Wal-Mart officials have started the process to significantly expand their existing Lawrence store into a supercenter that would include a full-service grocery department.

The world’s largest retailer has filed a rezoning request with the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Department that would allow the company to expand its store at 3300 Iowa Street from 121,856 square feet to 208,492 square feet. The documents said most of the new space would accommodate a grocery department.

The expansion is part of a larger proposed project that would include Crown Automotive moving its dealerships into the vacant Payless Cashways building, which is directly south of the current dealership. Wal-Mart, in turn, would purchase the property where the dealerships are currently located to give the retailer the necessary room to expand.

Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commissioners are tentatively scheduled to hear the necessary rezoning requests at their June 23 meeting.