Historic Preservation Board

Wichita Historic Preservation Board Meeting Agenda Monday, January 12, 2026 2:00 PM Ronald Reagan Building 271 W. 3rd Street 2nd Floor MAPC Conference Room Agenda Item Description  ROLL CALL  APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA  APPROVAL OF THE 8 DECEMBER 2025 MEETING MINUTES  CONSENT AGENDA  None  PROJECT REVIEW  HPC2025-00169: Webster Elementary School - Nomination to the RHKP and the NRHP (640 North Emporia Avenue).  HPC2026-00001: East Douglas Avenue Historic District (WRHP, RHKP, NRHP) - install two signs: one measuring 20'-8" x 16" on the north elevation and one 14'- 5" x 16" on the east elevation (105 South Emporia Avenue).  ELECTIONS FOR BOARD CHAIR, FIRST VICE-CHAIR, AND SECOND VICE-CHAIR  PUBLIC COMMENT  ADJOURNMENT Notes • Wichita Council Members may attend this meeting. • WRHP = Wichita Register of Historic Places • RHKP = Register of Historic Kansas Places • NRHP = National Register of Historic Places Wichita Historic Preservation Board Agenda January 12, 2026 Page 2 Remote Access Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86360614768?pwd=Vja3woRMgB9br6FjUgPaxZZqyA3iq0.1 Meeting ID: 863 6061 4768 Passcode: 658150 Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kc65codfb1  Wichita Historic Preservation Board Meeting Minutes Monday, December 8, 2025 2:00 PM Ronald Reagan Building 271 W. 3rd Street 2nd Floor MAPC Conference Room 1. WELCOME Chairperson Rowley welcomed everyone to the meeting. 2. ROLL CALL • Emily Taylor – Present • Barb Meyers - Present • Debra Miller Stevens – Present • Janiece Baum Dixon – Present • Claire Willenberg – Present • Celeste Racette – Present • Bruce Rowley – Present • Christina Rieth, Secretary – Present • Sharon Dickgrafe, Assistant City Attorney – Present 3. APPROVAL OF THE 08 DECEMBER 2025 AGENDA • MOTION to approve the agenda by Celeste Racette, Claire Willenberg to second. Motion PASSED 7-0. 4. APPROVAL OF THE 13 OCTOBER 2025 MEETING MINUTES • MOTION to approve the minutes with corrections.Motion PASSED 5-0-2. 5. CONSENT AGENDA • The following items were reviewed by staff in accordance with K.S.A. 75-2725, as amended and Section 2.12.1015-1025 of City of Wichita Code of Ordinances:  HPC2025-00114: Park Place-Fairview Historic District (WRHP, RHKP, NRHP) - replace asphalt shingle roof in kind on house and detached garage (Non-Contributing building) (1709 North Fairview Avenue).   HPC2025-00137: Wiedeman House (WRHP) - replace composition shingle roof in kind, reglaze windows as needed on left and right elevations (1805 South Wichita Street).  HPC2025-00148: East Douglas Historic District (WRHP, RHKP, NRHP), OT-O Old Town Overlay - install two non-illuminated aluminum signs, one 3.3' x 4.5' double-faced hanging sign on south elevation, one 1.7' x 8' on north elevation, will not penetrate brick (922 East Douglas Avenue).  HPC2025-00149: Commodore Hotel (RHKP, NRHP) - run one 2" conduit along southwest corner of chimney on the north elevation (222 East Elm Street).  HPC2025-00164: Park Place-Fairview Historic District (WRHP, RHKP, NRHP) - replace asphalt shingle roof in kind on house and detached garage (1718 North Fairview Avenue). • MOTION to APPROVE the consent agenda by Claire Willenberg, Bruce Rowley to Second. Motion PASSED 7-0. 6. HPC2025-00163: Park Place-Fairview Historic District (WRHP, RHKP, NRHP) - renovations including replacing rotted wood framing, replacing stucco with perm aboard, rewire electrical, replace plastic plumbing with PEX, storm windows and doors replacement, new steel gutters, repointing (1416-1418 North Park Place).  Applicants are requesting to renovate a duplex in the Park Place Fairview Historic District. The duplex is listed on the Wichita Register of Historic Places, the Register of Historic Kansas Places and the National Register of Historic Places. o Renovations have been approved by the Kansas Historical Society for Historic Tax Credits.  1416-1418 North Park Place o The front portion of the duplex is one story and has a front gable roof, while the rear two- story portion has a side gable roof. o The house is clad in stucco with decorative false half timbers and a brick foundation. o The craftsman influence is shown in multiple vertical window panes. o The House was added to the Wichita Register in 1978 and the National Register in 2004. o In 2022 the Historic Preservation Board heard a condemnation case and recommended denial. o The condemnation case was heard again in 2024.  Scope of work o Removal of stucco exterior and replace with permaboard. o Masonry and brickwork will be replaced and repointed as needed. o Existing gutters replaced with galvanized steel gutters. o Existing storm doors and windows will be replaced with aluminum doors and windows. o Plastic and or missing pipes associated with plumbing will be replaced with PEX pipes. o Rewiring to bring the electrical system up to code. o Replacement of rotted wood framing in kind and adding insulation.  Applicants Randalee Hinman and Janie Krall o Spoke with enthusiasm about changes coming to the duplex.  o Questions about the tax credit application were asked. o Applicants hope to have projects done and rented out within the year.  Motion to find that the proposed renovations meet the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, in accordance with KSA 75-2724, will not damage or destroy any historic property, and recommend approval of the work associated with 1416-1418 North Park Place. Motion by Claire Willenberg, Bruce Rowley to second. Passed 7-0. 7. APPROVAL OF 2026-2027 HISTORIC PRESERVATION BOARD CALENDAR • MOTION To APPROVE by Celeste Racette, Claire Willenberg to Second. Motion PASSED 7-0. 8. PUBLIC COMMENT 9. ADJOURNMENT • MOTION to adjourn at 2:22pm by Celeste Racette, Janiece Baum Dixon to second. Motion PASSED 7-0.  AGENDA REPORT Wichita Historic Preservation Board January 12, 2025 STAFF REPORT CASE NUMBER: HPC2025-00169 – 640 North Emporia Avenue APPLICANT: MTW Properties LLC (Applicant) REQUEST: Submission of State and National Historic Register listing BUILDING: Webster Elementary School ZONING: GC General Commercial District LOCATION: Located on the southeast corner of East Pine Street and North Emporia Avenue RECOMMENDATION: Support the nomination of Webster Elementary School to the Register of Historic Kansas and the National Register of Historic Places Places under Criterion A AERIAL MAP: HPC2025-00169 January 12, 2025 Page 2 The following paragraphs are excerpts from the National Register Nomination Statement of Significance: Summary Webster Elementary School, located at 640 N. Emporia in Wichita, Kansas, was built in 1915-1916. The Classical Revival style school is nominated to the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A in the area of Education for its history as an elementary school. The overall context for historic schools in Kansas is described in the Multiple Property Documentation Form, Historic Public Schools of Kansas (MPDF). Webster Elementary was completed before the true boom of new schools in Wichita in the 1920s and 1930s and was the sole public school in Wichita designed by architect Anthony Allaire Crowell. Elaboration The first public school in Wichita was completed in 1872. By 1880, the original “Fourth Ward” School was built on a plot of land at Emporia and Third Street. In 1885 the school was rechristened for Noah Webster. Webster School was overwhelmed by change. Overcrowding at the elementary level was a significant issue as Wichita’s population grew. This was exacerbated by efforts to accommodate a new high school. In 1910 the Board of Education determined they would build a “New Webster” on a new site at Emporia and Pine. A temporary building was established on the same site while the new Webster Elementary was built. Architect The Board of Education selected architect Anthony Allaire Crowell to design the school. Crowell was born in New York and started his career in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Crowell designed Kansas’s Peabody Carnegie Library and Oklahoma’s Cordell Carnegie Library. In 1912, at age 47, Mr. Crowell was recruited to Wichita by the influential Louise Murdock, a successful businesswoman, interior designer, and architect herself. She gifted Mr. Crowell an office in her Murdock Building, which at seven stories high was the tallest in Wichita. Mr. Crowell was subsequently awarded the contract for Wichita’s Carnegie Library. There was a design competition that involved architect’s plans being presented without their names attached. In spite of this anonymity the choice turned into a controversial decision. Seven Wichita-based architects objected, believing that Mr. Crowell was given preferential treatment due to Louise Murdock’s influence. They also objected to the county board making the decision on their own instead of consulting an expert. Drama continued to follow the Carnegie Library project, including fistfights and a head librarian who resigned in protest after the opening. Overcrowding, Segregation and Integration When Webster Elementary opened, it was fully segregated. Brown v. the Board of Education was settled in 1954, but change was slow in the Wichita Public Schools. Since Webster closed as an elementary school in 1958, it is likely that it spent its entire life as an elementary school fully segregated. When it reopened as Metro Midtown and then Gateway Alternative, the school welcomed children of all races and was headed by two black principals in succession. Original Historical Features The ornamental plaster that surrounds the original auditorium is largely intact. While it requires careful cleaning, the plaster appears mostly protected from moisture and water intrusion. The workmanship is of the highest quality. There are some areas of damage that will require significant repair. There’s a spot approximately 12 inches wide along the back wall, which appears to have been hit, causing damage. A renovation in the late 1980s added classrooms on the main floor of the auditorium and a great deal of heavy HVAC equipment on the upper level. It is likely that work crews hit the center of the proscenium and broke off the plaster – the centerpiece is entirely missing. Lastly, big chunks of the plaster on each side of the stage appear to have been intentionally removed. While this repair will require master plaster repair/ workmanship, the result will be the historic showpiece of the building and the area. Staff recommends that the Historic Preservation Board supports the Webster Elementary School nomination evaluated on the following criteria outlined in National Register Bulletin: “How to apply the National Register Criteria for Evaluation”: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nationalregister/upload/NRB-15_web508.pdf HPC2025-00169 January 12, 2025 Page 3 The quality of significance in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture is present in districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects that possess integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association, and: A. Property is associated with events that have made significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. Attachments: 1. Historical Photos 2. Site Photos 3. National Register Nomination Form Motion to adopt the findings of the Historic Preservation Staff and support the proposed nomination of Webster Elementary School, as reviewed in accordance with K.S.A. 75-2715 - 2725, to the Register of Historic Kansas Places and the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A - History. Motion made by: Seconded by: Historical photographs, date not given Looking west towards site Looking east towards site Looking east towards site Looking north away from site Looking west away from site Looking west away from site Looking east away from site Looking south towards site HPC2025-00169 January 12, 2025 Page 7 Looking west towards auditorium Original tile bathroom Looking towards auditorium plaster trim Windows HPC2025-00169 January 12, 2025 Page 8 Stairwell Coat room HPC2025-00169 January 12, 2025 Page 9 Classroom Entryway Kansas State Historical Society Register of Historic Kansas Places Registration Form This form is for use in nominating individual properties and districts. The format is similar to the National Register of Historic Places form. See instructions in How to Complete the National Register of Historic Places Registration Form (National Register Bulletin 16A). Complete each item by marking "x" in the appropriate box or by entering the information requested. If an item does not apply to the property being documented, enter "N/A" for "not applicable." For functions, architectural classification, materials, and areas of significance, enter only categories and subcategories from the instructions. Place additional entries and narrative items on continuation sheets. Use a typewriter, word processor, or computer, to complete all items. 1. Name of Property Historic name Webster Elementary Other names/site number Gateway Alternative, Metro Midtown Alternative High School, Curriculum Services Building; KHRI# 173-5880-01199 Name of related Multiple Property Listing N/A 2. Location street & number 640 N Emporia Ave not for publication city or town Wichita vicinity state Kansas code KS county Sedgwick code 173 zip code 67214 3-4. Certification I hereby certify that this property is listed in the Register of Historic Kansas Places. Applicable State Register Criteria: x A B C D ____________________________________ Signature of certifying official/Title Katrina Ringler, Deputy SHPO Date Kansas State Historical Society State agency 1 Webster Elementary Wichita, Sedgwick Name of Property City and County 5. Classification Ownership of Property Category of Property Number of Resources within Property (Check as many boxes as apply) (Check only one box) (Do not include previously listed resources in the count.) Contributing Noncontributing x private x building(s) 1 buildings public - Local district district public - State site site public - Federal structure structure object object 1 Total Number of contributing resources previously listed in the State Register 0 6. Function or Use Historic Functions Current Functions (Enter categories from instructions) (Enter categories from instructions) EDUCATION/school VACANT 7. Description Architectural Classification Materials (Enter categories from instructions) (Enter categories from instructions) Classical Revival foundation: Concrete walls: Brick roof: Concrete other: 2 Webster Elementary Wichita, Sedgwick Name of Property City and County Narrative Description (Describe the current physical appearance of the property.) Summary Paragraph (Briefly describe the overall characteristics of the property and its location, setting, and size.) Webster Elementary School, built in 1915-1916 at 640 N. Emporia Avenue in Wichita, Kansas, is one of the oldest schools in the city. The school is a building of firsts, including providing the first public kindergarten schooling in the City of Wichita. Webster Elementary sits in a once thriving residential area of Wichita that is now primarily surrounded by aging commercial buildings. The school’s original 10 classrooms with 12-foot ceilings with dimensions of 23x28 were built in 1915-1916. The school was intended to include enough space for 420 students and an auditorium to accommodate the entire school for assemblies and performances. Architect A.A. Crowley designed the original building in Classical Revival Style with decorative elements in the Beaux Arts stylization. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Elaboration (Provide a detailed description of the building’s exterior, interior, and any associated buildings on the property. Note any historic features, materials, and changes to the building/property.) Exterior The building has two primary entrances on the west elevation off Market Street and one supportive grade level and internal stair tower entrance at the north elevation on Pine Street. The two west entry points have 8 steps leading up to the primary entrances, one on the north end and the other on the south end of the building. These entrances moved students directly into a subordinate corridor and entry point into the primary level of the auditorium. The primary facade is facing west. The building is constructed with blond brick with accents of limestone wainscoting/water table detailing. The primary elevation has arched windows with limestone balustrades accenting below each of the three openings. The primary entrances have decorative column pilaster motifs and detailing. Limestone scrolling brackets and cornices frame the primary entrances. There are metal cornices accenting the masonry parapets. All wood windows have been replaced with a metal clad that wraps the openings from the exterior. Primarily they have been replaced with a 4/1 but could have originally been a 1/1, as there are no historic photos to support the original condition. The larger arched windows are separated into 3 vertical bays with a horizontal mullion at the spring point of each archway. In 2004, an addition was completed on the south end of the original Webster Elementary School building to connect it to a new Gymnasium / FEMA rated storm shelter and a science lab with supportive spaces. This building is a brick structure that is supportive in texture and masonry color to Webster Elementary. It stands away from the historic building and is connected by a circulation link. Interior The three-story building has a full basement that is partially above-grade with a floor plan different from the upper levels. The upper two floors have a very similar layout of classroom spaces separated by an internal main hallway. The middle portion of the building’s second floor has an assembly auditorium stage with ornate proscenium arch and plasterwork framing around the stage opening in traditional fashion, connecting two levels and including a balcony with a skylight. The same proscenium detailing surrounds the coffered ceiling at the balcony level. These spaces are connected to the primary entry level as the user enters the building. The building has classrooms located on the first and second floors with restrooms for girls and boys, office space and boiler mechanical space in the basement. Two classrooms include cloakrooms. A primary hallway runs north to south with stairs at each end of the building. The central hallways are 12 feet wide and ceilings 3 Webster Elementary Wichita, Sedgwick Name of Property City and County throughout the first and second floors are 12 feet high. The stair railings are a heavy iron material, a thick 5” top with iron pickets and a wood cap detailing. Vertical iron pickets compose the infrastructure of the guardrail. Building Changes Webster Elementary served as an elementary school for several decades until it closed in 1958 due to declining attendance. It was transformed later into a Curriculum Services building for the 259 school district. Metal sheeting of the outside windows was added in 1983-84 to protect the openings while the building was primarily in an inactive state. During this time, a house to the east of the school was purchased and torn down to increase parking for future needs. Webster Elementary was remodeled in 1988 and reopened in 1989 as the Metro Midtown Alternative High School, using many of the existing rooms for similar functions as the building’s historical context. No walls were premantently altered. In 1990 a library and three additional classrooms were added within the spaces of the existing building, breaking up the original auditorium. And as mentioned above, a new addition to the building with a gymnasium/FEMA rated storm shelter and a science lab was completed in 2004. The interior and exterior of the building remain largely in the same configuration from the time it was constructed in 1915-1916. The primary classrooms (ten) plus supportive spaces on the first and second floors still have the original oak flooring and baseboards intact (except where some have been damaged from small fires and in areas where millwork was removed). The flooring is buckled where water damage occurred (associated with putting out aforementioned fires). This damage and minimal graffiti vandalism along with some smoke damage on the walls and ceiling can be repaired / removed quite easily. The roof overall does not show evidence of much leakage in the remaining portions of the building. The stairwells on the north and south ends of the building are well intact with minimal damage outside of one guardrail that can be easily repositioned back into its original location. Interior walls are constructed of brick with plaster covering the walls. Most of the original wood trim high picture railing remains intact along with the original window wood framing, baseboards, and some doors remain. There are portions of original tile in the small restrooms on the second- floor office space. There are also the original wood doors and frames. Throughout the rest of the building the original doors and frames have been replaced with metal frames. Webster Elementary School is a very solid building which is typical of the era of construction and the long- lasting quality of material that was used over 100 years ago. The floors are concrete wire baffle construction with heavy caged wire reinforcement that make up the solid condition of each floor level. The wood floor is installed on wood sleepers, a very sturdy form of construction which attributes to the long-life span of this building. The roof is constructed of the same concrete slab structure and is in good condition only showing a small amount of leaking at one of the stair locations. Some rust and concrete repair will be required. The windows are boarded up in areas where they have been broken but largely have protected the envelope of the building. The windows are not original, although what has been installed protected the original existing outer frames of the window openings. The oak interior wood is in very good condition for the perimeter trimmings. Webster is a well-preserved building and has not been impacted by neglect and disrepair like many buildings of its era. It has most of its original interior wood framing, roof, entryways, wood floors, baseboards and detailing. The hallways and original classroom door openings remain in the original locations and the interior has not been disrupted greatly with remodeling changes. It does have a new addition to the south but even this addition was respectful to the history of Webster Elementary and does not stand too proud at the south end of the building. 4 Webster Elementary Wichita, Sedgwick Name of Property City and County 8. Statement of Significance Applicable Criteria Areas of Significance (Mark "x" in one or more boxes for the criteria qualifying the property (Enter categories from instructions) for State Register listing) Education A Property is associated with events that have made a x significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history. B Property is associated with the lives of persons significant in our past. C Property embodies the distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction or represents the work of a master, or possesses high Period of Significance artistic values, or represents a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack 1916-1958 individual distinction. D Property has yielded, or is likely to yield, information important in prehistory or history. Significant Dates 1916, 1958 Criteria Considerations (Mark "x" in all the boxes that apply) Significant Person Property is: (Complete only if Criterion B is marked above) Owned by a religious institution or used for religious A purposes. Cultural Affiliation B removed from its original location. C a birthplace or grave. D a cemetery. Architect/Builder E a reconstructed building, object, or structure. Crowell, A.A. F a commemorative property. Butts & Dickinson G less than 50 years old or achieving significance within the past 50 years. Period of Significance (justification) Webster Elementary opened in 1916 and closed as an elementary school in 1958. Criteria Considerations (explanation, if necessary) 5 Webster Elementary Wichita, Sedgwick Name of Property City and County Narrative Statement of Significance Summary Paragraph (Provide a summary paragraph that notes under what criteria the property is nominated.) Webster Elementary School, located at 640 N. Emporia in Wichita, Kansas, was built in 1915-1916. The Classical Revival style school is nominated to the National Register of Historic Places under Criterion A in the area of Education for its history as an elementary school. The overall context for historic schools in Kansas is described in the Multiple Property Documentation Form, Historic Public Schools of Kansas (MPDF). Webster Elementary was completed before the true boom of new schools in Wichita in the 1920s and 1930s and was the sole public school in Wichita designed by architect Anthony Allaire Crowell. ________________________________________________________________________________ Elaboration (Provide a brief history of the property and justify why this property is locally significant.) The first public school in Wichita was completed in 1872. By 1880, the original “Fourth Ward” School was built on a plot of land at Emporia and Third Street. In 1885 the school was rechristened for Noah Webster. Webster School was overwhelmed by change. Overcrowding at the elementary level was a significant issue as Wichita’s population grew. This was exacerbated by efforts to accommodate a new high school. In 1910 the Board of Education determined they would build a “New Webster” on a new site at Emporia and Pine. A temporary building was established on the same site while the new Webster Elementary was built. 1 Architect The Board of Education selected architect Anthony Allaire Crowell to design the school. 2 Crowell was born in New York and started his career in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Crowell designed Kansas’s Peabody Carnegie Library and Oklahoma’s Cordell Carnegie Library. 3 In 1912, at age 47, Mr. Crowell was recruited to Wichita by the influential Louise Murdock, a successful businesswoman, interior designer, and architect herself. She gifted Mr. Crowell an office in her Murdock Building, which at seven stories high was the tallest in Wichita. Mr. Crowell was subsequently awarded the contract for Wichita’s Carnegie Library. There was a design competition that involved architect’s plans being presented without their names attached. In spite of this anonymity the choice turned into a controversial decision. Seven Wichita-based architects objected, believing that Mr. Crowell was given preferential treatment due to Louise Murdock’s influence. They also objected to the county board making the decision on their own instead of consulting an expert. 4 Drama continued to follow the Carnegie Library project, including fistfights and a head librarian who resigned in protest after the opening. 5 Despite the controversy surrounding the library, Mr. Crowell was easily awarded the Webster contract, chosen from many submissions, and the Wichita Beacon proclaimed “taxpayers are lucky” to get this modern building with temperature regulation and 10 classrooms for so reasonable a price. 6 The school cost around $50,000 in 1 Van Meter, Sondra. Our Common School Heritage: A History of the Wichita Public Schools. Shawnee Mission, KS: Intercollegiate Press, 1977, p. 35- 38. 2 “Carnegie Library Architect Gets Webster School Plans.” Wichita Beacon, February 20, 1915, p. 10. 3 Gardiner, The Carnegie Legacy in Kansas: A retrospective View of the 59 Public Libraries Built by Andrew Carnegie. Topeka, KS: Kansas State Library, 1985, p. 173. 4 “Library Plan Is Attacked.” Wichita Eagle, November 22, 1912, p. 5. 5 Gardiner, The Carnegie Legacy in Kansas: A retrospective View of the 59 Public Libraries Built by Andrew Carnegie. Topeka, KS: Kansas State Library, 1985, p. 137. 6 “Modern School To Cost $42,000.” Wichita Beacon, March 3, 1915, p. 4. 6 Webster Elementary Wichita, Sedgwick Name of Property City and County total, and the builders (Butts & Dickinson) came from Tulsa. 7 The stately building was A.A. Crowell’s sole contribution to the Wichita Public Schools. While in Wichita he also designed the Mount St. Mary Convent. (This beautiful 1915 building was unfortunately “deconstructed” in 2024.) 8 Overcrowding, Segregation and Integration As Wichita (and the nation) refined its system of education, there was discussion about which grades should be housed together. The standard was grades 1-8 in elementary and 9-12 in high school. The first junior high in America was established in 1910, and by 1913-14 there were multiple proposals for Wichita to establish an intermediate school. Editorialized articles spoke frankly of adolescence and the need for distinguishing the elementary school (whose aim should be “to organize the instincts and impulses of children into working interests and tools”) from an intermediate school, where “new motives stir, new aspirations fire, new goals beckon.” 9 The “old” Webster included students of all ages, with a nascent high school. The Board of Education voted to establish intermediate schools in 1914, prior to Webster Elementary opening, yet it was not until 1918 that the first intermediate school opened in Wichita. Therefore Webster Elementary started its life serving grades 1-8. While overcrowding was a primary motivator for constructing a new Webster Elementary, the ongoing debate on school segregation also played a role. Wichita Public Schools were in fact integrated much longer than other states, but by 1905 adopted the “separate but equal” doctrine. In 1911, L’Overture opened as a school for black children, and 1912 was the first year for total segregation. 10 When Webster Elementary opened, it was fully segregated. Brown v. the Board of Education was settled in 1954, but change was slow in the Wichita Public Schools. Since Webster closed as an elementary school in 1958, it is likely that it spent its entire life as an elementary school fully segregated. When it reopened as Metro Midtown and then Gateway Alternative, the school welcomed children of all races and was headed by two black principals in succession. Center for Community Life The school served as a center of community life for families. Newspaper articles from the time reference strong parent support and involvement. Webster was also a home for innovation. The PTA organized the first public kindergarten in Wichita, 11 housed in the basement of Webster Elementary. The program proved immediately popular, and women were hired to pick up kindergartners from around the city and deliver them to Webster. 12 Within three years, Wichita Public Schools formally offered kindergarten in multiple elementary schools, with an enrollment of 421 pupils. The area surrounding Webster Elementary was heavily residential at the time. One of the earliest photos of the school, taken in 1922 (courtesy McCormick School Museum), shows a vibrant community of children. 7 “To Build School By December 1.” Wichita Beacon, May 21, 1915, p. 11. 8 Carrie Rengers. “Former 1915 Mount St. Mary convent ‘will be deconstructed.’” Wichita Eagle, May 13, 2024. 9 “Wichita’s System is Outgrown.” Wichita Beacon, December 22, 1914, p. 24. 10 Miner, Craig. Kansas: The History of the Sunflower State, 1854-2000. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 2002, 256-257. 11 “Webster P.T.A. Has Only Free Kindergarten – President's Idea.” Wichita Beacon, December 12, 1916, p. 11. 12 “Wanted - Women with Automobiles.” Wichita Beacon, January 27, 1917, p. 14. 7 Webster Elementary Wichita, Sedgwick Name of Property City and County Arts and Culture By 1916, cars and phones were starting to proliferate through Kansas. However, the pre-television years were artistically rich for elementary school children. News articles from the day speak of a kindergarten orchestra at Webster Elementary, and a violin class, with the limitation being availability of instruments. The Webster children were treated to performances by the Kansas City Symphony, and their artistic education was rich. By the start of the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl, however, there was more conversation about using school to prepare children for labor. There was less interesting in learning for its own sake and more desperation about creating “breadwinners, not dreamers.” 13 Special Education Another educational innovation that began at Webster Elementary were the sight-saving classes the Board of Education started there in 1937. 14 Sight-saving classes aimed to protect visually impaired students from further eye damage through use of larger print materials, etc. While the science of sight-saving classes has since evolved, providing those with impairment larger print materials undoubtedly increased academic achievement for these students. Sight-saving classes also represent a vital shift towards providing accommodations to students. Original Historical Features The ornamental plaster that surrounds the original auditorium is largely intact. While it requires careful cleaning, the plaster appears mostly protected from moisture and water intrusion. The workmanship is of the highest quality. There are some areas of damage that will require significant repair. There’s a spot approximately 12 inches wide along the back wall, which appears to have been hit, causing damage. A renovation in the late 1980s added classrooms on the main floor of the auditorium and a great deal of heavy HVAC equipment on the upper level. It is likely that work crews hit the center of the proscenium and broke off the plaster – the centerpiece is entirely missing. Lastly, big chunks of the plaster on each side of the stage appear to have been intentionally removed. While this repair will require master plaster repair/ workmanship, the result will be the historic showpiece of the building and the area. Most of the Wichita area elementary schools built before or at this time have been torn down or been significantly altered. Sunnyside Elementary, a contemporary of Webster, is already on the historic registry, as 13 Miner, Kansas, p. 199. 14 “Anti-Blind Chief is to Speak Here.” Wichita Eagle, September 14, 1937, p. 20. 8 Webster Elementary Wichita, Sedgwick Name of Property City and County are the McCormick School and Kellogg Elementary. The planned future use of Webster Elementary allows for investment in renovation and preservation of historic elements. 9 Webster Elementary Wichita, Sedgwick Name of Property City and County 9. Major Bibliographical References Bibliography (Cite the books, articles, and other sources used in preparing this form) “Anti-Blind Chief is to Speak Here.” Wichita Eagle, September 14, 1937, p. 20. “Carnegie Library Architect Gets Webster School Plans.” Wichita Beacon, February 20, 1915, p. 10. Davis, Nina. A History of Wichita Public School Buildings. Wichita, KS: Unified School District 259, 1997. “Elementary Schools.” Wichita Beacon, February 11, 1923, p. 7. Gardiner, The Carnegie Legacy in Kansas: A retrospective View of the 59 Public Libraries Built by Andrew Carnegie. Topeka, KS: Kansas State Library, 1985. “Kindergarten Kapers.” Wichita Beacon, October 8, 1922, p. 13. “Library Plan Is Attacked.” Wichita Eagle, November 22, 1912, p. 5. Miner, Craig. Kansas: The History of the Sunflower State, 1854-2000. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 2002. “Modern School To Cost $42,000.” Wichita Beacon, March 3, 1915, p. 4. Rengers, Carrie.. “Former 1915 Mount St. Mary convent ‘will be deconstructed.’” Wichita Eagle, May 13, 2024. “They Dedicated Webster School.” Wichita Beacon, December 12, 1916, p. 4. “To Build School By December 1.” Wichita Beacon, May 21, 1915, p. 11. “Wanted - Women with Automobiles.” Wichita Beacon, January 27, 1917, p. 14. “Webster.” Wichita Beacon, November 19, 1922, p. 4. “Webster P.T.A. Has Only Free Kindergarten – President's Idea.” Wichita Beacon, December 12, 1916, p. 11. “Wichita’s System is Outgrown.” Wichita Beacon, December 22, 1914, p. 24. Van Meter, Sondra. Our Common School Heritage: A History of the Wichita Public Schools. Shawnee Mission, KS: Intercollegiate Press, 1977. 10 Webster Elementary Wichita, Sedgwick Name of Property City and County 10. Geographical Data Acreage of Property 1.77 acres Provide latitude/longitude coordinates OR UTM coordinates. (Place additional coordinates on a continuation page.) Latitude/Longitude Coordinates Datum if other than WGS84:__________ (enter coordinates to 6 decimal places) 1 37.695791 -97.332526 3 Latitude: Longitude: Latitude: Longitude: 2 4 Latitude: Longitude: Latitude: Longitude: Verbal Boundary Description (describe the boundaries of the property) The property occupies much of the 600 block on N Emporia Avenue in Wichita, Kansas. The area is bound by Pine Street on the north, St. Francis on the east, and Emporia on the west. On the south side, the property extends 43’8” beyond the existing addition to Webster Elementary. N 25 FT LOT 27-ALL ODD LOTS 29 TO 39 INC EMPORIA AVE. J.P. HILTON'S ADD. Boundary Justification (explain why the boundaries were selected) The boundary includes the property historically associated with Webster Elementary School and later Metro Midtown Alternative High School. 11 Webster Elementary Wichita, Sedgwick Name of Property City and County 11. Form Prepared By name/title Angela Cassette, Managing Director; David Beaver, Project Manager organization Music Theatre Wichita; Shelden Architecture date 10.9.25 street & number 225 W Douglas, Suite 202 telephone 316.265.3253 city or town Wichita state KS zip code 67202 e-mail acassette@mtwichita.org Property Owner: name MTW Properties, LLC street & number 225 W Douglas, Suite 202 telephone 316.265.3253 city or town Wichita, KS 67202 state KS zip code 67202 Additional Documentation Submit the following items with the completed form: Photographs Submit clear and descriptive photographs. The size of each digital image must be 1600x1200 pixels (minimum), at 300 ppi (pixels per inch) or larger. Key all photographs to a sketch map or aerial map. Each photograph must be numbered and that number must correspond to the photograph number on the photo log. For simplicity, the name of the photographer, photo date, etc. may be listed once on the photograph log and doesn’t need to be labeled on every photograph. Photograph Log Name of Property: Webster Elementary City or Vicinity: Wichita County: Sedgwick State: Kansas Photographer: Hannah Crickman Date Photographed: 10.7.25 Description of Photograph(s) and number, include description of view indicating direction of camera: 1. Exterior, west (front) entrance [looking east] 2. Exterior, east (back) entrance looking west] 3. Exterior, north entrance [facing south] 4. Exterior, south side [facing north] 5. Interior, original auditorium, [facing east] and showing proscenium 6. Interior, original auditorium, [facing west] and showing plaster trim 7. Interior, typical classroom [looking east] 8. Interior, original entryway featuring wood doorways and original tile floor [looking west] 9. Interior, original tile floor in upstairs bathroom [looking north] 10. Interior, coat room and original cabinetry [looking south] 12 Webster Elementary Wichita, Sedgwick Name of Property City and County 11. Interior, windows [looking north] 12. Interior, original stairwell [looking north] Figures Include GIS maps, figures, scanned images below. 13  NEW BUILDING CANOPY ABOVE NEW LANDSCAPING EXISTING RAMP NEW LANDSCAPING NEW LANDSCAPING REF. REHEARSAL ROOM STORAGE 34' X 17' DRESSING DRESSING ROOM ROOM 23' X 18 23' X 18 STORAGE BREAK / GREEN ROOM 23' X 7' WOMENS' MENS' 23' X 34 RR RR RR RR RR RR STORAGE 10' X 11' LOCKERS / STORAGE STORAGE PRODUCTION OFFICE STORAGE 23' X 34 12' X 10 STORAGE STORAGE 28' X 11' 12' X 10 TICKETS BOX OFFICE 11' X 17' 23' X 34 BLACK BOX THEATER 75' X 48' CRAWL CRAWL CRAWL CRAWL CRAWL SPACE SPACE SPACE SPACE SPACE MAIN SPACES SUPPORT SPACES ADMINITRATION 28' - 0" CLASSROOM / STUDIO APARTMENT CIRCULATION OTHER MUSIC THEATRE WICHITA FIRST FLOOR 6 4 0 N E M P O R I A A V E, W I C H I T A, K S 6 7 2 1 4 1/8" = 1'-0" 12 FEB 2024  REF. OPEN TO BELOW OPEN TO BELOW STAGE DN OPEN TO ADA OPEN TO LIFT BELOW BELOW 137 CHAIRS OPEN TO BLACK BOX THEATER BELOW HALLWAY HALLWAY 313 SF 314 SF MAIN SPACES THEATRE 27' x 50' SUPPORT SPACES ADMINITRATION CLASSROOM / STUDIO APARTMENT CIRCULATION OTHER MUSIC THEATRE WICHITA THEATRE AND STAGE 6 4 0 N E M P O R I A A V E, W I C H I T A, K S 6 7 2 1 4 1/8" = 1'-0" 12 FEB 2024  R RR RR RR STUDIO / CLASSROOM A SHOWER 23' x 35' ROOF APARTMENT SHOWER 23' x 30' STAGE BELOW MAIN SPACES STUDIO / CLASSROOM B SUPPORT SPACES OFFICE D 34' x 24' 34' x 24' OPEN TO BELOW ADMINITRATION CLASSROOM / STUDIO MEZZANINE OPEN TO BLACK BOX APARTMENT THEATER BELOW CIRCULATION OTHER MUSIC THEATRE WICHITA SECOND FLOOR 6 4 0 N E M P O R I A A V E, W I C H I T A, K S 6 7 2 1 4 1/8" = 1'-0" 12 FEB 2024  HAIR ELECTRICS MAKE-UP CLASSROOM DEPARTMENT 18' x 18' 23' x 27' 23' x 23' FIRE-RESIST CLOSET OFFICE B (10 PEOPLE @ 6X6) 23' x 35' ROOF BELOW 1' - 6" 29' - 8 3/8" ROOF BELOW OFFICE 10' x 14' CONFRENCE ROOM 14' x 19' OFFICE 12' x 14' STUDIO/ ROOF BELOW CLASSROOM OFFICE 35' x 23' 9' x 15' SOUND OFFICE DEPARTMENT 12' x 14' 24' x 15' ROOF ROOF BELOW SOUND RR PATIO BOOTH MAIN SPACES SUPPORT SPACES ADMINITRATION CLASSROOM / STUDIO APARTMENT CIRCULATION OTHER MUSIC THEATRE WICHITA THIRD FLOOR 6 4 0 N E M P O R I A A V E, W I C H I T A, K S 6 7 2 1 4 1/8" = 1'-0" 03 N O V 2 0 2 5  STAFF REPORT Historic Preservation Board January 12, 2026 CASE NUMBER: HPC2026-00001 APPLICANT/AGENT: Cochener Legacy LLC (Applicant)/Freestyle Sign Company (Agent) REQUEST: One 20’-8” x 1’-4” internally illuminated sign and one 14’-5” x 1’-4” internally illuminated sign CURRENT ZONING: CBD Central Business District SITE SIZE: 0.20 acres LOCATION: Generally located on the southwest corner of East Douglas Avenue and South Emporia Street (105 South Emporia Avenue) RECOMMENDATION: Approve BACKGROUND: The applicant requests to install two internally illuminated signs on the north and west elevations of a building. The 0.20-acre property is generally located on the southwest corner of East Douglas Avenue and South Emporia Street (419-421 East Douglas Avenue, 105 South Emporia Avenue). The subject site is zoned CBD Central Business District and is developed with a multi-tenant building that was constructed around 1901 and altered in 1925. It is a Contributing building in the East Douglas Avenue Historic District, which is listed on the Wichita Register of Historic Places, the Register of Historic Kansas Places, and the National Register of Historic Places. The two proposed signs are made of aluminum, plastic, and LED. Both signs would read “COQUETRY MAISON” and would be illuminated with channel letters. The north-facing sign would measure 20’-8” by 1’-4”, and the east-facing sign would measure 14’-5” by 1’-4”. Each sign would be placed within the existing transom windows, which are 18 feet high. The applicant has already installed three window signs, which do not require a sign permit. They read “11:11” and are placed on the east-facing bay windows and the north-facing transom window. The applicant has not specified how the signs will be installed onto the building. Staff recommends that the applicant refrains from installing any signage into the brick. The following paragraphs are excerpts from the National Register of Historic Places nomination file for the East Douglas Avenue Historic District: SUMMARY The East Douglas Avenue Historic District is located within the city limits of Wichita, Kansas, and comprises the extant core of historic commercial buildings along Douglas Avenue. The district generally extends along East Douglas Avenue from the 400 block through the 800 block, as well as part of the east side of the 100 block of N. Francis and part of the west side of the 200 block of Commerce Street. In general, Wichita’s downtown consists of a grid-system of streets running to the four compass points. The city’s historic commercial core is located on a generally level area bounded by the Arkansas River on the west. Parking is provided along the streets, and there are wide brick and concrete paver sidewalks with curbs, light standards, stop lights at intersections. There are alleys from the 400 through 600 blocks at each half block along both sides of East Douglas. There are some deciduous trees lining East Douglas. The outside edges of the district are defined by vacant lots and some parking lots, most of which were formed by the demolition of historic commercial buildings, as well as non-historic buildings. Most of the extant buildings in this district have a north- or south-facing elevation and have identical setbacks; i.e., all buildings are constructed to the edge of the property line along the sidewalks. Primary building materials are brick and stone. The ends of the blocks tend to be anchored with larger buildings with monumental appearances, and smaller two- to three-story buildings are situated in the center of the block. Some anchor buildings are three or more stories in height, and even if two-stories, have a frontage wider than one storefront along the street. The vast majority of buildings in the district are representatives of the two-part commercial block property type, as defined by Richard Longstreth in the Buildings of Main Street. These commercial buildings feature a distinction between the storefront level and the upper zone. Most of the storefront levels have large display windows flanking an entry which is generally recessed; if not recessed, the entry is usually elaborated with some architectural detailing. Second story windows are usually narrower than those on the first floor. Most also have flat roofs with symmetrically arranged facades. Utilizing this commercial building form as a backdrop, a variety of architectural styles and details were applied, primarily those typically found in the 1880s, and again in the 1910s and 1920s. Within the boundaries of this district are three buildings which are already listed in the National Register. There are an additional thirty-six contributing buildings, six non-contributing buildings, and five contributing structures within the proposed boundaries. The district as a whole retains integrity of location, setting, association, design, workmanship, and to a lesser extent, materials. HPC2026-00001 Wichita Historic Preservation Board Page 2 419-421 E. Douglas, 105 S. Emporia. (c. 1901, altered c. 1925) Contributing This three-story brick building has a flat roof with parapet edge featuring stone coping, rising in stepped battlements on the northeast end. The cornice is corbelled brick. The east elevation windows on the second and third stories are paired beneath the segmentally arched, radiating brick voussoirs. The north elevation windows are grouped in threes, with a large rectangular window featuring three fixed sash transom above. These in turn are then flanked by narrow 1/1 windows on either side. The brick on the upper story has been painted, but it is now faded. The storefront level features large display windows with low kickplates. The transoms have been closed down, but are clearly evidence between regularly spaced pilasters which divide the display windows. The pilasters terminate in quarry-faced piers. There is a recessed entry on the east elevation which is addressed 105 South Emporia. A widely overhanging cast iron architrave separates the storefront from the second story. Properties to the north, south, east and west are zoned CBD Central Business District. Properties to the north and east are developed with commercial office buildings. Property to the south is developed with a parking garage. Property to the west is developed with a bar. CASE HISTORY: On December 12, 1871, the N.A. English’s Addition to Wichita subdivision was created. In 2023, staff administratively approved renovations to the interior and exterior of the subject site, which were already approved by the National Park Service and the Kansas State Historical Society (HPC2023-00069). Changes to the exterior include second- and third-floor window replacement, storefront replacement, gently cleaning the masonry surfaces, and painting the already-painted brick piers. In 2023, the Wichita Historic Preservation Board approved an illuminated blade sign on the northeast corner of the building (HPC2023-00067). ADJACENT ZONING AND LAND USE: North: CBD Commercial office building South: CBD Parking garage East: CBD Commercial office building West: CBD Bar PUBLIC SERVICES: The site has access to East Douglas Avenue and South Emporia Street, which are both two-way arterial streets with sidewalks on each side. East Douglas Avenue is a four-lane street, and South Emporia Street is a two-lane street. This site is already served by municipal services and utilities such as stormwater and sewer. The Wichita Transit Center is located one block southwest of the subject site on East William Street and South Topeka Street. RECOMMENDATION: Based upon the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, staff recommends APPROVAL of the application. Recommended motion: “I move to find that the proposed signage meets the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, in accordance with KSA 75-2724, will not damage or destroy the historic property, and recommend approval of the sign permit associated with 105 South Emporia Avenue.” The proposed signage follows Standards 9 and 10: 9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work will be differentiated from the old and will be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale HPC2026-00001 Wichita Historic Preservation Board Page 3  and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment. 10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction will be undertaken in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired. It is staff’s opinion that the dimensions and placement of the proposed signage will not obscure, destroy, or damage any of the historic building’s character-defining features. Its materials are compatible yet distinguished from the historic building. The signage will be installed in a manner such that it does not damage the building and can be repaired if the signage is removed. Staff Report Attachments: 1. Site Photos 2. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation 3. Sign specifications and renderings HPC2026-00001 Wichita Historic Preservation Board Page 4 Looking south towards site Looking north away from site Looking west towards site Looking east away from site HPC2026-00001 Wichita Historic Preservation Board Page 5 The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation 1. A property will be used as it was historically or be given a new use that requires minimal change to its distinctive materials, features, spaces and spatial relationships. 2. The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features, spaces and spatial relationships that characterize a property will be avoided. 3. Each property will be recognized as a physical record of its time, place and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or elements from other historic properties, will not be undertaken. 4. Changes to a property that have acquired historic significance in their own right will be retained and preserved. 5. Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property will be preserved. 6. Deteriorated historic features will be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature will match the old in design, color, texture and, where possible, materials. Replacement of missing features will be substantiated by documentary and physical evidence. 7. Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, will be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic materials will not be used. 8. Archeological resources will be protected and preserved in place. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures will be undertaken. 9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work will be differentiated from the old and will be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment. 10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction will be undertaken in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired. HPC2026-00001 Wichita Historic Preservation Board Page 6