$80 million plan approved for KBI to move out of problematic area in Topeka to new home

TOPEKA (KSNT) - One of Kansas' top law enforcement agencies is getting a big upgrade after receiving approval for a new headquarters in Topeka this year, saving it from its current poor location.

Lawmakers gave the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) the go-ahead this year for a new headquarters building in downtown Topeka. The agency asked the Kansas Legislature for financial help last year, citing a litany of issues with its current headquarters in Topeka.

Governor Laura Kelly and members of the Kansas Legislature passed Senate Bill 125 last week. The bipartisan budget bill allocates cash for fiscal years 2025 through to 2028. While the bill was subject to line-item vetoes from Kelly, the section on the new KBI headquarters was not impacted by them.

Senate Bill 125 clears the way for a capital improvement project to design, build, renovate and equip a new KBI headquarters in Topeka's downtown area. The bill also allows for the purchase of property for the building.

Melissa Underwood with the KBI told 27 News on April 16 the agency is now looking for competitive bids for vendors who can build or renovate a new headquarters building under the stipulations of Senate Bill 125. The project will be covered by up to 30-year bonds with a cap set at $80 million.

"We appreciate that the Legislature recognized the KBI’s necessity for having a Headquarters facility that is safe, secure, and efficient for conducting critical public safety operations," Underwood said.

Underwood said the new location for the headquarters and an exact timeline for moving out of the agency's current building isn't known yet. Staff at the current headquarters at 1620 Southwest Tyler Street will move out only after the new facility is completed.

KBI Director Tony Mattivi submitted testimony earlier this year reporting the current KBI headquarters is located in a high-crime area, suffers from a bat infestation, leaks in the roof and other issues. He said the more than 100-year-old building, originally built as a school, was not an ideal place to house the agency.

Original plans put forward by the KBI asked lawmakers for around $115 million to build a new headquarters. Possible locations pitched for the headquarters included the former Menninger campus, the Kansas Neurological Institute or former State Hospital grounds.

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