Leaders of the Lawrence Community Shelter will hold a public forum next week to discuss a proposal to build a new shelter in eastern Lawrence.

A public forum on the project is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday at the Boys & Girls Club offices at 1520 Haskell. The shelter has filed plans with the city to build a new shelter on the site of the former Don’s Steakhouse building at 2176 E. 23rd St.

Loring Henderson, director of the current downtown shelter, will be on hand to answer questions about how the new shelter would operate. Architects and engineers for the project also will be available to answer questions about the site.

Shelter leaders are seeking a new location because they say their downtown shelter no longer has adequate space.

The Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission is scheduled to consider a request to rezone the property and recommend a special-use permit for the shelter at its Nov. 16 meeting. City commissioners ultimately will need to give final approval to the project.