photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World

The former Kaw Valley School property at 1411 East 1850 Road is pictured on April 30, 2024.

A proposal to convert a former rural schoolhouse between Lawrence and Eudora into a day care home for adults with developmental disabilities is closer to fruition after the Lawrence-Douglas County Planning Commission gave it a key approval on Monday.

The commission unanimously voted on Monday night to approve a conditional use permit for the project and forward it to the Douglas County Commission for a final vote. The permit would allow the former Kaw Valley School building at 1411 East 1850 Road to be turned into a center that serves adults with learning disabilities.

The Kaw Valley School was part of the Lawrence school district until its closing in the 1990s. Since then, the approximately 10,000-square-foot building has mainly been a day care center for children, and city staff said it had been zoned for that purpose since 2003. The site had previously been considered as a potential space for a shelter for homeless families.

As the Journal-World reported in June, a nonprofit connected to longtime local social service provider Community Living Opportunities was looking to purchase the property and convert it to a space for adults with learning disabilities.

Submitted plans show the building would be renovated to include an art classroom, a music classroom, a study classroom and a media classroom. The old gymnasium space at the school would be converted into a large multipurpose area, according to the filed plans. The center would not include any overnight care, providing service only in the day.

Peter Shenouda, the owner of the building who is selling it to CLO, said he felt the building would be used for a good purpose in serving a segment of the population that is often underserved. He said he was happy to see the plan progressing.

And Planning Commissioner Mike Kelso said he fully supported the idea, especially since he had a brother-in-law with developmental disabilities and knew firsthand how hard it can be to find services for that segment of the population.

With the Planning Commission’s approval, the proposal will next head to the Douglas County Commission for a final decision.