A Lawrence developer hopes to strike a deal with city leaders to allow for a downtown building to be expanded into a city parking lot.

Thomas Fritzel, a Lawrence developer and construction company executive, is asking to take eight parking spaces in the city-owned lot south of Eighth and Vermont streets. Fritzel wants to add an elevator and office space to the building at 123 W. Eighth St.

Commissioners will discuss the request at their 6:35 p.m. meeting today at City Hall, Sixth and Massachusetts streets.

Fritzel has told commissioners that he’ll replace the eight parking spaces in a new parking facility in the northwest quadrant of downtown within the next five years. If that doesn’t come to fruition, Fritzel would pay the city $25,000 per space.

City staff members support the idea but are alerting commissioners that an agreement with Fritzel could open the door to similar requests. City Manager David Corliss is recommending that the city issue a request for proposals to get a sense of whether other developers are interested in using any of the city’s downtown parking lots for development.