MANHATTAN, Kan. (WIBW) – The City of Manhattan is in talks to conduct a major construction project on Moro Street.
Manhattan Deputy City Manager Jason Hilgers says City Commission is currently offering preliminary guidance and direction to assist with developing the design contract.
The project would focus on sidewalks, streets, and replacing the 1910 water line underneath Moro Street.
“Hopefully we have a lot of good businesses here that can survive this,” Aggieville Business Association Executive Director Dennis Cook said. “Because they all know they’re going to come out of this looking a whole lot better.”
Full Circle Diner is one of the many Aggieville businesses that would be affected by construction.
“We’re really excited for what’s going on,” Full Circle Owner Tanner Hockendury said. “I think we opened up here with the idea that we wanted to help grow and change Aggieville, and a big part of that is street construction. If we just stay the same, we’re never moving forward.”
As construction continues, Cook says one of the most critical pieces will be finding parking for everyone coming down to Aggieville.
“We have 74 parking spaces and if what they proposed as maximized parking on Tuesday night, that would go from 74 to 45,” he said.
Cook says the organization has been in collaboration with the city.
“They’re not trampling over anybody, they’re wanting our opinion, they’re talking to us about it,” he said. “So far everything that we’ve done through this Aggieville vision, this development, has been great.”
Hockendury says it’s important the diner builds up its customer support before construction.
“Our biggest thing is just to do our best to get a really solid customer base and really oil regulars,” he said. “Hopefully we can still just skirt by and survive through the construction. At the end of the day, the construction has to happen.”
Hilgers added that the city’s priority will be maintaining pedestrian access to the businesses.
He also noted that construction isn’t anticipated to start until 2027.
Copyright 2026 WIBW. All rights reserved.