WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) - The Wichita City Council approved spending over $6.3 million to turn the former Park Elementary School into a multi-agency center, 7-0. Last August, the City Council approved an agreement to develop the MAC and associated affordable housing. The City later acquired Park Elementary, which had recently closed. In September, the City Council approved about $2.3 million for renovations to prepare the property for this season's emergency winter shelter. City Council approves funding for Violence Interrupters Program On Tuesday, the City Council approved the $6.3 million for MAC renovations. Most of the money would come from ARPA funds. It would be used to renovate the inside of the building and upgrade current systems and facilities. "This will be a really impactful day when this emergency winter shelter opens because from that moment on, there will be a 24/7 shelter available even when MAC is being constructed. I think that will be a first for our community that we should all be mindful of because we don't have that right now," said Wichita Mayor Lily Wu. "This is absolutely a great first step and one of the votes that I'm extremely proud of during my tenure on council," said Wichita City Councilmember Becky Tuttle. According to the agenda item, construction for the MAC will occur in stages through March 31, 2025, and will continue with the newly formed 501(c)3 shelter services beginning on April 1, 2025. Construction is expected to take 12-18 months.