County hires architect
for JLE renovations
Douglas County is planning to pay Lawrence architect Gould Evans Associates about $311,000 for design work on an expansion and renovation to the Judicial & Law Enforcement Center and renovations to the county courthouse.
The county is planning to spend about $3.3 million on the two projects, the scope of which Gould Evans helped define.
The work includes renovating the old jail space for offices, adding a courtroom and more space for the district attorney, renovating the courthouse and adding a sprinkler system.
23rd St. access point
to cost county $11,500
Douglas County will spend about $11,500 to replace an access point to a frontage road just east of 23rd and Harper streets. The cost to the city of Lawrence will be $10,000.
The access was torn out as part of a retail development being built in the area.
The frontage road serves several businesses and is a back entrance to the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds used on busy days. The only access to the frontage road now requires a dangerous turn in fast-moving traffic, Douglas County commissioners complained in seeking to reinstate the access.
On Monday, commissioners said they need to fix the situation, though they weren't happy about it.
"We've got to fix a safety problem," Commissioner Charles Jones said. "That's the most important thing."
The replacement contract is being offered to LRM Industries, which has a crew in the area working on the retail development.
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