Tom Harper: Keep City Hall in downtown Lawrence where it belongs (Column)

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City staff recently announced they are considering purchasing 2000 Bluffs Drive. Townies know it as the former site of Sallie Mae, a student loan processing center. The building is located north of Sixth Street, between McDonald Drive and Colorado Street.

If you still can’t place the building, that’s a huge part of the problem with this idea.

First things first: It’s important to acknowledge the architecture firm and person who created this postmodern building dedicated on Aug. 23, 1980. Dale Glenn, a former resident and architect with the Peters, Williams and Kubota architecture firm, drew the architectural plans for the building. Glenn retired several years ago and now lives in Florida. I had the pleasure of visiting with him recently about the building.

As I think about this important decision, I’m reminded of a quote my friend Dennis Domer has mentioned. It’s by Winston Churchill, from a speech he gave to Parliament after the destruction of the House of Commons in London during World War II, advocating that the building be rebuilt: “We shape our buildings; thereafter, they shape us.”

When I first heard about the proposal, it did not sit well. City hall needs to be downtown, where it is easily accessible and visible. It’s the northern anchor of our downtown. Similarly, the Douglas County courthouse is the southern anchor. The locations are not by accident. 

One could argue the locations are also symbolic: The two government bodies are separate but ideally work together for our common good. They provide order for citizens and businesses that sometimes have competing values, needs and interests. They also manage funds that provide the infrastructure so society can function in an orderly manner.

In most cities, city halls and courthouses are centrally located, in the downtown area.

Both buildings hold our community and beloved historic downtown together. They are the bookends.

I think city hall is a beautiful, monumental brick building. Brick is a natural material, and the way it is fired and formed often creates interesting colors. I appreciate the way skilled masons laid and tuck-pointed the brick, which creates pattern and texture. There are no sharp corners on the building; all corners are curved, including some of the bricks.

Glenn added the contours to the building to honor what was once located on the site: seven grain silos. Some of the bottom sections of the silos still remain north of city hall.

Our city hall communicates strength and has an aura of permanence.

“I’ve always been an architect to let the site and surroundings help communicate what the building should and could look like,” Glenn said. “It was a difficult site. There were run-down buildings, and getting rid of the grain silos was a difficult but important task. There was not much ground to work on. We wanted to design a building that was recognizable and said, ‘This is City Hall.’”

The building site, adjacent to the river, is an integral component of city hall. I think the connection with the Kaw is as important as the tie with downtown. The river is our primary source of water. It’s important to be near it; we are its stewards. It’s a remarkable experience to watch the water rush over the dam and through the Bowersock hydropower stations from the upper floors. During the winter, it’s also special to watch the eagles soar above the river, hunting for fish.

I have been talking with friends and colleagues about their thoughts on moving city hall to 2000 Bluffs Drive. No one I’ve spoken with thinks it’s a good idea. 

An architect shared with me, “It’s too important for five commissioners and city staff; there should be a referendum.” A friend said, “If the building needs renovation, spend the money to make it more efficient.” Another person said, “Remove the glass in front — it always looks dirty — and create space within that area.” Someone else said, “Renovate city hall and purchase a section of the old Lawrence Journal-World building if more space is needed.”

Granted, the building at 2000 Bluffs Drive has more space and abundant parking. It would certainly “fit” more departments and staff under its roof. Yet this building and its location cannot possibly convey who we are as a city.

Instead, the message to our community and visitors would be: “In 2024, we needed more space, the building was for sale, we adapted it to our needs, we now have plenty of parking, and if you can find us, we are here for you.”

If the city purchases this building, the decision will haunt us for years.

Our city hall is an excellent example of postmodern architecture and should be renovated to meet the current needs of city staff and the community. A thorough study should be completed by an architecture firm tasked with designing a plan to reconfigure the spaces within the existing footprint. If necessary, the city should be on the lookout for land or an existing building for expansion.

City hall must remain in the heart of our city: downtown.

Mayor Littlejohn and city commissioners, please reconsider your plan to purchase 2000 Bluffs Drive.

Lawrence, if you feel strongly about city hall remaining downtown, I urge you to attend and speak at the Tuesday, Oct. 15 city commission meeting.

In closing, I’m reminded of a primary consideration in real estate: Location, location, location.

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