The Garvey Center
Wichita, Kansas
Client: Bonavia Properties
Wichita’s Garvey Center was nominated for listing in the National Register of Historic Places as a representative of the private development that occurred concurrent with the City’s development of the Civic Center (Century II auditorium and new public library) following extensive land clearance in downtown Wichita through the urban renewal program in the 1950s-60s.
Developed during a six-year period from 1965-1971, the Center conveys the themes of midcentury redevelopment in downtown Wichita, modern office development in the city center, the Modern Movement in architecture. Comprised of five modern concrete and glass buildings connected by an urban plaza, the Garvey Center provided Wichita’s first column-free speculative office buildings offering flexible rental space to prominent local commercial and industrial enterprises and a modern high-rise hotel in downtown Wichita. The four-plus acre urban complex reflects the modern designs of Wichita architect Sid Platt (Platt and Associates) and his long term association with the Garvey family. The Garvey Center remains a prominent part of the city’s skyline and stands as a physical legacy of the Garvey family and their commitment to the Wichita community.
