Union Station (Wichita, Kansas)


Union Station is the former central railway station in Wichita, Kansas. Since the end of passenger rail service to the city in 1979, it has been repurposed as commercial office space.

History

Wichita's Union Station opened in 1914. Through the 1930s, it served as the primary point of arrival for travelers coming to the city. Railroads including the Frisco, Santa Fe, and Rock Island offered passenger service to and from cities including Chicago, Los Angeles, and St. Louis. The station closed in 1979 when Amtrak discontinued its Lone Star line, ending passenger rail access to the city. The nearest intercity station is in Newton, 25 miles north, which is served by the Southwest Chief.
Since, the station terminal and nearby buildings have been redeveloped as a commercial office and retail campus. Cox Communications used the station as its local headquarters until vacating it in 2007. In 2013, local commercial real estate company Occidental Management purchased Union Station and began renovations. As of 2017, renovations of the station terminal continue while Occidental has resumed leasing commercial space in the neighboring buildings.