University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas
KANSAN
Friday, September 24, 1982 Vol. 93, No. 25 USPS 650-640
Downtown City commission to select developer
By DOUG CUNNINGHAM Staff Reporter
The Lawrence City Commission will select a "developer of record" for the proposed downtown redevelopment project Tuesday night.
Those working on the selection of the developer said this week that there would be some big changes in Lawrence because of the redevelopment project.
Depending on which of three developers the commission selects, an additional 200,000 to 400,000 square feet of retail space will be added to the downtown area.
Two large department stores and the expansion of a local department store are expected to help keep up with demand.
THE RIVERFRONT of the Kansas River may be developed for commercial and entertainment purposes as part of a second phase of redevelopment to occur in several years.
Students searching for apartments may be able to add the downtown area to their list of homes.
The prospect of a suburban mall, first raised about a year age, may remain only a prospect because Lawrence's retail market will be saturated.
THE PROPOSED project has attracted some of the largest and most respected development firms in the country, one city official said yesterday.
"These guys are big, and here they are in Lawrence, Kansas," said Dean Palos, a planner in the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission.
nose are Sizerel Realty Co, Inc., Kenner, La.; Link Programs Inc., Chicago; and Two Crowns Inc., Fort Worth, Texas.
The improvement committee selected the final three firms from an original field of eight.
Those eight had responded to a redevelopment prospectus the city had mailed to 150 firms earlier this year.
The final three firms have come to Lawrence seeking to be the city's developer of record because Lawrence is part of a nationwide transition in redevelopment, Palos said.
"THE BIG shopping centers have pretty much all been built," he said.
we are, like it or not, on the leading edge of a change in the whole way this country has been doing its retail development. What makes us different from all of you is what we're doing is not a clearance project."
Lawrence is instead proposing an infill project, by which redevelopment adds to the existing retail space, rather than replaces it, he said.
"The key words are infil, integration and enhancement of what we have," Palas said.
LAWRENCE city commissioners are divided over which developer to pick. Commissioner Don Bimbs said his first choice was Two Crowns.
Bins said. Two Crows offers an approach that is better suited to Lawrence than what the other two developers propose, Bins said.
"Two Crowns appeared to me to be the most imaginative, the most innovative and the most creative of the three firms," he said.
Link Programs is proposing a project that is too similar to an enclosed mall, Binns said.
A proposal from a Cleveland firm for an enclosed mall was rejected by the city about 18 months ago.
WHICHWEER developer is selected, a mall or shopping center in a suburban area of Lawrence would be stopped by downtown redevelopment, Rinns said.
"The market is here now for that additional retail shopping." Bins said, "and once we get it in the downtown area, there won't be any market for a mall."
The city has rejected zoning for a suburban mall, Palos said, and that rejection of zoning is one of the city's strongest suits in the downtown redevelopment process, Palos said.
Other city commissioners say they have not decided which developer they will vote for. Binsaid he would try to convince those commissioners to pick Two Crowns.
COMMENTS from other commissioners, however, show that Binns is alone in his strong support of Two Crowns.
supply I "don't think they have the experience to do a job of this kind," Commissioner Barkley Clark said of Two Crowns.
cark had said Monday night, after the city commission interviewed representatives from all three firms, that he would tend to favor link Programs. Now, however, he said he had no
"The more I think about it, the more I think it's about, fifty-fifth," he said.
favorite between Link Programs and Sizerer Really.
CLARK SAID a 5- vote on the selection of a developer would be a show of confidence in that developer.
Commissioner Tom Gleason said he could not rate Two Crowns as highly as Link Programs or Sizeler Realty. He has not yet made his decision, he said.
he said. "I'm still wrestling with it," he said.
The downtown redevelopment might cause people who come to Lawrence for a reason other than leisure.
"THERE'S NO reason why they can't consider it a commercial opportunity as long as they're ready."
Development other than retail development may come as a later part of the project, Gleason said. But that future development, which might include office space, must be planned for now, he said.
"It's very sensible to look at that immediate need as a starting point," he said, and then "let me talk you about it."
Gleason called riverfront development, which was mentioned by the developers, a fascinating
MAYOR MARCI Francisco said "it would be hard to argue for Two Crowns."
However, she said she had not made a final decision among the three developers. Whichever one is picked will have to work closely with her team, and she said, particularly on the actual design of the project.
"I would hope the developers understand that the people in Lawrence are interested in design."
The developer and the people in Lawrence will have to work closely to come up with a final design.
COMMISSIONER Nancy Shontz said it was important that the public not be confused by conflicting opinions from commissioners as she had her preferences but had not made a decision.
"I'm going to wait until Tuesday night before I make my decision," she said.
The developer picked must be able to deal with a commission and improvement committee, she
One of the concerns the commissioners said
Suzu DOWNTOWN. page 5.
Student business owners earn. learn
By DONNA KELLER
Staff Reporter
"As far as business goes, the best way to learn is by doing." Margaret Berlin, Bonner Springs law student and owner of Cartoon-O-Gram, said recently.
Berlin said she started her Cartoon-O-Gram business because she needed a job to support herself through school and always had been interested in business.
Although it is not known how many student businesses are operating in Lawrence, Berlin is among several students who are employing and getting experience as their own bosses.
"It's easier to manage a job like this than an hourly job," she said.
ALAN AIDIF, a Small Business Administration business counsel, said the first thing a student should do to start a business was to develop a plan outlining his goals and the market for the goods he services to and what he had to offer as skills or qualifications.
"Then I'd start looking at my finances and
what my cash situation will be like over the
next 12 months. A person should ask lines
of credit to determine amount of money to
make it work," he said.
Aldif said one could use those projections to help determine prices and how much he had to sell in order to cover expenses.
STUDENT business owners seem to have a variety of reasons for starting their own businesses.
Debbie Koenig and Lisa Hartstein, both St. Louis, Mo., juniors, recently purchased a franchise for Judy's Place for Fitness, 804 W. 24 st., because it is something they both enjoy doing and there is no place similar to it in Lawrence, Koenig said.
She said that the center featured "jazz exercise" workouts, and that she, Hartainte,
and their three instructors taught four classes a day for their 65 students.
"They should have enough money to operate the business without starving, like we did."
—Sheldon Singer
Footlights co-owner
TOM GRAVES, Garden City graduate
student, and Mischi Thunderahwurz, Wurtzburg
"I don't go out as much at night. I think about all of the hours I used to sit around and do nothing. I had to give up a few things, but this is more satisfying." she said.
Germany, sophomore, share ownership of The Browser's Basement and Kwality Comics, 107 W. Seventh St., which specialize in second-hand goods and comic books.
Graves said he liked working for himself.
Graves said he nekted working for himself.
"It's better to be in control of your own time rather than being obligated to a boss or a time clock." Graves said.
He said he and Thunderhawk had scheduled their classes so that each was free either in the morning or the afternoon to run the business.
"I saw a lot of potential here," McKee said. "It's a learning experience as well as being part of it."
IN THE FOOD service market are Mark McKeen, Overland Park junior, and David Kelsey, Sioux City, Iowa., junior, the corporate owners of Pyramid Pizza, 507 W. 14th St.
MKee said the most difficult thing he had encountered was finding time for all the things he needed.
"We don't have the restrictions that large franchises do," he said. "We're the only student-owned pizza restaurant in Lawrence. We want to build a camaraderie with the
McKeen said he had to balance his time carefully between the business and school
PARTNERS Scott Crawford, Westwood STUDENTS page 5
Buddy Mangine/KANSAN
Books that will be for sale during the book fair at Watson Library were displayed outside the library yesterday. The fair will be part of the Watson rededication celebration next week. See story on page 9.
Professor links stress to problem awareness
By DEBORAH BAER
Staff Reporter
Charred bodies, small bodies with the distended bellies of starvation and desperate people standing in unemployment lines.
Every day, college students can turn on their television sets and see grim reminders of the world's problems. This constant awareness could be the cause of a nationwide increase in stress among college students in the last two decades, a vector of KU's Counseling Center said yesterday.
Richard Rundquist, professor of counseling and director of the center, said that stress on KU students was more dramatic last year than it had been previously. He said his colleagues had reported that the high rate of national students attending college and university counseling center directors he attended recently.
center advises that awareness of world problems has a definite effect on college students and the amount of stress they feel.
"Things happen in Timbuktu and we know about it in 10 minutes," he said.
The constant graphic images of bad news on television add to people's anxiety, he said, "and some people have a tough time dealing with anxiety."
Rundquist said that, although some people accused college students of being oblivious to the world beyond their own campus, students did pay attention to world happenings.
"I THINK they are aware, and they do care. They may give the impression sometimes that they don't care, by drinking too much beer, or they don't drink at all, so no ways people have of adjusting to the world."
rumour said that although awareness of world problems alone probably would not create too much tension for students to handle, it could be the cause of stress that, when added to other
"It could be also the one that makes them feel bad enough that they don't think about what they're studying, and so they flunk a test," he said.
problems, made the student feel a need for counseling.
SINDEY SCHROEDER, psychiatrist and head of the Mental Health Clinic at Watkins Hospital, said the number of students who sought help for dealing with stress fluctuated with changes in political and social movements and the economy.
He said it usually took a combination of problems to bring a student to the clinic, and sometimes it was the social climate that tipped the stress scale past the manageable.
During the Vietnam War, many more people than before came to the clinic complaining of depression and other problems, he said, and when heavy drug use became popular, many of the cases he and his colleagues saw involved acute reactions to street drugs.
THIS YEAR, the economy might be the one stress factor that, when combined with the typical stresses related to college life, makes the stress too much to bear, he said.
"It may be the economy, or conditions generally, that produce enough anxiety that they begin hurting bad enough that they want to come in." he said.
Typical problems from which college students suffer are academic pressure, family disruptions and conflicts with friends and romantic partners, said both Schroeder and Rundquist.
sometimes those anxieties cause physiological responses such as headaches and insomnia, said Dr. Orr. The study showed that
KERKMAN said that primitive man experienced physiological responses to physical stress. He reported that many people to live without serious physical threats, those responses were still experienced.
Responses were still experience
See STRESS page 5
Incumbent seeks another term in Kansas House Charlton backs severance tax, higher education
Betty Jo Charlton
Today's interview is with incumbent State Rep. Betty Jochar, the Democrat who will face Republican Doug Lambert in the race for the 44th district seat in the Kansas House.
Editor's note: This is the 11th in a series of interviews with candidates running for local, state and national offices.
By JULIE HEABERLIN Staff Reporter
After three years in office, State Rep. Betty Jo Charlton said she recognized two primary functions of a Lawrence legislator in protecting KU's interests.
Charlton, a Lawrence resident, has a master's degree in political science from KU.
"The basic role of the legislator is budgetary." Charlton said in a recent interview, "but another role is to keep state legislators from interfering in the internal affairs of the University."
CHARLTON, who pushed strongly for passage of a severance tax last spring, said the 4 percent increase would be "a lot more."
tax.
"Of course, I don't support the cuts," she said.
"But he (Gov. John Carlin) did what he had to do."
necessary only because two Kansas senators refused to budge on supporting the severance tax.
"We were told while we were still in session that the estimate of revenue was $47 million short and that we needed the severance tax. It didn't happen."
Carlin's proposed severance tax on oil and gas passed the House last session but was narrowly defeated by the Senate.
THE SEVERANCE tax would be devoted to local school districts and crumbling Kansas highways, she said, so more money from the state's general fund could be channeled into higher education.
Although the severance tax would not completely erase the deflation, Carlson said, it would protect state programs and institutions until more government revenue sources became because of the economy.
eventually be placed in a state trust fund to guard against future deficits, she said.
CHARLTON SAID that during the next legislative session she would focus on funding for University needs other than capital improvements.
Money from this constant tax base would
When discussing utility rates, Charlton said she introduced a "lifeille" rate bill last session that would allow lower rates for low-income and elderly customers.
but we have no choice.
If the commission throws the decision to the Legislature, the bill will have more support than it did last year, she said.
Charlton also said she would work to implement student aid programs at the state level.
THE "LIFELINE" rate is now before the Kansas Corporation Commission, but Charlton said the commission probably would decide it did not have the authority to establish the rate.
"I'm primarily interested in education and social justice," Charlton said. "It seems to me that the solution to most social problems are here." He added, "That's where I feel can contribute something."
Weather
COMFORTABLE
Today will be partly cloudy with a high in the mid-70s. Winds will be from the northwest at about 10 mph.
Tonight will be partly cloudy with a low in the mid-40s. Tomorrow will be partly cloudy. A high in the mid-70s is expected.