Making the State Environs Law Work for You: Successful Architectural Design for Downtown Wichita, Kansas; Important Tips for Property Owners, Developers, Real Estate Agents, Architects, Contractors, Sign Companies, Municipal Planners and Other Interested Parties
JEO Consulting Group, Inc. and Berggren Architects. 2009. Making the State Environs Law Work for You: Successful Architectural Design for Downtown Wichita, Kansas; Important Tips for Property Owners, Developers, Real Estate Agents, Architects, Contractors, Sign Companies, Municipal Planners and Other Interested Parties. Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department. Wichita, Kansas
From introduction: "Many property owners, developers, architects, real estate agents, and other interested parties feel encumbered by a unique state law that affects their plans to develop a thriving downtown community in Wichita. The Kansas Preservation Act of 1977 (KSA 75-2724) was amended in 1981 to include a portion known in everyday terms as the “environs law.” The statute mandates that owners of all structures within 500 feet of a building or district that is listed on the Register of Historic Kansas Places (RHKP) and/or the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) must submit plans for exterior rehabilitation, new construction, or demolition to be reviewed by the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO)... In order to facilitate the review process, the City of Wichita’s Historic Preservation Office commissioned a study to examine existing architectural qualities in the downtown area and produce design standards for properties subject to review under the environs law. This publication is the result of that study and serves as advance notice to give stakeholders the greatest chance for successful design reviews. The content has been approved by the SHPO and adopted by the Wichita Historic Preservation Board. Twenty-one Design areas were analyzed, and an Architectural Context was formulated for each area. These Architectural Contexts provide approvable possibilities for rehabilitation and new construction that comply with the state guidelines and will enable all parties to understand appropriate architectural options for properties of interest. The Architectural Contexts take into consideration the existing structures in each area, including whether they have historic significance." Project funding was provided in part by a 2008 Historic Preservation Fund grant to the City of Wichita (project number KS-08-010) administered by the Kansas State Historic Preservation Office (grant number 20-08-21721) and the State, Tribal, and Local Plans and Grants Division, National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Wichita, Kansas is a Certified Local Government.
- Type
- Generic Document
- Authors
- JEO Consulting Group, Inc.; Berggren Architects
- Date of Issue
- 2009
- Publisher
- Wichita-Sedgwick County Metropolitan Area Planning Department
- Units
- HPF
- Keywords
- Design Guidelines