Sale of church paves way for major riverfront development near Wichita ballpark

Laham Development and Birds Eye Holdings have purchased the Metropolitan Baptist Church on west Douglas and plan to transform the property into a mixed-use development just north of Riverfront Stadium.

The Riverfront Village development “could include restaurants, retail, entertainment, office, medical, downtown living and the arts,” according to a news release. There is no timeline for development and the project will be driven by market demand.

“There has been great activity in the area with the addition of the Riverfront Stadium, 225 Sycamore and River Vista apartments,” said Amy Liebau, a spokesperson for Laham Development. “This activity, along with the proximity to the Delano District, makes this one of the best development sites in the City.”

Contacted Wednesday afternoon, Liebau would not say how much the seven-acre property cost.

“That is not something that we disclose on our transactions,” she said.

George Laham, president of Laham development, told the Wichita City Council in 2019 that his plan was to integrate the church site into the existing Delano business district and neighborhood.

The church site is included in a 2020 tax district created by the council to help pay for projects surrounding the new ballpark. Money from the 2-cent sales tax will be split between the city government and the private-sector developers, with the city getting the first $10 million and developers getting the next $30 million. Anything above that $40 million will be split 50-50.

Dedicated in 1965, the church is surrounded by ample open space. According to the release, it will continue to occupy the property while development plans are finalized.

“It was a tremendous experience working with Laham Development and Birds Eye,” Metropolitan Baptist Church Pastor Mason Lampkin said in the release. “We are confident they will create an incredible destination for Wichita and the surrounding areas. We are excited for the next chapter in the rich history of our Church.”

Lampkin did not return a message Wednesday asking about future plans for the congregation. Laham has previously said the riverfront development would include a new Baptist church.

Other major Laham developments in Wichita include the Bradley Fair Shopping Center, the Wilson Estates and the Regency Lakes Shopping Center.

Birds Eye Holdings is a Wichita-based private equity firm. In addition to its real estate holdings, Birds Eye owns MAX Aerostructures and Cocoa Dolce.

This story was originally published March 23, 2022 at 12:57 PM.