General News in the 316

[SubGod22]

The 3D development has officially been approved in Valley.

WBJ - Valley Center OKs first 3D-printed housing development

The development of mostly duplex homes, totaling about 100, will be called Sunflower Valley. Construction is expected to begin in October. It will be the first housing development of 3D-printed homes in Kansas and one of a few nationally.

"We are excited to be moving forward with the city of Valley Center to bring the first community of 3D-printed homes to Kansas," said Eric Ross, CEO of CC3D, the company building the homes. "3D-printed homes can revolutionize the housing/construction industry by providing high-quality, cost-effective and sustainable housing options in less time that traditional builds."

The development will be built on a 20-acre site near 77th Street North and Meridian. Tuesday's Council vote approved a final plat and construction documents. CC3D is using the city's commercial housing incentive program, which provides a 100% property tax rebate for up to three years.

We'll start seeing activity in that area soon.

[SubGod22]

KMUW - Wichita, Sedgwick County growing more slowly than predicted

Banks is recommending the change following a review of 2020 census data, which showed slow population growth in the 2010s.

Jeremy Hill, director of the Center for Economic Development and Business Research at Wichita State University, said that slow growth in the 2010s was due, in part, to the decline in aerospace jobs following the 2008 recession.

“Migration has been the biggest reason why we’ve had to adjust,” Hill said. “... We were still losing jobs in ’12, ’13, ’14, ’15.”

The population numbers help guide the city and county’s public spending decisions on infrastructure projects, such as water and sewer investments.

“We want to be as accurate as possible about what the future looks like for our community,” city spokesperson Megan Lovely wrote in an email to KMUW.

For example, Banks said the 2020 census numbers show that Wichita’s population will make up a smaller percentage of Sedgwick County’s total population in the future. More growth is predicted to occur in outlying cities like Valley Center and Park City.

Just further evidence that a diversification of business is important, though most of us have known that for years. I know Wichita has been attempting to bring in other businesses and has had some success, but that needs to continue to help promote migration to the area instead of out of the area to find jobs. And there's nothing wrong with bringing in more manufacturing, but we do need to try to bring in things unrelated to aviation.

Though I also read something the other day, and this is something we've been seeing more locally the past handful of years, is getting a larger focus on defense jobs within aviation as those aren't going to ebb and flow like commercial or private aviation will with the economy. Textron I know has made a bigger push towards such things and I know Spirit has some defense work with Boeing. I also believe there are some local companies that have connections to NASA and such as well.

I'm also not surprised that population growth in the surrounding areas is out pacing Wichita. I've been a long time proponent of those cities trying to do more for themselves and some have been and others are starting to.

[SubGod22]

For a good time, head to Botanica.

Wichita by EB - Blooms, Brews, and Bloody Marys is back at Botanica on September 15

The annual celebration of Bloody Marys gives attendees the chance to sample the drink from various local restaurants and bars. During the evening, everyone will vote for the Best Bloody Mary in Wichita.

There will also be craft beers, cocktails and small bites from some of Wichita’s favorite breweries and restaurants on the menu. Several live bands will play throughout the gardens. I’ve been so many years and it’s always one of my favorite times.

With the event taking place on Thursday, some people may be worried about missing the Chiefs vs. Chargers Thursday Night football game. Don’t worry! Botanica will have many viewing areas throughout the event. Football, beautiful scenery, cocktails, beers, food, live music and Bloody Marys…. what else do you need in life?

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Friends University bolsters cybersecurity program with $1M investment

“Friends University's award-winning cybersecurity program creates a direct pathway for career readiness in a modern world where cybersecurity is imperative to our daily lives,” Amy Bragg Carey, the university’s president, said in a press release. “We are delighted to be able to give our students the opportunity to learn in a state-of-the-art lab and an ethical foundation, so they have the necessary skills to enter the cyber security workforce.”

That funding also helps support the school’s existing partnership on cybersecurity with Butler Community College.

“Butler is proud of our collaborative five-year cyber security partnership with Friends University,” said Butler president Kim Krull. “The federal investment in technology and scholarships is not only a testament to Friends’ outstanding program but the scholarships they are then able to provide Butler will be difference-makers for our graduates as they complete their bachelor’s degree in this ever-changing field of study.“

This is a field that continues to grow in importance and Wichita is positioned well to capitalize off of it, and has slowly been doing so. More investment in this field is definitely a plus for the future.

[Kung Wu]

Cyber security job description = stare at monitor and flip router switch off when russia or china light up.

[SubGod22]

New downtown construction planned that I don't recall seeing previously.

https://downtownwichita.org/listing/5416/429-s-st-francis-renovations

Owners of The Hudson venue space plan to construct a new building, including ground floor office space for their event venue located across the street and a new venue space with capacity for up to 100 guests. The St. Francis street facade will incorporate recycled bricks from the former building for its exterior. The building will also feature three Airbnb suites available for rent - two on the second floor and one unique unit that will be housed in a vintage boxcar to be relocated to the back of the property.

[SubGod22]

Link to 2nd Saturday deals for September 10

I hadn't seen this link previously, but it shows you a ton of businesses and the deals they're offering. Inside the link you can also break down the deals by districts or specific categories.

Free bread pudding at Doo-Dah caught my eye.

[SubGod22]

Orie's Garlic Fest 2022

September 11 11:00 am

Come out to the 5th Annual Orie's Garlic Fest and enjoy shopping and eating from a wide variety of food and drink vendors and handmade artisans

Live music from 12 to 4 p.m. and complimentary garlic shots

Check out the event discussion for vendor spotlights and sneak peeks!

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Woods becomes director of NBC World Series

Katie Woods came to Wichita in early 2021 to work as marketing director for the then-new Wichita Wind Surge minor-league baseball team.

Now, in her new role as tournament director for the National Baseball Congress World Series, one of her most important tasks will be seeing if there's an opportunity for the NBC to move back downtown to its original home at Maple and Sycamore, where it played from 1935 to 2018.

The NBC and Wind Surge management couldn't reach an agreement to play any portion of the 2021 or 2022 tournaments at Riverfront Stadium, the city-owned facility managed by the Wind Surge. The NBC played on the same site at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium until it was torn down after the 2018 season.

Woods said Thursday it was important for a strong relationship between the Wind Surge and the NBC, which is now under management of the Greater Wichita Sports Commission. Recently, the NBC has played one week in Hutchinson and the second week at Wichita State's Eck Stadium.

Based on the Wind Surge schedule for '23, I don't see the NBC returning downtown next summer, but I guess there's hope that this may assist in the possibility down the road.

[SubGod22]

AIN - Bombardier Preps for Scale-up in Defense Business

Bombardier president and CEO Eric Martel underscored the company’s expansive plans for its defense segment in Wichita, estimating this week during the Aero Montreal International Aerospace Innovation Forum that it could become a $1 billion business.

While the number was characterized as hypothetical, Bombardier has long had a special-mission business. Also, it is well on its way to scaling that up with a contract awarded in 2021 from the U.S. Air Force for up to six Global 6000s for use in the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) program with a potential value of nearly $465 million.

This work is beginning to fill space in Wichita that became available with the ending of Learjet production. After it delivered the final Learjet model this year, Bombardier renamed its site in Wichita as its U.S. headquarters and rebranded what had been its Specialized Aircraft business there as Bombardier Defense.

Led by v-p Steven Patrick, the newly dubbed defense unit currently occupies one of the former Learjet production hangars. But given the work already in the pipeline and possibilities on the horizon, Patrick outlined a vision to expand its footprint.

[SubGod22]

WBJ - Wesley will ask to expand incentives for hospital renovation now valued at $250M

"Due to ongoing and significant investment in our facilities over the past few years, including ongoing development of Wesley Children’s Hospital, several new patient care units, additional equipment procurement and a multitude of other projects, we reached that cap more quickly than anticipated," said Dave Stewart, a Wesley spokesperson.

On Tuesday, Wesley will go back to Wichita's City Council to request a modification to a 2018 agreement that, if approved, would add another $150 million in industrial revenue bonds bringing the total to no more than $250 million. The modification would also extend the sales tax exemption on construction materials from seven years to eight years, according to a staff report for Tuesday's meeting.

"We also requested that the agreement’s end date be extended through 2026 to help account for any unforeseen delays in construction schedules or other factors common to such projects in recent years," Stewart added.

The Council had approved the use of up to $100 million in IRBs in 2018 to help finance a multi-phase project at the hospital, located at 550 N. Hillside in east Wichita.

The project included renovation of the neurological intensive care unit, electrical, mechanical and plumbing upgrades, a roof replacement, and other substantial investments in new medical and surgical units. At the time, Wesley also anticipated hiring 66 new employees with an average annual salary of $60,000, according to a WBJ report.

Since then, Wesley has hired nearly 100 new employees and expects to have invested $140 million by the end of September. The hospital now anticipates the capital project reaching $250 million by 2026.

Improvements at Wesley continue to increase.

[SubGod22]

Envision gets a nice surprise.

WBJ - Envision gets surprise ACT donation as golf tournaments aid nonprofit

Scotch & Sirloin owner Mike Issa has held his annual charity golf tournament seven times, but last month's event at Crestview Country Club brought something unique.

Christian Wiley, CEO of Wichita-based Advance Catastrophe Technologies, announced he would be matching 100% of the $18,700 the tournament had raised for Envision, the Wichita-based nonprofit focused on improving the lives of the blind or visually impaired.

"That never happened at my golf tournament," said Issa, who has raised around $350,000 for charities since 2014 through the tournament and other events.

Michael Monteferrante, Envision president and CEO, said he was grateful to Issa for the event and highlighted his surprise at ACT's donation.

"We were incredibly honored by the generosity of our new friends Christian Wiley and the whole team at ACT," Monteferrante said. "We didn’t expect them to match all of the donations from the day. We look forward to a great new relationship with ACT."

[SubGod22]

WBJ - New Carriage Park owners have new name, ambitious plans

They have already changed the name to "Village of Carriage Parkway" and want to energize the center that has been "under improved" for years, according to Terry Scott.

One bold goal: to take the current 50% occupancy rate to 100% in the next 16 months.

"We have a big vision for this place," he said.

Plans include $2.5 million of investment — on top of additional spending to bring in businesses — in the nine-acre property near Central and Edgemoor that includes 118,762 square feet of space across three buildings.

The Scotts may face a challenge in capturing momentum competing with growth in places like the Delano District and northwest and northeast Wichita, but they spoke confidently of their plans to the WBJ.

Terry Scott, who owned Oxford Square at 21st and Woodlawn from July 2000 to December 2007, said the Village of Carriage Parkway will "bring a little Rock Road, Webb and Greenwich Road" at lower rents.

I admit I'm not familiar with the area, but the claim of bringing a little Rock, Webb and Greenwich to the area seems a bit much, but we'll see.

Also in the article is that they've already lined up a Salon and a laundry company to come in and are working on another mattress company, coffee shop and fitness center.

Am I the only one that doesn't understand how there's such a huge mattress demand in town to support so many of those businesses?

Also, according to Google maps that I pulled up, there's already a mattress business there.

[SubGod22]

KSN - Open Streets ICT will be held on Sunday

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Open Streets ICT will be held on Sunday, Sept. 18, in downtown Wichita.

Douglas Avenue will be closed to traffic from College Hill at Bluff Street to Glenn Street in the historic Delano District.

The street will be open for biking, walking, running, food and more.

Wichitans are invited to get active, socialize, and stop at the local Douglas Avenue businesses, restaurants, street vendors, and the five major activity hubs situated every mile along the four-mile stretch.

I've never participated in this, but I've heard good things from those that have.

[SubGod22]

If you're in the market to adopt a new pet, this Friday and Saturday are a good time to do it.

KSN - Kansas Humane Society hosting $25 adoption event

The KHS is at maximum capacity with cats and dogs and is in need of adoptees.

To see all adoptable dogs at the KHS, click here.

To see all adoptable cats at the KHS, click here.