Wichita City Council members voted unanimously to approve funding to update a downtown revitalization master plan.

The original Project Downtown plan was developed in 2010 and it was a 15-year plan.  Assistant City Manager Troy Anderson said an update is needed to build on the success that the current plan has created.  He said the master plan has resulted in over $1.7 billion being invested in downtown Wichita, and there is a pipeline of projects totaling more than $760 million.   Downtown Wichita president Jeff Fluhr said 110 projects have been completed, two are under construction and there are 11 projects in the planning stages.

Fluhr said the update will build on market research and will look at issues such as walkability, housing affordability and design.  He said $300,000 in private funding has been raised.   The City Council approved $50,000 to go toward the update and Sedgwick County plans to provide another $50,000.

Fluhr said a final scope of work is being developed for the update and a request for bids will go out in August.  He said the team should be ready later this year to begin work and the update will have a ten-year focus.   He said there will be a process for community engagement and input as the updated plan is developed.