A look at a portion of Queens Road.

Every queen hides something, and west Lawrence’s queen is no different. Whoa, whoa, before you start dishing on that soccer mom with the bedazzled sweatshirt, know that I’m talking about Queens Road. It is time for an update on that area of the world, as a major apartment complex has started construction along the road, at the same time that city commissioners are considering backing away from one of their commitments to the growing area.

So, what’s Queens Road hiding? Well, to the passerby on Sixth Street, Queens Road — which is the second road west of Wakarusa Drive — looks decent enough. The portion that connects with Sixth Street is paved and looks about like most other city streets that are in fair condition. But drive just a short two-tenths of a mile to the north, over the hill, and you see that Queens Road is actually a mishmash of broken asphalt, gravel and ruts that may appeal to Bubbas on ATVs, but not to many other drivers.

Here’s a look at some portions of the road.

A look at a portion of Queens Road.

As you can see, there is some building underway right next to Queens Road. That’s part of a 172-unit apartment complex named West End Apartments being developed by local businessman Tim Stultz. We had reported that plans had been filed for that complex, but now construction is well underway. (I’ll provide you more of an update on that project in just a moment.)

Just a bit farther to the north is the site for a long talked about apartment development that will be built around a small nine-hole golf course. The city has approved plans for approximately 600 apartment units in the first phase of the development and about 400 in the second phase. The development stretches from Queens Road to George Williams Way, just east of Rock Chalk Park. Most of the development will be concentrated along the end of the property closest to Queens Road. The project has been on the drawing board for years, but it sure looks like it actually is going to happen this time. There are pallets of pipe sitting on the property, which I assume are for the project.

What may not move ahead, however, is the reconstruction of Queens Road. The city tentatively has about $1.75 million in its capital improvement budget to pay for its share of the reconstruction costs of Queens Road (developers would pay a share as well). But now the city is contemplating pulling that funding from the budget and transferring it over to the much-debated proposal to rebuild a portion of East Ninth Street into an arts corridor. City officials have said that could delay Queens Road reconstruction all the way to 2019 or beyond.

Stultz, the developer of the West End apartment complex, said that doesn’t seem fair.

“Improving that road has been talked about for at least five years,” Stultz said. “To cut it out now would be pretty ridiculous. The road is in terrible shape. It is a washboard. It needs constant improvement. We keep hearing that next year will be the year.”

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The city could assess the entire $3.5 million worth of costs to all the surrounding property/home owners, and add a special assessment onto their property tax bills. I wrote about that possibility all the way back in 2009, and the article highlighted that many of the single-family homeowners weren’t aware of that their homes could be subject to such a special assessment. Subsequently, City Hall leaders took the position that the city at-large would pick up the costs for the homeowners. The developers on the west side of the road would still be expected to pay special assessments, but the unwitting homeowners would be spared the special assessment.

Seven years later, that’s still where the situation stands. Queens Road has been planned to be reconstructed several times, but it has always gotten pushed off the planning list for one reason or another.

All that history is noteworthy, but the current situation is what likely will cause some to scratch their heads. Look at those photos of Queens Road again. With just the two projects mentioned above, the city has signed off on approximately $100 million worth of new development that will take access off Queens Road.

Now, it is important to note that there are other access points that serve this area too. People who live in these new developments could drive another quarter-mile to the west and use Stoneridge Drive, which is a good city street. So, the world won’t stop spinning if Queens Road isn’t improved, but it is likely to create questions about the city’s development process. How is it that the city approves $100 million worth of construction along what is essentially a poorly maintained gravel road, developers have agreed to pay their share of the reconstruction costs, and yet the city isn’t able to complete the project in a timely manner?

Obviously the East Ninth Street arts corridor project comes with potential benefits too. I’m not trying to gloss over those, nor am I suggesting the only choice is Queens Road or East Ninth. But it could end up that way, and if the city has brand new development right next to a road that is poor even by middle-of-nowhere, farm-road standards, it will send a message to others who may be thinking of investing in Lawrence.

In other news and notes from around town:

• Now for the update on the apartment project. Plans for the West End Apartments call for 172 apartments, with about half of them being one-bedroom units and half being two-bedroom units. All of the apartments will come with a one-car garage, Stultz said.

All of the apartments will be “garden-style” units that allow residents to walk up to their front doors rather than having entrance inside a larger apartment building.

Stultz has developed apartment projects in Lawrence for years, and he said demand for new apartments continues to be strong. He said much of the demand is coming from people who previously would be looking to own homes, but instead are delaying or foregoing that option.

“We keep filling all of our nicer apartments,” Stultz said. “We have waiting lists. It seems like a good time to keep going with this “move up” trend in apartments. We have very few students in our apartments these days. That market is being met by others.”

Stultz said he hopes to have all the apartments finished by August 2017, but said some may be available as early as May 2017.