Groundwork has begun on a new industry partner building on Wichita State University's Innovation Campus development.
The two-story, 45,000-square-foot building, financed by MWCB LLC, will be a 100 percent leasable multi-tenant space for companies and organizations interested in collaborating with WSU entities, students, faculty and staff.
“The new building will be able to accommodate new university partners needing anywhere from a few thousand square feet up to 45,000 square feet,” said Steve Barrett of MWCB. “So far our involvement in Innovation Campus projects has been positive. The applied learning environment at Wichita State is unlike anything I have seen, and we expect this space will be in high demand.”
The building plans allow for fully customizable spaces for signed tenants needing anywhere from 2,000 to 20,000 square feet, or even the entire building. Each floor can accommodate one to four tenants.
It will be located next to the Experiential Engineering Building and Airbus, with close proximity to the National Institute for Aviation Research and the Food Truck Plaza.
“We have talked with several organizations of various sizes with a significant interest in establishing a presence on campus,” said John Tomblin, vice president of research and technology transfer. “In order to firm up commitments, we have to have space for them.”
Tenants will sign a lease with MWCB LLC, but must commit to establishing a strong partnership with the university.
“Our focus is applied learning,” said Tomblin. “Organizations that have a defined plan for hiring students in an applied learning atmosphere will get priority.”
The building is expected to be complete by mid-2018. GLMV Architecture designed the building, and the general contractor is Crossland Construction.
For more information on the benefits of locating on WSU's Innovation Campus, visit www.wsuinnovationcampus.org.
Organizations interested in leasing space should contact John Tomblin, vice president of research and technology transfer, at 316-978-5234 or john.tomblin@wichita.edu.