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Following the unveiling of the OneRise Health Campus masterplan at an event this spring, those involved with the effort recently walked the WBJ through updated renderings and how the south Wichita behavioral health project could come together.
That includes added details on the potential overall layout, a community care center, a variety of housing components and more.
The 70-acre campus, an idea that Jeff Lange and his family have pursued for several years, would sit off of the northwest corner of Meridian and MacArthur in Lange's Crossgate District and across the street from The Paddock industrial park.
Matthew Tannehill, director of strategic initiatives at the Lange Community Foundation, emphasized there is flexibility to what OneRise has laid out.
"This masterplan here is not the end all be all," Tannehill said. "It has the ability to pivot based upon the needs of our community."
OneRise formulated the plan in partnership with WestEast Design Group.
Highlights from the recent WBJ discussion and masterplan — available on the new nonprofit's website — include several components.
Community Care Center
The center would be a social services hub and shelter homeless individuals. The center would have resident amenities and services and resources — from local nonprofits and business entities — for those in the public who may not be living on site.
Tannehill said OneRise will have non-congregate shelter, not congregate shelter. That means no bunk-to-bunk beds in a large room but instead single rooms for individuals and families.
Behavioral health hospital
OneRise has 9.5 acres laid out for a potential behavioral hospital, even as momentum builds toward enhancing mental health services downtown — tied to plans for a new University of Kansas-Wichita State University medical education campus.
Last month, the state of Kansas awarded $25 million to Sedgwick County for a new 50-bed adult psychiatric facility to be owned and operated by the state, as it separately provided a $15-million grant for the KU-WSU campus.
Tannehill said OneRise plans to continue to engage the city, county and state on why OneRise can provide the mental and behavioral health facilities and services that are being sought.
"When we are looking at all the initiatives that are coming down from these entities, it's going to be about us conveying that we feel that this is an innovative and new approach that's going to help send Wichita, south-central Kansas and the state forward in these areas of need," he said.
Housing
Current plans call for OneRise to have a variety of housing options — including those for families in need but who may not necessarily use the services on campus.
- The masterplan lays out three separate 5-acre sites for affordable housing available to the public, with 80-120 units per site.
- There are plans for 60 "permanent supportive housing" units located in between the community care center and hospital sites. Those residences would be for individuals diagnosed with mental health and substance abuse disorders who need more structured housing with constant support available.
Child care
The masterplan includes a 10,000 square-foot child care facility that would be open to those living on campus and members of the public in need of equitable access to care, Tannehill said.
"We are wanting to find a partner within our community that is able to look at providing really innovative childcare solutions," he said.
Access and security
The masterplan is intentionally designed so that services accessible to the public, like the potential HealthCore Clinic and childcare facility, are right off the road, while components that need more enhanced security — such as the location of a possible behavioral health hospital — are farther away from the public.
Tannehill said all necessary controlled access, building security and other security measures will be in place throughout the campus — including the child-care facility — where needed.
Other potential uses and campus components
Currently, there are nine acres designated for medical office, research or education buildings on the southwest corner of the site. However, as an example of the masterplan's flexibility, Tannehill said if community feedback pointed to a need for more housing, some of that acreage could go there instead.
In addition, down the middle of OneRise is a planned 10.2-acre park.
Tannehill said it's based on research showing "how nature, water and a healing, calming environment has really transformed how individuals are able to really let go of that fight-or-flight mentality" and being able to better enter a recovery mindset.
Transit
Tannehill said OneRise has fielded questions specific to transportation and how people needing help will get to the south Wichita site if they live elsewhere, such as downtown.
He said there have been talks with city and county officials about potentially extending a transit line to OneRise, in addition to discussions about extending walking and biking baths to the campus.
What's ahead
Even if a state mental health hospital doesn't land at OneRise or other components don't come together quickly, Tannehill said that won't stop pieces of the campus from moving forward — like HealthCore Clinic, which has a letter of intent with OneRise.
"This is a masterplan to where we don't see the whole campus happening at one time," said Tannehill, who has previously said 2025 is the target for construction to begin on key components.
He added that OneRise will continue to seek out businesses or nonprofits wanting to invest in being part of the campus, while OneRise will also analyze if a capital campaign for specific sections of the site makes sense.