Economic Development
Contact Information
Phone: 785-742-7417 ext. 206
Fax: 785-742-2880
Email: ecodevo@cityofhiawatha.org
Mike Nichols, Economic Development Administrator
701 Oregon St.
Hiawatha, KS 66434
Hours
M-F, 9-5 or by appointment
Closed holidays.
About the Office
Hiawatha is a progressive city that welcomes new business and industry. As the county seat of Brown County, Kansas, Hiawatha is the center of commerce and industry for a large region of Northeast Kansas.
Hiawatha is situated at the crossroads of commerce in the center of our nation. Highways 36 and 73 converge in Hiawatha; Highway 75 is minutes away; Interstates 29 and 70 are easily accessible. Cities such as Topeka, Kansas; Kansas City and St. Joseph, Missouri; and Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska, are within easy driving distance.
Because people like to live in this community, the Hiawatha work force has the strong work ethic necessary to maintain a good quality of life for its families. Also, workers from surrounding communities drive to Hiawatha for good jobs.
The Community Offers:
- A hard-working, dedicated work force
- A city council, a city administrator and an economic development foundation with pro-business attitudes
- An excellent quality of life, which includes
- a choice of housing ranging from historic homes to custom-built new homes
- outstanding schools, including a new middle school that opened in August 2000
-
good healthcare provided by highly regarded local doctors, surgeons, and medical professionals in combination with a progressive local hospital
- an impressive public library
- numerous churches and local service organizations
Opportunities for leisure activities include:
- Comfortable overnight accommodations ranging from local motels to cabins in the country
- Numerous restaurants and fast-food establishments
- A choice of shopping from quaint downtown shops to national name-brand stores
- Local chamber of commerce events and promotions, including an annual Maple Leaf/Heritage Day and a Halloween parade
- An aquatic park with 140-foot water slide
- A community center facility for meetings and conferences
- A first-class baseball field, softball and soccer fields, tennis courts and parks
- The nationally recognized Davis Memorial
- A downtown historical museum, an agricultural museum, and a genealogical society
- A movie theater featuring first-run films, a bowling alley and a fitness center
- Areas for walking, jogging, biking and golfing
- Close proximity to four casinos, hunting and fishing
Business growth opportunities include:
- A commercial park with streets, utilities and good highway visibility
- A 32-acre industrial park site next to a highway exit with railroad availability
- Buildings for sale or lease ranging in size from 3,000 to 90,000 square feet
- Prime properties available on Highway 73/First Street and on West Highway 36
Business incentives may incorporate the Brown County Neighborhood Revitalization Program; the State of Kansas business and industry incentives for qualifying businesses; and local incentives negotiated on a case-by-case basis with prospective businesses.