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Independence, MO —
Instead of running around town, trying to track down information about different sites, Independence visitors will soon have a central location for all of their tourism-related needs.
The City Council Monday night approved a 25-year lease agreement with Jackson County for the rental of 1,900 square feet of space to house the Tourism Department and the Visitors Center.
The house to hold these administrative offices? That would be the Truman Courthouse on the Square. The lease agreement is to occur sometime near July 1, 2013.
People often stopped by the Courthouse, asking about the sites to see across Independence, and they often left disappointed because no centralized information was available at the Courthouse, Mayor Don Reimal said.
“It’ll conserve time – they won’t be running all over Jackson County, looking for things,” Reimal said. “I think this is one of the greatest things we’ve done in a long time for tourism.”
Ten years ago, the city says, the tourism visitors center served as a centerpiece for the transient guest tax ballot measure. The lease agreement fulfills the city’s commitment made to voters and will enhance the city’s ability to attract and to interact with visitors, according to a staff report.
Initially, the city’s Tourism Department will pay $5,400 in annual rent, an amount that is subject to increase based on the Kansas City metropolitan consumer price index. The Tourism Department also will be responsible for 10 percent of the Courthouse’s utility costs, based on the percentage of the occupied square footage.
According to Piper-Wind Architects Inc., which is handling the project, the renovation to the Truman Courthouse will include interior restoration and remodeling to accommodate some Jackson County services, office uses, an art gallery, the Jackson County Historical Society (which has temporarily relocated to the Commerce Bank building on the Square) and the city Tourism Department.
All hallways and stairways will be restored, and damaged areas of ceilings will be replaced. Restroom plumbing and accessible facilities also will be updated. New heating and cooling systems will be added, along with an elevator for access to the upper level and the east half of the lower level from the ground level.
Instead of running around town, trying to track down information about different sites, Independence visitors will soon have a central location for all of their tourism-related needs.
The City Council Monday night approved a 25-year lease agreement with Jackson County for the rental of 1,900 square feet of space to house the Tourism Department and the Visitors Center.
The house to hold these administrative offices? That would be the Truman Courthouse on the Square. The lease agreement is to occur sometime near July 1, 2013.
People often stopped by the Courthouse, asking about the sites to see across Independence, and they often left disappointed because no centralized information was available at the Courthouse, Mayor Don Reimal said.
“It’ll conserve time – they won’t be running all over Jackson County, looking for things,” Reimal said. “I think this is one of the greatest things we’ve done in a long time for tourism.”
Ten years ago, the city says, the tourism visitors center served as a centerpiece for the transient guest tax ballot measure. The lease agreement fulfills the city’s commitment made to voters and will enhance the city’s ability to attract and to interact with visitors, according to a staff report.
Initially, the city’s Tourism Department will pay $5,400 in annual rent, an amount that is subject to increase based on the Kansas City metropolitan consumer price index. The Tourism Department also will be responsible for 10 percent of the Courthouse’s utility costs, based on the percentage of the occupied square footage.
According to Piper-Wind Architects Inc., which is handling the project, the renovation to the Truman Courthouse will include interior restoration and remodeling to accommodate some Jackson County services, office uses, an art gallery, the Jackson County Historical Society (which has temporarily relocated to the Commerce Bank building on the Square) and the city Tourism Department.
All hallways and stairways will be restored, and damaged areas of ceilings will be replaced. Restroom plumbing and accessible facilities also will be updated. New heating and cooling systems will be added, along with an elevator for access to the upper level and the east half of the lower level from the ground level.
