As you come back from spring break, you will notice ongoing and new construction across Wichita State University’s 330 acres and beyond.
CAC Theatre
Construction is underway in the first phase of the accessibility upgrades to the CAC Theatre.
Improvements will include an exterior wheelchair lift, new widened entry doors, the addition of an accessible restroom and ticket booth, and a new accessible seating platform within the theater area. Construction is anticipated to be complete in June.
Wilkins Stadium
Construction is complete on the indoor softball practice facility adjacent to Wilkins Stadium. Inside the building is a netted softball infield that is divisible into batting and pitching practice areas.
Construction of the softball team and operations building to the south of the new indoor facility is anticipated to start this month. Construction staging is underway in the north section of Lot 15. The project is anticipated to be completed in early 2027.
University Stadium Phase 1A/1B
The renovation of Wichita State’s University Stadium (formerly Cessna Stadium) took a big step forward Jan. 8 when the WSU Board of Trustees voted unanimously to invest $38 million into Phase 2 of the project.
Phase 2 will begin after the KSHSAA State Track and Field Championships May 29-30 with demolition of the west grandstand in June. Construction of the new west stadium will be phased to ensure that seating is available for the 2027 KSHSAA State Track and Field Championships. Construction is scheduled to be complete before the 2028 KSHSAA State Track and Field Championships.
Construction continues for Phase 1B. This phase of construction consists of widening the field to hold a regulation-sized artificial turf soccer field and installing a nine-lane track and internal stadium sidewalks that will connect the east and west sides of the facility inside of the fence.
Improvements to the throwing area south of Charles Koch Arena are also underway. A storage building is under construction. Additions also include a longer javelin runway and warmup lanes. Shot put competition will move to this area from inside the stadium.
Construction is anticipated to be completed in April ahead of the KSHSAA State Track and Field Meet on May 29-30.
Ablah Library
Construction is underway on the second floor of the library for a project to relocate the Lowell D. Holmes Anthropology Museum from the current location in Neff Hall. The project is anticipated to be completed in early summer 2026.
The museum relocation is the first step to vacate the building in preparation for demolition of Neff Hall. The anthropology department will relocate to the Geology Building in early 2027 following a renovation in the Geology Building anticipated to begin in summer 2026.
Henrion Hall HVAC improvements Phase 3 and 4
Construction is underway in Henrion Hall for a project to provide air conditioning to the remainder of the building following recent projects in the sculpture and ceramics classroom areas as well as relocating and expanding the wood shop.
The project will be phased to allow the building to remain occupied but will affect building entrances throughout the year. Construction is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2026.
NIAR Hub for Advanced Manufacturing and Research
Interior construction on the NIAR HAMR building is complete. Progress continues on the exterior site work and is anticipated to be completed in April.
The 170,000-square-foot building is partly funded by an EDA grant and will house advanced manufacturing research labs and associated offices.
The building is located on Innovation Boulevard between the Partnership Building 1 and The Suites. The first floor is primarily labs with offices on the second floor.
Partnership Building 3B
P3B, located between Partnership Building 3 and The Smart Factory by Deloitte @Wichita, is under construction. It will house the Forensic Crime Gun Intelligence Laboratory for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The building is expected to be complete March 2026.
