Crews next week will begin removing Christmas lights lining buildings on Massachusetts Street as downtown merchants plan for new holiday decorations.

Rick Marquez, executive director of Downtown Lawrence Inc., said the group decided that holiday lights it put on buildings several years ago needed to go. The lights were damaged by spring storms and would cost $30,000 to replace.

Marquez said downtown would be decorated with lights strung in trees lining Massachusetts Street, much like what was done in past years. This season, the tree lights will be in the 600 through 800 blocks of Massachusetts Street. Electrical boxes near the trees in the 900 and 1000 blocks cannot be safely used. Outlets in the 600 through 800 blocks were replaced during the recent waterline project.

Work on the boxes in the 900 and 1000 blocks will be done next summer, allowing all trees on Massachusetts Street to be illuminated in 2007.

Marquez said Downtown Lawrence Inc. would buy garland to wrap around shorter light poles along Massachusetts Street to add daytime color.