NASCA Press Release: State of Kansas Announced as 2025 Innovation in State Government: Facilities and Real Estate Optimization Award Recipient
For Immediate Release
October 27, 2025
Contact: Elizabeth Whitehouse, Executive Director, executivedirector@nasca.org
NASCA Press Release: State of Kansas Announced as 2025 Innovation in State Government: Facilities and Real Estate Optimization Award Recipient
Topeka, KS — The National Association of State Chief Administrators is proud to announce the State of Kansas as a recipient of the NASCA 2025 Innovation in State Government Award in the Facilities and Real Estate Optimization category for its Renovation of the Docking State Office Building project.
The Innovation in State Government Awards recognize state administration department programs, projects, and initiatives that exemplify leading practices in the industry. The Facilities and Real Estate Optimization category honors projects that strategically enhance how states plan and manage public facilities to better serve employees and citizens alike.
The Renovation of the Docking State Office Building marks the culmination of a 20-year effort to restore and renovate one of Kansas’ most iconic government buildings. Originally constructed in 1957, the Docking Building has been reimagined under the leadership of Deputy Secretary Frank Burnam as a modern, energy-efficient facility that simultaneously preserves historic architectural elements while meeting the needs of today’s workforce.
The new Docking building is one of the most energy-efficient buildings in the nation, due in large part to the strategic blend of new and old technologies that were an essential element of the building plan. The building’s new design incorporates advanced design and engineering strategies – including the use of electro-chromatic glazing within windows and a Thermal Labyrinth Ventilation System that places less burden on the mechanical system. More than 90% of the original building materials were repurposed in the new building in some way.
In 2024, Governor Laura Kelly hosted a beam-signing ceremony at the site of the deconstructed building to celebrate the start of reconstruction. At the ceremony, the Governor praised the project and Burnam’s leadership.
“Frank and his team at the Department of Administration had a monumental task in front of them with this project to reconstruct Docking. The preservation of so much original material and artwork is an homage to our past, while the cutting-edge technology and modern facilities look forward to our state’s future. And perhaps best of all, there were no cost overruns and we paid for it in cash.”
Governor Kelly continued, “Thanks to Frank’s leadership, generations of Kansans can be proud of this ‘front-door’ to the state.”
The Docking Building’s transformation demonstrates how strategic planning, innovation, and sustainability can both preserve history and adapt to modern needs. This project represents a national standard for facility optimization and models the excellence honored by the NASCA Innovation in State Government Award: Facilities and Real Estate Optimization Award.
Founded in 1976, NASCA is the nation’s only nonpartisan, nonprofit organization serving chief administrative officers or CAOs. NASCA provides a forum for state chief administrative officers to exchange information and learn new ideas from each other and private sector partners. NASCA engages states in transforming government operations through shared knowledge, operational excellence, and thought leadership.
For more information on NASCA, please visit NASCA.org.
