AUGUST 14, 2012

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See a full list of under construction, completed, and proposed projects.



II BLOCK ONE

Block 1
Block One
Overview of Block One
Local Agency Brands Block One
Project Downtown Provides Blueprint

  

Project Downtown is guiding the first complete city block of development along the core of Douglas Avenue. The block encompasses the Kansas Leadership Center (KLC), the Kansas Health Foundation (KHF), the Ambassador Hotel, the Henry's Building, the Block One Parking Garage and a new Urban Plaza. Total investment exceeds $43 million. To showcase this achievement, the developers of the block announced at the KLC and KHF Conference Center groundbreaking that they have taken the opportunity to name all the projects as Block One. This name will be used as a reference location point when speaking of the major organizations and tenants that are members of the block, for example, the Ambassador Hotel at Block One, the Kansas Health Foundation at Block One.

 

Sullivan Higdon & Sink, a local creative agency, worked closely with the block's developers to brand Block One. The name "Block One" recognizes the start of a new beginning for the district. The block is a destination. The word "One" communicates this as the first completed block of new development in Downtown Wichita in over 30 years. The word "Block" refers to the area between South Topeka and South Broadway adjacent to the 300 block of East Douglas.

 

For more information on Block One visit our website.


KLC Project Downtown banner
 
Kansas Leadership Center at Block One 
Project Downtown banner at the corner of Douglas and Topeka
Block One Project Downtown Banners

 

To highlight Project Downtown's progress, the WDDC has placed project banners at the four corners of Block One. Sites include the Ambassador Hotel, the Kansas Leadership Center, the Block One Parking Garage and the Henry's Building. Project Downtown banners will soon be seen throughout Downtown as various projects commence construction. 

II BLOCK ONE ART

Block One Public Art Elements
Large scale mosaics and water wall in Block One 

 

Block One will incorporate public art on the facades of the Block One Parking Garge and the Block One Urban Plaza water wall. Local Wichita artist Tina Murano, owner of Morano Studios, has been chosen to design and create the large-scale mosaic and the urban plaza water wall that will be featured as public art elements in Block One. 

Murano Studios Morano Studios  
Tina Murano
Phone: 316-207-1613

 

Murano Studios collaborates to create a sense of place and community through integrated art. They specialize in a collaborative design process while creating integrated public and private sector artworks. Murano Studios ensures the utmost craftsmanship from conception to completion of each project. Tina Murano along with Dale Vice, Mary Lee-McDonald, Emma Murano and Nate Murano will make up the team working on the Block One projects. Website

Orange flower mosaic panels on Block 1 Parking Garage
Flower mosaic on the West facade (facing alley) of the Block One Parking Garage
Purple flower mosaic panels on Block 1 Parking Garage
Flower mosaic on East facade of the Block One Parking Garage

The Block One Parking Garage will have three 6ft x 9ft flower mosaic panels on the outside East facade (facing Topeka) and three 6ft x 9ft flower mosaic panels on the West facade. These panels will be made out of vitreous glass tile - approx 3/4' x 3/4 in - and then hand cut to fit.

Purple glass tile mosaic on waterwall in new Urban Plaza
Block One Urban Plaza water wall flower mosaic

The water wall in the Block One Urban Plaza (between the Ambassador Hotel and the Henry's building) is approximately 8ft x 30ft and will include purple glass tile mosaic flowers made of the same glass tile and hand cut to fit.

 

There will be close to 150,000 pieces of tile amongst all the mosaic panels - each tile laid by hand. The art will be accessible to the public to appreciate and enjoy for many years. After the mosaics are "born" this fall, a title for the art project will be established.

II COMMERCE ARTS DISTRICT

Finn Lofts
Two new tenants in the Commerce Arts District

 

The Finn Lofts (430 S. Commerce) has recently gained two new commercial tenants, El Dorado Inc and Burly Studios. The Finn Lofts opened in 2010 with 25 lofts as well as commercial space and is a contemporary design conversion of a historic warehouse in the Commerce Arts District. The Finn Lofts can accommodate up to six commercial tenants. 

 

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El Dorado Inc logo
El Dorado Inc

 

El Dorado Inc is an innovative architecture firm who has been delivering functional, sustainable and radically pragmatic projects since 1996. They have leased 1,133 sq. feet of commercial space in the Finn Lofts, a project that they designed. El Dorado Inc is also currently designing The LUX (former Protection One building) in Downtown Wichita on First Street. The LUX will be a modern mixed-use development offering office, residential and luxury terraces overlooking the City's skyline.


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Burly Studios
Burly Studios

  

Burly Studios creates high-end video advertising spots with an emphasis on collaboration with other artists to "tell visual stories." Their goal as a company is to do 80% work and 20% experimental, which strengthens current abilities but broadens their knowledge of what's out there. The 1,286 sq. feet of leased commercial space will include space for a studio, meetings, a changing room and kitchen.

 

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II ARTS & ECONOMIC PROSPERITY

Arts & Economic Prosperity Report
The economic impact of nonprofit arts and culture organizations and their audiences

 

Wichita was one of 186 communities to participate in the Arts & Economic Prosperity IV report. It is the most comprehensive economic impact study of the nonprofit arts and culture industry ever conducted in the United States. Arts & Economic Prosperity IV was conducted by Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education. 

 

Full Report

Wichita vs National
 
Wichita, KS

* $66.2 million local industry

* 2,006 jobs

* Generates $6.5 million in local/ state government tax revenue

* Attendees spend $15.25 per person beyond admission

 

Nationally

* Nonprofit arts & culture is a $135.2 billion industry

* Supports 4.1 million jobs

* Generates $22.3 billion in government revenue

* Attendees spend $24.60 per person beyond admission

* Resilient in touch economic times

II CREATIVE 
HIGHLIGHTS

WDDC Updated Website
WDDC Website

We have recently updated our website www.downtownwichita.org!

Improvements include:

 

* A Project Downtown highlight section on the homepage where development projects can be featured

 

* Google Calendar, ICS Calendar and social sharing for events happening in Downtown

 

* Email and social sharing for map listings (this includes First Friday, Final Friday, event parking, for sale and lease properties, restaurantsnightclubs, etc)

CreativeRush
CreativeRush  

CreativeRush is a FREE city wide monthly meet up for creatives in Wichita. 

 

CreativeRush is a way to share ideas, inspiration, and experiences. CreativeRush aims to create a community for creative people to meet other creative people, learn more, and do better work. By being a part of this community, you agree to challenge your idea of creativity by learning, inspiring, collaborating and DOing MORE.

 

CreativeRush is typically the first Tuesday of the month.

 

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Down to the Wire: A 24-Hour Film Race
Down to the Wire: A 24 Hour Film Race  
On August 10 -12, Tallgrass Filmmakers Lab and Creative Rush teamed up for Wichita's first-ever 24 hour film competition. Down to the Wire: A 24-Hour Film Race. The race was open to the general public and student teams as well as professional teams participated. Teams had 24 hours to write, produce, shoot and edit a short film that was six minutes or less. 34 teams of varying skill levels registered. 

At the end of the race, on Saturday, August 11, a committee chose the top ten films, out of the 27 submitted, which were then showcased at the Orpheum Theatre on Sunday, August 12. At the screening a panel of VIP judges live critiqued the films and choose the top three winners. The first place film, titled "RE-UP", will screen at the 2012 Tallgrass Film Festival. The producers of "RE-UP" won a prize package from Tallgrass and Vimeo. All teams have the opportunity to submit their film into the Tallgrass Film Festival.

* Audience Choice Award: "PANTS"

 

* Student Film: "Or Maybe..."

 

* Bronze Winner: "PANTS"

 

* Silver Winner: "Step Hooker" (student team)

 

* Gold: "RE-UP" (student team)

 

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Douglas Avenue Grant
Douglas_rendering1 

The City of Wichita received a $1.08 million federal grant last week from the Federal Transit Administration's Bus and Bus Facilities Livability Initiative, with a $270,000 local match. It will fund the installation of eight high-tech bus shelters along Douglas, the first step in a $6.4 million plan to remake the City's "postcard" street.

 

The shelters will begin at Main and proceed east, with the final installation in front of The Wichita Eagle, 825 E. Douglas. The project targets one of the major goals of Project Downtown, the Downtown Master Plan: walkability.

 

The bus shelters will include electronic informational signs, including a real-time GPS look at where buses are in town and how long waits will be. The shelters will include handicapped-accessible curb extensions with handicapped parking, benches, trash cans and streetscaping.

 

Parking for 175 bicycles will be installed along the street, and a signaled pedestrian crossing will be installed between Mead and Rock Island. Construction is expected to begin next year. Read More

We Heart ICT Window Dressing Project
We Heart ICT
ICT Fest!
 

WDDC's workshop on April 17, 2012 with Peter Kageyama, author For the Love of Cities, challenged attendees to create an idea to improve the City with only $500. WDDC funded the top three ideas. "Window Dressing" debuted inside the Zelman's Building (corner of St. Francis and Douglas) during the St. Francis Street Celebration on June 29. The video above highlights the process that We Heart ICT (creative group that grew from initiating the window dressing) went through to produce the ICT Fest promotion window. We Heart ICT recently put up another window promoting the Wichita Public Library. The major material sponsor was Crate Tech. Stop by and see what this group is doing to help promote Wichita with only $500! 

 

We Heart ICT blog

2012 KAEA Professional Development Conference
CityArts 

It was recently announced that the Kansas Art Educators' Association will host their annual professional development conference, "Creating Vibrant Communities through Art & Design," in Downtown Wichita from October 25 - 27, 2012 at the Courtyard Marriott hotel. Activities will be centered around CityArts and the surrounding art/design related organizations. Learning opportunities include visiting artists, lectures, presentations, hands-on workshops, tours and networking. Community connections will include additional local art museums/art centers, colleges/universities, local/regional businesses and other organizations. More info



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