Big College Hill development project approved

The Wichita City Council on Tuesday approved Uptown Landing, a more than $25 million project near Douglas and Hillside.

The project includes 188 high-end apartment units in three floors on top of a first-floor parking garage plus 18,000 feet of office and retail space on East Douglas and Rutan.

Lead developer Mike Brand said the complex will have one-, two- and three-bedroom units; a swimming pool; a gym; and rooftop amenities.

He expects to break ground about July 1 and be done in about 18 months.

Uptown Landing made it through a city selection process to win the opportunity to build. Brand said he loves the site and loves the project as designed by Spangenberg Phillips Tice Architecture.

“It will be something the city will be very proud of when we get done,” he said.

The partners in the project are Bob Simpson of Simpson Construction, who will be the contractor; Mike and Marc Brand of Brand Plumbing, who will be the plumbing contractors; Joe and Linda Davison, owners of Seeders Inc., who will do the landscaping; and David Doyel and Dave Murfin, who are equity partners.

The development sits in a tax increment financing district. TIFs work by pledging future property tax gains to pay for projects in areas that are considered blighted. The city’s $7 million in TIF improvements were part of an earlier project. The Uphill Landing project will contribute revenue necessary to repay the TIF bonds.

This story was originally published December 13, 2016 at 5:31 PM with the headline "Big College Hill development project approved."