Plans for a new Kansas Bureau of Investigation headquarters in downtown Topeka are moving forward, but a new question is emerging over who should help pay for the project.
That has left at least one lawmaker suggesting they should consider other communities if the state’s capital city won’t help fund the project.
While the state has authorized up to $80 million in bonds for the headquarters, some lawmakers are pushing for local entities to provide support, a request that has raised concerns about city budgets and the timing of the project.
The disagreement came as the Joint Committee on State Building Construction reviewed the KBI’s plans for a new headquarters and considered whether local governments should provide financial or in-kind support.
Interim KBI Director Robert Jacobs told the committee that the agency had not asked Topeka for financial assistance or an in-kind contribution. The KBI had sought letters of support from the city, Jacobs said, but could still approach Topeka about assistance.
The committee ultimately approved asking the KBI to contact Topeka and Shawnee County about financial or in-kind support and report whether the outreach occurred. The committee also recommended that state agency heads seek local support for new construction projects totalling more than $1.5 million.
Republican state Sen. Rick Billinger, representing northwest Kansas, said local governments should have an incentive to help attract state facilities because of the economic activity they could generate.
“Maybe we look at Lawrence or Salina, Wichita? I bet you there's buildings and land that people would bend over backward to get you to come there,” Billinger said.
Democratic Rep. John Alcala, whose district includes the proposed headquarters site, raised concerns about the city’s financial position and the ability to help fund the facility.
“There's just not enough money to meet the budget without trying to raise taxes,” Alcala said.
Topeka Mayor Spencer Duncan questioned the timing of the discussion, saying the city had just finalized its budget.
The KBI selected the southeast corner of 10th and Quincy streets for the proposed headquarters after evaluating sites around Topeka. Jacobs said the one-block property would provide room for a new building and surface parking while keeping the agency near the Capitol complex, Judicial Center and other state partners.
“We've been looking for a long time for the appropriate and perfect spot for the KBI, and we believe that this is it,” Jacobs said.
The 2025 state budget authorized the KBI to issue up to $80 million in bonds for a downtown headquarters, including land acquisition. The law allows bonds with terms of up to 30 years, with debt service financed through state appropriations. The project also requires State Finance Council approval before the bonds are issued.
The existing KBI headquarters, the former Crane Junior High School, was built in 1929 and has been occupied by the agency since 1984. KBI officials have described the facility as unfit because of safety concerns.
Former KBI Director Tony Mattivi told lawmakers nearly two years ago that the current neighborhood was “horrible” and that employees were “confronted by homeless people and drug addicts.”
The state has not yet determined what will happen to the old headquarters after the KBI moves.
The downtown project remains in its planning stages, with property acquisition, design, financing and additional state approvals still ahead.
Zach Boblitt reports on the Kansas Statehouse for the Kansas News Service.
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