Update: Lights will stay on after Towne West makes payment, official says
Updated 8:45 p.m.:
Towne West Square has made a payment on its electric bill and the “disconnection process (has been) cancelled,” Evergy spokesperson Gina Penzig said Wednesday evening.
Penzig would not say if the payment was for the full amount. She referred additional questions to Kohan Retail Investment Group. The New-York based company bought the struggling mall in 2019 along with Florida-based 4th Dimension Properties.
Employees who work in stores at the mall wouldn’t speak on the record Wednesday evening. A manager at one store said that’s because the investment group sent out a letter that day telling them not to speak with the media. The manager shared the letter with The Eagle. It was sent out to vendors on the investment group letterhead.
“All press inquiries, regardless of their (sic) nature or relevance to your business, should be promptly directed to the management office,” the letter says. “Local media has been notified of our procedure and have been given instructions on how to make contact regardless of time of day.”
No instructions were sent to The Eagle and Mike Kohan, the managing member of the investment group, has not responded to multiple requests for comment.
The letter also says that “adhering to these guidelines will help protect the interests of all tenants and prevent negative impact on customer base.”
Original story:
Towne West Square’s deadline to pay its power bill or have electricity turned off has been extended again based on the expectation that payment may be made on Wednesday, an Evergy spokesperson said.
Power was supposed to be turned off at the end of the day Tuesday if the bill wasn’t paid, but that has been extended after “documentation (was) provided toward making payment” on Wednesday, Evergy spokesperson Kaley Bohlen said in an email Wednesday morning.
It’s unclear what will happen if the bill, which is past due since November, is not paid Wednesday. Evergy referred any additional questions to New-York based Kohan Retail Investment Group, which bought the struggling mall in 2019 along with Florida-based 4th Dimension Properties.
Mike Kohan, the managing member of the investment group, did not respond to questions to comment.
A power shutoff wouldn’t affect larger stores with their own entrances; they have separate accounts in good standing, Evergy said. Instead, a shutoff would affect kiosks and businesses with mall storefronts.
Those stores pay rent to the mall but don’t pay their own electricity bills.
Kohan has been provided multiple extensions to pay the bill, Bohlen said.
“Evergy continues to work with Kohan Retail Investment Group regarding their account and being able to continue service for the benefit of their tenants,” Bohlen said. “We have paused service disconnection based on documentation provided toward making payment today.”
When reached by phone, Bohlen said she would have to inquire more about when power would be turned off if payment wasn’t received Wednesday. Evergy spokesperson Gina Penzig then emailed The Eagle saying:
“We aren’t providing additional detail at this time. We are in communication with the mall owner’s regarding their account status. You may reach out to them with additional question.”
In early June, The Eagle reported that the mall had been bouncing checks to its employees and owed more than $363,424 in past-due property taxes and penalties from 2021 and 2022. That amount went up about $4,270 to around $367,694 after an extra penalty took effect on Tuesday.
Contributing: Casey Loving of The Eagle
