Wichita

West2Omaha · Post by **West2Omaha** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 5:13 pm

Does anyone know of a website similar to this one for Wichita, KS? I'm quasi-anticipating a move there this winter and am kind of looking for places as well as general info. of the area. Also, if anyone has anything to say about the area I'd love to hear it.

Harpoon · Post by **Harpoon** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 8:47 pm

Wichita has one cool part, called Old Town or something of the sort. Has an OK zoo as well. I had a chance to take a job there, but took one here instead.

jsheets · Post by **jsheets** » Fri Nov 04, 2005 11:33 pm

Nice town. We have friends that moved there from Omaha around 5 years ago. They seem to like it...

Plus it's a bit warmer there, but you still get the snow fall. Just not the bitter cold. That should be a plus!

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 1:43 am

If you must move to Wichita West2Omaha..

..

Try this site (Wichita Chamber of Commerce)..It tells you pretty much eveything you need to know about Wichita:

http://www.wichitakansas.org/

But please consider staying in the Big O!..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

West2Omaha · Post by **West2Omaha** » Sat Nov 05, 2005 2:32 pm

its not that I WANT to move, and IF I do I will be back eventually.

thanks for the info. guys

West2Omaha · Post by **West2Omaha** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 7:36 pm

I may be staying in the area after all! I should know within the next week. I'll let everyone know what happens....

papiostud · Post by **papiostud** » Sat Nov 12, 2005 10:42 pm

Intelligent design

Fred Phelps

nuff said

good luck in Kansas

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 12:58 am

I know a whole bunch of people from witchita flew out here to SF bay area to protest a teacher being gay. and i'm not even joking.

or maybe it was topeka.

Post by **Admin** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 8:28 am

Let's keep focusing on -Omaha's- positives guys. Thanks.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sun Nov 13, 2005 3:10 pm

Sounds like Tulsa is the place for you. ;)

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 12:21 am

Nor does Omaha have '7 months of cold weather'..That would equate to October thru May

..Maybe if you lived in Calgary, Alberta in Canada..

In reality, Omaha winters start late November and last thru St Patricks day..4 to 5 months of 'cold weather' at most..

And for the record, Tulsa OK is not exactly tropical..It has a mostly continental climate and does get cold in the winter..They even get about 12 inches of snow per winter..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

TitosBuritoBarn · Post by **TitosBuritoBarn** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 1:49 am

I think Tulsa is also one of the most inexpensive metropolitan areas you can live.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 8:11 am

Yeah, when it's 74 degrees on Nov 12th, I don't think you can play the weather card too loudly...

-Big E

murfj · Post by **murfj** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 12:09 pm

No doubt Tulsa will still have some occasional cold weather during the winter, but the fact remains that Omaha is MUCH farther north than Tulsa, and is quite a bit colder. That 74 degrees on November 12th was nearly a record high, it is surely not the norm. Tulsa's average high temperatures for November/December/January look like this: 60/50/47. Omaha's average high temperatures for those same months are: 48/35/32.

Omaha and the rest of this area (Lincoln) are great places to live, however for someone who does not like cold winters I would have to be honest with them in letting them know that this might not be an area for them.

Minneapolis Boy · Post by **Minneapolis Boy** » Mon Nov 14, 2005 12:16 pm

Well, after 13 winters in Minnesota, average highs in the 40s and 30s is pretty sweet!

enigmo · Post by **enigmo** » Tue Nov 15, 2005 7:18 pm

Wow. Missed this one.

Refer to my post: http://www.eomaha.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2908

I chose to move to Wichita. It's flatter than Omaha, but in the end, it's pretty similar. I've yet to meet anyone who supports intelligent design OR Fred Phelps. It has a thriving gay community.

And since I "escaped" the World-Herald, I get some credit.

I'd suggest http://www.kansas.com, the Web site of the Wichita Eagle. I'm biased. I'm its editor.

West2Omaha · Post by **West2Omaha** » Wed Nov 16, 2005 1:30 pm

But what about the things that are important to young professionals...this is without a doubt the hardest part of the possible move....I want to be able to enjoy my time away from work and not knowing a soul in Wichita might make that a little difficult. What was your move/adjustment like?

West2Omaha · Post by **West2Omaha** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 11:05 am

WELL - its official, im leaving the big O for Wichita. I guess all I can say is that the opportunity is huge (5th biggest firm in the world) and meshes with what I want to do more than opportunities at the "big 4" (although working in the FNC would be sweet.) I dont move until after the beg. of the new year so any information is now more valuable than ever.

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 11:38 am

Congrats on the opportunity and good luck.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Nov 17, 2005 8:28 pm

enigmo wrote: I chose to move to Wichita. It's flatter than Omaha, but in the end, it's pretty similar.

Hmmm.

enigmo · Post by **enigmo** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 11:22 am

OK, DTO, that was a loaded "Hmmmm." Visit Wichita sometime.

Like I've said before, it's no Omaha in size. Wichita lacks the big neighboring towns like Bellevue and Papillion, but still has some sizable 'burbs. They're similar in many respects but different in others. They're both sizable cities on the Plains. Same retailers (right down to the same mall stores and Dillons/Baker's). Same weather. Omaha probably has more culture. Wichita's a blue-collar aviation and oil town, Omaha more a service-oriented town. Both have Air Force bases. Both are revitalizing their riverfronts. Wichita's movie theaters kill Omaha's, but Omaha has more. Wichita's are palatial because the chain here (Warren) makes them so. Downtown is central in Wichita, far-east in Omaha. Old Town and Old Market are similar, but Old Town is spatially bigger and has more restaurants. The Old Market has more funky stores. Omaha has a bigger skyline and more billionaires. Wichita has a billionaire family whose company just bought Georgia-Pacific for $21 billion. Their company is now the largest privately controlled firm in the country. Another Wichita billionaire, though he's a part-time resident, owns casinos, according to Forbes. The newspaper is better in Wichita, but smaller (that's not saying much, right, Omaha Cowboy?)

So, on a day-in, day-out basis, they're really pretty similar. But then, this is a pro-Omaha forum, so you're entitled to "hmmm" about whatever you like.

loyalomahan · Post by **loyalomahan** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 11:44 am

I think it looks more like a 'giant' Lincoln.

West2Omaha · Post by **West2Omaha** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 1:14 pm

From what I've seen, it really is a city "between" Lincoln and Omaha. This shines though in population, feel, and attitude. That being said im looking forward to the transition and am going in with an entirely open mind.

enigmo · Post by **enigmo** » Fri Nov 18, 2005 1:35 pm

You're right, West. Not quite double the size of Lincoln.

I'm only saying: Give Wichita (353,823 in the 2004 estimate) and its surrounding county, Sedgwick, some credit. There are 463,802 people in the county. And there's slopover into surrounding counties, to the tune of 588,000-some in the SMSA (or whatever the unit is here).

Lancaster has 261,000.

Compare with Polk and Des Moines, with 393,000 or so. I think Des Moines still feels bigger than that (there... I don't upset the Des Moines crowd... I'm a native Iowan, anyway)

Yes, all still smaller than Omaha, so can I keep my eomaha.com membership?

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 12:46 am

For the record, 2004 metro population estimates according to the US Census Bureau:

Omaha: 803,801
Wichita: 584,671
Des Moines: 511,878
Lincoln: 278,201 ..

And I would agree with West2Omaha's assessment of Wichita as:

'a city "between" Lincoln and Omaha. This shines though in population, feel, and attitude. That being said im looking forward to the transition and am going in with an entirely open mind.',,

Wichita is a fine city. Good luck with your new job there West2Omaha..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 11:50 am

I have been to Wichita. I just didn't think that much of it from what I saw.

chopper · Post by **chopper** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 2:24 pm

jhuston wrote:Sounds like Tulsa is the place for you. ;)

It sure does. I think it's a "Go".

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 2:31 pm

Speaking of property taxes, did anyone hear Dave Nabity on Tod & Tyler? He had some great ideas on cutting taxes to even get this sorry |expletive| state competitive with those around us.

chopper · Post by **chopper** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 2:32 pm

DTO Luv wrote:I have been to Wichita. I just didn't think that much of it from what I saw.

Bet you never seen the Tulsa skyline and all the skyscrapers Tulsa has? It's alot more than Wichita & Omaha combined.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:15 pm

chopper wrote:
DTO Luv wrote:I have been to Wichita. I just didn't think that much of it from what I saw.
Bet you never seen the Tulsa skyline and all the skyscrapers Tulsa has? It's alot more than Wichita & Omaha combined.

Many of us here are skyline freaks and yes..Most of us, including DTO Luv, has seen the Tulsa skyline..I've seen it several times in person..While taller at present, Omaha has certianly made inroads on Tulsa over the past 5 years. A couple more 350-400 footers, and we'll be right there with 'em (check for the old UP site announcement next month..It appears one of those additional 350-400 footers will get built right there)..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

enigmo · Post by **enigmo** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:30 pm

I'm sure you're right on the 'scrapers in Tulsa. A lot more oil money.

Wichita's money comes from the squat, sprawling aviation plants on the fringes of town, not from banks and insurance companies. So it's understandable there's not a lot of skyscrapers. The two tallest structures are just nondescript office towers that look like something from the Soviet era. An undisclosed local company is going to build a new corporate headquarters on the WaterWalk. Won't be Koch, which just bought Georgia Pacific. It's on the north part of town.

The job market is doing better in Wichita than in recent years, but it had nowhere to go but up. There are two new call centers opening, but like those in Omaha, the pay's not real great. One will bring 900-some jobs for a 411 operation. T-Mobile has a big call center here.

Aviation is doing better. Cessna, with 10,000 workers, is the biggest employer now that Boeing Wichita has been split between the defense arm and Spirit Aerosystems. Cessna's hiring (big billboards around town saying "America is flying; Cessna is hiring.") It's even trying to get people back from Albuquerque, where a lot of people moved for jobs.

Cessna landed $500 million in new business jet orders at a recent convention. All of that ends up in Wichita and the different Kansas plants it owns. Boeing keeps landing orders for 787s and others that have parts assembled in the area. Problem is, the unions keep pushing for Seattle-caliber salaries for workers in Wichita, which is not a good idea.

Raytheon, Bombardier and the other aviation companies are all doing pretty well, too. But something could go wrong at any time (another terrorist attack, general economic downturn...)

Taxes in Kansas appear to be a bit lower than in Nebraska. The car registration was a bit lower. Property taxes are structured differently. There are no "SIDs." New areas are part of Wichita from the get-go. So you have "specials" for paving, sewer, etc. I have to say, I think SIDs are a better idea.

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:30 pm

Tulsa has no diversity in its skyline tho. Its all big box skyscrapers like the woodmen.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:43 pm

Linkin5 wrote:Tulsa has no diversity in its skyline tho. Its all big box skyscrapers like the woodmen.

I agree with that to a point..But Tulsa also has some outstanding art deco architecture in it's dowtown that rivals cities much larger..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 3:49 pm

enigmo wrote:
Like I've said before, it's no Omaha in size. The newspaper is better in Wichita, but smaller (that's not saying much, right, Omaha Cowboy?)

What do you mean? The W-H is a fine example of supurb daily journalism..(tick tick tick tick)..

..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

enigmo · Post by **enigmo** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 6:35 pm

Cowboy, I'd have bitten on that six months ago. But I'll just say I love my job as online editor at the Wichita Eagle. Let's just hope it doesn't get sold (a BIG possibility) along with the rest of the Knight Ridder chain (the Kansas City Star, the Miami Herald, the Philadelphia Inquirer and a bunch of other papers). The group or groups that buy them might not be as good to work for.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sat Nov 19, 2005 11:21 pm

We'd love to have you come back to Omaha enigmo.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Sun Nov 20, 2005 1:31 am

jhuston wrote:We'd love to have you come back to Omaha enigmo.

And I second that..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

West2Omaha · Post by **West2Omaha** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 4:13 pm

...and yet so eager to send me away....its the Elkhorn thing isn't it?

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 4:30 pm

West2Omaha wrote:...and yet so eager to send me away....its the Elkhorn thing isn't it?

Oh absolutely

..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Mon Nov 21, 2005 4:32 pm

You got annexed! You got annexed! ;)