File photoWichita State University is taking the next step with its University Village vision by issuing a Request for Qualifications.
“We’re partnering with community members to shape a process that is both transparent and beneficial to the university, Innovation Campus partners and to our community,” said Kaye Monk-Morgan, vice president for Strategic Engagement and Planning. “We are casting a broad net to developers, construction companies and others who are engaged in this work to respond to the Request for Qualifications.”
University Village is a bold initiative to create a community destination of dining, entertainment and shopping to the immediate area surrounding the campus.
A partnership among the university, City of Wichita, Sedgwick County and community members, University Village will be a transformational addition to the state’s only urban-based research university, which has experienced continued growth and economic impact.
Located in a designated Opportunity Zone, University Village offers interested development partners unique advantages — including the potential for public-private partnerships, engaged local agencies, and location in one of the nation’s top 100 metropolitan areas in population and top 100 cities to live.
In response to university students, Innovation Campus partners, and Shocker Neighborhood residents, Wichita State began conversations last summer about bringing much-needed amenities to campus. Recent residential development in the area has elevated the opportunity to partner in a mixed-use development that serves the communities and enhances the quality of life for all residents.
Project amenities can include:
- Dining with a focus on healthy and ethnic food options
- Grocery and pharmacy
- Entertainment venues
- Childcare options
- Shopping
- Other services or industries that benefit the university and community
The deadline for RFQs is April 2. For questions regarding the RFQ or University Village, email universityvillage@wichita.edu.
Wichita State University serves as the Kansas urban-based research university, enrolling more than 15,000 students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
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