Council unanimously supports Mayor’s vision for downtown
The Wichita City Council on Tuesday unanimously voted to support Mayor Carl Brewer’s vision for the next phase of downtown revitalization, which has been shared in several community meetings the Mayor has held in recent months.
For more information regarding the Mayor’s downtown vision or to see a City7 video capturing competing cities’ downtown improvements, go to www.wichita.gov. To request a group presentation of the Mayor’s vision, please contact Virdena Gilkey in the City Council office at 268-4331 or at vgilkey@wichita.gov.
Following is an excerpt of the Mayor’s statement during Tuesday’s Council meeting:
“I would like to take a moment to discuss my Vision for Downtown Wichita. As some of you may know, I have been speaking for several months to District Advisory Boards, other citizen groups and community and business leaders about my vision for downtown Wichita.
My comments have focused on creating a downtown that is Everybody’s Neighborhood. I envision a Downtown that connects the Old Town District, the new Downtown Arena and Riverfront improvements including the Wichita Waterwalk and the Museum District.
I envision a pedestrian friendly downtown where families, young people, businesses and visitors can walk or drive from one destination to the next.
Downtown would be a place for people of all ages. It would feature park and open spaces, retailers, residences, restaurants, office buildings and multiple venues for arts and entertainment.
Earlier today, this City Council took additional steps toward fulfilling a vision of a downtown that is Everybody’s Neighborhood.
The council:
-
Cast a vote of support for the Exchange Place Project, which will add 201 market-rate apartments to downtown, 229 parking spaces and up to 13,000 square-feet of ground-floor retail space.
-
Expressed support for façade improvements to two downtown mainstays, The Orpheum Office Building and the Petroleum Building.
-
And approved amendments to the Wichita WaterWalk Project, which will anchor riverfront improvements for years to come.
I want to thank this City Council for the steps it has taken to support this vision. It has approved the establishment of a special tax district, and the financing of needed pubic improvements to support activities that will take place around the new arena.
There is much work to be done to refine this vision and make it a reality. It won’t be easy. It will take a team effort, a communitywide effort. There will be naysayers. I have asked key leaders to help me define a process for creating this vision. I anticipate that the Council and I will need to establish a Steering Committee to help guide this process. We know that we will need to engage citizens to create a plan that defines what the next phase of downtown should look like and creates that road map for how to make it happen.
As I speak to the citizens of this community, I am finding that they are embracing a new vision for downtown with a high degree of enthusiasm. Many want to get involved and be a part of this initiative. Many want to share their ideas on what downtown should look like in the not so distant future.
Today, I am asking that you support the creation of a new vision for downtown. Your support will begin with appointing members to a steering committee. I anticipate that after the first of the year, I will be asking your support to engage citizens in the creation of a new downtown plan.
Some of you may ask how much it will cost to create this plan for our downtown. In these uncertain economic times, we are all concerned with spending public dollars wisely. I am not asking for a financial commitment today as I do not know what it will cost. I am researching private sector support along with grant opportunities to complement government financing. I will bring back information to you that outlines the process for creating a plan and the necessary financial support at a later date.
So today, I am asking that you support the creation of a new vision for downtown. I also ask that you support this new vision by helping to engage citizens in this exciting new venture to create a more livable, sustainable community with a quality of life second to none.”
Back to Top