The Lawrence City Commission will seemingly have a cheaper option to choose from for the final design of the Outdoor Aquatic Center renovation and is set to discuss it at its meeting on Tuesday.

Although the City Commission approved a $6.1 million design to renovate the pool back in August, it included a motion seeking additional information before approving a final design, including finding out how much it would cost to renovate and repair the facility while keeping its current configuration intact.

According to a city memo, renovating the current configuration of the pool could cost just $3.6 million and extend the life of the pool for another 20 years. That figure does not include other renovations needed on parts of the center like the bathhouse.

A report written by the design team suggests some of the renovations that would be undertaken to maintain the current configuration of the pool would be to remove and replace the entire pool deck and reconstruct the entirety of the zero-depth portion of the pool. Additionally, the renovation would include adding new water slides and spray features to the pool.

The city memo estimates the total cost of the project at $4.9 million. The city had set aside $6.1 million in its long-term capital improvement plan for the project.

The commission voted in August for the $6.1 million design that kept the existing deep dive pool, a 25-meter section of the lap pool and the water slide and plunge pool on the complex’s west side, while adding additional features like a lazy river, splash pad and shallow pool as part of the renovation. The total water recreation area would have been 16,000 square feet — about a 3,000-square-foot reduction from the pool’s current layout, and includes the 2,300 square foot splash pad, which further reduces the space to swim.

Members of the public expressed concern over the fact the swimmable space in the pool would shrink, and over 1,400 people signed a petition asking the city to reconsider the approved design of the pool, as the Journal-World reported.

In other business, commissioners will be asked to give a final recommendation on proposed changes at City Hall, potentially moving the site from Downtown Lawrence.

A proposal to move City Hall from its current location at 6 E. Sixth St. to a former call center building at 2000 Bluffs Drive was first presented to commissioners in September. The site at 2000 Bluffs Drive would have about 50,000 square feet for employees, while the current space has just 35,000 square feet.

Renovations to the current location would cost an estimated $12 million. The Bluffs Drive location would cost an estimated $11.7 million to renovate, but it would also cost about $4.2 million to purchase the site. The city has set aside $12 million in project funding in its long-term improvement plan to cover the costs of either project. Any construction on either project would be expected to start in 2026.

In a presentation about the idea, commissioners were told that the current building, built in 1980, would need extensive renovations, including repairing leaks and installing a new HVAC system. Additionally, the city would spend additional costs to relocate employees for a year during the renovation and the space would still not be adequate for the employees.

Because the current City Hall building has significance to the community as an anchor property, if the commissioners choose a different location, city officials suggest starting a public process for the future of the property. If the location were to change, the existing City Hall building could be sold or repurposed for a different community use, which the city believes would help offset the costs of choosing a different location.