An initial assessment has been made at the Franklin Center. The roof needs repaired and sealed up, and other work needs done soon to save the building from further damage. The Franklin Center is truly the Fortress on the Kaw, despite a huge fire, the building appears to be standing strong! Please support this effort to save this historic building from further damage so that future redevelopment efforts can be made possible by avoiding water damage that could lead to eventual demolition.

We’re feeling so many feelings about the fire last week. It was arson. We don’t know who or why—perhaps young people messing around with no idea what the consequences might be if it got out of hand.

What most people don’t know is all of the blood, sweat and tears that our board and volunteers did to reopen the Franklin Center. In November of 2019, we were under a month away of closing on a $5.5 million redevelopment project after years of coordinating federal tax credits, financing and tenants. Then, a tax credit guarantor unexpectedly asked for more time after having already granted executive approval six months earlier. The funding agency couldn’t grant more time as it was under a mandate to distribute its funds by the end of the year. Years of work coordinating $5.5 million fell apart in a moment.

Four months later, the world shut down in a global pandemic and philanthropic focus rapidly moved to providing struggling families with food and shelter. There was little appetite for a project like ours yet the Franklin Center volunteers still didn’t give up looking for strategic partnerships with more established and moneyed organizations that seek the common good of Wyandotte County.

Last week, our worst fears were realized. We are gutted. We are angry. We have asked what ifs. We have shed so many tears. We’ve felt let down. We’ve felt like we’ve let the community down.

But while the building looked empty, there was so much activity behind the scenes fighting for this place when no one else was willing to. We’re so grateful to all of those who have loved this place. To the volunteers who show up faithfully every month for the food distribution. To the board who spent all of their social capital to leverage funding for its redevelopment. We’ve paid lawyers, architects, engineers, consultants and the UG but not one of the people connected to the Franklin Center received even one dollar for their efforts. They did it for the love of this place and this community.

Thank you,

The Franklin Center