Months of work and years of planning should culminate soon for a repurposing project in downtown Emporia.
Rick and Colleen Mitchell took over the former Emporia Gazette headquarters at 517 Merchant in late 2021, announcing tentative plans for the space almost 3 years ago. Colleen Mitchell is targeting late summer for a grand opening.
The initial plan called for office space, apartments and short-term housing options and restaurants. Colleen Mitchell says that plan is still in effect. Some tenants are already confirmed as the general interior layout is now set.
As construction continues, including recent work on underground utilities, the Gazette Collective has already seen a few notable art projects at the property, including a community-installed mosaic on several columns near the building last fall — and also including this past Friday, where noted local artist Kristin Oberle developed an on-site art installation for the PlainSpoken restaurant. Emporia First Friday Director Kat Dorcas says the Gazette Collective is an example of incorporating unique art into a successful business venture.
Mitchell says prominent art projects have always been part of the plan, and Oberle’s work in the community, notably the David Traylor Zoo, made this “salvaged history” project worthwhile for the Gazette Collective.
After noted publisher William Allen White purchased the Emporia Gazette in 1895, the nearly 20,000-square-foot building at 517 Merchant saw use as a newspaper for over 100 years until digital technology adjusted the need for space. The Gazette office has since moved to 109 West 6th.
More information is available at gazettecollective.com.
