Work delay moves opening of downtown visitor center to June

photo by: Kathy Hanks

Explore Lawrence hopes to move its visitor center to 812 Massachusetts St. by June. It is currently located at the Union Pacific Depot, 402 N. Second St.

If all goes according to plan, the new Lawrence Visitor Center at 812 Massachusetts St. could be welcoming visitors by June.

That’s later than was expected because of a work delay. The contractor that Explore Lawrence originally planned to work with had submitted too high a bid for the remodel. Now First Construction LLC of Lawrence will do the work.

“First Construction gave a reasonable bid of $70,000,” said Michael Davidson, executive director of Explore Lawrence, during a recent Explore Lawrence board of directors meeting.

Davidson hopes the work will get started in April. It should take about two months.

Some demolition has been going on inside the site, which formerly housed the Juice Stop.

Steve Clark and Jane Huesemann, both with Clark Huesemann architectural firm, have designed the remodel of the 890-square-foot space, which includes a welcome station, lounge area, kiosk, a small retail area, plus a meeting room.

The visitor center will remain in the historic Union Pacific Depot, 402 N. Second St., in North Lawrence, until the new center is ready to open.

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