photo by: Bremen Keasey/Journal-World

Emily Lysen, the director of development for the Lawrence Farmers Market, presenting Tuesday night the results of a feasibility study for a permanent location to the Lawrence City Commission. Lysen said that its preferred site is in a portion of South Park, and commissioners expressed some interest in using that location.

After hearing more from the Lawrence Farmers Market on Tuesday about its search for a permanent location, a majority on the Lawrence City Commission said the market should keep exploring the idea of locating in South Park.

Emily Lysen, the director of development for the market, presented the findings of a recent feasibility study done by the market and the design firm Clark Huesemann. Lysen said the northwest corner of South Park, just south of 11th Street, had emerged as its preferred site for a permanent market pavilion out of the list of sites considered.

Steve Clark, a principal with the design firm that was hired for the feasibility study, said one of the concepts for the pavilion would use a portion of the parking lot of the Community Building, 115 W. 11th St. Other concepts extended farther into the park. Clark also noted that other locations that were considered were a parking lot at Ninth and Vermont streets; a location near Seventh Street that would be partially in Watson Park; and the market’s current location in the parking lot at 824 New Hampshire St.

Lysen and Clark previously said that South Park had received the most positive feedback during the public engagement process in the search to find a permanent site. Lysen said the market has “looked at (every site) people brought up,” but South Park’s location in the heart of downtown was seen as crucial, especially since it would align with multiple goals in the city’s long-term plans.

The market had been searching for a permanent location for several years, but it got a boost last year after it received a Kansas Healthy Foods Initiative grant to conduct the feasibility study. Additionally, the City Commission approved a budget for 2026 that allocated $175,000 in the Capital Improvement Plan for the search for the permanent location.

Lysen said that a new pavilion would allow the market to provide access to electricity and water — something it previously had been able to provide but lost due to development downtown. That could mean a different variety of vendors as well as providing restroom access for vendors and customers. Building a permanent structure would also help with weather concerns; Lysen said the market loses 30% of customers if it rains, and shade protection would mean that sweltering summer temperatures wouldn’t ruin vendors’ products.

photo by: Screenshot from Lawrence Farmers Market website

A rendering of a possible permanent location for the Lawrence Farmers Market on the northwest portion of South Park near Vermont and 11th Streets.

Lori Trojan, a vendor with the market and a board member, said a pavilion could become a “true community living room” in downtown Lawrence and give the market a space “that matches its reputation.”

Several public commenters also expressed their support for creating a permanent location at South Park. Sarah Salzman, a vendor with the market, said she felt adding a permanent pavilion would create “a shared, lasting resource.” But other commenters expressed concerns about a pavilion possibly taking away green space.

Commissioners also asked about how much green space the pavilion might take up. Clark said the concepts for the pavilion would take up around 2.5% to 5% of the green space of South Park.

Mayor Brad Finkeldei noted that the commissioners would not be voting on the proposal on Tuesday. But he did ask them if they wanted the market to move forward with developing the concepts for South Park, so that if the majority of the commission didn’t want that, the market wouldn’t be wasting its time.

The majority of commissioners expressed interest in the idea of having a permanent location at South Park. Commissioner Kristine Polian said she liked that location better than other options, and Commissioner Amber Sellers thought that the project could become a “catalyst” for the city’s goals and bring more events downtown. Vice Mayor Mike Courtney was the lone commissioner who was against South Park as a location; he said taking away more of the park’s green space could be a “slippery slope.”

Finkeldei said he thought the commission was giving a “green light” for further conversations between the market and other stakeholders about using the location at South Park. He said there would be lots of questions remaining — and other “red lights” for development that could come up — but that he wanted the discussions to move forward and “find out what the possibilities are.”