Old Town, Wichita
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| Old Town, Wichita | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Name | Old Town |
| City | Wichita |
| State | Kansas |
| Country | United States |
| Established | 1870s |
| Coordinates | 37.6919°N 97.3413°W |
Old Town, Wichita is a historic warehouse and entertainment district in downtown Wichita, Kansas. Once a nineteenth-century commercial and industrial hub tied to the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway, it has been redeveloped into a mixed-use neighborhood featuring dining, nightlife, arts venues, and residential lofts. The district's evolution connects to regional and national forces including the Santa Fe Trail, the Chisholm Trail, and twentieth-century urban renewal movements influenced by precedents in Chicago, New York City, and Portland, Oregon.
History
Development began in the 1870s as Wichita emerged along the Chisholm Trail and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway expansion, intersecting with trade on the Arkansas River. Early proprietors and merchants such as Ebenezer C. Williams and investors linked to the Wichita Eagle supported warehouse construction and wholesale commerce. The district served wholesalers and commission merchants who handled grain, cattle, and manufactured goods that moved along U.S. Route 54, U.S. Route 400, and regional rail lines. By the early twentieth century, buildings were occupied by firms doing business with Swift & Company, Armour and Company, and regional distributors that connected to markets in Kansas City, Omaha, and St. Louis. Mid-century deindustrialization, suburbanization influenced by policies like the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 and shifting logistics centered on interstate trucking altered land use. Late twentieth-century revitalization efforts paralleled initiatives in San Antonio, Denver, and Baltimore to convert warehouses into residential lofts and arts spaces, driven by local stakeholders including the Greater Wichita Economic Development Coalition, Wichita Downtown Development Corporation, and private developers.
Geography and Boundaries
Old Town lies within central Wichita's downtown grid adjacent to the Arkansas River and north of the Wichita State University campus. Its rough boundaries are delineated by Waterman Street, Kansas Avenue, McLean Boulevard, and Haskins Street on the downtown map used by the City of Wichita. The district is contiguous with the Delano District to the west, the Brickyard Crossing corridor to the south, and commercial thoroughfares that connect to Interstate 135 and the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport travel shed. Old Town's placement places it within the Great Plains urban corridor linking to metropolitan networks in Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and Topeka.
Architecture and Landmarks
Architecture in Old Town showcases nineteenth- and early twentieth-century masonry warehouses with cast-iron storefronts, freight elevators, and timber framing reflecting styles found in Romanesque Revival and Chicago school commercial architecture. Notable structures include repurposed warehouses now housing venues associated with Century II Performing Arts & Convention Center-era programming and smaller institutions that collaborate with the Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum. The district hosts gallery and performance spaces that engage with touring companies from American Theatre Wing-affiliated networks and with regional arts presenting organizations like Wichita Grand Opera and the Kansas Music Hall of Fame. Public art installations link to commissions from entities such as the Wichita Arts Council and private patrons tied to development projects overseen by firms with experience in adaptive reuse across Minneapolis and Cleveland.
Economy and Development
Old Town's economy has shifted from wholesale trade tied to firms like Swift & Company to a contemporary mix of hospitality, creative industries, tech startups, and residential services. Restaurants and bars have been opened by restaurateurs with connections to culinary networks in Chicago, Austin, and Nashville, drawing visitors from the Wichita State Shockers fan base and regional tourists. Office space hosts professional services including legal practices with ties to Kansas State Bar Association members and creative agencies serving clients across the Midwest. Public-private partnerships involving the City of Wichita, the Wichita Downtown Development Corporation, and regional lenders have funded streetscape improvements and mixed-income housing financed through instruments similar to those advocated by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Culture and Entertainment
Old Town functions as a cultural hub with live music venues that feature artists touring via circuits inclusive of American Airlines Center-linked bookings, comedy nights connected to Gotham Comedy Club-style producers, and film screenings coordinated with the Sundance Institute-inspired regional festivals. Annual events draw organizers and participants from groups such as the Wichita Riverfest, the Kansas Brewers Association, and local chapters of national nonprofits like Americans for the Arts. Nightlife venues attract patrons from the Wichita State University and professionals from downtown corporations including branches of Spirit AeroSystems and Textron Aviation. Culinary festivals and farmers markets link to regional agricultural producers represented by the Kansas Farm Bureau.
Transportation
Old Town is served by the Wichita Transit bus network connecting to hubs at Douglas Avenue and Centennial Plaza, and is accessible via Interstate 135, U.S. Route 54, and U.S. Route 400. Rail infrastructure historically involved the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and present freight movements coordinate with shortline carriers active in the Midwest logistics grid. Bicycle and pedestrian planning has integrated corridors promoted by the Wichita Bicycle Master Plan and advocacy groups such as the Wichita Riverfront Development Committee. Regional connectivity includes shuttle and charter services linking to the Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport and intercity bus lines like Greyhound Lines.
Preservation and Urban Planning
Preservation efforts in Old Town have involved local preservationists working with the Historic Kansas City Foundation-inspired municipal programs and guidance from the National Park Service on adaptive reuse standards. Zoning adjustments and tax increment financing mechanisms were employed by the City of Wichita and partners to facilitate rehabilitation of masonry warehouses while maintaining streetscape character described in guidelines akin to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. Urban planners coordinated with civic organizations such as the Wichita Downtown Development Corporation and academic partners at Wichita State University to balance heritage conservation, economic vitality, and residential capacity, following models seen in downtown revitalizations in Raleigh and Columbus, Ohio.
Category:Neighborhoods in Wichita, Kansas