City of Wichita searching for new tenant for old downtown library

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – The City of Wichita is searching for a new tenant for the old downtown library. HumanKind is leasing the building for Operation Holiday through the end of the year. Once that lease is over, the city wants a new tenant to take over the lease for about five years.

Major development around downtown Wichita means the building’s exact future is unknown. This is a key reason the city doesn’t want to give up ownership. 

The city’s decision to rent the old library for the short term helps to achieve its long-term goal of turning the building into something that would benefit the public. 

“We really have not wanted to do anything permanent until we know what the future of Century II is and what the future of the riverfront is,” said Wichita City Member of Council Jeff Blubaugh.

He says they are looking for a specific type of tenant. 

 “Looking for short-term use, five years or less, something that doesn’t dramatically alter the building, and someone in here and utilizing the facility,” said Blubaugh. 

Despite damage concerns like broken windows. HumanKind’s Operation Holiday began their lease on Oct. 1. The city says they won’t pay for any future renovations to the building.  

“Some of the other issues are ADA compliance, HVAC issues, some long lines of that, but I think structurally the building is pretty strong,” said Blubaugh. 

The city wants to turn the building into something that will fit well with other entertainment brought downtown. 

“It is very important because we want to make sure that we compliment whatever is going on at Century II, whether it’s a convention, whether it’s a performing art show, so we want to make sure that we cluster it with a like-mind, something that compliments the facilities that we have here,” said Blubaugh. 

One concern people have with HumanKind holding their Operation Holiday in this space is that people will have to pay for parking during item pick-up. HumanKind says this will not happen, but they did not explain how the pick-up process would work.