Good move

Approval of a development at Eighth and New Hampshire streets is a good move for downtown Lawrence.

By approving a planned residential and commercial development at Eighth and New Hampshire streets the Lawrence City Commission has displayed an ability to look at the big picture rather than be driven by narrow interests.

It’s a good sign.

The project proposed by developer Bo Harris had been put off by commissioners several times, but on Tuesday they approved a 72-foot tall building in the 800 block of New Hampshire. Plans call for the structure to include 32 loft-style condominiums, retail space, office space and an underground parking garage.

In almost every respect, the plans represent what most city residents and officials would consider a perfect downtown project. Not only does it mix retail with residential uses to attract more people to live and shop downtown, it accomplishes those tasks without producing any new parking problems and without requiring any public investment.

Although the city’s Historic Resources Commission expressed concern about the height of the five-story building, city commissioners appropriately weighed that factor against the many positives of the project and approved Harris’ plan on Tuesday night.

Commissioner Boog Highberger said his desire to have mixed-use projects downtown outweighed his concern about the building’s height. His comment on the development reflected a common-sense approach: “I can talk all I want about mixed-use development, but I can’t make it happen. Bo Harris is here with a project.”

Lawrence residents shouldn’t minimize the investment and risk involved in developing such a project. As well-intentioned as the developers of the Downtown 2000 plan in the 1000 block of New Hampshire may have been, their vision for a development that included residential and retail uses has failed to materialize in spite of significant city assistance in the form of tax increment financing and a multilevel parking garage. In fact, the largest part of the project so far is the city-financed Lawrence Arts Center, which wasn’t even a part of the original Downtown 2000 plan.

Lawrence has done a wonderful job of nurturing one of the most attractive and vital downtown areas anywhere, but preserving our downtown is only possible if we allow it to evolve. Downtown Lawrence doesn’t have car dealerships or grocery stories or many of the department stores that populated the area 20 years ago, but it has evolved into an area of shops and restaurants that attracts visitors and is an asset to the community.

Another attraction of the city is its historical flavor, which the city should try to preserve. The project proposed by Harris appears designed to blend nicely with other structures in the area. It doesn’t destroy any historical property and will be a suitable substitute for an undeveloped lot just off downtown’s main street.

There probably isn’t a project anyone could dream up that city officials couldn’t find fault with. Harris has shown patience and sensitivity in his planning for a project that will be an asset to downtown Lawrence. City commissioners have displayed flexibility and practicality by approving the plan. It’s a step in the right direction.