The KSU Foundation, Kansas State University representatives and community partners celebrated the completion of the Edge District's newest office building with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 20, 2024.

Located at 1960 Kimball Ave. in Manhattan, Kansas, the building will offer 80,000 square feet of state-of-the-art office space for university partners near campus and the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. Partner tenants leverage the strengths of K-State while contributing industry expertise to academic and research efforts and streamlining student talent recruitment. With flexible office space for 250 employees, the building will increase the Edge District’s total office and laboratory space to 300,000 square feet.

“This ribbon cutting celebrates the growth of our Edge District, which will enhance our university into the next-generation land-grant university while energizing regional economic growth,” said Marshall Stewart, K-State senior vice president and chief of staff. “The Edge offers the necessary infrastructure to foster partnerships between private and public sectors, supporting K-State’s objective of enhancing not only the K-State community, but beyond.”

The Edge is a growing economic development district along K-State’s North Campus Corridor. Its master plan includes 500 acres with $2 billion in completed and planned infrastructure. Among its largest partners are Burns and McDonnell, the Kansas and U.S. Departments of Agriculture, McCownGordon Construction, Stormont Vail Health, and Sink Gordon Accountants & Advisors LLP, which are joined by Rockin K’s restaurant and a Brothers Coffee Co. location. New jobs created by the Edge District number approximately 1,400 to date, with a total of 5,000 predicted by 2035.

“We have a lot to celebrate with the completion of this facility,” said Greg Lohrentz, senior vice president of operations and finance at the foundation. “We’re proud to have finished under budget and months ahead of schedule, which is helpful as demand for space in this location continues to grow in response to increasing opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration between academia and industry.”

Ground was broken at 1960 Kimball Ave. in April 2023. Currently, the building is 50% pre-leased, and will soon be home to K-State's Office for Corporate Engagement and Economic Development, the K-State Research Foundation Technology Commercialization and New Ventures Development Group, and K-State 105. 

As Kansas State University’s strategic partner for philanthropy, the KSU Foundation inspires and guides philanthropy toward university priorities to boldly advance K-State.