Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday approved an updated agreement with contractors working on the Municipal Services and Operations campus on the eastern edge of town, altogether estimated to cost $130.2 million.
The new MSO campus is under construction on the city’s Farmland property, near O’Connell Road and Venture Park Drive.
It will bring many divisions that are currently spread across the city — such as streets, stormwater, solid waste, traffic, inspections and more — into one space.
Alex Reeves of Dake Wells Architecture told commissioners that many of the city’s MSO facilities are critically undersized and have substantial deferred maintenance issues.
Reeves went over the project background and updated commissioners on its progress during Tuesday’s meeting.
The Farmland site was previously home to a fertilizer factory, and the land has needed remediation. That is in progress as part of the project, Reeves said.
The project is also on track to meet LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, gold standards, Reeves said. The all-electric building will use solar arrays for power, and the site includes native habitat that won’t require much water for upkeep, for instance.
Phase 1 of the project is expected to be ready for move-in in summer 2026. It includes the campus entry, space for many MSO divisions and a fuel island.
Construction is expected to begin on Phase 2 in early 2026, with move-in anticipated in fall 2027. It includes the solid waste division and the central maintenance garage building.
The commission previously directed city staff to proceed with financial moves and authorized $64.8 million total for Phase 1 of the project, and they’ll consider a guaranteed maximum price for Phase 2 of the project later this year, according to the meeting agenda. The second phase’s total cost is budgeted at $65.3 million.
The contract commissioners approved Tuesday evening was for $8.6 million, a construction management agreement with McCownGordon for interior finishes, equipment, appliances, landscaping and more in Phase 1.
They also approved a second agreement for $519,205 for preconstruction services for Phase 2.
More information about the project is available in the commission’s meeting agenda at this link.
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Mackenzie Clark (she/her), reporter/founder of The Lawrence Times, can be reached at mclark@lawrencekstimes.com. Read more of her work for the Times here. Check out her staff bio here.
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