Over the years, many Wichitans became used to the vacant concrete lots and unruly vegetation near Douglas and Rutan, long after tenants like the Wichita Clinic and the State of Kansas went away. However, several Wichita businessmen have been watching this area with images of beautiful, modern living spaces on their minds. After waiting patiently, this empty space now has a plan, a purpose and an identity – Parkstone at College Hill - under the vision of Mike Loveland and Bill Livingston.
“In the past, lots of people [developers] tried to make the numbers work,” explains Livingston, the project architect, “but it was complicated. You must be able to work with the city to create the infrastructure for this kind of project. The cost of this property was high. We had to make sure it made economic sense. This is an exciting time: This whole area [along Douglas Avenue] is in transition.
Bill Livingston is a big fan of the College Hill lifestyle: He and his family lived in the neighborhood for twenty five years. He is excited about the Brownstone-style concept: “It offers a different style of living that is so compatible with College Hill. This is such a friendly and diverse neighborhood. Here, you see a complete variety of architecture – and people, lots of children and families to retired people. The Brownstone design really goes with the ambiance of this area. They’re not imposing and offer that great pedestrian lifestyle. Some of the spaces will feature small businesses on first floors, and loft living above for the business owner. We’re also focused on ‘green’ design to support an environmentally friendly approach,” says Livingston.
In 2005, Mike Loveland became interested in the area when an out-of-town developer asked him to look at the potential for development: “They couldn’t make it work. Then three or four other developers looked at it. It was complex. Some were trying to renovate existing structures, while others had the high rise concept too close to the Hillcrest across the street. And, I looked at other cities and knew that Wichita did not have a development that offered the brownstone concept. We have apartments and coops, but not a condominium model. In the spring of 2006, everything fell into place and we received approval from the city for infrastructure. We were able to make all the numbers work. This is a real ‘first’ for Wichita: this concept of Brownstone style condos.
Loveland is a respected Wichita developer whose real estate career spans 27 years. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Wichita State University (WSU) in 1977 and earned a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from WSU in 1984 with an emphasis in real estate and finance. Loveland has been a licensed Associate Broker with J. P. Weigand & Sons since 1986. Weigand is the largest commercial and residential real estate brokerage firm in Kansas. Loveland earned a CCIM designation in 1991 and was one of 14 out of 8,500 active CCIMs chosen to attend the Jay Levine Leadership Academy (2006).
In the 1980s, Loveland assisted a group of developers in bringing various projects to fruition, including five new apartment complexes, two new, four-story commercial office buildings, and the renovation of three high rise office buildings. In the 1990s, Loveland formed Loveland Properties for the purpose of leading his own development efforts. Loveland oversaw the development of Huntington Park Apartments and developed Phase I of Crestview Plaza, a quality retail center. Phases II and III are in planning stages. On North Maize Road in west Wichita is the future site of Huntington Plaza, an upscale retail center.
Loveland serves on the board of the East Wichita Rotary Club, and served on the board of the Shocker Athletic Scholarship Organization (SASO). He was a member of the Leadership Wichita class of 1997, has served on the board of the Crestview Country Club, and he is an active member in the Wichita Area Chamber of Commerce.
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