General News in the 316

[SubGod22]

This business excites me and I will never fully understand all that they do. I just know it's good for Wichita that they've relocated their HQ here.

WBJ - Wichita-based Novacoast rebrands flagship cybersecurity platform

“We’re simultaneously expanding our Pillr security operations team — an effort we hope will come to life in our growing Wichita headquarters,” Novacoast CEO Paul Anderson said. “We are dedicated to shifting peoples’ perspectives on talent and where it’s found. Having been in this business for over 25 years, we see incredible untapped potential in Wichita."

Novacoast, Pillr's parent company, announced in July plans to relocate its global headquarters from Santa Barbara, Calif., to Wichita. The company had initially opened a 24-hour security operations center in the Epic Center in early 2021.

The company helps organizations find, create and implement solutions for security through advisory, engineering, development and managed services. The majority of Novacoast’s customers are highly regulated global firms such as global banks, health care and energy companies.

Novacoast staking a flag in the Wichita market underscores the city's efforts to establish a strong cybersecurity industry, especially with data security taking on heightened importance in the post-pandemic age of remote work.

Novacoast, which already employs 40 in its Wichita office, plans to hire at least 60 more, as well as double its square footage in the Epic Center.

[SubGod22]

Wichita by EB - What's Happening This Week in Wichita (Sept 20-25)

■ Riordan Clinic – Check Your Health Event | September 20-23
Where: Riordan Clinic
Your health is one of your most valuable assets! Be proactive and check your nutrient levels through the Riordan Clinic’s Check Your Health event. Participants can choose from one of five lab profiles to learn about your unique nutritional status. Empower yourself with life-changing knowledge to identify nutrient deficiencies and help prevent illness and chronic disease. Lab draws will be done on weekdays from September 12-23. Call today to schedule your appointment!

Only shared this one because of the Cessna Stadium thread.

■ Doo-Dah Diner 10th Anniversary Cajun Feast | September 20
Where: Doo-Dah Diner
From 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., they will offer a Cajun Feast featuring crawfish, étouffée, jambalaya, gumbo, and more. The all-you-can-eat buffet runs $30 a person, 15 for ages 6-10 and 75+. Reservations are encouraged by calling 316-265-7011.

Short notice, but it's Doo-Dah

■ Wine & Dine-osaur | September 22
Where: Field Station: Dinosaurs
Join us for live music, appetizers and drinks with the extinct during our second annual Wine & Dine-osaur event! Enjoy an exclusive look at Field Station: Dinosaurs after hours as you wander – wine in hand – through the world of prehistoric predators and plant eaters.

Who doesn't want to get drunk with a triceratops?

■ Flying High for Kids Hangar Party | September 23
Where: Stearman Field Airport
Join us at a rocking Stearman Field airplane hangar to benefit Exploration Place’s Opportunity Program for STEM education. The Hangar Party is hosted by Sue & Kenny Doonan, Pat & Leroy Thompson and Sierra Scott & Harrison Schenk.

It's for a good cause and I'm always going to take a moment to pimp something in my hometown when I can.

■ Shocker Softball Dinner & Auction | September 24
Where: Wichita State Aetna Multi-Purpose Facility

Another chance to get out and support the ladies and arguably the best athletics program we currently have.

■ NHL Preseason Game: Arizona Coyotes vs. St. Louis Blues | September 24
Where: INTRUST Bank Arena
G1 Sports & Entertainment announced that Wichita will host an NHL Preseason Game on September 24, 2022. The Arizona Coyotes and St. Louis Blues will face off at INTRUST Bank Arena in the first-ever NHL game in the city of Wichita.

I've said it before, but this is a huge get for Wichita.

■ Frontiers in Flight: McConnell Air Force Base Open House & Air Show | September 24
Where: McConnell Air Force Base
McConnell Air Force Base is opening its gates to the public during the Frontiers in Flight Open House and Airshow, September 24-25, 2022! Come and see how Team McConnell contributes to the Air Capital of the World as the true Home of Air Refueling. The base will be open to the public and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are scheduled to perform. Admission is completely FREE to the public!

A chance to see McConnell AFB up close and personal. Plus the Thunderbirds will be performing and they are flipping fantastic!

■ Wild West Days | September 24-25
Where: Old Cowtown Museum
The largest gathering of old west historical reenactors in the region! Come see historical legends doing presentations, gunfights, saloon girls, gambling, vendor shopping, beer garden, and more! This is a fundraiser for Historic Wichita Cowtown, Inc., the non-profit that helps to support Old Cowtown Museum!

Go back in time and enjoy a local treasure!

■ Tunes & Blooms | September 24
Where: Botanica
Join us at our Tunes & Blooms event on the Grand Lawn on September 24th from 6-11pm! Gates open at 5:30pm. Participate in the fun run, and enjoy a cornhole competition, kids cooking competition, photo opportunities with the Midian Cartoons and Krazy Klowns, special guests, live music from Paramount and more! Bring your own chair or blanket. Food and alcohol will be available for purchase.

Sounds like some good family fun.

■ Alabama With Very Special Friends, The Beach Boys | September 25
Where: INTRUST Bank Arena

What else needs to be said? It's Alabama! And the Beach Boys!

[Kung Wu]

Don't drink while dinosaurin'!!

[SubGod22]

I've often said I wanted to get drunk and ride a triceratops.

But I also don't want to be arrested for doing so.

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Council vote blocks multifamily plans on riverfront property along McLean

"The proposed custom zoning is not suitable for the area as expressed by multiple stakeholders," Council member Maggie Ballard said during the meeting.

The 1.3-acre property sits on the south side of McLean, between Vine Avenue and Fern Street. Totaling 11 lots, the site has been cleared of any buildings and is now empty green space with a sidewalk that runs along McLean.

Local developer and commercial real-estate professional Jeff Englert had requested a rezone of the land from single-family residential to a custom planned unit development that would allow for multifamily uses. According to an agenda report, the request proposed 19 rental units split between two parcels, with driveway access off of St. Louis Street.
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"I have received 78 emails in opposition since I first learned about the project," Ballard said during the Tuesday meeting. "To me that means the residents were unaware of when the meeting was."

At a Sept. 12 meeting, the DAB reversed its earlier decision and unanimously recommended denial after members of the public expressed concerns regarding loss of open space and mature trees, increased traffic, safety concerns and changing dynamics of the neighborhood. About 30% of nearby property owners protested the case, exceeding the 20% threshold that would have required 6 of 7 Council votes in order to approve the plans.

Ultimately, the City Council backed the DAB decision to deny the request.

I'm not familiar with the area. I believe I've read previously that many in the area want to keep it a green space.

[SHOCKvalue]

WBJ - Council vote blocks multifamily plans on riverfront property along McLean



I'm not familiar with the area. I believe I've read previously that many in the area want to keep it a green space.

Not trying to start an argument, but this story is an ideal example of why Wichita is Wichita. Someone comes in and wants to create new, hip, high density housing in the city core, and they get shown the middle finger. You could not possibly generate better material for a Wichita meme than that. The sliver of land is formerly a bunch of residential lots in a very low value area, and a small strip of road right of way right up next to a very busy street. It is not Riverside Park. It is now and will remain a bunch of nothing that will get mowed twice a year by the city, with brown grass and stickers. Congrats morons!

My wife and I are getting ready to move 800 miles away in a few weeks, and it can't come soon enough. Will always love WSU, but Wichita will get to continue in its regressive, non-growth, non-vibrant state without me around (not that I have anything to do with it).

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Downtown ICT building plans include new name, look - and mission

Hence, their plans to change the property's name to Kingdom Building, as Grandfield and VanderGriend's Kingdom Investment I, LLC targets early October to begin a multi-million dollar renovation effort.

"Put in its simplest form, kingdom building is anything that contributes to the purposes of God on this earth. We couldn’t possibly think of a better name for the building," VanderGriend said in an email. "Apart from the apartments upstairs which will be available to the public to lease, all the occupants of the building are those that have a mission of kingdom building.”

On Tuesday, the Wichita City Council unanimously approved multiple incentives that will help fund the renovation at 123 S. Market, which Kingdom Investment I anticipates to complete in April 2023.
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Plans are for the first and second floors to include 14 to 18 apartments — with a mix of studio and one-, two- and three-bedroom units that will be available to the public to lease.

"We are open to anybody who wants to be a part of it," Grandfield said in an interview.

VanderGriend said local coffee roaster, Nameless Coffee Co., plans to move in as a ground-floor retail tenant with its flagship shop, and ICT Creative Group, which creates digital content for clients, aims to occupy available space in the basement.

Plans also include a multi-floor shared workspace called Kingdom Collective — which VanderGriend said "qualified, faith-based non-profits in Wichita" can share to save on costs and collaborate — and a to-be-named meeting space below the coffee shop.
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Between the purchase and the remodeling, Kingdom Investment I plans to invest $5.7 million in the building that has been vacant since King of Freight moved out in 2019.

[SubGod22]

Not trying to start an argument, but this story is an ideal example of why Wichita is Wichita. Someone comes in and wants to create new, hip, high density housing in the city core, and they get shown the middle finger. You could not possibly generate better material for a Wichita meme than that. The sliver of land is formerly a bunch of residential lots, and a small strip of street right of way right up next to a very busy street. It is not Riverside Park. It is now a bunch of nothing that will get mowed twice a year by the city, with brown grass and stickers.

My wife and I are getting ready to move 800 miles away in a few weeks, and it can't come soon enough. Will always love WSU, but Wichita will get to continue in its regressive, non-growth, non-vibrant state without me around (not that I have anything to do with it).

Like I said, I'm not familiar with the area at all and have no opinion in that regard.

But I would say that Wichita has been making a lot of progress in the downtown area. I believe the population of downtown has nearly doubled in the past decade or so and more apartments keep getting added. Riverfront Stadium and the development around that is beginning and should add more residential and retail to the area. River development as a whole has been lacking, but some is moving forward.

I will give you that Wichita tends to think too small and move too slow and too cheap at times, but they are moving forward.

Back to this piece of land, I'm not sure if apartments are the way to go or not. I'm not sure if any studies have been done in regards to impact to economics or traffic and such.

I also don't know how much green space is in the area, but fully understand the desire to have green spaces throughout the city. I have no idea if this can be developed into something useful and green or not. I'm sure there will be people looking into how to utilize it now that this current effort has been shut down. Perhaps nothing happens, and in a few years this is revisited? I have no idea. But I find it a bit excessive for this one instance of development being blocked to trump all of the other progress and development taking place in and around downtown. A number of vacant building have been or are in the process or planning of being fixed up and repurposed, be it for office, retail, apartments or a mixture of any or all of the three.

I also expect such things to continue. Wichita isn't going to get every move right, no city does. But they are and have been moving in the right direction, even if slower than many would like.

[SubGod22]

Eagle - Lawrence-Dumont Stadium may be gone, but the Dumont is coming to Delano

Just a few blocks from where Lawrence-Dumont Stadium used to be, and where Riverfront Stadium is now, a new apartment complex called the Dumont is under construction.

“It’s just kind of a tribute to Lawrence-Dumont Stadium,” said Phil Carselowey, a partner in the development.

He and Ryan Carbrey own NewFound Rentals, a company that finances outdoor structures such as cabins and storage sheds. They’ve partnered with Thierry Rignol in 220 S. Handley LLC to do the 96-unit apartment complex at the southeast corner of Handley and Texas, which is a couple of blocks south of Douglas.
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Carselowey said the goal is to create a complex that fits with Delano’s historic character. He said there will be some upscale options as well.

In addition to the new ballpark, Carselowey said there are a lot of other great things happening in the area.

“We just feel like Delano’s up and coming.”

Sounds like the first building should be ready by spring and the entire development finished before winter of '23.

[SHOCKvalue]

Like I said, I'm not familiar with the area at all and have no opinion in that regard.

But I would say that Wichita has been making a lot of progress in the downtown area. I believe the population of downtown has nearly doubled in the past decade or so and more apartments keep getting added. Riverfront Stadium and the development around that is beginning and should add more residential and retail to the area. River development as a whole has been lacking, but some is moving forward.

I will give you that Wichita tends to think too small and move too slow and too cheap at times, but they are moving forward.

Back to this piece of land, I'm not sure if apartments are the way to go or not. I'm not sure if any studies have been done in regards to impact to economics or traffic and such.

I also don't know how much green space is in the area, but fully understand the desire to have green spaces throughout the city. I have no idea if this can be developed into something useful and green or not. I'm sure there will be people looking into how to utilize it now that this current effort has been shut down. Perhaps nothing happens, and in a few years this is revisited? I have no idea. But I find it a bit excessive for this one instance of development being blocked to trump all of the other progress and development taking place in and around downtown. A number of vacant building have been or are in the process or planning of being fixed up and repurposed, be it for office, retail, apartments or a mixture of any or all of the three.

I also expect such things to continue. Wichita isn't going to get every move right, no city does. But they are and have been moving in the right direction, even if slower than many would like.

If you think Wichita is progressing (not speaking politically in this context, to be clear) then I have to assume you don't travel much. Just being honest. Wichita is being absolutely left in the dust to any city in the central US that might be considered a peer. Go to Omaha, or Des Moines, or OKC, or Tulsa, or Colo Springs - all show the chasm between where we are, and where everyone else is.

The parcel of land in question is literally across the street from the river, cowtown, botanica, art museum and all of the central corridor parks. Not sure there is a part of town with more green space already. The vacant parcel will now be "green space" in the same way that whole blocks of nothing but vacant lots are "green space" in the city of Detroit.

Riverfront Stadium was started going on five years ago now. All that has happened to date is what was solely funded by the original outlay by the city - which in and of itself was one of the largest figures ever spent on a MiLB stadium (even though it is just another typical MiLB stadium - go figure). Literally nothing else has happened. To the west lies a hodge-podge of abandoned homes and vacant lots. To the north is an asphalt lot slowly returning back to gravel and an empty church. To the south is an extended stay, low rent hotel, and an ice center that the city allowed the Steven family to run into the ground. To the east is river frontage that I don't believe has changed a bit in my lifetime. Something MIGHT happen on the SE corner of the area in the next couple of years. Maybe. Smart money says the whole Riverfront Stadium thing is just another Waterwalk boondoggle with a slightly better outcome since at worst at least a stadium was built.

Wichita is basically at a stage where it is committing seppuku on itself. The CAVE-ers on the political right who were the big "no" on everything development-wise for decades are still there, and now they been joined effectively with an almost exact compliment on the left of a very similar group (in effect) of progressives who irrationally hate anyone in RE development, and who think anytime private business wants to build something there is a victim group to be discovered and invented from whole cloth to oppose the idea. Basically everyone on city council or county commission today falls on one of these sides, along with the staff of the Wichita Eagle. Nothing grandiose and big picture will happen in the city core for a very, very long time. We are now ran by blue pill CAVE-ers, or red pill CAVE-ers. Very different folks; same outcome for progress and development.

[SubGod22]

KWCH - Frontiers in Flight Air Show takes flight this weekend at McConnell AFB

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - The Frontiers in Flight Air Show 2022 returns to McConnell Air Force Base for the first time in four years.

The event takes place this weekend, Saturday, Sept. 24, and Sunday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free.

Event parking will be located in Cessna field and on-base through the main gate. Volunteers will direct visitors to open spots as they arrive.

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will headline the show, performing alongside many other professional airshow performers this year. The event also includes a number of static displays from the Dreamlifter and 777 to the KC-135s and KC-46s, along with nearly 30 other types of aircraft.

[SubGod22]

If you think Wichita is progressing (not speaking politically, to be clear) then I have to assume you don't travel much. Just being honest. Wichita is being absolutely left in the dust to any city in the central US that might be considered a peer.

Riverfront Stadium was started going on five years ago now. All that has happened to date is what was solely funded by the original outlay by the city - which in and of itself was one of the largest figures ever spent on a MiLB stadium (even though it is just another typical MiLB stadium). Literally nothing else has happened. To the west lies a hodge-podge of abandoned homes and vacant lots. To the north is an asphalt lot slowly returning back to gravel and an empty church. To the south is an extended stay, low rent hotel, and an ice center that the city allowed the Steven family to run into the ground. To the east is river frontage that I don't believe has changed a bit in my lifetime. Something MIGHT happen on the SE corner of the area in the next couple of years. Maybe. Smart money says the whole Riverfront Stadium thing is just another Waterwalk boondoggle with a slightly better outcome since at worst at least a stadium was built.

Wichita is basically at a stage where it is committing seppuku on itself. The CAVE-ers on the political right who were the big "no" on everything development-wise for decades are still there, and now they been joined effectively with an almost exact compliment on the left of a very similar group of progressives - effectively - who irrationally hate anyone in RE development and think anytime private business wants to build something there is a victim group to be discovered and invented from whole cloth to oppose the idea. Basically everyone on city council or county commission today falls on one of these sides. Nothing grandiose and big picture will happen in the city core for a very, very long time.

Development around Riverfront was delayed due to Covid. The area is going to look a lot different over the next few years. Work has already begun where they're building the parking garage/hotel/office/retail development. And I believe sometime next year they begin on the northern development of that area which is expected to include more office, apartment, retail and dining options. I don't think that group has anything to do with land west of the stadium, but I could be wrong. They're responsible for the developmental land to the east and north/northeast of the stadium. I believe that should all be developed in the next few years.

If you can't see that progress is being made, you aren't looking very hard. I've admitted that Wichita moves too slow and thinks too small on things. That's why we're still wasting money on Century II and we don't have a new convention space or performing arts center even in the works yet. But there is absolutely positive movement taking place downtown. Increased business. Increased population, and more residential units on the way, increased retail. Structures that have been abandoned for years, if not a decade plus, are being invested in and turned into usable properties.

I've often used OKC as an example. I was down there a few years ago with a friend and we were walking around downtown with his uncle, who was/is a high level employee for Loves who are HQ'd down there. He said something along the lines of 30 years ago, you wouldn't want to be in downtown OKC and definitely not after dark. It took years to change that and make it what it is today. Wichita is getting a late start due to poor leadership in the past. But it is moving forward. There are also a lot of young business people who see what Wichita can be and are willing to invest in it and doing what they can. Wichita just needs to keep moving forward and in 10 years it will look much different and have a much different feel and vibe downtown. It will be improved. I'm not saying we have the right leadership in place right now, but they are much better than what we had 10 and 20 years ago.

I'm hopeful that as progress continues, the city and the leadership will see more of what's possible. As movement continues, we'll see more businesses and investors that want to get involved. It has to start somewhere and I believe that it has. They just have to keep moving forward and not pump the breaks and let all momentum die off. That hasn't happened.

Maybe our peer cities are ahead of us, but they didn't jump out ahead of us over night. It took time. Wichita was late to the party, but they're now involved. You act like the city is sitting on its thumbs doing nothing and should just make zero efforts and die. That's not what's going on. You're starting to sound a bit like a CAVEr. You're not inherently against everything, but you sound like nothing is worthwhile and the city is a lost cause. And if that's the case, you're no better than them.

I hope you enjoy being 800 miles away. Many of us will enjoy watching and experiencing the growth of what Wichita will become over the years.

[SubGod22]

AOL - Drowning in Legos? A new shop opening in Wichita in two weeks will buy them back from you

Derek Sorrells — owner of other whimsical Wichita businesses including The Arcade, Papa’s General Store and Sweet ‘n Saucy — recently announced his plans for a new business he’ll call Let’s Go Build. He’s planning to open it on Oct. 7 at Greenwich Place, the shopping center at K-96 and Greenwich that also has Dave & Buster’s, World Market, Saltgrass Steak House and more.

It won’t be an official Lego Store like the one in Oak Park Mall in Overland Park, Sorrells said. But it will be a Lego-authorized reseller and will carry new Lego kits ranging from simple $3 versions to giant $900 Star Wars sets.

The shop’s other purpose, though, will be to serve as a clearinghouse for those wishing to get rid of some of their excess Legos and for those needing to pick up individual pieces to complete massive Lego builds.

[SubGod22]

Wichita by EB - All The Fall Festivals, Oktoberfests and Big Events In and Around Wichita - 2022 Edition

It’s fall y’all! With cooler weather upon us (probably mixed in with some 100-degree days, tornados, earthquakes and a typhoon or two), that means one thing… Fall Festivals! There’s a lot coming up in and around town. Not just, your popular small town fall festivals, but festivals celebrating cultures, food and more.

Here’s your guide to everything coming up!

There's a long list of festivals and celebrations over the next few weeks in here. BBQ, music, other foods, alcohol and pretty much anything else you could imagine. Most of his list are in the metro area with a few exceptions.

[SubGod22]

KSN - Kristin Chenoweth coming to Wichita to host masterclass at Friends University

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Kristin Chenoweth is coming to Wichita on Friday, Oct. 7, to host a one-on-one masterclass with 10 students pursuing a degree in music theatre at Friends University.

Chenoweth is an Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress and singer. For more information about her award-winning career, visit her website.

“We are thrilled to provide this opportunity for our students,” said Dr. Nathanael May, Friends University’s Fine Arts division chair. “Our students are so excited to work directly with Ms. Chenoweth, whose Midwest roots and brilliant career will inspire them for years to come.”

This is a pretty cool opportunity for those that get to participate and even the younger kids who get to observe.