Campus construction update reflects growth at Wichita State

Wichita State University’s campus continues to evolve, guided by a commitment to the people, businesses and economy of our state. As you return to campus, you will notice construction cranes, dirt moving and updates to existing buildings. 

Here are some of the changes to traffic and parking: 

Road south of Wilkins Stadium opens to two-way traffic 

Research Place — the road connected to Lots 13 and 15, just south of Wilkins Stadium — changed to two-way traffic at the start of the fall semester. The road has previously been one-way traffic. 

Cessna Stadium parking 

Lots 3N, 3S and 11 near Cessna Stadium have reopened following the completion of the east stands demolition. The construction fence will remain in place; however, the gates will be open for lot use.  

Lots 3S and 11 will continue serving as yellow faculty/staff lots and Lot 3N as a green student lot. These lots will be available for use until approximately Thanksgiving Break, when they will close again for the next phase of construction work. 

Additional parking for both faculty/staff and students in this area is available in Lot 34, located north of 21st Street at Yale Avenue.  

Parking Services 

Parking Services will move into the former home of the Campus Credit Union branch near Wilkins Stadium. The move is anticipated to take place mid-semester. 

Here are some of the projects under way: 

Shocker Success Center 

Construction on the Shocker Success Center, formerly Clinton Hall, began last semester.  

The Shocker Success Center is expected to be complete by the summer of 2024. Once finished, it will transform Clinton Hall into a holistic resource for student services, centralizing access to these services to help students stay on course to graduate. 

The center will house 17 student services that are currently scattered across campus in 10 buildings. Those services are: the Office of Adult Learning, CARE Team, Career Closet, Military and Veteran Services, Office of Disability Services, OneStop Student Services, Shocker Support Locker, Office of Student Success, Tech Help, Testing Services, TRIO Disability Services, TRIO Student Support Services, Writing Center, Math Lab, Supplemental Instruction, Physics Lab and the Shocker Learning Center. 

Millie Marcus Annex 

Construction on the Marcus Welcome Center addition and interior renovation project began in May. The eastern-most part of Lot 19E, next to Mike Oatman Drive at Eck Stadium, will close until the summer of 2024. Expect construction traffic on Mike Oatman Drive. 

The Millie Marcus Annex will be an expansion of the Marcus Welcome Center and house the Shocker Career Accelerator offices. The project will also remodel the lobby and meeting spaces in the building. 

Paul Suellentrop

Intensive English Center + Annex 

Demolition will begin soon on the Intensive English Language Center and Annex buildings at the southwest corner of Hillside and 17th Street. The programs were relocated last year into Lindquist Hall. 

Expanded Dining Options in RSC 

Chik-Fil-A was renovated this summer to offer expanded menu choices. In addition, the student choice winning dining option Tu Taco is now open in the RSC. Swing by for customizable tacos, nachos, burritos and salads from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The Innovation Campus is also experiencing some big changes:

Digital Research and Transformation Hub 

This building at the corner of 18th Street and Oliver on the Innovation Campus was completed this summer. It will be the home to WSU’s National Institute for Research and Digital Transformation.

The 37,000-square-foot building includes a collaboration hub, cyber/data analytics area, testing labs, eight research labs and a 168-rack data center.

Partnership Building 11 

The shell of Partnership Building 11 is anticipated to be complete this fall. The building is located between the Hyatt Place and the Jerry Moran AVET Center. 

NIAR Hub for Advanced Manufacturing Research 

Design for the NIAR HAMR building is under way and is expected to break ground by the end of the year.  The 150,000-square-foot building is partly funded by an EDA grant and will house advanced manufacturing research labs and associated offices. The building will be located on Innovation Boulevard between the P1 building and NetApp. 

Additions to Braeburn Square 

Jersey’s Mike’s sub shop and Pedego Wichita, an electric bike retailer, opened over the summer. Two Hands Corn Dogs is under construction and anticipated to open soon. 

Renovations for athletic facilities: 

Cessna Stadium 

Demolition of the east stands at Cessna Stadium is complete. The first phase of construction will begin this fall and will include underground utility work, a tiered seating area for 2,390, new free-standing field lights, an enlarged pedestrian plaza, and two pavilion buildings for ticketing, restrooms and storage.  

Next year, the improvements to the stadium will include a regulation-sized soccer field, updates on the track and field facilities, and bleacher seating on the north and south sides. Future phases include a new west stadium building and a pedestrian plaza between Charles Koch Arena and the stadium. 

Wilkins Stadium 

A four-phase renovation of Wilkins Stadium, home of Shocker softball, is under way. Over the summer, new artificial turf replaced the grass field. Last spring, teams used a new third-base dugout. 

Following a $3 million investment from the WSU Board of Trustees, work on the indoor practice facility is scheduled to begin by spring 2024. It will feature a 14,400-square-foot practice facility containing a full indoor infield, batting cages and storage areas. 

The indoor practice facility is part of a $9.65 million Phase 1 of renovations for Wilkins Stadium. That phase includes a 12,000-square-foot team complex, housing a team locker room, coaches’ locker room, classroom, team room, athletic training room, staff offices, break room, work room, umpire locker rooms and laundry area.