The City of Lawrence is issuing a Request for Interest (RFI) for possible secondary use options at the Santa Fe Station. The Santa Fe Station is located at 413 E. 7th Street and has a primary use of serving as a passenger train station for Amtrak.
The City has an interest in finding uses that may enable a secondary use that is complimentary to the Santa Fe Station’s primary use as a train station. It would be of particular interest for such a use to be functioning during the hours Amtrak passengers are served. The City believes this could provide a better travel experience for passengers. It is also an interest of the City to seek creative ways the three internal spaces of the freight office could be restored. While the exterior of the Freight Office area was improved with the restoration project, interior work such as painting, vinyl floor replacement, and ceiling tile replacement did not occur within the space. Creative partnerships to accomplish this work would be of interest. Primary interest is a use that would activate the space in a positive manner. There has been significant discussion about the completion of the Lawrence Loop, a recreation path/trail around Lawrence, and there is a possibility that this location could be Ground Zero for the Loop, offering a unique possibility for tie-in of the recreational use of the trail.
The City is issuing this Request for Interest (RFI) as an opportunity for an Entity (individual, organization, or group) to present creative ideas for possible secondary uses that would be complementary to the Station, Amtrak, and the neighborhood. A report on responses to this RFI will be compiled and shared publicly with the City Commission at a later date.
As part of the RFI process, the City may host a non-mandatory information session. Tours of the Station may be available upon request. The RFI process may lead to a concept being identified as desired. This would require additional discussion, information, negotiation, and other steps as required by the City. Other steps may include approvals from other regulatory agencies and modification to the lease agreement with the BNSF Railway. If a proposal is selected for acceptance, it is anticipated that the City and Entity would enter into a lease for a portion of the space, at a market rate deemed appropriate by the City, with appropriate credit for leasehold improvements, plus a prorated cost share for items such as utilities, taxes and common area expenses. The timeframe for this has not been formally established. Responses to this RFI will be evaluated as they are received, or on a schedule as determined by the City of Lawrence.
The complete Request for Interest (RFI) is available here: https://assets.lawrenceks.org/CMO/santa-fe-station-rfi.pdf
All inquiries concerning this RFI should be addressed to: Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager City of Lawrence City Manager’s Office 6 E. 6th Street Lawrence, KS 66044 (785) 832-3413 dstodard@lawrenceks.org