General News in the 316

[SubGod22]

Newton getting a new public library

WBJ - Newton hires Dondlinger for $7.8M new public library building

Following a public bid put out earlier this month, the Newton City Commission voted Tuesday to approve Dondlinger's bid of roughly $7.8 million for construction of the project — the lowest bid received for the project, and less than the architect's estimate.

"We're really excited about the project," Dondlinger president Tom Dondlinger said. "It's a great project, and we just finished another project in Newton for the Airport Authority, so to land the library project is icing on the cake. It's a nice-sized project and will employ quite a few people, so that's a good thing."

Newton had started talking about a new library building about a decade ago, and last year initiated the construction and design phase.

The plan is to construct a 25,000 square-foot building with the latest trends in library design to the east of the existing building in Military Park. Once completed, the old building will be demolished for a new open turf area.

Newton has raised over $3M in private funds to assist with the project.

[Veritas]

Riverfront Legacy moves like winter molasses in Vermont.

https://www.kansas.com/article270598887.html

$18m for CII maintenance, crappy performing arts center, small convention space. Whip’s comments not very encouraging.

Meanwhile Des Moines, Omaha, and Tulsa all continue to grow at faster rates. We need a different type of city government that drives change, is accountable, and is ambitious.

[SubGod22]

Defense work continues to benefit Wichita. Even though the Bell Helicopter is being challenged by competitors, I don't think anything is expected to change in that award for Textron and Wichita. That award was announced a couple of weeks ago. A couple more defense projects have been escalated for more production and Wichita will see benefit from those as well.

WBJ - Wichita suppliers to gain on next phase of F-35 production

The plan calls for 145 aircraft from production Lot 15, 127 for Lot 16 and 126 for Lot 17. Included within those will be the first F-35s for Belgium, Finland and Poland as part of ongoing foreign military sales of the aircraft. The Lot 17 batch remains a contract option, while a Dec. 30 Department of Defense award notice puts the value of Lot 16 at $7.8 billion.

The agreement will also mean more job-supporting work on the program in Wichita, where suppliers like HM Dunn AeroSystems Inc., Globe Engineering Co. Inc., McGinty Machine Co., Integra Technologies and more help build the aircraft.

According to Lockheed’s F-35 supplier breakdown, the program has 37 suppliers and supports more than 4,900 jobs in Kansas at an economic impact of $531.3 million.

And then there's this...

WBJ - Spirit AeroSystems gets new helicopter boost from U.S. Navy

“Ramping up production of the most technologically advanced helicopter in the world allows the U.S. Marine Corps to build out its CH-53K King Stallion fleet and support mission success,” Bill Falk, Sikorsky’s program director on the CH-53K, said in a press release. “This production authorization stabilizes Sikorsky’s domestic supply chain and is a testament to our enduring partnership with the Marine Corps.”

Lockheed, which is now procuring long-lead items and critical materials for full production, also said that designation would help drive work for more than 200 suppliers in 34 states.

One of the primary suppliers is Spirit AeroSystems Inc. in Wichita, which builds the fuselage of the CH-53K locally as part of a contract originally won in 2015.

The program of record calls for 200 of King Stallion helicopters over time as part of a fleet upgrade plan for the U.S. Marines.

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Whatever happened to: Wichita's new airport hotel

According to a land lease agreement with the city, construction is expected to begin on the hotel near Wichita's Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport no later than Feb. 1 and finish by June 2024.

"It might be delayed a little bit because we are waiting for FAA approval for our height restrictions on the location, so that might delay us a little while until that gets done," said the developer, Mitesh Patel, who is doing business as Airport Hotel LLC.

Patel said he is still confident, though, it will be a 14-month build and finish by the June 2024 deadline.

The four-story hotel will have 156 rooms, as well as meeting convention space and a restaurant, he said. It will be dual-branded as a Homewood Suites and a Hilton Garden Inn, in which guests can rent rooms from either brand.

"That's the first one in Kansas, actually," Patel said, "... where the lobby and check-in and everything is going to be in the same area, but people will have two different choices of hotel."

I'd forgotten all about this. I like this series in the WBJ to address some of these types of projects that may have slipped our mind because there hasn't been any recent news.

[SubGod22]

This should be good for those in need of its services. Substance abuse is an issue for many.

WBJ - Valley Hope plans new outpatient addiction treatment center in Wichita

In response to rising addiction rates in the area, a national provider based out of Kansas plans to open a new outpatient substance abuse disorder (SUD) treatment center in west Wichita.

Valley Hope Addiction Treatment and Recovery, which also operates a residential treatment facility in Moundridge, says the new outpatient location will expand access to Wichita-area patients so that they may continue to live at home and maintain family responsibilities and work schedules.

The Wichita treatment center opens Tuesday inside the former Credit Union of America building near Towne West Square.

“Over the last two years, Wichita has experienced a rise in addiction rates among all substances, including alcohol, methamphetamines, and opioids,” said Crystal Norman, executive director of Valley Hope of Central Kansas, in a news release. “And now, the opioid epidemic is increasingly fatal, fueled by the emergence of fentanyl.

"Valley Hope’s new Wichita center will help combat the addiction and overdose crisis in our community by providing access to the highest-quality outpatient SUD treatment.”

[SubGod22]

WBJ - List analysis: Return of business travel stabilizes Wichita hotel market

Haratis said he expects 2023 will put the hotel, located near Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport, at or even above 2019 levels — which happened to be the property's most profitable year.

The slow pandemic recovery is also reflected at the national level.

Occupancy among 25 of the nation's largest hotel markets nationally remains 5.4% below pre-pandemic levels, according to a Business Journal analysis of STR Inc. data. But average daily rate and revenue per available room have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, at 12.8% and 6.7% higher, respectively, among the 25 largest U.S. hotel markets
.....
In fact, airport activity continues to climb at Eisenhower. According to the most data released by the Wichita Airport Authority in early December, ridership at the airport in October increased 17.4% year over year. That put the airport at 87% of 2019’s record ridership heading into the final two months of the year.

"We know that things are starting to happen," Haratis said. "I anticipate that there'll be more arrivals and departures, adding to the gates here. Right now it's been somewhat steady over the last five or six months, but I expected 2023 is going to drive that more."

Haratis added that the hotel's restaurant, Chisholm's American Beef & Ale House, saw one of its strongest months in November — even bigger than any of the months in 2019.

[Veritas]

Good. We need a 40 story hotel in downtown to change that flat line of the Wichita skyline. Even if it’s only 6 rooms per floor

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=YXXYivFr7hU

[SubGod22]

MSN - Exploration Place renovating dome to add more seating

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) - Exploration Place is renovating its Dome to add more seating.

According to Exploration Place, when the Dome was built in 2000, a projector was placed in the center of the room to cast images and film onto the screen above. The projector has since been replaced with more advanced technology located at the sides of the theater.

The removal of the projector has left an “unused and unsightly area, right in the heart of the best viewing area,” Exploration Place says.

The project to add more seating started Wednesday with the removal of unused walls and seating, as well as lingering equipment.

The newly cleared space will allow for an additional 22 seats.

It's a relatively small thing, but it's yet more improvement taking place under the new leadership.

[SubGod22]

Center for Economic Development and Business Research at WSU - 2023 Kansas Employment Forecast - Winter Update

The majority of expected growth for Kansas in 2023 is within the production sectors, increasing 1.3% and adding 3,220 jobs. The natural resources, mining, and construction sector is projected to have the second-highest growth in employment, expanding by 1.2%. The durables manufacturing industry is forecast to grow the fastest with 2.2%, which is driven by the aerospace industry and multiple plant locations and expansions. Non-durable manufacturing is expected to moderate in 2023 and 2024 after several years of robust growth.

Trade, transportation, and utility employment are forecast to expand 0.3%, increasing by 545 jobs. The slowing growth within this industry is driven primarily by the persistent inflation eroding household purchasing power and its effects on the retail subsector. The transportation, warehousing, and logistics portion of the industry had mixed market conditions. Within Kansas, the sub-sector expanded but had several setbacks to global supply chain issues.

The service sectors are projected to account for 42% of all job growth in Kansas in 2023, adding more than 3,700 jobs and increasing by 0.6%. Professional and business services are expected to rise the most within the services industry, with 1.5% in 2023 and 1.6% in 2024. On the other hand, financial activities are anticipated to decline by 3.1% in 2022 as the sector struggles to retain employees within the tight labor market.

WBJ - Wichita State forecast: Aerospace 'momentum' expected to help local 2023 job picture

The forecast projects the Wichita metropolitan area to have one of the most robust growth rates in the state, with 2,900 new jobs, overall, in 2023 — a 1% annualized increase.

By comparison, CEDBR's latest research sees 0.6% statewide job growth ahead this year. Wichita's anticipated employment growth marks a slight decrease from CEDBR's October forecast, which predicted a 1.1% increase (3,185 jobs) for 2023.

"The Wichita area recovery is expected to moderate into 2023, as both tightening monetary policy and labor conditions will dampen the outlook," according to CEDBR's latest report.

In 2023, Wichita's production sector, which includes the durable goods segment, is expected to increase employment by 2.2% in the metro area, according to the report. That growth would be a notable dip from 2022, when production employment rose an estimated 6.8% and overall employment closed the year with an estimated 2.3% annualized increase to 299,572 jobs.

Sounds like the metro will continue to be a force within the state and continue to grow. Still hoping for some diversification and more non-aerospace related wins to come out way.

[Veritas]

City population exceeds 400,000. This ranks #49 in the US
City population in 1986 when WSU dropped football was slightly under 300k

[SubGod22]

City population exceeds 400,000. This ranks #49 in the US
City population in 1986 when WSU dropped football was slightly under 300k

The metro is currently around 750,000
In 1990 it was approximately 600,000

Butler County has nearly doubled in population in that time.

[rrshock]

The metro is currently around 750,000
In 1990 it was approximately 600,000

Butler County has nearly doubled in population in that time.

With almost all of that Butler Co growth o n the far west side.

[Veritas]

Not sure how they measure it whether based on jobs, commute, etc, but we need to expand the metro footprint and get it over 1m.
nit even sure if we have enough population in the counties close to Wichita that are left out.

Metro right now it includes 5 : Sedgwick, Butler, Harvey, Sumner counties (539k) while adding the
Micropolitan including Crowley (Winfield) (nearing 709k)

Tulsa includes 7 counties (1.02m)
Omaha includes 9 counties (995k)
Des Moines includes 6 counties (700k)

[SubGod22]

Not sure how they measure it whether based on jobs, commute, etc, but we need to expand the metro footprint and get it over 1m.
nit even sure if we have enough population in the counties close to Wichita that are left out.

Metro right now it includes 5 : Sedgwick, Butler, Harvey, Sumner counties (539k) while adding the
Micropolitan including Cowley (Winfield) (nearing 709k)

Tulsa includes 7 counties (1.02m)
Omaha includes 9 counties (995k)
Des Moines includes 6 counties (700k)

I also included Reno in my rough calculations. In my mind, Hutch is a part of the metro as well as Winfield and Ark City.

I believe metros are determined by the percentage of people from neighboring counties that work in Wichita or something to that effect. I don't recall what that threshold is off the top of my head, but I know it was discussed a long time ago in some class I was in.

I tried to Google and it looks like maybe it's 25% of outsiders commute to work in the core/city.

I could have sworn there was a time Hutch and AC were considered a part of the metro, but apparently in 2000 they created micro areas and now Hutch and AC are micros. So I still consider them a part of the metro.

I'm kind of surprised that Kingman and Greenwood aren't a part of the metro, but they have such low populations that maybe there simply aren't enough people commuting. I just know I see some KM plates here in west Wichita where I work and I often see some GW plates as I commute back to BU.

So while I had around 750k, we're probably a little bit below that when you take out Cowley and Reno. Sedgwick is obviously the big one and I believe Butler was next.

Honestly, when it comes to the metro, only Cowley and Reno would add a 'significant' number to the totals. Kingman, Greenwood, Harper are the only other adjacent counties I can think of to the metro off the top of my head and they're all pretty small.

Wichita is growing. Andover continues to grow. Derby continues to grow. Goddard is growing. We could use some manufacturing wins in the area that would help with growth. I think we had this discussion a while back when talking about land that is big enough to house a project like the Panasonic factory that will be in DeSoto and there were really quite a few in the area. I think El Dorado had three or four that were pretty significant in size that could be used and the Wichita area had a few as well.

[rrshock]

According to US Bureau of Economic Analysis

The U.S. Office of Management and Budget defines metropolitan [statistical] areas as standardized county or equivalent-based areas having at least one urbanized area of 50,000 or more population, plus adjacent territory that has a high degree of social and economic integration with the core, as measured by commuting

I would think Reno county fits that easily. Maybe even McPherson County.