Lawrence city commissioners will vote next month on an agreement to purchase a building near Sixth and Iowa streets to serve as the new city hall. The proposed building, at 2000 Bluffs Drive, would provide about 50,000 square feet of space and would require an estimated $11.7 million in remodeling on top of a $4.2 million purchase agreement. That’s $15.9 million total. The current City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St., was dedicated in 1980. At 35,544 square feet, it’s no longer big enough to hold the city workforce, according to presenters during the meeting. Commissioners have included $12 million in their capital improvement plan for city hall updates, whether that be the current site or a different building. The city has contracted with local design studio Multistudio for $130,000 for preliminary work to evaluate sites and spaces and complete predesign work. Gwen Gigous and Katie Pohlman with Multistudio told commissioners the building on Bluffs Drive would give space for current and future needs, as well as provide safe and secure space for city staff. The city is leasing space at Riverfront Mall for Lawrence Municipal Court and Planning and Development Services for $300,000 annually. That lease ends in 2028, and there is an option to purchase in the contract. The Bluffs Drive building would give space for the city to move those two functions under the same roof as most of the rest of city staff.
Source: The Lawrence Times
