Wights propose bringing film studio to downtown

A new film studio may be coming to Main Street as the city enters into negotiations to sell the old public safety building.

Kawehi and Paul Wight submitted a letter of interest for the property at 840 Main St., which is now being used for storage by various city departments.

“This is a big leap and a big dream,” Kawehi Wight said. “But Paul and I wouldn’t be in Eudora if we were afraid of challenges.”

The studio will be a “full-service media production facility, equipped with already-built sets that are ready for shooting, filming/lighting equipment, and audio recording facilities,” according to an agenda statement.

The building will include a green screen room, an audio booth, an editing room and a flex space for clients to build their own sets for filming.

“Our goal is to attract national TV and film production to the city of Eudora, bringing sustainable projects and sustainable jobs to the community, and thus increasing Eudora’s revenue and tourism,” the Wights said in a letter to the city.

The couple said the community would benefit from the project in several ways. They said Main Street would have another business to attract traffic downtown. They are also interested in partnering with the high school to offer student internships and with local businesses that may want to use their building as a location for filming.

“We truly believe Eudora has the perfect look, warmth and charm to attract national productions,” the Wights said in their letter. “We are excited to move forward with this project and bring a spotlight to the city that deserves to be nationally recognized.”

The couple will retain their current space, Blacklodge Recording, and it will remain as a recording studio, Kawehi Wight said.

The next step is for the city and the Wights to work on a real estate agreement, which would need final approval from the City Commission.

In other business, commissioners approved an ordinance to change zoning regulations regarding the adaptive reuse of buildings. This will allow for the possibility of existing structures to be repurposed for event venues.

The previous ordinance only allowed buildings to be repurposed for office or industrial use.

GW Weld has been hoping for a zoning change approval for his plan to turn the old Methodist church into an event space, the Times previously reported.

Moving forward, Weld said they will fill out the permit and present the idea to both the City and Planning Commissions. 

“I appreciate the city staff and the City Commission and the Planning Commission’s willingness to look at the problem,” Weld said. “The problem was basically that there was no way to submit an application for this nontraditional use of kind of a unique building, and so I appreciate that they took a look at the problem and we crafted a solution together and they’ve at least made a way for this to be looked at.”

The commission also agreed to renew services with VIESTE, which has been assisting with the Nottingham Center and STAR Bond District projects. The previous agreement expired in December, Interim City Manager Kevyn Gero said. 

“Because I know it can feel like we’re moving sort of at a glacial pace, but Mike’s connections and experience in this area has been really helpful,” Gero said.

The new agreement will expire in December 2023.

The commission also approved an annexation request for a tract of land at 2260 N. 1400 Road. 

Vicky Tuttle and Jordan Born made the request for future subdivision of the land to create a new parcel for future multi-family use, although there is no immediate plan for this development.

Bid awards for the 2023 pavement management program and the chip seal program were approved at Monday’s meeting. 

Barkley Asphalt Co. was awarded around $518,000 for the pavement management program. The program would cover a mill and overlay for portions of land east of Arrowwood Drive and south of 15th Street, Public Works Director Branden Boyd said.

Harbour Construction was awarded around $82,000 for the chip seal program, which would cover portions of land west of Main Street and north of 10th Street, Boyd said.

Reach reporter Caroline Zimmerman at [email protected]