photo by: Rochelle Valverde/Journal-World

The south portion of the city-owned parking lot at 826 Vermont St. is pictured on Sept. 14, 2022.

The City of Lawrence is officially seeking proposals to redevelop three parking lots in the downtown area.

On Friday, the city announced that it has published a request for information for proposals to redevelop one or more of the lots at 711 New Hampshire St., 826 Vermont St. and 1010 Vermont St. According to the release, proposals must be for mixed-use projects and may include plans for either a single property or multiple properties.

The request for information is currently available for review online, and the deadline for responses is Jan. 16, 2024. According to the release, city staff plans to deliver a ranked list of shortlisted proposals to the Lawrence City Commission for project consideration in March 2024.

“This project is intended to enhance and reinforce the overall vision of downtown Lawrence, adding value and complementing the surrounding area,” the release reads. “The city is interested in long-lasting developments that project a positive community image and enhance opportunities for pursuing an urban lifestyle.”

As the Journal-World has reported, city leaders have previously discussed how best to redevelop those lots, most recently in August. At that time, the City Commission expressed interest in ideas like a bus hub, a downtown grocery store and additional affordable housing development. The lot at 826 Vermont St. late last year was, for a time, potentially set to be donated to Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center for a multistory housing project, but the idea was put on hold.

The release lists almost a dozen elements the city will place a high value on when evaluating submitted proposals, including:

• A vision that “supports downtown Lawrence as the heart of the community,” making efficient use of the development area and demonstrating a positive impact on the surrounding property and downtown area overall.

• A vision that “incorporates elements of an attractive pedestrian environment,” like prominent entries facing public streets or public art.

• A track record of completing “sustainable, dynamic” development projects and incorporating sustainable design elements.

• Tenant letters of interest or commitment for high-quality potential retail and office uses.

• Positive economic impacts, like direct and indirect tax revenue generation or the support of permanent high-wage jobs.

• Projects incorporating one or more public benefits.