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More than 120 years after John Stevens, one of Garden City's founders, had the vision of a grand hotel that would ensure the city's future and hopefully bring prosperity to the area, the Finney County Preservation Alliance was a step closer to reviving that vision.

In January 2007, the alliance brought Tom Klein, of New Communities LLC of Denver, to Garden City to view the Windsor. The alliance was seeking Klein as the developer to help restore the Windsor. Architects, an engineer, tax credit consultant and Nebraska contractor R.L. Fauss Builders also came as part of a development team to see the hotel. In February 2007, Alliance President Don Harness announced the alliance was choosing Klein as developer, with Klein publicly announcing he felt the project was "viable."

Since finding Klein, the alliance and Klein had developed a business plan for the property, proposing, among other things, about 70 rooms for the hotel and a restaurant, coffee shop and bar -- a project estimated at about $10.5 million. But the relationship between Klein and the alliance has now been dissolved as of July 18.

According to Harness, the alliance believed Klein had been developer for larger restoration projects in Wyoming and New Mexico -- projects they'd considered when bringing him on as developer for the Windsor. The fact he wasn't has put the alliance's credibility under question, Harness said.

Now, members of the nonprofit look to involve "more eyes and ears" on the project -- adding representatives from the city, Garden City Downtown Vision and the Finney County Historical Society -- and continue running with the word "viable," hoping to once again restore Stevens' vision of a grand hotel, or at least find some use for the historic building.

A use

There was never a formal contract between Klein and the alliance -- only an assumption investors, or the owners group, would eventually hire Klein as developer. The group also paid some of Klein's travel expenses. That has made dissolving the relationship a simpler task than it could have been.

Since dissolving the relationship with the developer, Harness has been in contact with various people and entities, including Downtown Vision and the city, to gain new members and input for the alliance on the project and where to head from here.

At this point, the vision and direction still are uncertain, with Harness planning to revisit the project, with the new members, at the alliance's regular monthly meeting at 5:15 p.m. Aug. 20.

Whatever the use, though, Harness said, he believes most people want the Windsor restored but that they realize it must have a viable use. He feels the project still can happen -- even in its current state, he said, the hotel was a finalist in the Eight Wonders of Kansas Architecture through the Kansas Sampler Foundation. It's an investment that once made, he said, holds a lot of benefits for the community.

The idea to restore the Windsor to a hotel again had been tossed around by Treanor Architects, of Lawrence, which previously did a feasibility study and report on the hotel. In doing the study, Treanor held a series of focus group meetings and received input on possible uses for the Windsor, including as apartments, office space or a hotel. According to the report, completed in 2004, Treanor determined it wasn't financially feasible to renovate the Windsor into office space because of rent rates; high- or low-end apartments were thrown out because of local demographics; and Treanor decided it was most feasible to renovate "it into a mixed use of retail spaces on the first floor, restoration of the Stevens Suite and historic atrium on the second floor and hotel guest rooms on the third and fourth floors."

Harness believes the idea of a hotel still has some merit as use for the unique building and would add to sales tax revenue and employee base for the city.

Downtown Vision Executive Director Beverly Schmitz Glass' office is housed in the Windsor's ground floor, and for her, the building is not only home to her organization's operation but also the "anchor" of downtown.

"It's such a majestic building," Glass said, adding it can be a destination spot for downtown and play into "the romantic notion of what it once was."

However, what it will become, Glass said, is a matter of getting everyone to roll up their sleeves and get involved in doing everything they can "to make sure it survives in some way, shape or form.

"I just think we have to look at everything now," she said.

Downtown Vision's interest in the building, she said, is in the fact the Windsor is a historical marker of downtown. And the organization can bring a different set of connections, resources and ideas, she said.

"It's really the Preservation Alliance's project," she said. "We're here to help.... And we certainly don't want to overstep that."

In a perfect world, Glass said, the Windsor would go back to being a hotel. But the use could be lofts, a restaurant, office space -- everything's on the table right now, she said.

A challenge now to the project, she said, is everyone being open to new ideas, as well as developing a vision the public, investors and developers can latch onto.

Vested interest

Mayor David Crase owns a business and lives downtown. As a city commissioner and private citizen, he said, he wants to do as much as he can to help with restoring the Windsor.

Crase called Harness after the alliance ended its relationship with Klein, saying he was interested in helping. Crase said he always has been interested in the Windsor but never had time to devote to it.

While he doesn't know what the use would be for the hotel, he brought up condos, retail or other housing. With city support -- not through taxpayer dollars -- the project might have a better chance at federal or other funding, he said.

City Manager Matt Allen said the city has a vested interest in seeing one of downtown's largest buildings have a chance at succeeding. He said the city is available to the alliance for general support, including input or looking at the needs, such as utilities, etc., of whatever use is decided for the building. Another relationship to the project would be the city helping to provide adequate parking if the Windsor was developed, he said.

Not only does the building have historical value, "if done right, it will have a significant economic value," Allen said.