Capital Projects Involving National Guard Facilities, Emergency Management Services, and the Northeast Kansas Veterans’ Home

State agencies in Kansas that are responsible for military operations, emergency management, and veterans’ care are embarking on significant capital projects. These agencies include the Adjutant General’s Department and the Kansas Commission on Veterans Affairs Office (KCVAO).

Joint Forces Headquarters

The 2023 Legislature approved expenditures of $17.6 million, all from federal funds, for construction of a new Joint Forces Headquarters (JFHQ) on federal property at the Forbes Field Air National Guard Base in Topeka in FY 2023. The 59,000-square-foot facility will house the office of the Adjutant General, command staff for the Kansas Air and Army National Guard, and other agency services supporting strategic operations and planning.

The two-story structure will include:

• A storm shelter built to Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) criteria;
• Ground-source heat systems; and
• High-efficiency air conditioning.

Funding for the JFHQ is provided through the federal National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2022. Completion of the JFHQ is estimated for October 2024.

State Defense Building Remodel

The Adjutant General’s Department plans to expend $22.6 million, all from federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds, to remodel the State Defense Building (SDB) in Topeka in FY 2024. Built in the 1970s to hold the office of the Adjutant General and command staff for the Kansas Air and Army National Guard, the SDB currently houses the Kansas Division of Emergency Management (KDEM) and the State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC). The current configuration lacks capabilities to sustain prolonged operations during emergency activation, sufficient technology, and office and training space.

The remodeled facility will include:

• Expanded offices, planning rooms, and classrooms for KDEM;
• Joint Information Center with press briefing facilities; and
• A newly constructed wing built to FEMA criteria, capable of withstanding 250 mph winds, to house the SEOC and data centers.

ARPA funding for this project was approved by the State Finance Council on December 21, 2022, as part of the State Efficiency and Modernization Program.

New Hays Armory

The 2022 Legislature appropriated $18.1 million, all from the State General Fund, to the Adjutant General’s Department for construction of a new National Guard Armory in Hays. Expenditures include a land purchase and construction of a 49,792-square-foot Readiness Center.

The current armory, located in a flood plain, is more than 60 years old and lacks adequate training space and maintenance bay capacity to store modern military vehicles.

On December 5, 2023, the Kansas Military Board approved the purchase of a 25-acre site located north of Interstate 70 at a cost of $1.3 million, contingent upon the property seller installing utilities connections and annexation into the City of Hays. The site was selected due to the minimal risk of inherent environmental concerns, proximity to I-70, and opportunity for future build-out.

The new armory will house the 997th Brigade Support Battalion of the Kansas Army National Guard and a STARBASE youth program. Project completion is estimated for FY 2028. Plans for disposition of the current Hays armory are in development.

Northeast Kansas Veterans’ Home

The 2023 Legislature appropriated a total of $17.2 million, all from the State Institutions Building Fund (SIBF), to the KCVAO to provide the State’s portion for constructing a veterans’ home in Northeast Kansas. The total project cost is estimated at $49.0 million, with the remaining funding to be provided through a pending application to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).

Proponents for the new veterans’ home indicate such a facility is needed in Northeast Kansas to accommodate a growing population of veterans in that region. KCVAO currently operates veterans’ homes in Dodge City and Winfield.

In March 2021, Executive Order 21-07 directed KCVAO to submit an application to the VA’s State Veterans Home Construction Grant Program. HB 2510 (2022) authorized $17.2 million in bonding to demonstrate the State’s commitment to its portion, which is 35.0 percent of the project cost. However, the 2023 Legislature appropriated the same amount from the SIBF in 2023 HB 2184, rather than issue 20-year bonds.

HB 2184 also transferred 15 acres on the grounds of the Kansas Neurological Institute in Topeka to KCVAO as the site for the new veterans’ home, contingent upon of receipt of federal funding. The site is adjacent to the federal Colmery-O’Neil Veterans’ Administration Medical Center.

The proposed 72-bed veterans’ home will include:

• Administrative offices and dining facilities;
• A common area with a theater and library; and
• Resident households arranged in neighborhoods with shared nursing stations.

Notification regarding the outcome of KCVAO’s application for federal funding through the VA’s competitive State Veterans Home Construction Grant Program is anticipated in May 2024.