Iola, KS

A Small City with Big Plans

With a Welcoming Spirit and Prioritizing a Progressive Future, This Kansas City Has Much to Celebrate

The city of  Iola is a friendly and welcoming city in southeast Kansas, where residents are working together to create a community rich with opportunities and a high quality of life. “We are modern and progressive thinking,” describes Mayor Steve French.

“We’ve got citizens that really step up to be involved in different civic organizations, we’ve got a community involvement task force. We have Iola Industries. We have a good working relationship where things are happening for the good, so we don’t get left behind by all the bigger cities that are near us.”

This collaborative spirit is helping to shape Iola’s future, from housing, business development and infrastructure projects, to health and recreation options.

A Focus on Growth and Vitality

When it comes to economic growth, Camille Lavon, Director of Economic Development, says the city’s approach is multi-layered, balancing prospects for entrepreneurs and industry. “We can’t really talk about economic development without also talking about growth and vitality,” she stresses. “We have several pipelines for small industry currently coming into the community, and a lot of exciting opportunities for small businesses looking to situate.”

Lavon points to the downtown corridor as a hub for local business. “We are really promoting the strength that we have here. We have local suppliers, and local owners. We have a lot of different programs, like Network Kansas, in the community that really strengthen the vitality of that pipeline and really situate these small businesses into the fabric of our community,” she says.

Iola’s downtown is not organized around a single Main Street but around its historic courthouse square, named after presidents Madison, Jefferson, Jackson, and Washington. City Administrator Matt Rehder says that recent investments in infrastructure and beautification have been completed on three sides, while the last section is currently underway.

He recounts, “The south end of the square is Madison, and it’s a state highway that’s not in great shape. That is going to be torn up here in a matter of months for a needed complete rebuild. The base of the road is in bad shape, so we need to tear it down all the way to the base and then build it back out. As part of that we’re going to do some streetscaping and some water line work.”

While the city focuses on growth and revitalization, commercial developers are diversifying downtown spaces with a focus on mixed use. “No matter what happens with the future of this economy, this is the kind of community that is extremely resilient, and because it hasn’t always been easy, they’ve been able to build up the capacity and the process and the plans to make sure that no matter where our country and our community goes, we will always be strong,” Lavon asserts.

To incentivize development the city is offering a 100% tax rebate on building improvements, encouraging the addition of second floor apartment or Airbnb rentals. “It’s called the Neighborhood Revitalization Program, and that has spurred a lot of developments,” Rehder details. “We started talking to building owners saying ‘If you put in the investment, you’re going to get the increase in your property tax, you’re going to get that back for 10 years. If you do it right, it’s a project that can almost pay for itself.”

Growing for Future Residents

Housing has been a longstanding challenge in Iola, as demand has outpaced supply in the growing community. “There are individuals that live an hour away that want to move to Iola,” reports Mayor French. “They make the 30 minute to 1 hour commute every day. They need to find housing, or they’re going to go back to their primary community and not move here.”

To meet housing needs, the city invested in infrastructure for new home development, providing water, sewer, and power for 16 lots. This investment generated immediate results, with a developer purchasing the entire block and beginning construction. “16 vacant lots, and they put one up within a year,” touts Rehder. “Now they have foundation poured for 2 others, and they’re starting to dig a foundation for a third. They told us three a year starting in 2025 and they’ve met that so far.”

In addition, Iola is working to establish a land bank to encourage the redevelopment of vacant lots and support infill housing. Rehder maintains that this approach will help address both the shortage of options and the community’s aging housing stock. “There are  some vacant lots that are prime for redevelopment. They’re just having issues with getting ownership,” he acknowledges.

“We established the land banks where the city would take ownership of the property and open it up for developments for any realtors. The reason we did that, number one, was the square housing, and that’s been a goal of ours from the beginning. And number two, we’ve had two missed opportunities from some rehabilitation developers that specifically asked for land bank lots, and we didn’t have any.”

Partnerships have also played an important role. Mayor French shares, “We have the group Iola Industries in town, and a few years back, they made an apartment complex happen because they recognize the need for housing.”  The school district is also part of the solution, transforming decommissioned buildings into homes. “They recognized the need for housing and answered that call by working with an investment group to come in and renovate our schools for housing. One of those builds will include some duplexes on the school ground as well. So that’s in the progress right now,” portrays Mayor French.

Reflecting on all of the growth happening throughout the city, Lavon emphasizes, “This town has so many projects in the hopper. There is a ton of investment and innovation happening right now, and in fact, it’s, unfortunately, a little known secret.”

Industry and Site Development

Iola’s economy is anchored by major employers such as Gates, Peerless, and Russell Stover, who are helping to fuel growth in the region. Lavon highlights, “These are heavy leaders that are truly driving the manufacturing sector.” The emphasis is not only on expansion but also on retention of existing companies.

“It’s about those customers that you already have, keeping them happy and then growing that investment within the community. That’s truly our strategy,” she says. “In terms of how we’re getting in front of people and how we’re pulling in those new opportunities, we focus heavily on our industrial sites. We do have incentive programs within the community that really work with those sites through Iola Industries, which is essentially our industry association that meets those efforts.”

To support both existing and prospective companies, the city participates in a site readiness program in partnership with Allen County and the Kansas Department of Commerce. “We’ve identified two primary sites within the city of Iola,” outlines Lavon. “We have our own city industrial park immediately adjacent to Russell Stover. There’s been a lot of investment in utility infrastructure into that site. The second one is the area right outside the airport.”

Recently installed utility infrastructure with large load capacity makes the airport site ideal for industries related to aviation, data centers, and manufacturing. “You can’t talk about Iola without talking about manufacturing,” she continues. “It’s also immediately adjacent to the highway. So in terms of logistics all those pieces are in place as well. The sky’s the limit in terms of what we might be able to situate in those spaces.”

Another of Iola’s advantages is its regional airport, which boasts the longest runway in Kansas. Utilized by the National Guard, as well as aerospace company Orizon, it is conveniently located within two hours of three international airports. This central location, along with the benefits of municipally owned utilities, creates an ideal situation for businesses.

“This is truly an open door community. When there’s a manufacturer looking here, we understand the kind of investment that takes, and we love to see steel on the ground,” Lavon conveys. “Time is money. And we take that very seriously that they’re considering Iola, Kansas for their investment.”

Looking Ahead

Beyond its industrial strengths, Iola is deeply committed to the health and quality of life of its close to 6000 residents. Investments in recreation and wellness, such as the upcoming state park, and the city’s extensive trails and outdoor amenities, reflect this priority. “There’s lots of hiking, lots of opportunity to raise your family in a place that’s truly about wellness and health and growth,” Lavon imparts.

Moving forward, continued promotion of industrial site readiness is top of mind. In addition, strengthening the city brand is a focus. “Most entities, opportunities, industries out there looking for their location sites don’t know who Iola, Kansas is,” says Lavon. “We want to really define that perception, so that Iola is no longer this great kept secret. We want them to know who we are, what we’re doing, and that we’re experiencing great growth.”

AT A GLANCE

Who: Iola, Kansas

What: A small but mighty city with a progressive vision for the future

Where: Allen County, Kansas

Website: www.cityofiola.com