Downtown Fort Scott has experienced much improvements in the last few years.

Historic buildings have been and are being brought back to life, some for business storefronts and some for residences. There has hardly been a month where there wasn’t a dumpster in front of buildings downtown where construction going on.

All the new businesses and residences create problems that local city, businesses and organizations are working to solve.

At the quarterly Downtown Meet and Greet on Oct. 4, hosted by City State Bank, there was discussion of the downtown parking situation.

The need is real: more available and easily accessed parking for downtown businesses and residents.

The two recently renovated buildings, Union Lofts at 20 S. Main and Fort Scott Lofts at 8 E. First, need approximately 120 parking spaces for residents. In addition there are a growing number of other downtown apartments.

The Fort Scott Chamber of Commerce Downtown Division has been having conversations to come up with solutions, Lindsay Madison, executive director of the Chamber said.

“No solution will make everyone happy,” Bailey Lyons, chair of the the division told the attendees. We are looking at the most cost effective ways.”

There is a small unpaved parking lot in back of the Union Lofts, at First and National Avenue that has not been developed, “but funding is not available, is my understanding,” Madison said.

There are currently public parking lots behind Moe’s Breads on National Avenue, south of Cheney Witt Funeral Chapel, 201 S. Main and on Skubitz Plaza at the north end of downtown.

Some solutions for the parking situation on Main Street, from information provided by Madison are:

• Enforcement of the 2-hour parking that is already in place. The ticket amount is being discussed by the city.
• Reinstall parking meters. This is not a popular choice, based on feedback.
• Have  no parking allowed between the hours of midnight to 6 a.m.
• Give designated spots, with car stickers, in downtown area public parking lots for the downtown residents.
• Build parking garages large enough to hold all the apartment resident’s cars, business employees cars and overflow parking.

“No solution will make everyone happy,” Bailey Lyons, chair of the the division told the attendees. We are looking at the most cost effective ways.”

For Lyons, the possible solutions are “Divert and assign spots for residents and business employees, and have better signage to identify public parking lots.”

Also on the Downtown Meet and Greet Agenda:

• The Fort Scott National Historic Site annual candlelight tour is the first weekend in December, with tickets set to go on sale on November 1.
• The annual  Downtown Halloween Parade is Oct. 29, with festivities starting at 10  a.m. and the parade at 11 a.m. Hot dogs will be provided after the parade for participants.
• Downtown Holiday Open House is Nov. 10-12, with the kick-off event from 5-8 p.m. on Nov. 10.
• Small Business Saturday Bonanza in November 26.
• Cocoa and Caroling Night Shopping is Friday, December 9 from 5-8 p.m.

Madison listed several business resources available in Fort Scott:

• The Dare to Dream Women’s Entrepreneurship Event, today from 5-7 p.m. at the Healthy Bourbon County Action Team Office, north of Luther’s BBQ on North National. There will be tips to affording health insurance.
• Also at this location is the Small Business Development Center, with Dacia Clark as the contact.
• Bourbon County Regional Economic Development offers business entrepreneurship mentoring with Mark McCoy, by appointment.
• E-Community Loans are available at 4% for 10 years, minimum loan is $5,000 maximum is $45,000. Contact the Chamber.
• Governor Laura Kelly announced that small businesses can now apply to receive COVID-19 Retail Storefront Property Tax Relief. In June, Governor Kelly signed bipartisan House Bill 2136, investing $50 million to help small businesses recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two downtown building construction updates

Lyons gave an update on the building on the west side of  downtown Main Street that she and her husband are renovating.

She said they are working with the state on the historic building which is a slow process, and have addressed structural issues.

“We are going to tackle the first floor first,” she said. “It is a possible build-to-suit for interested businesses.”

Kathy Dancer gave an update on the Scottish Temple that she and her husband have purchased.

She envisions a cafe and retail spaces in the building.

“I am guesstimating 18 months until we get the cafe going,” she said.

There will be a future story on this project on fortscott.biz.

About the host

City State Bank President John Hill told attendees that the bank was chartered in 1920, and in 2018 the downtown branch location was remodeled. They have two locations: 1012 Highway 69 or 202 Scott Avenue Fort Scott. and can be reached at 620-223-1600.

“We are a $55 million dollar institution, with 97% in Bourbon County,” he told the attendees.