Rick Combs is ready to move his motorcycle shop and customizing business into town.

Into a condo, no less.

“It’ll be more convenient,” said Combs, owner of Combs Custom Cycle, which he’s operated full time for seven years north of the Kansas Turnpike.

Combs is the first business owner to buy a fraction of North Town, a “business condominium” project on five acres at 725 N. Second St., the site of a former asphalt plant in North Lawrence.

Construction continues on the $3 million project, a 58,500-square-foot business center that will be separated into sections for owners looking to hold down costs by buying into a larger building.

Steve Glass, president of LRM Industries and a partner in the development, said that North Town was about 30 days away from being ready to accommodate interior finishes.

Combs plans to have his new shop and showroom — occupying 2,400 square feet at the south end — ready for business in six weeks, and a Lawrence church has signed a letter of intent to occupy another 2,100 square feet.

The rest of the space remains available for others interested in a collective approach to ownership by sharing costs of the site, its building and ongoing maintenance.

“It could be retail, it could be subcontractors — a Sheetrock contractor could have an office and warehouse space all right there,” said Glass, who notes that the building has room for two floors, if deemed necessary. “Right now it looks like a big, metal monolith, but each space will receive a storefront appearance unique to that owner’s desires.

Workers guide one of five tower peaks into place at North Town, a new business condominium project, this week at 725 N. Second St. in North Lawrence. The million project is expected to be ready for occupancy in about a month.

“It will end up kind of looking like a block downtown once it’s done.”

Combs’ current shop is just up the road, alongside U.S. Highway 24-40, and he is looking forward to having improved traffic flow and a better-organized space. He spends his time building bikes and working on Harley-Davidsons, and looks to expand his ability to sell apparel and parts.

“I’m getting older,” said Combs, 52. “I just wanted a new space, and I wanted less maintenance for building and upkeep. … It’s going to be really fancy and nice.”