civicengagement
Pop-Up Urban Park
Transformation will create unique sense of place 
 
"The Hole" on Douglas has been completely filled, and is in the final stages of transforming into an urban park in the core of our City! In fall 2014, the WDDC received a grant from the Knight Foundation Fund at the Wichita Community Foundation to construct a temporary pop-up park. The temporary park will be located along Douglas Avenue between Market and Main, at the site formerly known as "The Hole."
 
The project consisted of filling in "The Hole," with excess fill material (dirt) from the nearby development project on the Arkansas River - River Vista and the new Child Advocacy Center site. Over 300 truckloads of dirt were hauled over several weeks. Watch the timelapse video below to see the process.

The site will be outfitted with colorful furnishings, planters with trees for shade, and string lights for ambiance at night to create a unique place where people in the community can interact and connect. Food trucks will serve lunch in the park Monday through Friday, creating a unique lunch setting for Downtown workers. The temporary park also provides the opportunity to introduce additional programming such as music, movies, and outdoor games and activities.
Grand Opening Celebration
Celebrating transformation of eyesore into engaging public space

To celebrate, and kick off activities in the park, the Wichita Downtown Development Corporation will hold a Grand Opening on Friday, September 25, 2015. The day will begin with formal remarks and a ribbon cutting at 11:30 am, followed by live music and the kick off of lunch service in the park from local food trucks. Later that evening, the Pop-Up Urban Park will be a Final Friday art crawl location to celebrate the artistic components of the park and the contributing artists. During Final Friday, food trucks will be on site. Following the Grand Opening event, food trucks will be at the park daily Monday - Friday serving lunch. Keep up-to-date with additional community events and activities in the park in the coming months, and find additional event information on the ICT Pop-Up Urban Park's Facebook page.
growingresidential
Downtown Living
Driving a growing residential base  
 
Downtown Wichita continues to see tremendous growth and absorption of multi-family residential properties. Before the adoption of Project Downtown: The Master Plan for Wichita, there were 1,319 market rate units in the Downtown area. Since 2010, 428 units have been completed, with over 95% occupancy, and many have waiting lists. With projects such as the newly announced Pinnacle Lofts & Apartments, the Market Centre Apartments, Exchange Place, River Vista and more, Downtown Wichita has 812 units under construction or planned. Currently, there are 1,747 total units in the Downtown area.
Pinnacle Lofts & Apartments 
New lofts announced at Central and Waco 

Seventy new residential units at Central and Waco in Downtown are now under construction. The new property, Pinnacle Lofts & Apartments, is in close proximity to Riverside Park and Arkansas River bike paths, and will include 33 lofts, 20 one-bedroom units, and 17 two-bedroom units. The units will feature flexible, open floor plans with modern finishes, exposed ductwork, wood grain flooring, granite countertops and washer/dryers.
Market Centre Apartments 
Office building conversion to residential announced 

The Market Centre Building, on the southwest corner of First and Market, was built in 1919 as the Lassen Hotel. In recent years it has been utilized as a commercial office building. The building was recently purchased and the new owners have announced plans to convert the building into 110 apartment units. Construction will start in approximately six moths, and will take a year or more to complete.
River Vista Groundbreaking 
Work officially begins 

River Vista, located at Project Downtown's Catalyst Site One, will be transformational to the west bank of the Arkansas River. To celebrate the project's commencement, developers along with elected and other public officials held a groundbreaking ceremony in July. The project will include 204 residential units, riverfront and Delano Park improvements, a community boat and bike rental facility along the river, and parking.
Exchange Place & Bitting Building 
Exterior construction well underway 

The Exchange Place project is moving forward as exterior demolition and renovations continue at the northeast and northwest corners of Douglas and Market. This project will renovate the Exchange Place and Bitting Buildings to offer 240 residential units on Douglas Avenue, a new 273-space parking garage, and office and retail space. This project will be transformational to the Douglas Avenue corridor.
Flats 324 Expansion  
New expansion under construction 

With the continued redevelopment of the St. Francis Street corridor, The Flats 324, located at 324 N. Emporia in the historic Wichita High School, has announced the construction of 72 new units in addition to the existing 68 units. This new building will feature floorplans with one and two bedroom units ranging from 575-905 SF with rents starting at $700.
Residential Market Data Resources

Downtown Residential Map 

The map illustrates existing residential units prior to the adoption of Project Downtown in 2010, units completed since, and units currently planned or under construction.

 

ZVA Residential Market Potential Update 

This updated study was published by Zimmerman/Volk Associates, Inc. in 2014 on the residential market potential in Downtown Wichita. This resource is updated from the original market study published in Project Downtown in 2010.  
downtowndevelopment
Project Downtown
A vision with momentum  
 
Project Downtown is a driver for residential, mixed-use, commercial, and retail development. Since 2010, fifty major development projects have been completed, fifteen are currently under construction, and nine are in various stages of planning.
COrTen Building 
New name, first tenant announced 

The former Merrill Lynch Building at the southeast corner of Douglas and Market has a new name: the COrTen Building. The new name was derived from the material developers are using to refinish the exterior, COR-TEN steel, a type of steel that rusts exposing a beautiful patina over time. The two-story, 13,000-square-foot building will be home to a number of businesses, most of which will occupy between 350 and 600 square feet. Cassandra Bryan Design was named the first tenant and will occupy 3,400 square feet, which encompasses nearly all of the first floor.
Union Station 
Phase One work making visible improvements 

The $54 million Union Station development, slated to be completed in phases, began earlier this year. Phase One of the project includes renovations of the Grand and Patrick Hotel, the Rock Island Depot and Baggage Facility, and the plaza in front of the Union Station Terminal. This phase is scheduled to be completed in 2016. After completion, seven new tenants will move into the rehabilitated office spaces. New concrete slabs were recently poured in the Grand and Patrick Hotel and construction on the plaza areas continues.
Orpheum Theatre Renovations 
Phase One funded and moving forward  

The Orpheum, built in 1922 at 200 N. Broadway, is a historic theatre and venue in the heart of Downtown Wichita. It was designed and built by one of the nation's leading architects, "Opera House John" Eberson. Six phases of renovation have been identified and a capital campaign is underway to secure funding. Phase One renovations are moving forward and encompass $500,000 of work, including replastering, refurbishing and repainting walls, ceilings, decorative crown molding, mirrors, sconces and stair railings. New doors will replace old doors, and new carpeting and benches will be installed.
Downtown Development Resources
Illustrates the location of development activity in Downtown Wichita since the adoption of Project Downtown in 2010. The map identifies 50 development projects that have been completed, 14 are currently under construction, and 10 are in planning.
 
The annual State of Downtown Report contains economic data and statistics that documents the transformation occurring in the City center. The report is designed to be a resource for those who own, develop, market, or invest in real estate. It is intended to be a reference tool for research or project due diligence for those developing in Downtown Wichita.
publicamenities

1st and 2nd Street Bike Lane Construction 
New bike lanes provide safe route

 Construction is underway on the 1st and 2nd Street bike lanes from Grove to Seneca. The new lanes will improve safety and smooth traffic flow by adding separate lanes for cyclists. The on-street lanes provide a significant connection for riders to Downtown, neighborhoods, and employment centers, and further implements the Downtown Master Plan and Wichita Bicycle Master Plan. A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held on the evening of September 24.

Parking at Market & William Garage 
Interior renovations underway 
 
Fences blocking the street around the Parking at Market & William Garage have been removed and work has shifted to the interior. Improvements now underway include structural improvements, new lighting and signage. The City's investment of $9.68 million will rehabilitate the structure to provide 550 public parking spaces, that will benefit nearby businesses and the public. The garage is scheduled to open by late 2015 and will be a catalyst for future development.
thepartnership
Greater Wichita Partnership
New economic development effort unveils logo
 
The Greater Wichita Partnership is a new entity that aligns and focuses the economic development efforts of the Leadership Council, Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition, the Wichita Downtown Development Corporation, the Entrepreneurship Task Force, and the Business and Education Alliance. This alignment allows for the opportunity to maximize development and to foster job growth in our community. In addition, there are also concurrent strategic conversations and initiatives that will help move Downtown and the South Central Kansas Region forward.
Craig Bay Joins BREG

Greater Wichita Economic Coalition (GWEDC) announced the hiring of Craig Bay to provide focused full-time leadership to companies working to accomplish efforts through the Blueprint for Regional Economic Growth (BREG). Bay joins GWEDC as the Director of Special Projects. He brings 18 years of project and process management, customer relationship management and leadership team experience from Net App.
New Office Space Announced

The Greater Wichita Partnership and GWEDC organizations are relocating to the 501 E. Douglas, located at the southeast corner of Douglas and Emporia. Fidelity Bank provided a generous, catalytic investment to fund the remodel of the new space, which is adjacent to the WDDC offices and Design & Innovation Center space. The relocation will foster greater collaboration on numerous economic development initiatives.
New Partnership Logo Released

A new logo was recently unveiled by Gardner Design on behalf of the Partnership. The new logo represents the alignment of economic development efforts and working together through the use of shapes that invoke a compass. In electronic media, the new logo is interactive, to further invoke the concept of "collectively moving in one direction." See the new interactive logo and learn more at greaterwichitapartnership.org.
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