Officials broke ground Thursday morning on a new 80,000 square foot facility to be housed within the K-State Office Park.
“This project is going to bring our total to over 300,000 square feet of space and lab space for these corporate partners to do great things for our community. I think over the next couple of years you’re going to see several hundred millions of additional facilities coming into this district, enhancing prosperity and economic growth for Manhattan, and for the region,” said Greg Willems, KSU Foundation President and CEO.
The project is anticipated to be completed by July 2024. K-State President Richard Linton says the Edge Collaboration District has already created 1,400 jobs, with another 3,600 projected.
“That’s good for K-State. That’s good for Manhattan, Kansas. And that’s really great for the state of Kansas,” Linton said.
Linton says he has seen similar projects occur in his previous roles at North Carolina State and Purdue, both of which had impacts to the local economies.
The project is receiving $30 million in Industrial Revenue Bonds, along with a 10-year tax abatement from the City of Manhattan that includes a 100 percent abatement for the first five years, continuing in years 6 through 10, contingent on the amount capital investment being made by the Foundation as well as new job growth. Manhattan Mayor Mark Hatesohl says it’s an exciting project for the city’s economy.
“Every indication is that this will be a great location for companies that will pay good wages for K-State graduates and allow us to keep them here. I’m really looking forward to this thing opening up, which will then hopefully provide enough momentum to bring in the hotel and restaurants and all of the other great amenities that they’ve got planned,” he said.
University officials have said roughly a third of the new space has already been leased.
