Lawrence city commission looking at project incentives for multi-story building on Ninth and New Hampshire

City commissioners agreed to have staff members prepare a report on financial incentives requested for a multi-story building project at Ninth and New Hampshire.

Commissioners at their Tuesday evening meeting received the request from a development group led by Lawrence businessman Doug Compton, who is proposing to build a seven-story apartment, retail and office building at the southwest corner of Ninth and New Hampshire streets.

The group is asking the city to pay for about $280,000 worth of improvements to pieces of public infrastructure and is asking that the building’s tenants have 65 parking spaces reserved in the public parking garage that is adjacent to the project. The group is asking the development be allowed use of the spaces for no charge for the first two years and then be allowed to pay an annual fee of $195 per space in subsequent years.

Only three commissioners voted to move the request forward. Commissioners Lance Johnson and Mike Dever both abstained from the vote because their companies have done consulting work related to the proposed site of the project.