Downtown Wichita > Development > Plans & Research > Riverfront Legacy Master Plan
Riverfront Legacy Master Plan
Current Status:
On January 14, 2020 the Design Team, comprised of Populous, RCLCO and Olin Studio, presented their final recommendations for the Riverfront Legacy Master Plan site at a public open house. The recommendations included renderings and designs, a cost breakdown of the plan and funding and implementation strategies. View the presentation.
The plan is comprised of four types of projects including performing arts, green space, convention center and infrastructure. The plan also incorporates 17 major capital projects, including:
New performing arts
New convention center to generate tax revenue
10 acres of green space (including a new park along the riverfront)
Funding for programming and maintenance of parks
New mixed-use components to drive economic growth
New pedestrian bridge to connect the site to the new ballpark
These projects are meaningful and can generate income and impact for our community. Once complete, the 10-year total economic impact potential for the site is $915-$970 million.
Next Steps:
The Riverfront Legacy Master Plan Coalition will work with the Wichita Area Metropolitan Planning Commission, District and Citizen Advisory Boards and the Wichita City Council and Sedgwick County Commission as the master plan moves forward.
Process Launched - July 2019
The Arkansas River is a unique amenity in downtown Wichita and is an attraction for the greater Wichita region and beyond. Project Downtown: The Master Plan for Wichita recognizes the riverfront as a catalytic area that will further the transformation of our downtown into a vibrant urban center. In response to recommendations from the Project Wichita regional visioning process and the Century II Citizens Advisory Committee, the community organizations listed below convened to form the Riverfront Legacy Master Plan Coalition and take the next steps in creating a comprehensive vision and master plan that connects projects and both banks of the Arkansas River.
The Riverfront Legacy Master Plan will consider all elements together, including a performing arts center, convention center, the former library, Century II, pedestrian bridge, WaterWalk area and open riverfront gathering space, as well as connecting elements from Kellogg to Douglas, west bank development, downtown and area neighborhoods. The plan will build on previous studies for the east side of the Arkansas River as well as new developments such as the ballpark on the west side.
This plan, built upon community engagement and input, should build upon our legacy of innovation, deep-rooted creativity and established regional attraction to create an inclusive riverfront for all. Learn more about the goals of the plan and the process at riverfrontlegacywichita.org/about.
Riverfront Legacy Master Plan Area:
Community Engagement - July through December 2019
Coalition Recommendations - December 2019
Based on the findings from the process since July, the Riverfront Legacy Master Plan Coalition made a recommendation in December for the Design Team to proceed with creating a bold vision and design that incorporated the Scenarios that provided the most opportunity. These scenarios included Scenarios 1A and 1B, with some elements of Scenario 2.
Design Team Presents Final Recommendations - January 2020
Since the launch of the Riverfront Legacy Master Plan in July 2019, there has been vast community engagement with common themes heard from the community and extensive data and research resulting in several key outcomes and findings for the master plan site. This information was used to shape the Design Team’s final recommendations that were presented to the community on January 14, 2020. View the final recommendations, cost breakdowns, funding and implementation strategies and more at riverfrontlegacywichita.org/final-recommendations.
