Wednesday, March 17. 1999
The University Daily Kansan
Section A · Page 3
City could lift Barbwire restrictions
Space may include more than retail, food establishments
By Heather Woodward hwwoodward@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
When the Barbwire Building, 8 E. Sixth St., opens, possibly later this year, it may include more than coffee and artisan shops on its second level.
who leases the Barb wire Building from the city, said he would restrict the types of retail
As part of an agreement with Chelsea G.L.A., owners of the Riverfront Mall, Mike Elwell,
Snow covers the Barbwire building, between City Hall and the Lawrence Riverfront Outlet Mall. Last night, the city commission discussed lifting lease restrictions on the building, which may open later this year. Photo by Graham K. Johnson/KANSAN
and food establishments in the building so it would not create excess competition for the mall. The two properties are next to each other.
Because Riverfront L.L.C. plans to purchase the Riverfront Mall property, it would step into the existing contract.
The city previously had restrictions on the lease that stated the space could only be used for food and retail.
Elwell said at last night's Lawrence City Commission meeting that he would like restrictions lifted from his property because the new owners of the mall may include more than just retail.
Riverfront L.L.C. requested at a previous commission meeting that it be allowed to include more than just retail at the Riverfront Mall, with the exception of sexually oriented entertainment and gambling.
"Certain restrictions have the capacity to be a problem down the line," Elwell said, "and I would like those restrictions dropped because they leave me in limbo."
Riverfront L.L.C. plans to close the sale of the Riverfront Mall with Chelsea on Monday.
Elwell has leased the building from the city since 1990. He said he planned to have a stage and bar in the downstairs area of the building with access on both levels to the Kansas River. John Nalbandian, commissioner and professor of public administration, said he thought Elwell's request was reasonable.
"The Riverfront Mall having only retail and food services, as I see it, that's changed." Nalbantian said at the meeting. "So then those restrictions should no longer be placed on him."
Bill Newsome, who represented Riverfront L.L.C. at the meeting, said he would organize a meeting today to negotiate the restrictions with Elwell. He said he would like to have input from city officials.
"It's been a very complicated closing," said Newsome at the meeting about the negotiations with Chelsea. "Those issues just have not come to the top of the list. At the time we created the contract, we were unaware that this document even existed."
Also at the commission meet.
ing:
The commission passed on second reading an ordinance that would allow the Jayhawk Cafe, 1340 Ohio St., and the Wagon Wheel Cafe, 507 W. 14th St., to stay open until 2 a.m. on the grounds that certain conditions, including adding lighting and hiring private security, be added to their drinking establishment license.
The commission passed on second reading an ordinance that would establish the 900 block of New Hampshire Street
The Lawrence City Commission
Last night the commission:
Last night the commission:
Approved a 50 percent tax
abatement for $9.3 million for
new equipment for Allen Press
new equipment for Allen Press;
■ Moved to make an ordinance for Los Amigos requiring them to stop serving alcoholic beverages at 1 a.m., to close at 1:30 a.m. and to add 10 conditions to their drinking
as a redevelopment district, allowing the city to finance a 616-space parking garage
establishment license, including hiring private security and having a traffic director;
- Approved a site plan for a Mercantile Bank ATM to be located on the corner of Ninth and Ohio streets;
Approved a drinking establishment license for Old Chicago
through tax-increment financing.
Edited by Steph Brewer
Health event is chance to share experiences
Bv T.J. Johnson
By 1.5. Johnson
tjohnson@kansan.com
Kansan staff writer
About 100 college health care providers will be at the University this week to participate in the annual Central College Health Association Conference.
The conference began last night with an openhouse tour and dinner at Watkins Memorial Health Center.
Gaye Homer, laboratory manager at the University of Nebraska, said the annual conference was a way for college health care workers to network information and to share their experiences. She said this was especially true for health care workers from smaller universities.
"There are a variety of sizes of college health centers, from one-nurse to here on this campus with a very large health center," Homer said. "A lot of the people attending are single-nurse that maybe don't have access to a lot of educational materials themselves, so they get a lot of information while they're
here to assist them in helping the students in the smaller schools."
The conference also provides a chance for health care workers from all types of schools to interact.
"A lot of these nurses have to teach health to students and employees, so we try to give them as much information as they can use, and we take back what we can use from them," said Jody Woods, host director for the KU conference and Supervisor of Nursing at Watkins.
The conference will feature a wide variety of speakers from Watkins and the community on topics ranging from sports injuries to substance abuse treatment.
"This is a way to hear from a lot of speakers in a lot of different areas," Homer said. "They try to devise programming for anywhere from a single-nurse facility to a multi-departmental facility."
Woods said the group that organized the KU conference had looked at suggestions from participants in past conferences to form a lineup of speakers in the most requested areas.
She said she sent information about the conference to virtually every college, university and community college in a three-state area to give them a chance to participate.
"We have two schools coming in for the first time," Woods said. "And this is the first year where we will have four representatives from community colleges."
Woods said the conference was an opportunity for all school health programs to learn something, not just those from smaller universities. Large university health programs may seem impressive to people from smaller universities, but they have their own shortcomings, she said.
"We look like a 'tin god' to them, but in comparison we get to talk to K-State, Nebraska and Missouri and they have problems too," Woods said. "It's really to lay a framework and to get people to know each other."
The conference will continue until Friday at the Holiday Inn Holidome, 200 McDonald Drive.
Edited by Duane Wagler
Students ditch spring break fun for hard work
By Jamie Knodel
[jknodel@kansan.com]
Kansan staff writer
Some KU students who pack their bags for spring break vacation will have to include hammers, nails and gear for construction work.
"You get to see a new place and life from a different perspective," he said. "It's doing something for the community."
Troy Fowler, Lawrence senior, said that participating in the spring break trip was a learning experience for students.
Members of the University's chapter of Habitat for Humanity will travel to Denver to build a house for the organization, which provides affordable housing to low-income families.
The group will leave Saturday and will travel by car to Denver. Fowler said it wouldn't be all work for
A Denver church will provide room and board for the KU Habitat for Humanity builders throughout the week.
the participants. He said that they would spend Sunday and Monday exploring the town or skiing in the Rocky Mountains.
Fowler said it would take four days to build the Denver house. They will spend Tuesday through Friday putting the house together.
Getting a habitat
- Families must be in need of simple, decent and affordable housing.
- Families must be willing to complete 250-500 hours of working on Habitat for Humanity projects.
- Families must be able to demonstrate the ability to repay the no-interest mortgage.
"Habitat is very hands-on," said Jennifer Polk, Habitat for Humanity International special projects coordinator. "You can see your results immediately."
Polk said more than 8,000 students across the nation would participate in Habitat for Humanity Collegiate Challenge, which is a program organizing spring break building trips.
She said 400 different organizations at campuses across the nation were participating, including groups from Kansas State University and the University of Missouri.
Polk said that this was the 10th year for the Collegiate Challenge and that the number of program participants had increased each year. She said this year there were 1,000 more participants in the program.
"There is more social awareness," she said. "Students are able to see their ability to make a difference in such a short time frame."
Fowler said that there were six KU students going on the trip but that three spots remained open. He encouraged students who were interested in the trip to contact him at habitat@raven.co.ukans.edu.
Builders will pay $110 to participate in the Denver project. Fowler said that this covered registration and insurance fees and a donation to the Denver chapter of Habitat for Humanity.
Edited by Sarah Hale
By Kelly Clasen
Non-smoking lounge opens in Lawrence to offer students a second wind
Special to the Kansan
As the voices of the crowd filter out the door of the West Coast Saloon, 2222 Iowa St., and into the parking lot, the recently opened bar next door remains silent and empty.
the owners of Second Wind, a nonsmoking lounge, admit they are taking a risk with their business venture, which began early this semester. It is the only smoke-free bar in Lawrence.
Bob Greunwald, owner, said his partner, Shaun Trenholm, who is a former University of Kansas track team member, developed the idea.
"He knows a lot of guys who run, and they've all complained that they like to go out, but they don't like to go into
bars where it's real smoky," Greunwald said.
Both men also own the adjoining West Coast Saloon.
Second Wind and West Coast Saloon customers have the same drink specials and menu available because the establishments share a kitchen.
Tim Schroba, Chicago senior and a part-time bartender at the West Coast Saloon, said he thought it would be difficult to have a successful non-smoking bar in Lawrence
"Smoking is so prevalent on college campuses and in the Midwest," Schroba said. "But I think it's an excellent idea."
Greunwald said he thought Second Wind opened doors to people who might not otherwise consider visiting
a bar.
Despite the good intentions,he said business at the smoke-free establishment has been spotty. On extremely slow nights,the bar simply closes early.
This is not surprising to Jeff Morrow, a KU business lecturer. He said the number of students who smoke in Lawrence is shocking.
"It surprises me how many young people smoke around here," Morrow said. "You know what it says to me? 'Ignorant.' I wonder why in the world these people spend so much money on such a dangerous product."
Morrow said that when he was the owner of The Crossing, 618 W. 12th St., he cut a hole in the roof to let the cigarette smoke escape.
"There is no way a cigarette can be contained inside a building," he said. "If one person smokes, everyone in the building is touched by the smoke."
Morrow said he thought very few bar owners had the nerve to take the risk involved in making their establishments non-smoking environments.
"I think government intervention will be necessary in creating more smoke-free environments," he said.
Morrow said that it was illegal to smoke in public spaces in California.
California's smoke-free workplace law took effect in 1995. Bars and nightclubs, however, were not required to become smoke-free until 1997, and the tobacco industry successfully promoted an amendment to delay implementation of the law until 1998.
"If people absolutely must indulge themselves in a cigarette, they can go outside." Morrow said.
Whether Second Wind will succeed in Lawrence has yet to be seen, and Greunwald is aware that it may not.
"I think it's kind of like cigar bars," he said. "Right now it's just a niche, but if people want it, there will be at least one in the area to go to."
The non-smoking lounge is scheduled to be open Wednesday through Friday from 5 p.m. to midnight and on Saturday from noon to 2 a.m.
Although the tobacco industry has made attempts to have the law delayed, it was defeated in 1988, and all indoor public establishments in California are now smoke-free.
— Edited by Liz Wristen
NOMINATIONS WANTED
THE COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN IS NOW ACCEPTING NOMINATIONS TO HONOR OUTSTANDING WOMEN STUDENTS, FACULTY, AND STAFF FOR ITS ANNUAL
WOMEN'S HALL OF FAME
OUTSTANDING WOMAN EDUCATOR
OUTSTANDING WOMAN STAFF MEMBER
OUTSTANDING INTERNATIONAL WOMAN STUDENT
OUTSTANDING NONTRADITIONAL WOMAN STUDENT
OUTSTANDING WOMAN STUDENT IN COMMUNITY SERVICES
OUTSTANDING WOMAN STUDENT IN STUDENT SERVICES
OUTSTANDING WOMAN STUDENT IN LEADERSHIP
OUTSTANDING WOMAN STUDENT IN ATHLETICS
OUTSTANDING PIONEER WOMAN
WOMEN'S RECOGNITION PROGRAM NOMINATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:
DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS:
Wednesday, March 24, 1999 at 5:00 p.m.
Nomination forms may be obtained at the Emily Taylor Women's Resource Center, 322 Street Hall, 864-3552.
The Women's Recognition Program will be held on Tuesday, April 27, 1999 at 7:00 p.m. in Alderson Auditorium, Kansas Union. Commission on the Status of Women is funded by Student Senate.
watkins health center
864-9500
BreakHours:
Mon.-Sat. 8am-4:30pm
Sun. 12:30pm-4:30pm