Travel Log: Wichita Kansas

Friday last week my friend Rich and I pulled into downtown Wichita KS. It turns out they were having a festival so we didn’t get to see a normal crowd.

Exiting the major east-west highway through town this large marker “welcomed” us to downtown.

This brutal building with parking on the corner is right on the edge of the CBD. St. Louis-based A.G. Edwards is the only name on the building.

Just a couple of blocks north of the horrible AG Edwards building was this wonderful old stone structure, now a historical museum. People are walking to the festival.

Despite all the people out on the sidewalks the downtown seemed rather lifeless. You can tell from the street markings that on-street parking is not allowed, although who’d want to given the sterile buildings. Note the pedestrian bridge over the street — we saw several of those. Rich and I, both from Oklahoma originally, thought Wichita reminded us of Oklahoma City. We will see another similarity later.

The above image shows a lot. First, the building is beautifully detailed and includes a public clock — a nice touch all too often missing in public spaces. The vendor trailer is a good way to sell food, although I am sure it is only there for the festival. We were forced to turn because the street we were on switched to one-way in the opposite direction. Note the pretty paving pattern in the middle of the wide intersection — I’m sure this was sold as a sure way to revitalize downtown.

The nice bulidings quickly end and we are left with generic 70s towers and useless plazas. People are ready for the parade.

An area on the edge of the CBD had been cleared and the street(s) reconfigured. I’m not sure what is planned — they already have the generic sports facility and conference stuff downtown. Whatever it is, I am certain it is being billed as the project that will save downtown.

Not far away one of the numerous pedestrian bridges over the street has lost its skin. I’m not certain if it is getting a new updated skin or if it is soon coming down. This one-way street needs help.

East of downtown is the second reason why Rich and I see a similarity to Oklahoma City. Their former warehouse area next to an elevated railroad line, known as Old Town, is very much like OKC’s Bricktown. Wichita’s Old Town does appear to have some residential included but it still has very much the feel of a destination entertainment place rather than a neighborhood you’d call home.

A new building meant to evoke the feeling of an old warehouse just doens’t quite make it. The outdoor dining at this restaurant looks just plopped down. Despite these flaws, the area seemed popular.

A new theatre and parking garage may attract many people to the area — temporarily at least.

A newer hotel tries to look interesting by having different colors of exterior synthetic stucco. This is the very visible back side.

On the right is something that peaked my interest — a combination gas station and sit down restauarant. The Conoco still operates but in the old service bays are a restuarant. They had the garage doors open and seating spilled out onto a fenced in patio. I’m not sure I’d enjoy seeing people fill up their SUVs with gas while eating but this could be an interesting way of providing a necessary service (gas stations) with more interesting dining spots.

The bulk of this “marketplace” street was pretty boring. The lack of on-street parking left the impression nothing was going on. Everyone was parked in yet another parking garage (with the fancy railings). The sidewalks seemed narrow in places.

I’m using the above image to illustrate a couple of things.  One, these destination areas always need some sort of museum — that way the marketing folks can say they are “Arts & Entertainment” districts.  Ugh.  Next, note all the paving treatments but for all the money spent the pestrians walk immediately adjacent to the street (no street trees for separation) and behind parked cars.  How thoughtful….

Brick detailing and light fixtures are supposed to make the pedestrian feel better as they encounter a highway hell section of Wichita.  In truth, the brick & smaller scale light fixture do actually help — just not enough.

Before leaving town we stopped so that Rich could leave flowers for his grandparents. The cemetary was beautiful although a few areas were a bit boggy due to the rains and the mostly flat terrain.   The Hebrew cemetary was next door.  We had a long conversation about headstone designs (raised vs flat), New Orleans’ urban cemetaries, and the use of natural burials for the preservation of open space.  Coming up, Topeka and Lawrence KS.

See also the Wichita wiki and more images.