Building a parking garage on adjacent property may be the best option for the massive apartment/retail project under construction across the street from Kansas University’s Memorial Stadium.

Here@Kansas, the developer of the 500,000-square-foot, multistory building, found itself in a bind recently when the company it had contracted with to install a high-tech robotic parking system in the structure declared bankruptcy. Without the robotic system, the space allocated in the structure wouldn’t accommodate the 685 parking spaces called for in the approved plans. That was an important issue for Lawrence city commissioners and residents of the Oread Neighborhood, who were concerned that insufficient parking would push more cars onto residential streets.

Unable to find another contractor to install a robotic system, Here had to look for other solutions. Last month, the developers filed a new plan that involved the demolition of an apartment house and the construction of a traditional parking garage just south of the project. The proposed garage would provide 96 parking spaces, bringing total parking for the building to 712 spaces.

Although the innovative parking accommodations may have been a selling point for city commissioners who approved a controversial 85 percent, 10-year property tax rebate for the project, the change in parking arrangements probably isn’t enough to warrant reconsideration of the incentive package. However, the changes do give commissioners the opportunity to revisit the parking issue and make sure that sufficient off-street parking is being provided. Some observers have continued to wonder whether 685 — or even 712 — parking spaces is enough to serve 237 apartments with 624 bedrooms. If current city commissioners are concerned about those numbers, they might consider requiring the developers to build a larger garage or one that could accommodate the addition of another level if parking proves to be a problem for the neighborhood.

City officials also will need to make sure the additional garage is acceptable at that location and designed appropriately to blend with adjacent structures.

That being said, Here’s plan to provide additional parking could have been a lot worse. City planners and commissioners should examine this proposal carefully, but, on the surface, it appears to be a reasonable way to deal with the developer’s unexpected setback.