Lawrence VenturePark’s Grand Opening Oct. 21
21 Oct, 2014
In 2010, the City of Lawrence acquired the former Farmland Industries fertilizer plant on K-10 Highway for the purpose of developing additional industrial and business park opportunities in the community. The development of the site also improved the eastern entrance into the City of Lawrence by reclaiming land that had gone into bankruptcy years earlier. Since that time, the city has spent dedicated remediation funds to prepare the site along with city funding for recently completed infrastructure and utility improvements. In October, the City of Lawrence completed its major infrastructure work at the site and the park is now open and available for development. A ribbon cutting will be held on Tuesday, October 21 at 4:00 p.m. to celebrate the opening of the new business park.
Over the past four years, the city worked to clean up the site from its former use as a heavy industrial plant and transform the site into developable parcels that are suited for employment-creating uses including light industrial, manufacturing, animal and life science research and office. The city’s infrastructure improvements included the addition of water, sewer, streets, stormwater and conduit for fiber installation at Lawrence VenturePark. The city made a significant impact at the site through its efforts to demolish and remove old industrial structures and grade the site for future development. Additionally, the city signalized the intersection of 23rd and O’Connell.
“Installing the signal at O’Connell and 23rd Street will improve safety in the general area and is a benefit to the community,” said Chuck Soules, public works director for the City of Lawrence. “The signal will provide safe access to Lawrence VenturePark but it is also a safety improvement for East Hills Business Park and the surrounding neighborhoods.”
Lawrence VenturePark has excellent transportation access due to its placement on K-10 Highway. Lawrence. Lawrence has three exits on I-70, providing quick access to the Kansas City metro to the east and Topeka to the west. In 2016, the State of Kansas will complete the South Lawrence Trafficway on K-10 which provides a direct connection to I-70 from Lawrence VenturePark. The completion of K-10 will also provide convenient access to US-59, which connects to I-35.
Lawrence VenturePark was designed as a space for businesses, industry and residents alike to use. One-and-a-half miles of bikes lanes have been added in the park with future plans to install a series of trails to provide pedestrian access within the park and to adjacent developments. The site is located directly west of East Hills Business Park and serves as a complement and extension of the business and industrial development in the area.
To view a maps of the site and for more information, please visit www.lawrenceks.org/LawrenceVenturePark.
Photo: Brady Pollington
