"Without purpose, a building dies."
We couldn't agree more with what the former editor of the Emporia Gazette William Lindsay White once wrote.
In fact, the Gazette Collective is more than just a development; it’s a community hub designed to bring together office professionals, residents, artists, travelers, and diners in spaces full of life and history.
Our Big 'Why'
This adaptive reuse project is the vision of Rick and Colleen Mitchell. They sought out to bring new life to the historic Emporia Gazette Building, blending community, and history in a sustainable way for generations to come.
Build Community
We want people to feel truly at home in a place that connects us to our shared past. The Gazette Building has long been a gathering point for this community — a place where stories were told, milestones recorded, and everyday life documented. Our goal is to carry that spirit forward by fostering a sense of belonging, bringing people together, and strengthening the connections that make our community thrive.
Create Experiences
From the beginning, thoughtful design choices have guided this project. We’re shaping a modern setting with a nostalgic soul — a place where history provides the backdrop for new experiences, creativity is encouraged, and community life unfolds naturally. These are spaces meant to be lived in, visited often, and remembered.
Honor the Environment
Rehabilitating a historic building is one of the most sustainable choices we can make. By preserving the original structure and reusing materials like brick, beams, and fixtures, we’ve given them new life while keeping valuable resources out of the landfill. Combined with modern, energy-efficient systems, these choices reduce energy use and shrink the building’s carbon footprint — honoring the past while building responsibly for the future.
Preserve History – and Invest in the Future
For more than a century, the Emporia Gazette Building was home to the newspaper that chronicled daily life in our city — its celebrations and challenges, its births, weddings, and losses. Generations relied on this place as a primary source of information and connection, creating an archive that documents our shared human history.
Preserving this building is about more than saving brick and mortar. It’s about reinvesting in a landmark that continues to contribute to the vitality of downtown Emporia — driving further economic activity, supporting local businesses, and contributing to the vibrancy and long-term prosperity of the area. By restoring and reactivating this space, we’re ensuring it remains a meaningful part of the community for generations to come.
1900-1905
Building Construction
Constructed between 1900 and 1905, the Gazette Building stands as a testament to a transformative era. The dirt roads seen in this photo were soon paved, followed by the introduction of electric streetcars.
Early 1900's
The Gazette & W.A.W.
The Gazette Building has been featured in LIFE Magazine twice. In 1938, LIFE photographer Bernard Hoffman included this photo in a photo essay celebrating William Allen White’s 70th birthday. Although the entrance to the building was altered during a 1967 restoration, the plate from the entrance steps reading 'W. A. White 1900' remains in the exact location on the face of the building today.
1950's
Evolving with the Times
This 1950s photo of the Gazette Building captures the post-World War II era in vivid color, highlighting the brown brick façade with its projecting terra cotta cornice, modillions, and dentils. The stone belt courses above and below the second-story windows and the white glazed terra cotta cladding on the first-story façade are also prominently featured.
1967
Careful Restoration
The adjoining lots north of the original 1900 building were long used as rental spaces and, although designed to match architecturally, underwent many alterations over time to suit various tenants. When the Gazette expanded into these buildings, William Lindsay White intentionally restored them to more closely reflect their original circa-1900 appearance, inspired by early postcards, while incorporating higher-quality materials his father had originally envisioned but could not afford.
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2022
Writing the Next Chapter
Restoration plans for the historic Gazette Building began shortly after its purchase in 2022. Embracing its enduring identity as the 'Gazette Building' and reflecting the collaborative spirit and diverse future uses, we adopted the name Gazette Collective as we look toward building its next chapter.
2026
(Re)Introducing the Building
After much care and attention to detail in the renovation, the new Gazette Collective will open to the public in the Spring of 2026.
Today, many of the historic materials and details remain and have been carefully preserved, including Cottonwood limestone, a hand-carved stone sign spanning all three buildings, Appalachian oak on the front façade, Imbuia wood flooring in the front offices, beveled glass, and brass detailing.
