Manhattan, Kansas, is revitalizing its oldest business district.
The City of Manhattan broke ground in 2020 on a new $14 million, 450-stall parking garage that kicks off a complete revitalization of the Aggieville Business District, a mid-town, multi-use area directly adjacent to Kansas State University.
In addition to the garage, several other Aggieville projects are well underway, all designed to make the district more walkable and attractive to regional residents. This is the second major revitalization project undertaken by Manhattan, after a major downtown redevelopment project spurred over $100 million in private investment in the last decade.
The city’s efforts in Aggieville have already attracted outside investment, including a new five-story Courtyard by Marriott set to be completed in 2021 and new multi-unit apartments that opened in 2020.
“We are on the cusp of some wonderful things happening in Manhattan, and everyone is looking at us,” said Manhattan Mayor Usha Reddi. “When you see cranes and construction sites and everything happening in the middle of a pandemic, that’s positive news, and that’s not happening everywhere.”
Since 1889, Aggieville has served the K-State student body and the local residents as a terrific place to spend time.
The oldest shopping district in Kansas, Aggieville’s wide variety of businesses makes it a family-friendly environment during the day and an entertainment hot spot at night. With annual events including the Mayor’s Christmas parade, St. Patrick's Day parade, K-State homecoming parade and pep rally, and the Little Apple New Year’s Eve celebration and ball drop, “The ’Ville” attracts people from around the country.
The new Aggieville will continue to be the prime destination for K-State students in search of dining and night life. However, the upgrades will also attract young professionals, retirees and visitors from around the nation to this revitalized and rejuvenated treasure.
