photo by: Mike Yoder

Lawrence City Hall, 6 E. Sixth St., is pictured Thursday, July 7, 2016.

City leaders have approved sales and property tax breaks for the expansion of an alcoholic beverage distribution company in northern Lawrence.

As part of its meeting Tuesday, the Lawrence City Commission voted unanimously to approve an economic development assistance request from LRICO Services LLC to expand the existing Standard Beverage building located in the Timberedge Industrial Park. Commissioners said they were supportive of the company’s project.

“I do really appreciate the fact that they are wanting to move forward with a project here in Lawrence, and that they continue to have faith in Lawrence and want to stay here and grow,” Commissioner Lisa Larsen said.

The company’s distribution facility in Lawrence currently has 140 employees, and the expansion will add about 16 full-time jobs with an average starting wage of about $17 per hour, according to application materials. Standard Beverage applied for the incentives under the city’s Catalyst Program, a temporary fast-track incentives program for industrial projects. Though there was some brief discussion about the number of jobs the expansion would provide, commissioners emphasized that the project met program requirements, which are related to the size and cost of the expansion and not the number of jobs.

The commission approved the issuance of up to $13.5 million in industrial revenue bonds, which will allow for a sales tax exemption on construction materials and labor, and a 10-year, 70% property tax exemption on the expansion. The property tax exemption requires the expansion to meet certain environmental standards.