Virginia Apartments

Nokomis and Navarre Apartments

08/19/03

Virginia, Nokomis and Navarre Apartments
401-405 E. Third St.
426 & 420 N. Topeka Avenue

The Virginia , Nokomis and Navarre apartments, located near downtown Wichita, were constructed to serve the city's burgeoning professional class during a period of rapid population growth. In the eight decades since their construction, the apartments have housed hundreds of Wichita residents. The buildings' current rehabilitation, a project of Wichita-based H.O.P.E., Inc., will ensure that the buildings will serve residents for decades to come. The buildings will house more than 50 low income housing units.

The Nokomis was built in 1924 and its twin, the Navarre, in 1925. The developer was Claude Neil and the contractor was John Denny. The Virginia was built in 1917; the developer was Elmer Reece and the contractor was Dieter and Wenzel.

(Information courtesy ot the Kansas Preservation Magazine, Vol. 23, No. 1, Jan/Feb 2001.)