The proposed Oread Inn at 12th and Oread Dr. will forever alter the Lawrence and Kansas University skyline.

Planning commissioners Monday night made short work of one tall building.

On a 9-1 vote, Lawrence-Douglas County planning commissioners gave a positive recommendation to plans for a new seven-story, 95-foot-tall hotel project slated for the corner of 12th and Indiana streets.

The approval puts The Oread Inn one step closer to final approval by the City Commission next month, and also one step closer to forever changing the city skyline.

“I’ve thought about it, and I don’t think I would be offended to have another building the size of Fraser in the skyline,” said Planning Commissioner Dennis Lawson. Kansas University’s Fraser Hall currently is the tip of the Lawrence skyline.

The Oread Inn proposal would not dethrone Fraser as the crown of Lawrence’s horizon. The proposed 74-room hotel – which also could include 26 condos or extended stay suites – would be about 50 feet shorter than Fraser because it is built farther down the hill. But it still would be seen by visitors approaching the city from the turnpike and other directions.

Not everyone is thrilled by what they would see. Dennis Domer, a former associate dean of KU’s School of Architecture, panned the design.

“It isn’t well designed,” said Domer, who lamented that it was a mish-mash of architectural styles not worthy of a signature building. “I think it is an embarrassment as an architectural design.”

He also said he believed community leaders hadn’t grasped how large the building would be. He said the footprint of the building is equal to the Spencer Museum of Art, but will stand seven stories tall.

Domer, though, was the only member of the public to speak against the plan Monday. Planning commissioners last month also had a public hearing on the project, which produced concerns from the Lawrence Preservation Alliance that the building was too tall for the historical character of the neighborhood. Those concerns were echoed by the city’s Historic Resources Commission.

Ultimately, planning commissioners said they weren’t interested in debating the architectural merits of the building.

“I think this building will be slightly better looking than that building across the street from Strong Hall,” said Planning Commissioner Joe Harkins. “What do they call that bunker? Wescoe.”

Planning Commissioner Lisa Harris was the only commissioner to vote against the plan. She had concerns about its size, parking arrangements, and whether it was the best use for the property.