An Inside Look at a Historic Redevelopment

By Dees Stribling, Contributing Editor

Hutchinson, Kan.—The renovation of the historic Wiley Building in Hutchinson, Kan., including the development of 40 affordable housing units, has been complete. Manske & Associates LLC redeveloped the 73-unit apartment property, which is now called Wiley Plaza.

Wiley Plaza is comprised of ground-floor and mezzanine retail space, five floors of affordable housing units, and two floors—plus a penthouse—of market-rate apartments. The property also includes a new multi-level parking garage with 104 parking spaces.

Wiley Plaza’s one-, two- and three-bedroom affordable housing units are open to both individuals and families. Common amenities of the elevator-equipped building include on-site management, a community room, fitness center, computer center, elevators and security cameras.

Located at the intersection of North Main St. and East First Ave., the eight-story building was built in 1913 and was expanded twice in the 1930s. The project is located adjacent to the historic Fox Theater in Hutchinson’s downtown historic district. Hutchinson is a south-central Kansas town of about 42,000, northwest of Wichita.

Originally, the Wiley Building housed a department store, along with more than 90 office suites, including the Commercial Club and Hutchinson Board of Trade, plus with a popular tea room on the mezzanine level. The department store ultimately closed in 1985.

WNC provided $7.5 million in low-income housing tax credit equity to fund the adaptive reuse of the building. The project also received financing from Historic Preservation Partners Inc., First National Bank, Kansas Housing Resources Corporation and the City of Hutchinson.