From the Lawrence Daily Journal-World for March 20, 1973:

• A basic renovation budget of $200,784 for the Community Building, 115 W. 11th Street, had been proposed in a report submitted to the Lawrence City Commission this week. Local architect Lawrence Good had conducted a study at the request of the commission to evaluate the building and make suggestions for improvements. Good had reported that approximately half the floor space was either unused or used inefficiently and that the building was “presently receiving an extremely low rate of use.” He concluded that there was “no need to add to space of the present building, with the possible exception of a new entry. What is needed is a selective upgrading of various existing spaces in the building and reorganization of the utilization of the entire building.”
• One bid had been made at the recent sheriff’s sale of Hope Plaza, 255 N. Michigan, at the Douglas County Courthouse. The sale had been to satisfy a judgment of $2,044,043.77 from delinquent mortgage payments. The bid of $2,031,154.71 had been submitted by Jerry Cooley, a Lawrence attorney representing the mortgage holder. The property included the 13-acre tract, the buildings, and some personal property in the buildings.