General News in the 316

[SubGod22]

I just love that we have a growing and supportive entrepreneurial network in Wichita and that NXTUS exists.

WBJ - NXTSTAGE Enterprise Engagement Series kicks off with insight for entrepreneurs

Startups in and around Wichita are poised to get an inside look at how enterprises do business — and who they want to do it with.

NXTUS initiated Wednesday its third annual NXTSTAGE Enterprise Engagement Series.

The series will have 21 Kansas startups learn from local and national enterprise businesses — including Koch Supply Services, Lange Real Estate, Spirit AeroSystems and Hutton Development — on how to do business with them through weekly workshops and information sessions. The program will run through Sept. 30, when startups will pitch to enterprises at the Start-Up Enterprise Summit at the Cargill Protein headquarters, the kickoff event for Wichita Startup Week.

Mary Beth Jarvis, founder of NXTUS, said the program provides small and early stage startups with a unique "playbook" in which enterprises provide their basic preferences and mention their experiences with previously contracted small businesses — among other things.

She added in her organization's research of engagement programs, a free-flowing and transparent conversation between enterprises and startups was missing around the country.

"We tried to Frankenstein it together for something that's worked in another market ... but all we could find was like networking or sponsoring new funding (events), which is great, ... but we didn't see how to grow together," she said. "They (enterprises) don't roll up their sleeves like they do here. They've never been asked to spell it out, to provide a roadmap. So that's what we've developed."

This appears to be another fantastic event put on by NXTUS

[SubGod22]

I knew it wouldn't be quick, but for as dangerous as K254 is, the State is in no hurry to actually do anything about it. As Wichita and surrounding areas continue to grow, it's only going to get worse. Just read where they project completion around 25 years from now. That's a little discouraging.

[SubGod22]

More news in the future Bio-Med District

WBJ - Ascension Via Christi sells properties near St. Francis within biomed corridor

There's more real estate movement in the city's core within an envisioned biomedical corridor spurred by the $300-million Wichita Biomedical Campus.

It's coming from Ascension Via Christi, which has been described as the corridor's "northern anchor," and could mean dirt moving by year's end on more high-impact downtown development.

According to county records, Ascension recently sold a series of parcels just south of its St. Francis hospital to local developers, including Philip Bundy. The land is located north of Pine Street and between St. Francis Avenue and Santa Fe Avenue.

The land purchased is nearly the entire block between St. Francis and Santa Fe. It appears to be a parking lot for now.

Ascension Kansas exec Kevin Strecker seemed to indicate that construction should begin in the next three months.

It will be interesting to see what it ends up being.

[SubGod22]

Interesting development in real estate

Will Harmon, industry vets launch Wichita affiliate of international commercial real estate firm

A California-based commercial real estate brokerage firm — with a growing presence in the U.S. and internationally — has arrived in Wichita with some familiar local names at the helm.

Sperry recently announced the launch of Ad Astra Commercial, which is the company's first Kansas affiliate.

Barnard said Ad Astra is looking to bring large national tenants across sectors, from office to industrial and more, into Wichita. The firm works to leverage the Sperry network to be in tune with trends across the country.

He said Ad Astra can aid property owners with the development process when they have a piece of land they believe has potential, but don't know what to do with it.

"We can help people see it all the way through," Barnard said.

While all four Ad Astra team members said they see opportunities to bring regional and national investors and companies into Wichita, their goal is to help local clients just as much.

Kellner-Ledesma, who has worked with Harmon at ERA, Keller Williams Hometown Partners and Keller Williams Signature Partners, said she believes the firm will collaborate well with those in local real estate.

"That's a huge advantage," she said.

Sometimes there can be positives about bringing in larger, national types that maybe see a vision about what to do with a property that is lost on locals. And lets be honest, Wichita hasn't been seen as an ambitious, forward thinking area when it comes to development. Although, there has been some improvement on some of that in recent years. If Ad Astra can help bring in people that believe they can profit and add something to the area than great. If that's locally, regionally, or nationally, I don't really care.

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Via Christi St. Joseph to break ground on emergency department expansion

Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph has set a date and a budget to expand its footprint.

The hospital at 3600 E. Harry St. will break ground Wednesday on a capital improvement project for its emergency department. The project is expected to cost $22 million, which will be funded through the state's American Rescue Plan Act funds approved by Gov. Laura Kelly and the Kansas Legislature.

"We have waited for this day for a long time," St. Joseph president Claudio Ferraro said in a news release. "This project will bring major improvements and enhancements to our existing emergency department, increasing safety, security and space for everyone who comes through our doors."

The improvement project will add 21,000 square feet to the emergency department, totaling 36,000 square feet. It will also add 20 beds to the facility's existing 29 beds and an 11-bed psychiatric observation area for behavioral health patients. The project will also expand waiting areas in the facility.

Sounds like a much needed upgrade for St. Joe.

[SubGod22]

More Park City growth.

WBJ - Park City's Kice Industries expands corporate headquarters, requests incentives

Since 2019, Andrew Kice, president and CEO of Park City-based Kice Industries, said his company has "somewhat quietly" expanded its operations beyond equipment manufacturing for its customers to include engineering, design, construction and installment services.

"We've dabbled in this for many, many years. ... Now, we're ready to be more public with our customers and offer these services to a wider scope of people," he said.

Echoing Kice's intent, Park City approved this week a letter of intent for industrial revenue bonds for Kice Industries to expand its footprint on the 25-acre headquarters on 5500 North Mill Heights Drive, north of 53rd Street.

The expansion project is scheduled for an Aug. 27 public hearing at a City Council meeting. If approved, the manufacturing company — which works with mineral, food and wood processing companies, to name a few — will receive $2.2 million in IRBs over 10 years, with an 80% property and sales tax exemption. The company will build an 8,000 square-foot building east of its current buildings.

The headquarters is in the same area near 53rd and I-135 as NWI Aerostructures, Rush Truck Centers and Twister Center Harley Davidson.

I work for a company that has a very good relationship with Kice and we've helped them out on a number of jobs around the country. They seem to be a good, quality company with good leadership. Their growth is no surprise and is good for the metro area as a whole.

[SubGod22]

Another FYI for tomorrow (Saturday) morning. Exits from northbound 235 to northbound 135 and eastbound 254 will be closed between 5am and noon as they work to install more footings for signage.

[SubGod22]

I don’t understand all the dynamics of the spin offs to Airbus and Boeing. Why can’t Spirit stand alone with all remaining contracts for military and other miscellaneous projects? Seems like there would be someone in the financial world unless all the remaining contracts are money losers and can’t stand alone without the AB and BA income.

The way the US Government is willing to overpay for everything, there's no way these military contracts were money losers. Sounds like Bell may do the Spirit work internally in I believe Texas when the time comes. Can't speak as to the others.

[Kung Wu]

Wichita could be losing a lot of defense work after the Boeing/Spirit deal is finalized.

WBJ - Report: Textron's Bell likely to take Army helicopter contract elsewhere after Spirit AeroSystems sale



Bell beat out a Sikorsky-Boeing proposal for the Army job, valued at around $70B.

And it's not just Bell. Spirit also had work for Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky CH-53K helicopter and the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider and others.

This not only impacts Spirit, but many of their local suppliers as well.

Spirit has nearly 2,000 people employed in defense and space locally.

Ugh.

[shocktown]

Wichita could be losing a lot of defense work after the Boeing/Spirit deal is finalized.

WBJ - Report: Textron's Bell likely to take Army helicopter contract elsewhere after Spirit AeroSystems sale



Bell beat out a Sikorsky-Boeing proposal for the Army job, valued at around $70B.

And it's not just Bell. Spirit also had work for Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky CH-53K helicopter and the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider and others.

This not only impacts Spirit, but many of their local suppliers as well.

Spirit has nearly 2,000 people employed in defense and space locally.

I don’t understand all the dynamics of the spin offs to Airbus and Boeing. Why can’t Spirit stand alone with all remaining contracts for military and other miscellaneous projects? Seems like there would be someone in the financial world unless all the remaining contracts are money losers and can’t stand alone without the AB and BA income.

[ShockTalk]

For anyone who doesn’t do Facebook, can you summarize?

It was long. Info is also a little confusing as was the timing of different things. KAKE (I think) was parting ways with her. On July 20th, KAKE told her that her last day was August 9th. Then cut it short. She was NOT leaving Wichita.

[Shockm]

Go to her Facebook to see her video. I failed at posting it here.

For anyone who doesn’t do Facebook, can you summarize?

[ShockTalk]

What’s going on at KAKE? Firing Annette Lawless…what the actual?

Go to her Facebook to see her video. I failed at posting it here.

[Maizerunner08]

What’s going on at KAKE? Firing Annette Lawless…what the actual?

[SubGod22]

Wichita could be losing a lot of defense work after the Boeing/Spirit deal is finalized.

WBJ - Report: Textron's Bell likely to take Army helicopter contract elsewhere after Spirit AeroSystems sale

As industry leaders ponder the future of Spirit AeroSystems' defense portfolio after its sale to The Boeing Co., Textron Inc.'s Bell division is expected to find a new supplier for work on its Future Long Range Assault Aircraft for the U.S. Army.

In Wichita, Spirit (NYSE: SPR) builds the fuselage on the V-280 Valor for Bell's FLRAA program — and it's considered to be one of the most important defense programs to the local economy.

After the closure of Boeing's acquisition, expected in mid-2025, Aviation Week reported Thursday that Texas-based Bell is likely to either search for a different company to build the fuselages or take on the work itself.

Bell beat out a Sikorsky-Boeing proposal for the Army job, valued at around $70B.

And it's not just Bell. Spirit also had work for Lockheed Martin-Sikorsky CH-53K helicopter and the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider and others.

This not only impacts Spirit, but many of their local suppliers as well.

Spirit has nearly 2,000 people employed in defense and space locally.