER MARKETING

One can watch on YouTube a number of vlogs about people buying up long abandoned châteaux in France and restoring them. And how did these non-French citizens discover such properties?

By sitting in the comfort of their home in far-away lands, perhaps sipping some wine, and scrolling through websites like Zillow.

Which is exactly how I discovered that the Cross House was for sale.

This is also how a couple from Chicago ended up buying Ballyfin House in Ireland. The couple spent years looking at properties across the globe and when they discovered Ballyfin House they knew their search was over. The house was in terrible, terrifying condition yet they undertook a world-class restoration, and converted the historic structure into a dazzling 5-Star hotel and events space.

But how was Plumb Place marketed during the internet era and instant global accessibility?

A banner was strung up across the main facade saying: FOR SALE. CALL YOUR LOCAL REAL ESTATE AGENT.

Incredibly, the house was never listed on MLS (multiple listing service). It was not to be found on Zillow by anybody sitting in the comfort of their home in far-away lands, sipping some wine. Even people in Emporia, unless they just happened to drive by the house, might not even know the house was for sale.

And what did this worst-ever marketing result in?

A single bid, reportedly for $150,000 (well below what, reportedly, the board had hoped to receive).

And the bidder?

The son of the judge who decreed that it was OK to sell the property.

 

AND THEN THINGS GOT WORSE

And what does this potential buyer intend to do with this gorgeous, historic property?

He, reportedly, wants to turn the mansion into apartments, and the rear (and huge) carriage house into rental storage units.

But a zoning change is required to do this, from High Density Residential to General Commercial District.

 

WHY PLUMB PLACE IS IN GREAT DANGER

Many people think that because Plumb Place is listed on the National Register of Historic Places it is protected.

It is not.

A National Register Listing offers ZERO protection.

And with a zoning change from High Density Residential to General Commercial District, the land could become more valuable than the building. In time, it is possible that somebody could buy the house, smash it to the ground and convert the entire property into metal storage units, or a gas station, a McDonald’s, or countless other commercial possibilities.

And will smashing a beloved local historic landmark help make Emporia better?

Methinks not.

What do you think?

 

WHEN IMAGINATION SOARED IN EMPORIA

I moved to Kansas in 1996.

Downtown Emporia was kinda grim.

The Granada Theater was closed and threatened with demolition.

The main street was lined with sad-looking 1950s streetlights.

But a small band of citizens had some imagination. While the city wanted to demolish the Granada, the Emporia Imagineers thought it should be restored. And so it was. It has been transformed from eyesore to a shining jewel of the city.

The sad-looking 1950s streetlights were all swept away and replaced by vastly more attractive specimens. Asphalt was dug up all over the downtown area and replaced with soil and trees and flowers.

Then breweries opened. Small undistinguished buildings were replaced with three-story structures having storefronts on the first level and apartments above. And the storefronts and apartments rented. The buildings were also, importantly, built out to the sidewalk (reinforcing the urban wall) and were, rather than being designed as cheaply as possible, featured trim and cornices…and even fountains…so as to further enhance the urban landscape.

All this took, firstly, imagination.

 

REIMAGINING PLUMB PLACE

I have spent the last four decades involved with historic structures and architecture. I am the son of a master carpenter. I am an architectural designer.

For several years now I have been developing a new future for Plumb Place and a potential ideal use for the building: Being converted into a high-end small hotel and events space.

With almost no alteration to the historic aspects of the mansion, it could contain:

• TWO suites with adjoining bathrooms.
• FIVE rooms with adjoining bathrooms.

All these rooms are rich with architecture. All this can remain undisturbed.

The grand reception rooms could remain untouched, and fully accessible to public. As would the third-floor ballroom, a wondrous space, restored not that long ago.

The expansive carriage house could contain:

• TWO 2-bedroom suites with baths and kitchens.
• TWO 1-bedroom suites with baths.
• TWO rooms with bathrooms.

The interior of the carriage house is unremarkable. It does however have a lovely Mission-style wood staircase, and one room has a beautiful Palladian window. These could be preserved.

Under the carriage house is a massive single room with a high ceiling. The room is currently dark and depressing as all its windows have been blocked up. With the windows reopened, and the dropped ceiling removed to expose the very high original wood ceiling, the space could be ideal for events such as weddings. (Part of the great delight with this space is its unexpected nature. One is startled and thrilled to discover such a huge room. “I had no idea!”)

The yard is large and could have beautiful gardens and be configured for events and weddings.

Parking could follow the alley, fenced off from the yard.

Kansas is the only state I know of which offers substantial grants to help restore qualified historic structures. Plumb  Place qualifies and could receive significant financial assistance. The Cross House received two $90,000 grants. Will the state though be willing to support a conversion to…rental storage space?

As with the owners of Ballyfin House, there are people across the globe who are actively seeking historic properties to transform, and who have the experience and funds to do so.

But, here in Emporia, no effort was made to reach for the stars.

 

DESTROYING PLUMB PLACE

Compare the ideas above to:

• Chopping up the mansion into apartments. This would be a vastly different thing than converting the mansion into hotel rooms, a plan which would leave the mansion largely As Is.
• Converting the carriage house into…rentable storage units.

This is akin to converting, say, The White House into apartments and the West Wing into rentable storage units.

Is this really all that can be imagined for the beautiful and historic Plumb Place?

Really?

 

WHAT CAN BE DONE? WHAT SHOULD BE DONE?

The following are my thoughts.

Other people will have different thoughts.

This is good. This is imagination in play.

ONE

The public is invited to the Emporia-Lyon County Metropolitan Area Planning Commission starting at 6:00 P.M. on Tuesday, March 15, 2022. This is when the rezoning will be considered.

It is hoped that our elected leaders will choose imagination.

TWO

The board should start all over again in their efforts to sell the property. Plumb Place should, without question, be listed on the MLS and thus be effortlessly viewable across the globe.

Again, this is how I came across the Cross House. I did not live in Emporia.

The board has a duty to assure the highest price it can get for Plumb Place to help with its stated mission. Such efforts, to date, have resulted in what appears to be an insider deal, with a single low-ball offer, and a terrible future planned for one of the finest, most beloved structures in the city.