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It took a relentless ‘army’ of Topekans to open this innovation hub; now it’s time to build
TOPEKA — Moving the capital city’s crown jewel innovation space from start to finish was anything but straight-line endeavor, said Molly Howey, describing the focus — and patience — that helped push the project forward, despite plenty of opportunities for collaborators to give up.
Molly Howey, CEO of the Greater Topeka Partnership, speaks during a ribbon-cutting event for the Link Innovation Labs project in Topeka; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
“This is one of those events that I really don’t need any talking points drafted for, because we’ve been working on it for over six years,” said Howey, CEO of the Greater Topeka Partnership, during Monday’s hotly-anticipated grand opening for the Link Innovation Labs in downtown Topeka.
“It does take a village,” she told a crowd of supporters gathered for a first look at the space. “It takes an army of committed individuals that understand the vision of this property and what it can be.”
Monday’s event revealed the culmination of a project that has lived on whiteboards, in meeting rooms, and on hand-drawn sketches in the hands of numerous Topeka organizations working to build the region a stronger role in the Animal Health Corridor.
“We should have a role in innovation,” said Dan Foltz, founder and president of KBS Constructors Inc., recalling early conversations that helped kick off the Link Innovation Labs effort. “We should play in that space.”
Spanning more than 17,000 square feet, Link includes wet and dry lab space, offices, co-working areas, conference rooms, pitch and training space and a public coffee shop.
Event-goers tour wet lab space at Link Innovation Labs in Topeka; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
An old building with a new job downtown
Link Innovation Labs occupies a former telecommunications building that has quietly watched downtown Topeka evolve through the decades. Now, the bulky structure is positioned to support startups, researchers, and entrepreneurs looking for a place to grow.
Dan Foltz, founder and president of KBS Constructors Inc., gives remarks during a ribbon-cutting event for the Link Innovation Labs project in Topeka; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
“It is built like a bunker,” described Foltz. “This is the most stout building I know in Topeka.”
Foltz shared that the structure once played a role in a major tech moment of its own.
“I believe the first audio visual phone connection between Mississippi and the Rocky Mountains was right here in that room back there,” said Foltz.
Whether to keep Link downtown was never seriously up for debate, regardless of the project’s various iterations through the years, officials said.
“One of the things that was really important to this project is we wanted it downtown,” said Joe Caldwell, board chair for GO Topeka. “It’s an accelerator for being downtown.”
The project initially explored other buildings, including a proposed downtown redevelopment that ultimately fell through. Instead of shelving the idea, the team regrouped.
“It would’ve been very easy to collapse under the pressure and say, ‘Maybe the time’s not right,’” said Caldwell. “But the team kept moving forward.”
Once the current location surfaced, momentum followed quickly.
“It became pretty obvious pretty quickly,” said Caldwell. “This is the spot to be.”
From site selection to ribbon cutting, the final stretch moved fast.
“When that decision was made, it was 18 months from the time that we said we needed to pivot to being here today,” said Caldwell.
The view of Sparrow Coffee Co. from inside a wet lab space at Link Innovation Labs in Topeka; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
Designed to connect people
The space was shaped through research, site visits, and trial-and-error conversations, including a deep dive into innovation campuses in other cities.
“We learned what worked, what didn’t, and what they wish they would have done differently,” said Stephanie Moran, senior vice president of innovation for GO Topeka. “We tried to build that flexibility into this space.”
One feature that stood out early: the need for a gathering place.
Jeffrey Kloch, partner at the Kansas City architecture firm Hufft, discusses the design behind Link Innovation Labs; photo by Nikki Overfelt Chifalu, Startland News
“When we were in Lincoln, the lab there had a cafe and everyone loved it,” said Jeffrey Kloch, partner at Hufft, the Kansas City architecture firm behind Link’s design. “It brings people in and connects a lot of people. You can share ideas.”
That concept helped inspire the inclusion of Sparrow Coffee Co., now operating inside Link.
The architecture itself, with connecting forms on the ceilings and walls, reflects the mission.
“When we thought about Link, we had images of people sharing ideas,” said Kloch. “A lot of the forms come together, then separate. It’s about connection and movement.”
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The building’s location gives it even more potential, he added.
“Topeka is in a really good spot between two major research universities,” Kloch said. “It helps bring activity back downtown.”
What happens next
Link opens with multiple partners already active inside the space. Washburn University sponsors the pitch room and houses its Small Business Development Center on-site; Kansas State University contributed lab equipment; and Plug and Play Tech Center will bring accelerator programming.
“You’ll see upcoming trainings and ecosystem partners here,” said Moran. “There’s going to be a lot of collaboration.”
As tours kicked off and coffee poured Monday, Moran encouraged people to return, not just for one-off events or other group’s activities, but to make the space part of their routine.
“Have your meetings here, build connections here, or just stop by,” she said.
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