Wichita State’s Innovation Campus, a huge expansion taking shape along 17th Street, just got a new tenant.
Element by Westin, a hotel chain with a contemporary design, will be the first addition and a focal point of Braeburn Square, the university’s new retail and mixed-use corridor. There will also be several units for retail and restaurants.
According to Wichita State, Braeburn Square will be privately financed by the companies involved and won’t use public or student funds. The land was formerly used as a golf course.
Lou Heldman, vice president for strategic communications at WSU, says the hotel will be used by parents and potential students, as well as professionals visiting various departments at the school. He says businesses choosing to locate to the university’s campus will help Wichita’s economy.
It’s the fourth big announcement concerning the Innovation Campus. An experiential engineering building should be completed by this fall, along with facilities and offices for Airbus. The joint Wichita-Sedgwick County Law Enforcement Training Center will also be located on the expansion.
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