The city of Manhattan recently announced plans for the CiCo park renovation. Additionally, Prom was held at the Manhattan Town Center last weekend. What do these two locations have in common? Well, currently, they are severely outdated.
The reality is that Manhattan has many parts of town that need serious revitalizing. In a previous opinion I coined the term “untapped potential.” This potential can be reached through many avenues, but I want to specifically focus on infrastructure.
Nationwide, shopping malls are on the decline. The Manhattan Town Center is no different. When one walks into that building, you can’t help but feel the place is slowly deteriorating. The outdated courtyard spaces, ceilings and old design make it very unappealing for visitors. Moreover, numerous businesses inside the mall have closed, making the mall itself obsolete except for maybe the IMAX movie theater.
The Town Center must be repurposed, remodeled and redefined. The building is one of the first that visitors see when they enter MHK. The city should prioritize the reconstruction of that space to truly showcase what Manhattan has to offer.
We are already taking steps in the right direction with the new Art and Light museum in downtown and the Back 9 project near Aggieville. The Town Center has so much potential, it could serve as a community center, a sports/game venue or a smaller outlet mall; the possibilities are endless.
Kansas State University is the heartbeat of Manhattan. While students have Aggieville as a source of entertainment, downtown is underutilized. Offering more appealing activities and plazas like those in a remodeled town center could greatly increase university enrollment, small business representation and the overall small town experience.
It is easy to say that Manhattan has “nothing to do.” And to some extent, that may be true. But I truly believe that if local lawmakers prioritize infrastructure and development in the right areas, it has the potential to transform this town into one of the best in the midwest.
