The City of Lawrence is taking steps toward completing the first phase of the long-planned Lawrence Trades District development project, including expansion of a street to provide a more direct path from Pendleton Pike to Franklin Road.
Economic Development Director Keith Johnson gave an update during an Aug. 22 Lawrence Redevelopment Commission meeting, He said Mayor Deb Whitfield decided to prioritize the Records Street expansion project. The city will apply for grant funding to pay for the road expansion, which will include purchasing property.
The City of Lawrence Trades District has been an ongoing economic development plan since 2016. The district is a primarily commercial and industrial area east of I-465 to Franklin Road, in between the CSX railroad tracks and Pendleton Pike. Some initial development already has taken place.
A 2021 update of plans for the district called for road and utilities improvements, along with a screen wall to reduce noise from the rail tracks. The plans also call for securing additional real estate in the area to redevelop. The first phase of the long-term master plan will cost an estimated $15 million.
In a phone interview after the meeting, Johnson said the Records Street expansion was partially designed before Whitfield and her administration took office early this year. He said the administration has been figuring out how and whether to prioritize the project.
“And we’ve decided, yeah, we’re going to pursue it,” he said, noting that the process to get matching federal grant funding through the Metropolitan Planning Organization will take some time.
A matching grant would pay for 80 percent of project costs. The city would have to issue bonds to fund the city’s portion, if the application is successful. Johnson said he will submit a grant application by mid-September. A bond would go before the Lawrence Common Council for approval.
Johnson said the Redevelopment Commission will need to amend the Trades District master plan to specify which parcels it wants to acquire for development. The updated plan also will go to the Lawrence Common Council for approval, but he said that will take a couple months.
Johnson said he’s excited to move forward with the Trades District project, which he hopes will attract more employment opportunities within Lawrence.
“The idea is that you’ve got to start somewhere in terms of bringing more jobs and residents to the Pike,” he said. “It’s the gateway to our city.”
For more, visit chooselawrence.com.
