The former downtown library near Century II could become the Wichita Police Department’s new headquarters. At least, that’s the idea floated by Wichita Mayor Lily Wu at her first State of the City address Sunday night.
“That would restore a great public asset with a civic use and put officers closer to a critical part of our city,” Wu said in her speech at the former library at 223 S. Main. But she didn’t stop there. She suggested that once the move is complete, Sedgwick County government could occupy the three floors the department now uses in City Hall.
The county has been looking for a new, more permanent office space since it moved out of the Sedgwick County Courthouse and into the Ruffin building downtown.
“In addition to saving taxpayer money, moving the county into city hall aligns nicely with the goal of shared services, improving government efficiency, fostering stronger collaboration and easier coordination between city and county departments,” Wu said.
The two governments have been in talks to consolidate several services in the past year in an attempt to cut down on spending and reduce property taxes. Sedgwick County Commissioner Jim Howell, who attended Sunday’s speech, was not supportive of the mayor’s idea.
“This is the front door of our city. This is a beautiful building,” Howell said. “I’m not sure that a police headquarters, in my opinion, is the most welcoming thing you see. My personal opinion is that’s just not the right fit. “I know the conversations out there, but you know what? We’ve been looking for a building now for a better part of a decade, and I think we’re getting closer and closer to finding some solutions that are, in my opinion, probably less expensive than the idea that was floated today.”
Wu did not say what renovations would be needed for the building or how much her plan could cost. The Eagle has reached out to Sedgwick County for comment. Celeste Racette, an outspoken advocate for renovating the former library, and Century II nearby, was also not supportive of the department’s move into the building.
“Here’s what I would suggest, and even when I ran for mayor, is Visit Wichita pays over $350,000 a year to rent that space in Waterwalk. Why are we paying that rent?” Racette said. “Let’s move Visit Wichita in here as one of the ground tenants.”
Police Chief Joe Sullivan, who also attended the mayor’s speech, said he was not surprised by the mayor’s suggestion to move the department into the former library.
“There’s been some discussion, but there’s been discussion about various potential uses for this,” Sullivan said. “So… we trust in council to evaluate all those and decide [which] one is in the best interest of the city.”
The city has issued two requests for proposals for the former library, but has not accepted any bids that have come from those. The building was most recently used as a COVID-19 vaccination center in 2021.
The library building, which was built in 1967 and closed to the public in 2018, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is considered a unique example of Brutalist architecture.
Before her speech Sunday night, Wu was a special guest at the Wichita Police and Fire Foundation’s benefit reception, which was also held in the former library. She announced during her speech that she would donate all of the raise she would receive this year — about $5,000 — to the foundation. Wu tried to reject the raise during a council meeting in December, but was shut down by the city council, who also received the same 4% raise. Last year, Wu made $125,970.
“You may recall, one of my campaign promises was to not accept a salary increase,” she said. “Unfortunately, I was prevented from rejecting a raise. But one way or another, I keep my promises.”
Wu highlighted a number of issues in her speech, including crime, homelessness, street infrastructure, and economic development.
“Most people simply want to feel safe, drive on decent streets, have access to clean drinking water, and live in a community suitable for attracting more opportunities,” Wu said.
Much of her speech also highlighted promises she made on the campaign trail.
“I’ve championed increased transparency, challenged city bureaucracy, prioritized public safety, and opposed wasteful spending and tax increases,” she said. “I’ve kept my word and will continue to stand on principle for the people of Wichita.”
This article was made available through the Wichita Journalism Collaborative.
