November 12, 2024
The City of Lawrence has formally announced its departure from the current lease at the Riverfront Plaza, where Municipal Court and Planning & Development Services (PDS) are located. This move represents a reorganization of City services, aimed at centralizing key public service functions at City Hall and optimizing accessibility for Lawrence residents.
Timeline & Process
The decision to depart from the Riverfront lease became official on September 20, following the City’s notification to the landlord regarding our intent to vacate. The process of adjusting services and relocating staff is now underway, affecting approximately 13 Municipal Court employees and 38 PDS employees, totaling 51 Riverfront-located City employees. Further, the City is currently evaluating the contractual lease obligations associated with this transition and will provide additional updates as details are finalized.
Key Service Relocations
As part of this transition, the following adjustments to City services will be in effect:
- Municipal Court: All court proceedings and transactions with the Court Clerk will take place at City Hall starting on Monday, Nov. 25. These services will be relocated to the City Commission Chambers and the 1st-floor counter service window at City Hall, offering a centralized location for residents seeking court-related assistance.
- City Commission: All commission meetings will continue to be held in the Commission chambers.
- Boards and Commissions: We’re currently exploring meeting locations and meeting times with each board and commission that reflects their needs. For the latest information, please visit the meeting calendar in iCompass portal for updates on locations, dates and times for each meeting.
- Utility Billing: The Utility Billing office will move to the ground floor of City Hall, offering utility billing support from the counter window on Monday, Nov. 18, ensuring residents have a single, accessible location for payments and billing inquiries.
- General Information: The general information window will move to the ground floor of City Hall on Friday, Nov. 15.
- Planning & Development Services (PDS): Transactions with PDS will be relocated to the ground floor of City Hall. We’re likely to have transitioned to ground floor window service by December 6. More details will be provided when we have identified the first day of service at City Hall.
- Public access to the ground floor will be made available through the 1st-floor elevators.
Parking & Accessibility
Parking will remain in the primary parking garage adjacent to City Hall, providing direct access to the public entrance. This structure allows for continued ease of access for all individuals utilizing City services.
As the City finalizes details of the relocation, we are committed to maintaining a high level of service continuity and accessibility for the Lawrence community. Further information on service schedules and updates will be communicated through the City’s website and public information channels.
Media Contact: City Communications, citycommunications@lawrenceks.
About the City of Lawrence
The City of Lawrence supports an unmistakably vibrant community with innovative, equitable, transparent and responsible local government. Together, we are creating a community where everyone can enjoy life and feel at home.