UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Monday, October 31, 1994
5A
Mall expansion could threaten downtown again
By Carlos Tejada
Kansan staff writer
When it opened a year ago, the Tanger Factory Outlet Center was predicted to be either an economic blessing or the death of downtown Lawrence.
One year later, the jury still is out on the matter, city officials say. But Tang Bert, 1035 N. Third St, now has plans to expand. The proposal has passed the first round of the city's bureaucracy, but questions about its effect on one of Lawrence's most vibrant business areas might be prompted again.
The 21-store mall, which opened in November 1993, has drawn business mostly from out of town, said Kacy Childs-Winston, mall property manager. Outlet malls such as Tanger house stores run directly by merchandise manufacturers, such as Levi Strauss or Liz Claiborne, that offer prices lower than the usual mall stores. So to avoid competing with regular malls, outlet malls usually are located away from larger metropolitan areas such as Topeka and Kansas City, she said.
"Last weekend we had some people from Wichita," she said. "We attract a lot of people from outside."
As a result, business is drawn from shoppers in those metropolitan areas who are willing to drive a few miles for better prices. Childs Winston said.
But Childs-Winston said the mail was located far enough north to avoid competing for local shoppers' dollars.
"With our location on the turnpike, we draw more people into Lawrence," she said. "But we're far enough to keep from competing with downtown."
In fact, some of those out-of-town shoppers then drift to downtown Lawrence, bringing more business to the city as a whole. Childs-Winston said. Signs outside the mall direct shoppers to the Massachusetts Street area.
Mall mystery
The commission will consider what effect the mall has on downtown so far and how the addition would change that, said Bob Sisqueiros, city planner. He said a study done together by mall officials and an independent consultant showed that one year was not enough to gauge the mall's effect.
In one year, the mall has drawn enough business to warrant expansion, she said. Earlier this month, a proposed 50,000 square-foot addition was approved 7-1 by the Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Committee. The addition, which will house 10 to 12 new stores, will be up for final approval by the Lawrence City Commission in December.
So the addition and the mail itself could hurt downtown in the long run, he said, but available data would not show it. The Lawrence Riverfront Plaza, Lawrence's other outlet mall and possibly the business most endangered by Tanger, is included by city officials as part of downtown.
"The staff would feel more comfortable if we had a year or year-and-a-half more data," Siqueiros said.
Jo Andersen, Lawrence mayor, agreed with Sioquires. She said malls had destroyed the downtown areas of small towns across the nation. She said the rarity of small-town downtown areas made
Yumi Chikamori / KANSAN
Shoppers browse at stores in Tanger Factory Outlet Center. Tanger, which wants to expand by 10 to 12 new stores, has prompted fears by some city officials it might damage business in downtown Lawrence.
Lawrence's even more important.
"Lawrence hasn't lost its downtown." Andersen said. "That's so rare, it isn't believable."
By Shannon Newton Kansan staff writer
Alexi Castillo, wearing sandals and a straw hat, tries to get closer to Esther Vannucchi. But she ignores his advances, and the music continues.
Panama's culture presented
"It's a Socabon dance," said Erick Herrera, vice president of the Panamanian Student Association. "It's an expression of firing. He is trying to win her over."
Castillo and Vanucci were practicing the dance for Saturday's Panamanian Cultural Night, which will be at 7 p.m. in the Kansas Union Ballroom.
The cultural night will be the finale of Panama Week, which begins today and is being sponsored by the association, the Office of International Studies, Phi Beta Delta, the Center of Latin American Studies and Student Senate.
"We have 11 different dances that represent all areas of Panama," said Antonio Dominguez, president of the association. "There is a lot of variety in our country, and we want students to realize that."
Antonio Domingues, Panama City, Panama, senior, wants KU students to realize that Panama contains more than a canal.
"We have an incredible environment that people do not know about," he said. "The country has beautiful landscapes made up of rain forests, mountains and beaches. It's a culture, and it's an environment made up of different perspectives."
PanamaWeek
Today's activities
Documentary Videos;
The Golden Jungle, 3 p.m.
The Kuna Indians of Panama,
3 p.m.
Both films in 3 Lippincott Hall.
The Office of International Studies and the Panamanian Student Association together came up with the idea for the week, said Carine Ullom, project coordinator.
"A couple of years ago the office initiated a country week featuring one country," she said. "We decided to have Panama Week since the Panamanian Student Association was already planning a cultural night."
Ullom said the planned events of the week tried to hit on all the senses.
"We have dances, food, lectures and videos," she said.
She said the group hoped to present a variety of events that would educate students.
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