'We're in a horrible neighborhood': KBI requests $115 million for new headquarters

TOPEKA (KSNT) - The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) made several major budget requests this week for the upcoming fiscal year, including a request for nearly $115 million for a new headquarters.

KBI Director Tony Mattivi appeared before the Legislative Budget Committee within the statehouse building in Topeka on Monday, Nov. 25 to speak on several issues related to the bureau. Among the documents entered as testimony for this meeting was a list of enhancement requests, including for a new KBI headquarters building at the cost of $114,400,000 in Fiscal Year 2026.

The current KBI headquarters can be found in Topeka at 1620 Southwest Tyler Street. The structure was formerly the Crane Junior High School, according to Mattivi's testimony. Numerous issues were highlighted in the testimony for the existing KBI building.

"It is impossible to bring physical security up to an appropriate level at this location. Furthermore, the building has numerous code related issues and infrastructure past life expectancy. For example, some of the sanitary sewer piping is close to 100 years old and replacement will be complex and costly. The building is also not equipped with major life safety systems such as a fire sprinkler system, smoke control system, or fire barriers, which would prevent the spread of fire. Simply put, the facility does not provide a safe work environment for the roughly 250 state employees who work here."

KBI testimony excerpt

Mattivi, responding to the gathered lawmakers, informed them that aside from structural issues in the old building, he worried greatly for the safety of KBI staff working at the location. He cited the local area as being unsafe for people working at the headquarters.

"The short version is, our headquarters isn't safe, that's the bottom line, our headquarters building is not safe and it's not safe for two reasons," Mattivi said. "Number one the location. We are in, and I don't mean to be unkind to anyone, but we're in a horrible neighborhood. We have two separate buildings, we have no security or perimeter fencing. Employees walk between our buildings through an alley and are often confronted with homeless people and drug addicts because that's what surrounds the KBI building and for us to be in that location with no security, no perimeter is just unsafe."

The KBI hired a regional architectural and engineering firm to examine all of the agency's facilities statewide. This survey found that size restraints and necessary upgrades to the current KBI headquarters make it incapable of continuing to serve in its current capacity for the agency.

"Our budget this year is focused on being very minimalistic, other than the headquarters request which I recognize is huge in being very minimalistic, but the other thing we're doing this year is we're trying to take better care of ourselves," Mattivi said. "There are a number of ways that the KBI can enhance existing fee structures and implement at least one additional revenue source, and so that's going to be our emphasis in the next year."

Mattivi told lawmakers wire transfers and background checks could be used as these new revenue sources for the KBI. He also said the agency has already begun looking at other locations in the Topeka area which can serve as the future KBI headquarters.

Other major enhancement requests made during the committee meeting included the following:

• Recruitment and retention of KBI personnel - $239,626.
• KBI cyber security - $1,674,736.
• Laboratory infrastructure - $1,201,568.
• Offender registration compliance - $500,000.

You can watch the full meeting between Mattivi and the Legislative Budget Committee on Nov. 25 by clicking here. You can find a list of testimony entered for this meeting by clicking here.

For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here.

Follow Matthew Self on X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/MatthewLeoSelf