Merriam council accepts study on Irene B. French center, directs staff to look into feasibility to save 1911 portion of building

The Merriam city council has directed city staff to look into the feasibility and costs of saving the 1911 portion of the Irene B. French Community Center.

Over the past several months, Merriam city leaders, residents and business owners have been considering options for the century-old historic building at 5701 Merriam Drive.

In its final report to the Merriam city council on Monday, the 5701 Merriam Drive Steering Committee recommended saving as much of the 1911 portion of the Irene B. French Community Center as possible. That option would involve tearing down the rest of the center, creating open space and re-using the 1911 portion of the building in some way, at a cost estimate of $3,050,000 to $4,250,000.

(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post – Community news and events for northeast Johnson County)