The Health Of A Building

After more than eight years in the planning and a $10 million investment, the Sunflower Foundation has opened its doors at 5820 SW 6th Ave. atop historic Martin Hill.

In addition to serving as the foundation’s headquarters, the campus includes the Sunflower Nonprofit Center, which offers space and resources to assist other nonprofits, charitable organizations and public agencies working to improve the health of Kansans, as well as the Powerhouse Center, which will serve as a state-of-the-art location for nonprofits conferences and events.

Constructing a brand-new building would probably have been easier and less costly but bringing renewed health to historic buildings in need of care aligned with Sunflower’s vision of improving the health of all Kansans. It also allowed the foundation to integrate the concept of social purpose real estate—the idea that organizations include part of their philanthropic mission in their corporate office space.

“I am a native Topekan and had been walking Menninger Hill from the time I was in high school,” said Billie Hall, Sunflower Foundation president and CEO. “I knew these buildings were abandoned and looked pretty bad, but I brought the members of the Board of Trustees to the hill, and they saw what I did: With a little care, these buildings could be restored and given new life.”

That is where the vision for adaptive renovation started. The Sunflower Foundation asked Schwerdt Design Group for help with designing a plan that make these buildings work for what they wanted. Enlisting the advice of historical renovation experts, they came up with a design that would renovate these buildings in a way that kept the historical perspective but at the same time offered a beautiful and modern result.

History of Healing Hill

From the beginning, Sunflower Foundation wanted to honor the legacy of those pioneers who cared and advocated for better care for Kansans who are sick and in need. Menninger Hill, originally known as Healing Hill, has a long history of innovative health care that has served people in Kansas and throughout the country.

1919

This historic hilltop location was first home to the Knights and Ladies of Security, known today as Security Benefit, which established a home for the elderly, an orphanage, hospital and working farm on the grounds.

1921

The powerhouse facility was built to provide energy to the Security Benefit Association Hospital (SBA).

1927

This building served as a dormitory for the SBA nursing staff.

1954

SBA shifted its focus to life insurance and closed the Security Benefit Hospital and Home.

1959

Menninger Foundation purchased the property to house a clinic, sanatorium, and a school of psychiatry

1982

Menninger developed the “West Campus”—a residential community of 28 structures on the 350-acre hilltop campus. Most of the SBA buildings were converted to Menninger Clinic programs.

1960-2001

Thousands of people from across the country sought treatment at the Menninger clinic.

2002

The Menninger clinic moved its operations out of Topeka.

2015

The Sunflower Foundation purchased 13.5 acres of land including the powerhouse and the former nursing residence.

2019

Renovations on the buildings began.

2021

The Sunflower Foundation moved into its new home.

Walk through the atrium of the Sunflower Nonprofit Center and into the Hall of Inspiration and you will be immersed in the history of “Healing Hill.” Now that the project is complete, Hall says she feels like she is experiencing a little of what it would have been like back then.

“When you look at these buildings now, you see all of the beautiful new aspects, but those beautiful old buildings with so much rich history are still shining through,” Hall said. “I remember when we finished the Powerhouse, I patted it and said ‘OK, you’re ready for another hundred years.”

Even though the renovated buildings are impressive, Hall says she finds her eyes returning to view the parking lot.

“My office is on the fourth floor, so when I look out my window, I can see all across Topeka,” Hall said. “But I have to say, my favorite view is the parking lot with the old cottonwood tree that still stands proud and strong after all of these years.”