HEARTLAND SNAPSHOT, SEPTEMBER 2005

Wichita, Kansas

The local Wichita economy is on an upswing after being hit harder than most cities by 9/11, according to Jerry Jones, vice president commercial development for Wichita-based Slawson Companies. “Employment, retail sales and consumer confidence are all on the rise, and uncertainty about the sale of Boeing’s commercial division has been replaced by optimism now that the purchase by Onex has been completed,” he says. “Most business leaders expect the company, now named Spirit Aerosystems, to grow with its Boeing contract for major 787 Dreamliner components and its freedom to seek contracts outside of Boeing.” Business is expanding at all of Wichita’s other major aviation companies, including Boeing’s military division, Cessna, Learjet and Raytheon.

The health care industry in the Wichita region is projected to add more than 8,000 new jobs this decade, according to the state of Kansas. Wichita’s position as a regional health care center is supported by $230 million of investment in medical facilities during the past 3 years, including Wichita’s two major existing facilities and a host of new facilities in northeast and northwest parts of the city, especially on Webb Road in east Wichita.

“Webb Road has been the location for a wave of new medical facilities that started in 1995 with construction of Via Christy’s Surgery and Recovery Center,” Jones says. “Since that time two specialty hospitals, two outpatient surgery centers and nearly 30 medical offices have located in this corridor.” Approximately 600,000 square feet of medical space is located, or will soon be located, in the corridor with major concentrations in the Webb Medical Park at 29th and Webb and Laham Development’s Legacy Park and Wilson Estates Medical Park at 21st and Webb.

Wichita Clinic at Founders’ Circle is under construction just south of 21st Street next to K-96. The $26 million project will allow Kansas’ largest medical group to relieve its crowded facility at Central and Murdock. The facility, which will house a surgery center, clinic and other medical offices in two buildings totaling 121,000 square feet, will open this fall.

For more than 15 years, northwest Wichita has experienced the most home building activity in the metropolitan area, yet commercial development is just starting to catch up with the residential growth. “No place is this more evident than the stretch of Maize Road between 21st Street and the town of Maize,” Jones says.

For example, NewMarket Square, which is being developed by the Slawson Companies at West 21st and Maize Road, continues to grow. A new Super Target kicked off the project’s second phase and brought the shopping center’s floor area to 630,000 square feet. Famous Dave’s opened its first west side restaurant earlier this summer and two new multi-tenant buildings totaling 22,000 square feet will open this fall. TGI Fridays is under contract to build on one of three restaurant pads to be developed in conjunction with 150,000 square feet of retail due to come on line in 2006.

A new 24,000-square-foot west side branch of Wichita State University is the cornerstone of Wyn-Wood — a 137-acre project being developed by Gerald Woodard at Maize and 37th Street. The development will also include a new city hall for the town of Maize and office, retail, restaurant and residential development.

“Rock Road also continues to be a vibrant retail corridor, but with virtually no vacancies,” Jones says. “With ongoing residential growth to the north and east, commercial development is moving east along 21st Street and Webb and Greenwich roads.”

East 21st Street, with interchanges at I-135, K-96 and The Kansas Turnpike, has always been an important East–West Corridor in Wichita. With recent extensions of infrastructure toward the north and east, new development is coming on line rapidly along the 21st Street Corridor between Webb Road in Wichita and Andover Road in Andover.

A new 520-acre residential and commercial development called Cornerstone will be developed jointly by Ritchie Development and Laham Development at the northwest corner of 21st Street and Andover Road in Andover. It will feature 750 home sites, 220 garden-style apartments and 95 acres of retail, office and medical space. Construction has already begun on the Kansas Medical Center, an 80,000-square-foot general hospital being developed by Wichita cardiovascular surgeon Badr Idbeis and a group of private investors.

Cambridge Market at 21st Street and Webb Road is undergoing construction that will take the neighborhood center to 40,000 square feet. Fred Hanley is the owner/developer.

Four projects with zoning in place for more than 1 million square feet of retail are at various stages of development at 21st Street and Greenwich Road. The first is Regency Lakes, a 500,000-square-foot shopping center being jointly developed by local developers George Laham, Mike Boyd and Tom Boyd. A new Super Target will soon be joined by an 18,000-square-foot Cost Plus World Market.

The second project, located at the southwest corner, is Oak Creek, a 160-acre master planned community being developed by the Slawson Companies. The project will feature approximately 200,000 square feet of retail. Plans being prepared by noted land planner Bill Yung will soon be released for Oak Creek’s exclusive residential communities.

Slawson also is developing the 60-acre Cross Pointe development at the southeast corner of 21st Street and Greenwich Road. Pre-leasing activity is strong for the first phase, which will include more than 200,000 square feet of in-line retail.

The fourth project will be the 160,000-square-foot Village at Greenwich. It is being developed by Wheeler Investments.

Also on Greenwich Road, Laham Development’s Plazzio project continues to grow. Anchored by a Warren Theatre and The Alley entertainment center, new additions at the center include a 92-room Residence Inn by Marriott (under construction) and local restaurants B.G. Bolton’s and Sumo Japanese Grille.

The conversion of Kellogg/US 400 from an arterial street to a freeway has had a significant impact upon commercial development on the community. “While the project has made east–west travel through the heart of the metropolitan area much easier, it has forced the relocation of many retailers and restaurants,” Jones says. “These relocations have filled vacancies in existing properties and helped spur new development. At the same time, several automobile dealerships along Kellogg have built new facilities or made major investments in existing properties.”

One Kellogg Place, for example, anchors the south end of development along Greenwich Road. Anchored by Lowe’s Home Improvement Warehouse and a Wal-Mart Super Center, the 600,000-square-foot shopping center is being developed by RH Johnson Company of Kansas City. Slumberland, new to the market, opened earlier this year, and Sportsman’s Warehouse is expected to begin construction soon.

Significant public and private investments continue to drive redevelopment projects in downtown Wichita, particularly in Old Town, such as the Water Walk project along the Arkansas River south of the Hyatt Regency. 

The Waterfront, a 160-acre mixed-use project located at 13th Street and Webb Road, is being developed by local developers Steve Clark, Johnny Stevens and Phil Bundy. Ground has been broken on the Lakeside at the Waterfront, a 16-acre, 168,000-square-foot development consisting of six office buildings. The development includes Delta Dental’s 40,000-square-foot regional headquarters; three multi-tenant buildings totaling 84,000 square feet by Vantage Point Properties; the 40,000-square-foot Murfin building and the 3,500-square-foot Boyd Building.

“The significant use of public/private partnerships has resulted in major investments in downtown during the past decade,” Jones says. “Exciting new endeavors promise to build on the momentum.”

©2005 France Publications, Inc. Duplication or reproduction of this article not permitted without authorization from France Publications, Inc. For information on reprints of this article contact Barbara Sherer at (630) 554-6054.