General News in the 316

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WBJ - 80-acre Derby residential development set for September groundbreaking

In May 2022, Derby annexed 80 acres of land into the city for a residential development.

Now, the city will welcome that development, with construction scheduled to begin in September.

Courtyards at CrossWater, an 80-acre residential development one mile east of Rock Road and north of Meadowlark Boulevard and St. Mary Catholic Church, will build two 40-acre additions of single-, two- and multi-family housing.

Perfection Builders' Karen Clothier said the additions are divided by a creek, with the first addition to the south and the second addition to the north. She said a total of 263 housing lots will be built.

She said the Courtyards at CrossWater first addition — the initial 40-acre development — will build 105 housing lots in two phases. The first phase is slated to start development of 52 lots in September.

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Some travel notes

KWCH - Upcoming road construction includes work on I-235, US 400

On Saturday, July 20, the Kansas Department of Transportation will close the ramps from northbound I-235 to northbound I-135 and northbound I-235 to eastbound K-254.

The ramp closures are necessary for new sign footing installation. The work will occur from 5 a.m. until noon on Saturday, July 20, after which the ramps will be reopened to motorists.

While installation occurs, traffic will be directed to southbound I-135.

The good news is this part is only for a few hours and hopefully won't have a massive impact on many.

The US 400 work is out by Beaumont and you're already being impacted by precautionary measures that have been in place since May. This should be completed in mid September.

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MSN - Great Plains Nature Center hosts 'Moonlit Mania'

The Chisholm Trail in northeast Wichita is usually only open from dawn to dusk, but the Great Plains Nature Center is making an exception.

“Moonlit Mania” is an event hosted by GPNC on Friday, July 26, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. at 6232 E. 29th St. N. in Wichita.

The event will allow people to explore the trail under the stars. The GPNC is partnering with Evergy for the event, which is free and open to all ages.

Could be a fun event for some.

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In some shocking news...

Wichita by EB - ICTea will close both locations at the end of July

In some shocking news, ICTea has announced they will be closing their doors at both locations.

A post shared on Facebook noted the owners will be pursuing other interests. The last day of business will be July 31.

They just opened their northwest location in the last month or two. I know I have friends/family that hit up the east location. This isn't my kind of establishment, but I thought they'd been pretty successful. Not sure if they're just tired of this particular business or if the influx in boba and tea places have eaten away at their business.

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WBJ - Under new ownership, what's ahead for northeast Wichita's former Opti-Life building

Orthopedic surgeon Pat Do — founder of Mid-America Orthopedics and active in local development — is the majority partner of a group that purchased the 31,800 square-foot building near the northeast corner of Webb Road and 21st Street earlier this year. Do is now reshaping the space into a Class A medical and office property.

The building is being renamed Healical.

Do said the aim is to bring in top medical providers in the city to create a "one-stop shop" for innovative services that can help a person's health span, which is how long a person is healthy — not just alive.

"The vision with this is to be a state-of-the-art medical facility," Do said.

Healical, which should get its new signage later this summer replacing Opti-Life on the building, already has its first tenants at 9758 E. 21st St.

In a partnership between Do and internist Andrew Biggs, Metabolic Life Clinic has already opened a 4,000 square-foot space on Healical's first floor.

The clinic helps treat things like obesity and diabetes.

Integrative Center for Therapy is also moving in to a first floor space. Dr. Fields is apparently well respected and she has patients that travel from all over the state to see her.

Sounds like this could be another great addition for Wichita if his vision comes together and fits in with the medical corridor that has developed along that area of Webb Road. Dr. Do hopes to have the building filled by the end of the year.

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KSN - Open houses scheduled for K-254 plan revisions



There's probably only a few posters on this board that really care about this eventual project, but I'm one of them.

I still haven't heard what their eventual plans will be for the Benton area. Shouldn't be anything drastic, but I'd still like to see something.

I am one of the few that do care. That being said, those are the dates I will be in St Joe, MO for Chiefs training camp. I will check the link when I get back. During my career I responded to 8-10 fatality accidents on old and new K-254. Way too many. I hope they finally get off their a** and do something.

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KSN - Open houses scheduled for K-254 plan revisions

The Kansas Department of Transportation will host open houses to highlight revisions to the proposed improvements for K-254 that were presented in May.

KDOT says those who attend an open house will see a revised interchange option for the Towanda area, as well as new information about potential Restricted Crossing U-Turns and potential frontage roads along K-254 in Sedgwick and Butler counties.

According to KDOT, Restricted Crossing U-Turns can reduce the number of locations where crashes happen by up to 50% and can reduce right-angle crashes by up to 75%. The department says they have also been shown to limit the severity of crashes.

KDOT staff will be available to answer questions and take feedback from attendees, but no formal presentation will be given.

Open house times and locations:

• Tuesday, July 30, from 6 to 7 p.m.
  • Benton City Hall in Benton, 154 S. Main St.

• Wednesday, July 31, from 6 to 7 p.m.
  • Kansas Highway Patrol Troop F office in Kechi, 1900 E. Tigua St.

• Thursday, Aug. 1, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 to 7 p.m.
  • Wilbur Wiens Community Building in Towanda, 315 Main St.

If you are unable to attend the open house, information about the proposal for K-254 will be available online at this website starting July 30.

There's probably only a few posters on this board that really care about this eventual project, but I'm one of them.

I still haven't heard what their eventual plans will be for the Benton area. Shouldn't be anything drastic, but I'd still like to see something.

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WBJ - Goddard approves $6.3M in bonds for Paul Kelsey's 67-acre Goddard development

Kelsey said the project, located on the northwest corner of 23rd Street South and 167th West, will have 210 residential lots with 130 single-family and 162 duplex units.

"Half of it will be duplexes or twin homes and then we're putting 130 slab homes," Kelsey said.

The development was annexed into Goddard in November 2022 and rezoned into a two-family residential classification in January 2023.

Kelsey added that the 23rd South Addition is four blocks away from the 167th Addition, his 60-acre development on the west side of 167th Street and south of U.S. 54 that is scheduled to build 155 lots of two-family twin homes, single-family and patio homes. Kelsey said the 167th Addition will break ground this month.

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WBJ - Texas-based metal company to break ground on Park City facility

A metal construction company is set to make its way to Park City.

City administrator Sean Fox said Mueller Inc., a Texas-based metal roofing and steel buildings construction company, is set to break ground on a 30,000 square-foot facility north of Park City Arena, next to the Blue Compass RV dealership, on 550 N. Arena Drive.

The Texas company works with clients in agriculture, warehousing, residential and commercial real estate industries, as well as local homeowners. It has 29 locations in Texas and is looking to open 10 more locations in New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kansas.

Fox said the company's engineers have been in regular contact with the city since February as they look to open the company's first location in the suburb.

"This is the company's first venture in the state of Kansas," Fox said. "They have already secured the property and have submitted plans. We're currently in the process of reviewing them."

The metal construction company specializes in installing various types of metal roof panels — CFS, CWH and Provia metal shingles to name a few — as well as steel buildings for backyards, loafing sheds, carports, greenhouses and residential houses.

A lot going down in Park City over the next couple of years.

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KSN - Beat the heat by floating down the Arkansas River on Saturday

Summer is in full force this week, with temperatures hitting triple digits, and the trend is expected to continue this weekend.

On Saturday, you can find some relief from the heat by floating along the Arkansas River in downtown Wichita during The Big Float put on by Wichita Clean Streams.

“Take in sights, like the Keeper of the Plains, from a completely new and exciting vantage point – on the river,” reads Wichita Clean Streams’ website.

All ages are welcome, and life jackets are required. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

Those looking to float can either rent a tube and life jacket or bring their own. Air compressors will be on site, so those bringing their floaties do not have to air them up beforehand.

Attendees are instructed to park in the Rooftop Parking Garage, 150 N. McLean, starting at 12:30 p.m., and take a complimentary shuttle to the check-in tent located east of Old Cowtown.

Launching will begin at 1 p.m., with the last launch scheduled for 3 p.m. Shuttles will run until 2 p.m. You can still launch until 3 p.m., but you will need to find other means of transportation after 2 p.m.

The float ends at the WSU River Vista Boathouse Dock, where guests can find music, games, outdoor activities, and more. Festivities will continue here until 5:30 p.m.

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This could potentially be a big deal.

Kansas Commerce - Kansas Tourism, Visit Wichita Partnering to Host 2025 TBEX Summit

Kansas Tourism and Visit Wichita are proud to announce Wichita as the host city for the Travel Blogger Exchange (TBEX) Summit on October 1-4, 2025. This esteemed event will bring together leading travel bloggers, influencers, journalists, content creators and tourism industry professionals from around the globe to explore and enjoy the heart of the country.

“Hosting the world’s largest gathering of travel industry professionals presents an incredible opportunity to showcase the diverse landscapes, rich history and warm hospitality that define our great state,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “The collaboration and partnership between Kansas Tourism and Visit Wichita only underscores the growing prominence of Kansas as a premier travel destination.”

The event will kick-off with pre-conference tours designed to showcase Wichita’s diverse attractions, cultural offerings, vibrant arts scene, rich history and outdoor adventures that all promise an unforgettable experience for TBEX attendees. After the summit concludes, Kansas Tourism will host multiple media trips across the state for select attendees that focus on our six diverse travel regions as well as some more niche-tourism itineraries.

“Hosting TBEX Summit is a testament to Kansas’ growing appeal as a travel destination,” Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe said. “We are excited to partner with Visit Wichita to host this conference and to highlight Kansas as a travel-to destination for visitors worldwide.”

The TBEX Summit is expected to draw hundreds of attendees. Participants will engage in workshops, seminars, networking events and tours, providing valuable insights and opportunities for collaboration.

“Visit Wichita is extremely thrilled to be hosting the 2025 Travel Blogger Exchange Conference, consisting of content creators and travel journalists from all across the country and internationally,” Visit Wichita President and CEO Susie Santo said. “Not only will this conference provide an opportunity to showcase the heart of the country and result in direct economic impact for our area, but it also brings in a great deal of organic and earned media exposure for Wichita and many of its local businesses.”

The 2025 TBEX Summit promises to be a landmark event for Wichita and Kansas, shining a spotlight on their unique offerings and positioning them as top-tier travel destinations.

For more information about TBEX Summit 2025 and updates on the event, visit the TBEX website here. For information about Kansas Tourism’s media relations, visit our website here.

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They're back!

KSN - U.S. Youth Soccer championships kick off in Wichita

The U.S. Soccer National Presidents Cup kicked off on Thursday with opening ceremonies at Park City Arena.

The competition starts on Friday, and 100 teams from across the country will participate. The matches will be held at Stryker Sports Complex.

Visit Wichita said the competition is a great opportunity to showcase the community.

“We love hosting events like this that bring people in from all over the country,” Josh Howell, vice president of sports development for Visit Wichita, said. “We get to showcase all that Wichita has to offer. Our great facilities, our great airport, of course, restaurants and hotels.”

This is the second year the tournament has been held in the Wichita area, which Visit Wichita said means they did it right the first time.

I believe we had the girls U18 and U16 champions from the metro last year. There's a beautiful story over the older girls championship run in the soccer forum if you want to go find it.

Apparently there's only one Kansas team participating this year.

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The largest wrestling promotion in the world is coming back to Wichita.

KWCH - WWE Monday Night Raw stopping in Wichita

WWE’s flagship television show, Monday Night Raw, is coming to Wichita’s Intrust Bank Arena on Dec. 9. The show has aired on cable television since 1993, and Wichita’s show will be one of the last with that distinction.

Raw, which airs live every Monday, is moving to Netflix at the beginning of 2025, marking an end to the traditional broadcast of the show by USA Network for most of the past three decades, with a five-year switch to TNN/Spike TV from 2000-05.

Monday Night Raw last came to Wichita on June 12, 2023. The show features stars such as Sami Zayn, Seth Rollins, CM Punk, Drew McIntyre, Rhea Ripley, Rey Mysterio, Damian Priest, Gunther, Liv Morgan, Sheamus and Bron Breakker.

I grew up during the Monday night wars between WWF(E) and the WCW and really enjoyed wrestling for a long time. After WCW went away I felt WWE got complacent and stopped watching. I got back into it a few years ago when I stumbled across AEW on TNT and went to their Saturday Night Collision show when it was in Wichita and it was a fun time. I've tried watching WWE here and there and while I'm told by many it's gotten a lot better since AEW started and they've been forced to move on from Vince McMahon but it's been hard for me to really get into it.

However, having the largest professional wrestling company on the planet in town is always going to be a good thing.

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I'm excited to see what they end up doing with this and the other two buildings they purchased in the area.

Eagle - Well-known downtown Wichita building added to historic registry on way to renovation

Another downtown building has been added to the Register of Historic Kansas Places, and it’s not a coincidence that it’s one across from where the new Wichita Biomedical Campus is locating.

The five-story McClellan Hotel building at the southwest corner of William and Broadway, better known to some as the former O’Rourke Title Building, was added this summer.

“It’s just a beautiful exterior, and it’s right on the corner — has a lot of style from the past on it,” said developer Marv Schellenberg.

He and apartment specialist Graham Crain purchased that building, the Petroleum building across the parking lot from it and the Kress Energy Center just up the street at the northwest corner of Douglas and Broadway late last year with intentions to redevelop the sparsely occupied buildings.

All three are now empty as Schellenberg and Crain contemplate how to use the buildings, which could be for a variety of things, such as medical office space or apartments.

“We’re looking at all the options that we have,” Schellenberg said.

He and Crain also were looking for historic tax credits to help with renovations at all three buildings. The Petroleum and Kress buildings already are on state and national historic registries.

Though the McClellan building is now on the state registry, it did not qualify for the federal one.

“Some of the interior finishes have been lost to (a) 1980s remodel,” said Lauren Jones of the Kansas State Historic Preservation Office.

The building was built in 1923.

Wamego historic preservation consultant Brenda Spencer, who worked on the project, said one “claim to fame on this hotel is it operated as a hotel until the 1980s.”

There is something about this building that I like. Sounds like they're talking to a group that may be interested in running this or the Petroleum building as a hotel.

There's an obvious need for apartments down around where the Bio-Med campus will be, and there will also be need for more offices as other medical related businesses will want to move into the area to be apart of what's happening.

They have no shortage of options for their three buildings.

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WSU and WSU Tech seem high on the Boeing/Spirit acquisition

WBJ - 'I see a lot of opportunities:' WSU Tech, WSU talk workforce opportunities in Boeing-Spirit deal

Sheree Utash was building the aerospace industry's talent pipeline in 2005 when plans for Boeing's commercial departure from Wichita emerged.

"They (Boeing) were an exceptional partner," the WSU Tech president recalled from her early days in higher education. "They were really dedicated to making sure that their workforce was educated and trained at all different levels."

Now, as Boeing (NYSE: BA) plans to re-enter Wichita by acquiring Spirit AeroSystems (NYSE: SPR), Utash said her institution is ready to provide the global aerospace company exactly what it needs: an exceptionally talented workforce.

"We're going to ensure that whatever their needs are on that production floor, we're meeting those," she said.

Utash added WSU Tech is no stranger to providing a quality workforce in Wichita or even in Washington state, where Boeing does much of its manufacturing.

"We've worked with educational institutions in the state of Washington on several different projects," she said, "We had a big grant several years ago, a National Aviation consortium grant, and we worked with a couple of the community colleges that work with Boeing out in the Seattle area. So, this isn't anything that we're not super familiar with. We're very familiar with it."

Utash said she plans to visit Boeing's Seattle-area facilities to meet with companies, technical colleges and partners who are providing the workforce for Boeing to understand exactly what it needs.