Commissioners unanimously agreed to spend about $25,000 to study what repairs are needed at the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway Depot at Seventh and New Jersey streets.

Commissioners agreed to hire Lawrence-based Hernly Associates to conduct the assessment.

The commission agreed to spend the money even though the city does not yet own the building. But commissioners said efforts to negotiate a low cost purchase of the building from the railroad were going well. The city hopes to take ownership of the building by the end of the year.

City staff members want to do the assessment now because they hope to apply for state grants to fund many repairs at the historic depot. The deadlines for those grants are near the end of the year.