Kansas City-based University of Kansas Health System purchased a former Environmental Protection Agency office building with plans to convert it into a $61 million behavioral health facility, reports KCUR.
The 220,000-square-foot building, which was constructed specifically for the EPA in 1999, has been vacant since 2011 when the government agency was unable to negotiate a new lease with the landlord.
KU Health purchased the building with plans to convert it into a behavioral health-focused facility with nearly 400 employees and a 47-bed adult behavioral health unit. Renovations are expected to take about a year.
"This expansion in downtown Kansas City provides the space we need to increase mental and behavioral health services in a full-scale facility for people who need this care in our community, region and the state," said Chris Ruder, RN, KU Health's vice president of patient services, according to KCUR.