A proposed five-story apartment and retail building across from Kansas University's Memorial Stadium won a key vote from the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission on Monday.
At their meeting Monday evening, planning commissioners unanimously recommended approval of plans for the building, which will include about 175 apartments and 11,000 square feet of retail space at 1101 Indiana St.
The Planning Commission's vote clears the way for the project to go to the Lawrence City Commission for final approval in the next few weeks. The development group — HERE LLC, a Chicago-based student housing company — has said it hopes to have the project completed by 2016.
Planning commissioners did not take action on a proposed family fun center at the corner of Clinton Parkway and Inverness Drive in west Lawrence. The fun center, which would have minigolf, a clubhouse, batting cages and possibly a go-kart track, had received some early opposition from neighbors in the area. The Planning Commission plans to hear the issue at its March meeting.
Comments
Don Frey 3 years, 4 months ago
As long as donors need ego strokes they will continue to give and give. Let us hope Sunset Prune Juice does not enter the donor business.
Cille King 3 years, 4 months ago
Text amendment suggested for approval by staff for the Planning Commission would allow such "recreational facilities" as batting cages and go-carts in CN2 zoned areas throughout the city. There are 14 CN2 zoned areas in Lawrence. If you wouldn't want such a development next to your home, you might review the proposal:
http://www.lawrenceks.org/assets/pds/planning/Feb14_Item4.pdf
and write or email to the Planning Commission. Several of the neighbors showed up last night in opposition.
Richard Heckler 3 years, 4 months ago
Economic Impact Studies?
Retail Impact Studies?
Environmental Impact Studies?
Some day the "neighborhood rental industry" is going to ask themselves where in the world did my rental market go?
Betty Bartholomew 3 years, 4 months ago
A family fun center in this town would be great. There are very few activity places for families around here anymore (there were a few when I moved here in '89 but they've disappeared, such as the skating rink and Aladdin's arcade) - you have to go to Topeka or KC to find such things. I was amazed when Laugh Out Loud was allowed in a few years back. Why is Lawrence content with being non-family friendly?
Cille King 3 years, 4 months ago
I agree that a family recreation center would be welcome in Lawrence - in a regional commercial zone, not in a neighbor zone. The text amendment proposed would allow very noisy, highly lighted, intense use activities in "neighborhood commercial centers" that are only meant to serve the "neighborhood" not the region. Current codes say recreational areas in these CN2 zones should be no larger than 50,000 square feet. This proposal would be more than 6 times that size - with outside lights, noise, drinking until midnight. Would you want that next to your home, elementary school, daycare center? Noisy, for-profit recreational centers are great. Just put it where it fits - perhaps close to Rock Chalk Park, or the regional commercial center on south Iowa. The new Menards that is going in east of Home Depot has several lots available that could be perfect.
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