Estimate brings two-phase project total to $130.1 million
Lawrence city commissioners on Tuesday approved a maximum price of $57.5 million for phase 2 of the Municipal Services and Operations campus under construction on the eastern edge of town for an estimated total of $130.1 million.
MSO staff members oversee streets, water, stormwater, solid waste and more. The two-phase MSO campus is combining many of those divisions into one location on the city’s Farmland property, near O’Connell Road and Venture Park Drive.
The first phase is under construction, and the second phase will bring online a large building to house a central maintenance garage and solid waste operations.
“Staff, some of them here tonight, repeatedly have told me that this project will never happen, and I know the criticality of this project,” Melissa Sieben, director of MSO, told city commissioners. She said the city needs to deliver on its promise to staff members.
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The existing floor plan for the central garage is 11,670 square feet, according to the presentation to the commission. The recommended floor plan is almost 75,000 square feet. A few city employees spoke to commissioners about the need for more space to do their work.
Arlen Kleinsorge of McCownGordon Construction said plans to accelerate the construction timeline will save the city $3 million because it reduces mobilizations costs, makes construction staffing more efficient and is “allowing us to procure materials earlier, which has become a bigger and bigger deal, especially as we’ve gone through the tariffs and things that we’re starting to see in today’s market.”
Mayor Mike Dever, Vice Mayor Brad Finkeldei and Commissioners Lisa Larsen and Amber Sellers voted 4-0 to approve the guaranteed maximum price. Commissioner Bart Littlejohn was not present for the meeting.
Commissioners said they’re excited for the project to get underway, and that the facility will serve the city for more than 50 years.
“‘Never say never’ is what I like to say,” Dever said.
The project will be funded through general obligation bonds.
Phase 1 is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2026, according to a timeline provided to commissioners. Construction for Phase 2 could begin in spring 2026 and be completed at the end of 2027.
See the complete agenda item 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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