Plans are in the works to develop more retail space at the northeast corner of 31st and Iowa streets.

First National Development Inc., which is developing Best Buy and Home Depot stores at the location, has filed a preliminary plan for three more buildings on the site.

According to the plan, two of the buildings would be restaurants or small retail shops, and the third would be a gas station and convenience store. No details on tenants for the buildings were provided in the plans filed at City Hall. Attempts to reach officials with First National Development Inc. were unsuccessful.

But Roger Flory, owner of the Commerce Plaza Gas & Mini Mart at 3034 Iowa, said his business would lease about 3,500 square feet in the development. The building currently housing his convenience store/gasoline station will be razed to make way for the new construction. Flory estimated the project would be completed by the middle of next year.

He hopes the project is not delayed. Already, Flory said, construction on the nearby Home Depot and Best Buy stores is hurting his business.

“Our business is off about 70 percent,” Flory said. “We knew it would drop, but we were expecting about 25 or 30 percent.”

Flory, who owns the business with his wife, Teresa, said the closure and removal of one westbound lane of 31st Street for the Home Depot project was to blame. That has made it difficult for travelers on 31st Street to get into his business.

“It is just a mudhole right now,” Flory said. “You couldn’t come in here and buy anything without getting your car pretty muddy, and that doesn’t work very well in the city.”

Flory said he didn’t have any complaints about the way the city or developers have handled the project. He just hopes the city gives developers quick approval to begin work on the rest of the project.

If the project is approved, Flory’s business will be part of a new 6,160-square-foot building that would be farther north of the intersection, next door to the GCO Carpet Outlet, 3000 Iowa.

Construction on 31st Street has caused a 70 percent drop in business for Commerce Plaza Gas & Mini Mart, located at the intersection of 31st and Iowa streets, according to the owners. Owner Roger Flory stood Monday at the former 31st Street entryway to his station. The project is tied to development nearby of Home Depot and Best Buy stores.

The new building would allow him to more than quadruple his current space and expand his station to six gasoline pumps from four. He said he’d been told the remaining 2,000 to 3,000 square feet in the building would be rented to other small-scale retailers.

The project would include two other buildings. One would be an 11,000-square-foot building near the corner of 31st and Iowa to house either a restaurant or retail store. Another building, which would be built in between the two new buildings, would be 10,500 square feet and is listed as being available to a restaurant or retail shop.

All three buildings would be accessed only from the existing frontage road that runs along Iowa Street, or from the parking lots of Best Buy or Home Depot.

Currently, the site includes Flory’s convenience store, a coin-operated laundry and a liquor store, all of which would be razed as part of the new project.

Lawrence-Douglas County planning commissioners are scheduled to consider the project at their Nov. 20 meeting.

The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be at Lawrence City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St.