BioLabsDHS in Manhattan, Kansas, to discuss the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility
DHS visits the site of the site of the planned $725 million National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas, on the campus of the Kansas State University; DHS officials held a public meeting with Manhattan residents to discuss the new lab
If you drive down Kimball or Denison in Manhattan, Kansas, you can not help but notice all the construction happening on practically every corner. It is a sure sign that Kansas State University and Manhattan are getting ready for the $725 million National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility that will fill the space.
“It’s been going really smoothly considering we’ve been working on a really tight schedule,” Associate Director of Facilities Planning for K-State, Mark Taussig, says.
KTKA 49 News’s Lindsey Elliott reports that DHS was in Manhattan last Thursday to check on the progress and plan for the future. “They want the site completely cleared of all structures, above and below ground,” Taussig says.
The corner of Kimball and Denison is where the federal lab will be. So while the city is busy moving a water line and getting utilities ready, K-State is finding a new home for the buildings using the space now.
Construction has also begun on a new Animal Research Facility at Denison and Marlatt to replace the one that sits on the hill and the new one should be done this Fall. “There’s a significant amount of work to get done,” Taussig says.
He says demolition will start in a couple of weeks and to get an idea of what it will look like, Taussig says NBAF will sit on top of the hill across from the fire station, with access to the lab off of Denison and a parking lot near the road.
Manhattan was chosen as the site for the bio-terrorism lab in 2008.
“I think it’s an economic benefit to have it here because it creates new jobs and it creates high-paying jobs,” Taussig says. He says the area should be cleared off by September and they will then give the land to DHS.
