CICO Park Improvements
Client
City of Manhattan, Kansas
1101 Poyntz Avenue Manhattan, KS 66502 785.587.2754
Year Completed
2026
Service Provided
Design Development
Project Description
The CICO Park Improvements Project was a transformative park and athletics upgrade in Manhattan, KS, revitalizing a recreational facility originally built in the 1960s. Funded through the 2017 Quality of Life Sales Tax, the approximately $16.5 million project was designed to modernize the park’s sports amenities, improve site infrastructure, and expand access for school, league, and community use.
Schwab Eaton joined BHS Construction, Baker McMillan Architects, Dudley Williams & Assoc., and Orazem & Scalora Engineering in a design-build effort to provide public engagement, schematic design, design development, construction documentation, and construction administration services.
The project includes two softball fields and two baseball fields with infield artificial turf at the north end. An artificial turf warmup area with eight batting tunnels and eight pitching mounds is located near a center structure with a viewing deck. Field and common-area lighting, foul ball netting, landscape and irrigation are included throughout the ballfields area. Of the 4 new ballfields, two are designated as ‘primary’ and contain CMU dugouts and extra storage space. A new parking lot sits approximately 12 feet above the center building along the west edge of the ballfields area and implements several large-block segmental retaining walls to handle the grade change. At the south end of the project, an eight-court tennis complex is located as well as a track and field throwing area. Stormwater improvements were made to an existing channel and detention basin in this area as well.
CICO Park now supports USD 383 junior varsity and varsity tennis, track and field, baseball, and softball, along with City of Manhattan parks and recreation adult and youth baseball and softball leagues. It is also open to members of the local community for public enjoyment, making it a central recreational asset for Manhattan.