Groover Labs has signed a lease to house WSU ShiftSpace at its 42,000-square-foot technology hub opening at Third and St. Francis in Wichita.

The collaboration is the first partnership for the nonprofit going up in the former Printing Inc. building.

“Groover Labs will be a space big enough to house people with big ideas — including artists, makers and entrepreneurs,” said co-founder Curt Gridley. “We are delighted to have ShiftSpace as our first partnership. Our longtime support of Wichita State University through the Gridley Family Foundation also makes this a fabulous fit.”

Part product development lab, coworking space, event hall, Groover Labs is a home base for new product development. Gridley and Hoover are investing more than $5 million in the nonprofit, which will offer several levels of membership and amenities including access to private offices, open desks, studio space and product development labs. An event space, classrooms and conference rooms will be available for public rental.

Groover Labs offers 14,000 square feet of makerspace featuring a PCB assembly and electronics shop, a 3-axis CNC machine, plasma cutters, 3D printers and a wood shop with a CNC routing table and more — plus people to help.

Students organize the exhibition schedule and programming for ShiftSpace, which the WSU Student Government Association funds. The WSU School of Art Design and Creative Industries (ADCI) oversees the galleries.

“ShiftSpace is a real-world learning environment for students,” said Kristin Beal, ADCI gallery manager. “We’re looking forward to engaging with the community from this new space.”

Gridley and his co-founder and wife, Tracy Hoover, seek to create a collaborative environment in an area becoming known as Downtown Wichita’s newest hot spot.

Groover Labs — think Gridley + Hoover — is next door to WAVE, a live music venue, bar and restaurant helping to enliven Wichita’s music scene.

“We love the area and the vision Curt and Tracy have for Groover Labs,” Beal said. “This move is going to open up all kinds of new opportunities for our students.”

Hutton is the contractor for the design build project.