A ‘gentleman’s club’ wants to open on North Rock. Is that even legal?

A business neighbors fear will be a strip club wants to open near 29th and Rock, near by one of the city’s largest churches, a neighborhood with houses that sell for half-a-million dollars and a popular movie theater.

Recently a sign was put up at the old Chalet building at 3030 N. Penstemon advertising the “Suga Shak Gentleman’s Club.”

That’s just northeast of 29th and Rock Road, behind the Walmart.

The sign immediately triggered outrage from neighbors concerned about a strip club opening in that area of town.

“It just doesn’t fit the community, doesn’t fit the neighborhood,” said David Stupay, who is both vice chairman of Wilderness Estates HOA and chief executive officer at Heartspring. Wilderness Estates is just south and east of the Chalet property.

Heartspring, just east of the property, is a nationally known provider of services and therapy for children with developmental disabilities. It also runs a school on its campus.

“We have nearly 500 employees and almost 1,000 families that we serve every year. ... Families are dropping their kids off from all over the country, and they’re not looking to leave their kid in an environment that has a gentleman’s club right across the street.”

It’s unclear if a strip club would be legally allowed to open there: city zoning codes prevent sexually oriented businesses from opening within 500 feet of churches, schools, or the boundary of any residential neighborhood.

The property lines at 3030 N. Penstemon may be less than 500 feet away from the property lines of both Central Christian Church and Heartspring. The Penstemon neighborhood is also just south of the Chalet building.

Central Christian Church operates a K-12 school on its grounds, and Heartspring also has a school in addition to its pediatric and autism services.

The Chalet building backs up to the Villas at Waterford apartments and is surrounded immediately by medical offices on Penstemon.

City officials say they weren’t aware of the Suga Shak plans until the sign went up.

The city has not received a formal application for the business yet, said Ken Evans, strategic communications director for the City of Wichita, and the building has not changed ownership.

It is zoned General Commercial, which technically allows for sexually oriented businesses to operate, given they are in compliance with the 500-feet rule.

“Without speculating about what may or may not happen, the City is now aware of this matter and is watching closely,” Evans said.

Pete Meitzner, whose council district includes the property, said he’s heard “from numerous citizens about their concerns.”

A business called Suga Shak LLC was registered in the state of Kansas on Oct. 17, with Alvin John Hennessy listed as its agent.

Attempts to reach Hennessy on Tuesday were unsuccessful.

The Chalet, the once-popular east-side hangout that occupied the Swiss-style chalet building on Penstemon, closed in 2013. It briefly reopened this May under new ownership — though it was closed by October.

According to Sedgwick County property tax records, the building is owned by the Homer Morgan Trust, which also owns the building at 4900 N. Arkansas where the Baby Dolls bikini bar operates.

Morgan could not be reached for comment Tuesday.