Topeka ? The planned biomedical research facility at Kansas University Medical Center will be built under budget, the chairman of a group overseeing construction said Thursday.

“We’re not quite through the first quarter, but we’ve put some points on the board,” said Clay Blair, chairman of the subsidiary corporation that is supervising planning and construction of several university research projects.

Blair told members of the Legislative Budget Committee that a proposed $65 million biomedical research facility at the Med Center in Kansas City, Kan., might be built for as little as $55 million — $10 million below budget.

Blair said lower-than-expected architecture and management fees, low interest rates on bonds and the competitive atmosphere of companies bidding to be part of the project were among the factors leading to the lower costs.

In 2002, the Legislature approved issuing $120 million in bonds to finance research facilities at KU, Kansas State and Wichita State.

The state will pay back $50 million of the bonds, and the remainder will be paid off by the universities.

Blair said the Med Center project would go out to bid in April with construction to start shortly afterward.

Other projects on the drawing board include a food-safety and research facility at Kansas State, and expansion of the aviation engineering complex at Wichita State.

The bond issue also includes funds for the purchase of research equipment for a biology center at KU’s Lawrence campus.4-4222.