b"Its difficult to know where to begin as we reflect on a year unlike any other. One word comes to mindsurreal. As the chair of the Downtown Wichita Board of Directors, I have witnessed how the COVID-19 pandemic caused unforeseen challenges. Ive also seen how our community faced these challenges together and supported each other during difficult times. One thing that stood out to me over the past year is the stamina and dedication exemplified by the Downtown Wichita organization. The team continued to seek out opportunities to support our community through their three key areas of focusdeveloping downtown, enhancing vibrancy and marketing the district.A few notable initiatives by the organization over the past year include the Wichita Love Notes and Alley Doors projects that engaged local artists and brought encouraging messages to the district. Over the holiday season, the Share Local Love campaign was launched to create supportAlan Banta, Chairfor downtown businesses through videos highlighting the owners of localDowntown Wichitashops and restaurants. Hearing the stories of our local business owners and seeing their dedication to this community was impactful and inspiring. Last year was also a major milestone for Project Downtown, our community vision and blueprint for downtown's development, as it marked ten years since the adoption of the plan. I invite you to read more about these incredible initiatives throughout this report. A few development highlights from the past year include the completion of 430 ReDevelopment, a new four story building where IMA Financial Group and American State Bank are the anchor tenants. Fidelity Banks private car park that will feature one of the largest urban farms in the Midwest is now complete. At the beginning of the year, the Kansas Health Science CenterKansas College of Osteopathic Medicine received candidate status from the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation. This important step in the accreditation process allows the project to move forward with plans for a new, innovative medical school and the revitalization of five historic buildings spanning three urban blocks.Ive been with Trans Pacific Oil and owned real estate in downtown for 25 years. Our office is located in the heart of downtown overlooking the intersection of Douglas Avenue and Main Street. One of my favorite things about working downtown is being in the middle of the action. Downtown offers a unique energy and connectivity and I look forward to experiencing that now and in the future. A recent example is the opening day of the new $75 million Riverfront Stadium, which took place in April 2021 during a Wichita State University baseball game. It was fantastic to experience this exciting moment for Wichita and root for our team together as a community.As you look through the pages of this report, I encourage you to focus on the future. After a year full of unknowns, one thing I know for sure is that our community is made of kind, resilient individuals who are dedicated to making Wichita a better place. Sincerely,Alan Banta, ChairDowntown Wichita2"