General News in the 316

[SubGod22]

Fidelity going all in on downtown Wichita.

WBJ - Projects of the Year: Fidelity Bank reaffirms commitment to downtown with opening of Rise Car Park

Fidelity opened the $16 million structure for employee use in February 2021 and has since added First Mile Cantine in a 4,000 square-foot restaurant space on the ground level. Rise Farms, Fidelity’s 15,000 square-foot urban garden and accompanying solar array, adorn the rooftop of the five-story structure.

The large red “Fidelity Bank” sign atop the structure makes it easily identifiable for passersby. The glass exterior gives the building a sleek look that sets it apart from most parking garages. Rise Car Park is the first component of Fidelity’s larger downtown expansion that includes converting the organization’s existing parking garage into a 10-story office building.

.....

The final design included 17,000 square feet of ground-level commercial space and room for more than 400 parking spaces. Additionally, Rise Car Park was built with safety and versatility in mind. For example, flat floors were constructed as opposed to angled floors that are typical in many parking garages.

I do like the forward thinking aspect of this building and the incorporation of a restaurant and trying to offer some sustainable aspects that could be of value. Going with windows instead of just concrete walls or open air is a nice visual touch that should probably allow for a better atmosphere within the structure.

[MikeKennedyRulZ]

The "Bull" Brad Pistotnik to have his law license suspended.

That douche nozzle is still around?? Wow. I would have thought that crook would have been yanked a long time ago.

[shoxlax]

That douche nozzle is still around?? Wow. I would have thought that crook would have been yanked a long time ago.

Right? Seems like he has had about five strikes.

[SubGod22]

Eagle - Exploration Place to transform its 20-acre campus with amphitheater and adventureland

Ideally, the first phase of development will be an amphitheater area on the northwest side of the campus overlooking the Keeper of the Plains. If a grant comes through, it could be built by next year.

Further into the five years, Smith is planning something of a Wichita version of the Gathering Place, the popular riverfront park in Tulsa that features all kinds of outdoor activities that attract residents and tourists.

There are a lot of financial hurdles to surmount, but Exploration Place already has a number of things working in its favor.

According to a pedestrian survey conducted by the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Organization last year, the riverfront path by Exploration Place is by far the most pedestrian-trafficked area in Wichita.

I have a number of family and friends who have traveled to Tulsa to experience the Gathering Place and have heard nothing but great things. Having something like that in Wichita can't be a bad thing. Also of note, they said he isn't just looking at Tulsa and is looking at similar things worldwide as well as focusing on places that have and utilize a river.

The article also points out that a lot of people in Wichita don't value or see value in the river. Sure, we have some work to do, but we just need people willing to do something to help bring it to life. Hopefully this is one of those opportunities.

Exploration Place has applied for a $1.255M grant that would go towards building the amphitheater, which would accommodate around 1200 people.

The guy leading Exploration Place sounds like a good one. He seems aware of how Wichita operates in some aspects but still has a vision that he's excited about and has ideas to make Exploration Place as a whole a bigger part of the community. Add these outdoor desires with the internal remodel to enlarge and upgrade spaces to be more attractive to traveling exhibits and I think he's on to something pretty damn good. Hopefully these ideas come to fruition and the people embrace them.

[SubGod22]

KAKE - Benefit concert for Andover tornado relief



I'm only kind of familiar with a couple of these, but it's a nice gesture and hopefully they raise a fair amount of funds.

The event ended up raising more than $4k in funds that were donated to United Way to assist Andover.

KWCH - Andover Benefit Concert brings out some of the area's best artists

[SubGod22]

Eagle - World's largest bowling center owner to acquire three longtime Wichita-owned centers

One of the three bowling alleys included in the deal is Northrock Lanes at 3232 N. Rock Road, which the release said is the state’s largest bowling complex, with 48 lanes, an arcade, banquet hall and grill.

Also included is the Alley Indoor Entertainment at the Plazzio development at 13th and Greenwich, which has 32 lanes, an arcade, an escape room, electric go-karts and a grill.

The third bowling center in the deal is West Acres at 749 N. Ridge Road, which has 36 lanes, a pro shop, cosmic bowling and a bar.

Not sure if this will change anything, good or bad, but it involves three big ones here. Are there any others still open in Wichita? Thunderbird I believe shut down years ago. Is Seneca Bowl still around?

[1972Shocker]

If you heard the noon test of the Sedgwick County warning sirens today and they sounded a little different that is because it was.

Sedgwick County Emergency Management to test ‘attack function’ Monday

https://www.kwch.com/2022/05/16/sedgwick-county-emergency-management-test-attack-function-next-monday/

My wife ask me what do we do if we here the attack warning sirens. My response...Pray.

I wonder if those would be sounded if the U.S. Military were called into quell the domestic terrorism parents at school board meetings.

National School Board Association Draft Letter Asked Biden for Military to Get Involved Against Parents

https://redstate.com/brandon_morse/2022/05/23/national-school-board-association-draft-letter-asked-biden-for-military-to-get-involved-against-parents-n568541

[SHOCKvalue]

WBJ - Spaghetti Works District builds momentum with iHeartMedia as newest tenant



Sounds like there's a lot of interest in office space downtown locally, regionally and nationally.

I'm not sure if there's much available on the other side of IBA, but would love to see a few more options for restaurants/bars outside of the old town area and creep closer to the arena. It's not a horrible walk, but spreading out some might be nice. It makes sense in my head, but that doesn't mean it makes sense for the space available. I'd have to do a deeper look into that area. Though it would help if IBA had more events than it currently seems to have scheduled. It appears that they have nine events remaining over the next four months and only one is a multiple day event (National Theatre on Ice Competition). Looks like two more June events, one in July, two in August with four in September. I know the Thunder carry the bulk of the winter for them.

Same goes for the Riverfront area, but it sounds like that was only slowed by the pandemic and development over there should pick up over the next couple of years with hotel, office, dining and shopping options.

Demand for retail, dining or residential space in downtown is probably decent. Demand for downtown office space is probably not, at all. Demand for downtown office space in Wichita has always been soft. In a post-covid environment with many businesses transitioning to work at home, that particular segment's demand has to be terrifically soft.

[Rocky Mountain Shock]

Fidelity going all in on downtown Wichita.

WBJ - Projects of the Year: Fidelity Bank reaffirms commitment to downtown with opening of Rise Car Park



I do like the forward thinking aspect of this building and the incorporation of a restaurant and trying to offer some sustainable aspects that could be of value. Going with windows instead of just concrete walls or open air is a nice visual touch that should probably allow for a better atmosphere within the structure. [/COLOR]

I don't have a WBJ subscription, otherwise I'd answer my own question, but here goes:

Is Fidelity still planning to build their new headquarters building or has that been cancelled? It seemed like a great project for downtown, even though their claim that at 10 stories their building would "transform the skyline forever" seemed uncharacteristically hyperbolic for the Bastians.

[SHOCKvalue]

I don't have a WBJ subscription, otherwise I'd answer my own question, but here goes:

Is Fidelity still planning to build their new headquarters building or has that been cancelled? It seemed like a great project for downtown, even though their claim that at 10 stories their building would "transform the skyline forever" seemed uncharacteristically hyperbolic for the Bastians.

They put it on hold quite a while back during covid. No updates since that I know of.

[SubGod22]

Demand for retail, dining or residential space in downtown is probably decent. Demand for downtown office space is probably not, at all. Demand for downtown office space in Wichita has always been soft. In a post-covid environment with many businesses transitioning to work at home, that particular segment's demand has to be terrifically soft.

There have been a number of articles in the past couple of weeks in the WBJ about downtown office demand, mostly from those outside of Wichita wanting to move into ICT. There's definitely growing interest.

[SubGod22]

I don't have a WBJ subscription, otherwise I'd answer my own question, but here goes:

Is Fidelity still planning to build their new headquarters building or has that been cancelled? It seemed like a great project for downtown, even though their claim that at 10 stories their building would "transform the skyline forever" seemed uncharacteristically hyperbolic for the Bastians.

The article didn't specify, but it did reference the future ten-story project I believe it was.

[shocktheheart]

Eagle - World's largest bowling center owner to acquire three longtime Wichita-owned centers



Not sure if this will change anything, good or bad, but it involves three big ones here. Are there any others still open in Wichita? Thunderbird I believe shut down years ago. Is Seneca Bowl still around?

Seneca and WSU...maybe one in Derby?

[Veritas]

For locals:
Q: any talk of building a SE bypass connecting the Kellogg / turnpike with the Derby area which seems to be growing quickly?

Q: any more discussion on the Downtown Riverfront Legacy plan for a new performing arts center/ convention hall?

Q: Will the Beechcraft factory consolidate with Textron and the land sell to private developers?

Q: why was the last skyscraper (+20 stories tall) in Wichita built in 1986 while Wichita’s metro population has grown by 200,000? Seems odd.

Q: what is considered Wichita’s best neighborhood (parks, homes, trendy, etc)? When I lived there it was (biased) College Hill.

Q: did Intrust change booking management companies? Doesn’t seem to be a lot of big time acts there post Covid restrictions?

Q: why isn’t Riverfront stadium booking shows, concerts, and other attractions including the NBC since Lou died?

Q: would you support the Windsurge more if they were AAA rather than AA?

[SubGod22]

For locals:
Q: any talk of building a SE bypass connecting the Kellogg / turnpike with the Derby area which seems to be growing quickly?
I haven't heard anything, but always thought it would make sense at some point to do that. Have no idea what the logistics are when it comes to land development to do so.

Q: any more discussion on the Downtown Riverfront Legacy plan for a new performing arts center/ convention hall?
They're still dragging their feet on C2 because there are too many vocal people who demand it be saved but then have no idea what to do with it. The Performing Arts have to have something better. Wichita tends to not take bold stances and do what's necessary.

Q: Will the Beechcraft factory consolidate with Textron and the land sell to private developers?
I don't think this will happen as they're both setup for specific aircraft and I believe are pretty much using the bulk of their spaces to do so as it is.

Q: why was the last skyscraper (+20 stories tall) in Wichita built in 1986 while Wichita’s metro population has grown by 200,000? Seems odd.
Probably the same reason so many want to keep C2. Lack of vision. With the growth and focus on downtown you might be able to do something like this. Guessing we'd need a big commitment from someone that we're not looking for.

Q: what is considered Wichita’s best neighborhood (parks, homes, trendy, etc)? When I lived there it was (biased) College Hill.
Everyone in College Hill will tell you it's there. I can't really answer this one as there are pockets of nice/trendy areas sprinkled around.

Q: did Intrust change booking management companies? Doesn’t seem to be a lot of big time acts there post Covid restrictions?
I don't think so. We could still be seeing a lag in shows because of all of the Covid issues of the last couple of years. That's me trying to be optimistic.

Q: why isn’t Riverfront stadium booking shows, concerts, and other attractions including the NBC since Lou died?
They weren't doing that while Lou was alive. They only talked about it. My understanding is they're still open to partially hosting the NBC, but aren't willing to have two full weeks away from home every summer. A combination of Riverfront and Eck seems like a good deal to me. I think they've had or have scheduled a couple of concerts and did host the Jayhawk Conference title game for football in the fall. Also have to remember they've had to recover from all of the Covid crap as well. They also seem more focused on development around Riverfront which was also put on hold during Covid.

Q: would you support the Windsurge more if they were AAA rather than AA?
Personally? No. I'd still prefer AAA, but I have a hard time going out of my way to support the Twins, who are a rival of the Royals. At least when they were with the Marlins it wasn't really a conflict. I still mostly only plan on going when NWA is in town so I can watch the Royals prospects. Also think they should permanently change their name to the Turbo Tubs. Much more of a local connection with that name and who doesn't love the Wichita Toll?