During the Spring 2025 semester, third-year Interior Design students completed an engaged project with community members of Downtown Salina in their studio course. The class first visited the site, a vacant former JCPenney, and explored the surrounding area and context. Before leaving the site, the class had the opportunity to speak to one of the key stakeholders in the project to understand the client’s vision for the building. Students were given the charge to provide amenities within the building that accommodate a wide variety of users based on age, occupation, household size and more. In an effort to design for user groups specific to the area, students explored information and datasets from All Things Kansas, a GIS database provided by Kansas State University.

To better understand the practice of adaptive reuse and its challenges and opportunities, the students then conducted a precedent study and analysis of similar projects, both regionally and nationally, that have been completed. Guided by faculty members Barbara Anderson and Kristianna Johnson, teams of students developed concepts for a mixed-use retail, food hall and restaurant for the space. With the culmination of the design development phase, each team presented their solutions to an audience that included local developers, interior designers, architects and interested community members. The opportunity for students to interface with real professionals and stakeholders provided a positive dialogue and learning experience for all.