Dondlinger wins bid to build Woolsey Hall, new home of the W. Frank Barton School
of Business at WSU
Oct. 7, 2020
By WSU Strategic Communications
Contact: Lori Linenberger, WSU Foundation Director of Communications, 316-978-6812 or lori.linenberger@wichita.edu.
Dondlinger Construction of Wichita has been awarded a contract to build Woolsey Hall,
the new home for the W. Frank Barton School of Business at Wichita State University.
Dondlinger’s bid, the lowest of eight submitted to the state in a competitive bid
process, came in below the university’s projected total project cost of $60 million
for the 125,000-square-foot facility (with an additional 9,000 square feet for a mechanical
penthouse.)
“This is another milestone in our endeavor to build a facility for an exceptional
business school, a cutting-edge environment for our students that will be a jewel
at the center of our campus,” said WSU Acting President and Provost Rick Muma.
Financing plans have called for the WSU Foundation to raise $35 million of the project
cost from private funds, with about $31.5 million already secured in gifts and pledges.
The remainder, $25 million, is to be covered by Wichita State through a bonding plan
approved by the Kansas Board of Regents.
These financing plans will remain in place, with the WSU Foundation seeking to use
new donations for a technology advancement fund that will give the Barton School the
resources it needs to stay up to date on technological improvements.
“With the rapid changes in technology year after year, we know there will be a pressing
need for funds to make sure our students, faculty, industry partners and other stakeholders
have an immersive and engaging environment that supports their work – from learning
to teaching, research to collaborative activities,” said Larisa Genin, dean of the
Barton School of Business.
Through its bonding arrangement, Wichita State not only will cover its share of building
Woolsey Hall, but will also investigate options should there be excess bonding proceeds.
Wayne and Kay Woolsey Hall, named for the Wichita couple who made the lead gift in
the fundraising campaign, will provide a collaborative learning environment that allows
Wichita State to deliver the kind of business education students need to help drive
our regional economy.
The three-level, LEED-certified building was designed by the architectural team of
GastingerWalker of Kansas City and Gensler Chicago. Groundbreaking is scheduled for
Oct. 22, and the new facility is expected to be completed in spring 2022.
Dondlinger Construction is a general contractor with more than 120 years in business.
It has a long history of landmark projects throughout the region, including major
facilities at Wichita State such as Shocker Hall, the Rhatigan Student Center renovation,
the John Bardo Center and recent Eck Stadium improvements.
Wichita State University serves as the Kansas urban-based research university, enrolling
more than 20,000 students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries.
Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation
driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in
the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM),
Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of
applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.
Wichita State University serves as the Kansas urban-based research university, enrolling
more than 20,000 students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries.
Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation
driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in
the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM),
Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of
applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one
of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing
over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
