Loading...
Century II
Lawrence, Charles J.
Lawrence, Charles J.
Citations
Altmetric:
Files
Loading...
Thesis
Adobe PDF, 23.25 MB
Authors
Other Names
Location
Time Period
Advisors
Original Date
Digitization Date
Issue Date
2004-12
Type
Thesis
Genre
Keywords
Subjects (LCSH)
Electronic dissertations
Citation
Abstract
On January 11, 1969, Wichita's Century II opened its doors to begin its service to
the community as a center for the performing arts, a business convention hall, and as host
to an array of community shows and events. The building and its surrounding landscape
are the product of years of planning and promotion that spanned nearly a half century,
beginning with the new and progressive ideas of city planning that began in Wichita
around World War I and culminating with the heavy hand of Urban Renewal. Wichita
architect John Hickman designed the building, and his association with American
architectural icon Frank Lloyd Wright provided a link to some of the most significant
buildings in the US.
This study is less about Century II itself than about the visions and forces that
combined to bring the building to reality: the confluence of Wichita's business and arts
community interests, the drive raise the city's stature, and an attempt to stem the national
trend of declining downtown viability. The city overcame a number of difficulties in
bringing the center to downtown Wichita. It withstood a city commission structure that
was continually changing, a small but vocal group of disgruntled taxpayers and potential
facility users, several arson fires, a struggle to displace the downtown business owners
that occupied and surrounded the site, and the loss of its prime architect. The pressure
proved too much for John Hickman, but the community as a whole stood behind the
project along with the Eagle and Beacon newspapers, and the city commission moved
haltingly but relentlessly towards Century II's completion.
Table of Contents
Description
Thesis (M.S.)--Wichita State University, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of History
Publisher
Wichita State University