The 202 on Washington Project
The 202 on Washington Project was awarded a Cheyenne County Hansen Community Grant of $10,000 in 2021.
In March of 2020, trustees of the Dane G. Hansen Foundation approved CC4C’s February 2020 grant request for the amount of $100,000 to purchase the 100-year-old building and adjoining property located at 202-206 Washington. The grant is contingent upon Cheyenne Center for Creativity, Inc. (CC4C), raising an additional $250,000 for the project. For that purpose, CC4C is seeking funds from this Hansen Pass-Through grant. It is important that the Hansen Trustees see that the local community foundation supports this project financially as well since it is a Strategic Doing project.
In addition, other grant resources are being sought, and a Capital Campaign is planned to help meet this goal. With the purchase money and the additional funds, the 202 on Washington Project will be well on its way to successful completion. The Budget Justification Form attached to this grant request shows the budget for the entire project, but the goal for the coming year is to raise the $250,000 that is required by the Dane G. Hansen Grant to Purchase.
The 202 on Washington Project involves the purchase, the repurposing, and the renovation of the old Danielson/Faulkender Building. This century-old building is a solid structure that holds sentimental connections to many in the area. In this project the Cheyenne Center for Creativity (CC4C) addresses a problem as well as an opportunity in the community.
The problem is two-fold. First, this structurally sturdy, historic, 5,000 square foot building sits empty on the main street of St. Francis. Second, community members have long expressed the need for a community center that would accommodate weddings, reunions, individual gatherings, and large meetings. Other than the schools and churches, there is no space large enough to host events which could bring more visitors to the cities in the county. When regional events are planned, St. Francis is overlooked as a host due to the lack of an adequate facility.
This project proposes a solution to fill that gap and has the added benefit of expanding the local arts and culture footprint with an expanded art gallery. Community members who see value in restoring historic buildings recognize the opportunity to preserve and repurpose the Danielson Building to serve this need.
The focus for this project was determined as early as 2015, when CC4C board members envisioned the opportunity of restoring the entire historic building at 202 West Washington as a multi-use structure that would benefit the community, both culturally and economically. The community added suggestions for use of this historic building that included an expanded art gallery; a large open area for weddings, reunions, receptions and meetings; a commercial kitchen that could be used for the event center, by small businesses for food preparation, or by community organizations for nutritional education; and an open outdoor event space as overflow to the indoor space. A multi-use venue would fill unmet community needs and provide a home for Cheyenne Center for Creativity’s arts endeavors.
In September 2018, CC4C presented this concept of preserving, restoring, and repurposing this historic building at the CCKCF “Strategic Doing” meeting, sponsored by The Dane G. Hansen Foundation, and was encouraged by the favorable response from Cheyenne County citizens. Betty Johnson, Dane G. Hansen Strategic Doing facilitator, continues to advise CC4C. A group of 14 core people are keeping this project on the community radar with regular meetings, planning sessions, and actions.
This strategic and transformative community project will check many boxes for St. Francis.
Creates a permanent home for the arts and culture in Cheyenne County Kansas.
Provides a vehicle to positively impact the local economy in a self-sustaining manner.
Meets a community need for event and meeting space that is currently lacking.
Offers a commercial space for culinary entrepreneurs and nutrition education.
Revitalizes downtown while preserving history and making use of an existing resource.
The Cheyenne Center for Creativity (CC4C) board believes that the 202 on Washington Project will help create a vibrant, attractive Main Street by utilizing an existing structure that holds meaning and memories for the community. Board members also feel that as the culture and economy change, successful completion of this project will show the innovative and creative spirit that is alive in Cheyenne County. This in turn will result in retaining young people and attracting new residents.
