College Hill: The New Design District of Wichita, Kansas?

College Hill is one of the few places you can go to in Wichita, Kansas and still find remnants of cobblestone streets. Its quaintness and charm has attracted beauty-loving families for decades now. The fact that many of the houses are over fifty years old and have only one-and-a-half bathrooms doesn't seem to deter those who appreciate the kind of neighborhood experience that only College Hill can offer. Things such as old-fashioned block parties, tall, leafy trees and 41 design-oriented businesses nearby makes College Hill a trendy and comfortable place for someone interested in old books and local coffee to hang his or her hat.

According to the November 2007 edition of The College Hill Commoner, plans are being made to enhance this already picturesque corner of Wichita in a way that will benefit the local businesses and family-centered living that already takes place among its residents. As darling as parts of College Hill may be, there are still a few blocks that have begun to decay and may be in need of some help in order to encourage even more business to come to College Hill. Bill Jackson, owner of Abode Home and Furniture Options on Douglas Avenue, began writing letters and meeting with other business owners in order to discuss his ideas regarding giving these parts of College Hill a makeover. An association was soon formed that has begun to begin fund-raising for their ambitious plans.

The College Hill Commonerbreifly outlines some plans in Barry Owens' article, Association has Designs on Douglas Avenue. These plans include greenery planted along medians which the city would first have to build, benches, covered bus stops, and incorporating bricks that were once excavated from beneath the avenue into new walkways. They have also pictured a bike path, special, antique-looking light posts from which banners could hang, and, at the intersection of Douglas Avenue and Oliver Street, an arch that could rise to welcome vehicle passengers and pedestrians to the Douglas Design District.

Though these changes are a pleasing thought to most College Hill residents, there are still many unanswered questions regarding funding and grants. Only time will tell what will happen in College Hill, but in the meantime, these Wichita residents remain hopeful. As Jackson is quoted as saying in The Commoner, "It is such a big project, and we have so many visions, it would just depend on how much that we can we [Sic] implement."

If funding is able to be obtained to make College Hill the Design District of Wichita, KS, then the sky is the limit concerning what College Hill will be able to do. This is largely in part to the people who reside there. These are people who love a good cup of coffee and a well-written book. They love to support local musicians and local business owners, and regularly exhibit local artists in their many cafes and botiques. These residents are community-oriented. Though Wichita is a blossoming city, College Hill provides that small-town feel that so many young families crave. Hungry visitors who walk into Jeanne's Cafe will quickly find pictures of "regulars" plastered all over the walls. Customers greet each other like old friends. The waiters and waitresses call many of the eaters by name. But it's not just this way at Jeanne's Cafe. This is the atmosphere in all of the local businesses that grace the neighborhood. These people know each other, and they also know how to have fun. Traditions, a local furniture store, often hosts wine tastings for its customers. Watermark Books frequently has authors come in for signings and readings. If you want a beautiful piece of jewelry or a stunning new outfit, then Aspen Botique is your store. Frank & Margaret is for the whimsical and chic decorator. And for a delicious cup of gelato, Caffe Posto will not disappoint.

Another benefit to living in College Hill is the fact that it is so close to Old Town, a place that is coming back to life after several stagnant years. With the Warren Theater at Old Town's arrival, other business ownders were attracted to the piazza-like setting. Now Wichita residents can enjoy Cafe Modern for a panino or a fancy cup of coffee. Oeno is a luxurious wine bar that provides live music on warm, summer Saturday nights, and Sabor Latin Bar and Grill is an upscale restaurant in which one can eat flan that is out of this world.

All of this is merely blocks away from the intimate, paroquial neighborhood of College Hill. A methodist church at the corner of Crestway and Douglas rings out hymns from the bell tower that can be heard throughout all the neighborhood. Children sell lemonade in their front yards. In the summer, you can be sure to find some great bargains in the local garage sales; and if you're in the neighborhood on Halloween, you have to see Broadview Street, but come expecting to be scared and not expecting to be able to drive down the street in your car. It's sort of famous in Wichita. Come Christmas, don't miss the Winter Luminary Festival and Trolley Tour, in which a trolley carries passangers through the College Hill streets to admire the way every resident has lit up his or her yard with burning candles. It is truly breathtaking. And Santa Clause, along with hot chocolate, awaits you at Watermark Books when you're finished.

Truly, College Hill is already a gem. For the city to transform it into the Design District would be like a dream come true for many of the people who live there. Diane Gensch, a College Hill resident for the last 21 years, is hopeful concerning the possible changes for her neighborhood. "I would love to see it all come together," she said. "College Hill is already a wonderful place to live, but these ideas help me see that things might even get better! My husband and I raised our children here, but now that they have all moved away, we still don't want to leave. We think College Hill will be a beautiful place to grow old."