Downtown redevelopment advances as Jorgensen demolition nears; 81-unit Landing on track
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Summary
Miles Sebold said the developer acquired the Jorgensen and Cook Jewelry buildings and is preparing for demolition likely in February. He also updated progress on The Landing, an 81‑unit apartment project due to open next December with 16 low/moderate income units.
Miles Sebold, Hutchinson's economic development director, said the developer has acquired both the Jorgensen Building and the Cook Jewelry building and that crews are completing hazardous‑material abatement ahead of a likely full demolition in February.
Sebold said Cook Jewelry, a long‑running downtown business, has closed after roughly 92 years and the developer is removing fixtures and potential hazardous materials such as asbestos and mercury switches before wrecking‑ball demolition begins. "The developer has acquired both the Jorgensen Building and the Cook Jewelry building," Sebold said.
He also provided a detailed progress update on The Landing, a new four‑story, 81‑unit apartment complex on the north end of Franklin along the river. Construction crews have staged large trusses and are building garage levels; Sebold said work will continue through winter with an expected opening in December. Units will range from studios to three‑bedrooms with market rents quoted between $1,100 and $1,700 per month, and the project includes about 16 units required for low‑to‑moderate income households.
Sebold described planned onsite amenities, including a first‑level parking garage, a rooftop patio on the southeast corner and an east‑side outdoor patio with a fire pit. He said the city plans to construct a stormwater retention pond on the northwest corner of the site in spring and is evaluating a trail segment to connect Girl Scout Park with Cedar Park along the river, but added that the trail depends on available funding.
The Landing and the Jorgensen redevelopment are positioned as part of broader downtown revitalization efforts that the Hutchinson Economic Development Authority oversees. Sebold said these projects are intended to expand housing options downtown and to free up other, lower‑rent units elsewhere in town as residents move into new market‑rate apartments.
Next steps described on the program: finish abatement and begin full demolition at the Jorgensen site (Sebold said February is probable), continue construction on The Landing through winter toward a December opening, and pursue funding to complete the proposed stormwater pond and any additional trail connections.