Running the Survey

As one of Wichita’s oldest neighborhoods, Delano is steeped in history dating back to the Cowtown days.  Many historic buildings still exist and thrive in this neighborhood. Located on the northwest corner of Sycamore and Douglas street, the Delano Office Building needed more than a fresh coat of paint and a good cleaning. It needed an overhaul. With due diligence, Hutton Construction accounted for every deficiency prior to starting the ambitious project of turning the existing building into desirable office space.

Laying the Foundation

Originally designed as a retail building with a sole purpose of providing window shoppers a view from Douglas street, the building had no other architectural features on the remaining three sides. Hutton started the conversion process by cutting large window openings in the existing exterior brick walls. This process required fortifying the building’s structure to accommodate the new views to the east. With a new roof installed and all new windows, 6,000-plus square feet of nothingness began to take shape. New interior walls divided the building into efficient and spacious office areas. It had been a long time since the building had seen so much attention and care. To polish things off, rugged structural steel was crafted into attractive window awnings, and period light fixtures give the building a look and feel consistent with the Delano business area.

The Finishing Touches

With a dash of new mixed in with the historic, the resulting office building has a unique charm all its own. You can still see the historic value in the building inside and out. In the end, three separate office spaces were created, each with their own exterior entrance. The Delano Office Building is a prime example of what can be achieved with what we have. Repurposing an existing building is not only a good idea, but it is a responsible practice that should be taken into consideration when dealing with historic neighborhoods and business districts.