WRITER: Chad Lawhorn

Regents approve $49M Allen Fieldhouse renovation, new wages for KU police, new name for KU football practice facility

A $49 million project to renovate historic Allen Fieldhouse received the green light from the Kansas Board of Regents on Wednesday. The Regents, who oversee all six of the state’s public universities, expressed no concerns with the project, which will add amenities like additional chair-back seating, a pub area for fans, new video boards and infrastructure improvements such as heating and cooling upgrades. ...

From new video boards to fancier seats to better cell service, a closer look at KU's proposed $49M Allen Fieldhouse project

Another men’s basketball season is over at KU, and you know what they say at the winningest program in college basketball: You don’t rebuild at Kansas — you reload. Well, this year, they’ll also refurbish. As we’ve been reporting for the past couple of weeks, plans are in the works for historic Allen Fieldhouse to undergo a major renovation. The project was announced in early March by KU Athletics ...

From movies to weddings, plans filed for one of city's oldest buildings to become event hall, restaurant on edge of downtown

Plans are accelerating to convert one of the oldest buildings in Lawrence into an an event hall and restaurant on the edge of downtown. Owners of the historic Turnhalle building — an 1869 stone structure at 900 Rhode Island St. — have filed plans to construct a small addition that will aid in converting the first floor of the building into an approximately 300-person event space and the basement into a ...

KU plans to spend $49 million on renovation of Allen Fieldhouse, new documents show

A project to improve historic Allen Fieldhouse is now expected to cost $49 million, a nearly $30 million increase over what the University of Kansas originally planned to spend on the upgrades. KU officials last week announced the planned renovations — including new hospitality areas, video board and premium seating — but did not provide a price tag for the project as part of the announcement But KU ...

After more than 50 years, longtime Dairy Queen family sells Lawrence, Eudora stores; new owner to keep all three open

If empty cartons were the requirement to become Lawrence’s royal family of ice cream, mine might well be on the throne. But it’s not, and we aren’t. Instead, for about 50 years, the Walter family has been in the best position to claim that title as the owner of Lawrence and Douglas County’s Dairy Queen franchise. But now, officially consider the torch — umm, make that cone — passed. Steve and ...

Pandemic couldn't stop this Mexican bakery in eastern Lawrence from dream of making pan, sweet treats and more

Pan — the Spanish word for “bread” — is a big part of the relatively new Mexican bakery and restaurant at 19th and Haskell. Pandemic, the English word for “oh #%@!!!” — is a big part of how the small business came to be. Javier Angeles and Lucia Cano — owners of Angeles Panaderia — both were in the restaurant industry when the pandemic struck the Lawrence area. Angeles ended up losing his ...