Officials with WSU Tech and community leaders gathered Wednesday for a groundbreaking for a new culinary school in downtown Wichita.

The former Henry’s building at Douglas and Broadway will house a culinary arts school with programs in hospitality and events management.   WSU Tech president Sheree Utash said the school would be known as The National Institute for Culinary and Hospitality Education, or NICHE.

The building will feature state-of-the-art commercial kitchens, a demonstration kitchen, a food hall that will be open to the public, a student-run cafe, and a rooftop events center that will be available to the public.

Envision is working with WSU Tech on the project, and it will offer culinary training for people under Envision programs.

Construction on the school is expected to be complete by August of 2022.    It is part of a complex that will include a new medical school.