Jayhawk Theater asks Shawnee County and Topeka for $5 million local match to unlock state grant

Representatives for the Jayhawk Theater asked the Shawnee County Board of County Commissioners on Dec. 16 to consider committing up to $5 million in local funds to match a $5 million Department of Commerce Sprint grant awarded to the restoration project.

Joanne Morel, who presented the update for the Jayhawk Theater, said the Sprint funds are in hand and “will be allocated by March of 2025,” and that the theater’s master budget and construction plan are phased so work proceeds only when funding is secured. "This will keep our construction in full motion [and] enable us to maximize and leverage other funding opportunities," Morel said.

The Jayhawk team outlined the scope and cost of required work. The presentation described accessibility, life-safety, structural and mechanical, electrical and plumbing upgrades as the initial priorities. Morel said those infrastructure upgrades total “more than $15,000,000 alone.” She and Vance Kelly of Trainer Architects described a phased approach: phase 1 uses the Sprint funds for…