County approves pact for new grocery

Allen County commissioners unanimously approved a contract to bring a G&W Foods to Iola. The grocery store will be constructed on 72,000 square feet of land where the old Allen County Hospital sits, for which G&W will pay $29,000.
Commissioners signed a contract with G&W after accepting a bid from Remco, a Kansas City, Mo., company that specializes in demolition, to raze the old hospital. The only “T” left to cross is for G&W to sign off on the contract, which it earlier found acceptable.
The medical arts building will remain in place, and in service. Moving ahead with demolition was the last ingredient for the contract to enable G&W to construct a store here.
Discussion prior to accepting Remco’s bid, the lowest of seven opened a week ago, centered on a review of the company’s references, including one by the Unified Government of Wyandotte County. “They (Wyandotte County) apparently do a lot of demolition,” Alan Weber, county counselor, observed. “I found no negative comments from anyone,” he added.
Weber said some adjustments to the contract might occur once demolition starts, which would be true of any company. Specific location of utilities, in regard to the medical arts building, might be more of a challenge than anticipated.
Also, if the retaining wall along U.S. 54 at the north edge of the property were to be removed to accommodate change in lay of the land, additional cost might arise. That is not expected, however. Whoever develops the property, for the grocery or more likely an apartment building, will be liable for reconfiguring the grade, Commissioner Jerry Daniels interjected.
The grocery will be farther to the south, noted David Toland, who works in economic development for local governing bodies. “Their (G&W’s) engineers are awaiting (commissioners signing) the contract. If there were any grade change, it would be with apartments.”
An overall expectation is for several apartment buildings near the grocery. Nothing definite has been decided on housing, but at least two developers have expressed interest.
Toland said Dan Williams, president of G&W Foods, “is ready for a contract, he’s ready to go.”

COMMISSIONER Jim Talkington brought up possibility of U.S. 54 being rerouted to remove the curve that has carried highway traffic around the older hospital, and since long before it was built.
Iola Administrator Carl Slaugh said he didn’t anticipate Kansas Department of Transportation initiating such a project, with a request from the city being the trigger. Slaugh gave no indication that would occur.
A traffic study is expected to be a part of the project, to determine the best way to control motorists going to and from the complex.
One traffic control project that may come about, Slaugh said, is a crosswalk, perhaps controlled by a flashing warning light. Rationale, he said, would be the preponderance of school children, most headed for Iola Middle School, who cross U.S. 54 where Madison Avenue converges with East Street. Having a grocery and Casey’s General Store essentially across from each other is a draw for the young, he said. If apartments become a feature, they could increase the number of youths out and about.