8A
Wednesdav. June 21. 1995
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Red Lyon Tavern 944 Mass. 832-8228
Riverfront Plaza hasn't done harm
Downtown survives another raid
By Dan Gelston Kansan staff writer
Walking through downtown Lawrence can seem like taking a trip back in time.
Buildings more than 150 years old and structures that survived Quantrill's Raid are a constant reminder that this is a town with a fascinating history.
That feeling of history was one of the reasons for opposition to the Lawrence Riverfront Plaza Factory Outlets, 6th and New Hampshire streets, which opened in 1990. It the first mall in a town known more for its quint shops. People feared that it would be a corporate monster that would suck the charm and economic life out of downtown.
Five years later, the 50-store mall is a monster of a different sort, providing the town with healthy competition and a needed attraction for outsiders, who bring in dollars to help the economy. The mall, which was built for $17.5 million by the Chelsea Group of Roseland, N.J.
Noah Musser/KANSAN
opened with cautious optimism on April 6,1990.
David Longhurst has been the mall's manager since its opening and has seen an improved attitude from Lawrence consumers.
"I think when we opened, people weren't really sure what we were all about," Longhurst said. "Even though we were advertised as an outlet mall, some people might have thought we were a traditional mall and that may have led to some misconceptions about what we were about. But I don't think that people were ever against the idea of a mall."
Longhurst said that if people were wary of the mall, it was because they didn't know if they would lose
the downtown stores. He said the reason the mail had been such a success was that the mail didn't compete directly with local retailers and that most of the customers came from outside Lawrence.
Delana Lee of Alley Cat Records, 717 Massachusetts St., has not noticed a drop-off in customers because of the mall.
"Most of the people who come here are students," Lee said. "I think they really don't have the time or want to go to a mall. They don't have what they're looking for."
Paul Duncan, manager of the mall's Music 4 Less, echoed Lee's sentiments. "We cater a little more to older customers who want music from the '50s or '60s. They might not be able to find at the stores downtown," Duncan said.
Those who come for the mall do not necessarily stay there.
"People come for the mall, but they soon realize that there is much more," Lawrence City Manager Mike Wildgen said. "So often I see people downtown with shopping bags from the mall, but they're eating in the local restaurants or shopping in the other stores.
"It certainly has had a positive effect."
Perhaps the most positive aspect of the mall has been the way it has helped the town financially. Millions of dollars generated annually by the sales tax are pumped back into Lawrence.
Riverfront Mall succeeded largely because of location.
The Riverfront Plaza was not the first mall proposed for Lawrence. In 1888 JVJ Inc. of Cleveland wanted to build a mall at 33rd and Iowa streets, but was denied because of city zoning laws.
"This mall wasn't right in the middle of downtown, and it helped clean up a part of town that needed it," Wildgen said. "Plus it complied with zoning laws." For Lawrence consumers like Kara Richardson, where they shop has a lot to do with what they want.
"I go downtown for unique gifts and stuff you can't find in a mall," Richardson said. "I go to the mall if I want to buy something specific."
Although the mall can't expand structurally, it still has room to improve.
"We're always looking to get better," Longhurst said. "We're just one of many attractions here in Lawrence, but we want to be one of the best."
Safety worries prompt closing of parking lot
By Ryan Vise
Kansan staff writer
garages and repairs to the Towers.
The upper level of the westernmost garage at Jayhawker Towers was closed on June 7 because of safety concerns, parking officials said.
The KU parking department has received a final report from a consulting firm, which determined the garage was beyond repair. Barton-Aschman Inc. proposed demolition of the garage.
Alan Black, president of University Council, said that the garage was an immediate concern.
"I think that parking will be very controversial next year." Black said. Last semester, University Council voted down a proposal for new
garages and repairs to the Towers. Barton-Aschman originally was hired in 1986 to help the University meet its projected parking needs through the mid 1990s. The parking garage north of Allen Field House was constructed in 1989, but new parking problems have developed, and Barton-Aschman was hired again in 1993 for further study.
The firm has suggested a new garage north of the Kansas Union and a replacement garage at the Towers.
Donald L. Kearns, director of the parking department, confirmed the site north of the Union.
"We will not pursue any further locations." Kearns said.
Michael Schulze / KANSAN
He said the safety concerns were a maintenance issue, not parking.
The upper level of the parking garage west of Jayhawker Towers has been closed due to safety concerns. Tentative plans for the garage include building a replacement garage near the Towers.
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