Westar purchases land at Webb Business Park for planned new facility

Westar Energy has purchased 19 acres of land on North Webb Road for $1.6 million, where it plans to build a new facility, according to a spokeswoman for the utility.

Gina Penzig said Wednesday that a new service center facility, which will also include office space, is planned for the tract, which is in the Webb Business Park, near 40th Street North and Webb Road.

“Our line crews and other field employees who work to maintain power lines and related equipment will be based at the new service center,” Penzig said. “The new location will provide space for materials to be stored on-site.

“We are focused on planning and design of the facility this year with a ground-breaking to follow either in late 2016 or early 2017.”

Penzig said the new facility is targeted to be in operation sometime in 2018. She added that the new complex will hold operations currently housed at Westar’s facility at 1900 E. Central, which she said was constructed more than 80 years ago.

“The line trucks and other equipment we use to maintain the electrical system in the city has changed quite a bit since 1930,” Penzig said.

The transaction closed Dec. 22. Bradley Tidemann of of J.P. Weigand & Sons and Gerald Cain of Land Acquisitions Inc. worked to broker the deal, Tidemann said.

Westar evaluated 15 properties for the planned new complex, according to a joint news release issued by the business park and J.P. Weigand. It chose Webb Business Park because of close access to major highways, local bus routes and rail service and communication system availability at the park.

“Electricity is something most of us take for granted because it is extremely reliable,” Webb Business Park owner Bennie Lee said in the release. “We are pleased to help Westar identify a new location that provides the needed space for their employees who keep the lights on for the Wichita metro area.”

Approximately 45 acres remain for sale by J.P. Weigand at the park, according to company figures.

This story was originally published January 20, 2016 at 2:24 PM with the headline "Westar purchases land at Webb Business Park for planned new facility."