Plans for new apartments south of Dairy Queen may be coming down the pipeline in the coming months.
Doug Compton is planning to build 72 units: 54 one-bedrooms and 18 two-bedrooms. Architects and engineers are working on the site plan and are expected to be done within the next month. The plan will then be filed with the city.
Compton built the Greenway apartments now called Riverbend, which have around 125 units, about 20 years ago. Riverbend is adjacent to the proposed new apartments. Although he sold Greenway about 10 years ago, he kept around 3 acres south of Dairy Queen.
Compton also owns over a dozen buildings in downtown Lawrence, along with some shopping centers and office buildings, he said.
He was always planning on building on the land, but with news of the Panasonic battery factory and housing shortages in the area, now seems like a good time, he said. He hasn’t had any conversations with Panasonic about the project, he said.
Compton said when he built Greenway, it was a successful project with little vacancy even 20 years ago.
“The people I’ve talked to in Eudora have talked about a housing shortage, and I see all the things that the city is trying to do around that intersection from a redevelopment standpoint, so it kind of seems to be at the right time,” he said.
He’s also discussed the concept for the plan with city staff.
Compton won’t know the average rent prices until the site plans are complete and costs are determined, but the idea is to have market-rate rent, he said.
He hopes the crew will be able to start dirt work on the project before winter, he said.
Compton is also planning on starting a few new projects in Lawrence, as well, he said.
He said he hopes to have some neighborhood meetings to discuss his concept and renderings. He wants to get as much input from residents as possible after the renderings are completed, he said.
The plans will eventually go through the planning and city commissions for final approval.
City Manager Kevyn Gero said the project aligns with the city’s comprehensive plan for areas designed for multi-family housing and is next to existing apartments.
It’s an ideal location for people looking to move to the community with access to K-10, she said. It also brings the possibility of more students to the district or more seniors looking to downsize or be closer to family. Units will also be attractive for professionals looking for a quick commute to Kansas City or Lawrence, Gero said.
“I think the project supports the City Commission’s goals of providing more housing stock diversity and the projects in an area with a lot of retail options, so I believe that we could see a positive impact in sales tax in the future with the increased foot traffic,” Gero said.
Gero said more information on next steps will be available after plans are formally submitted to the city. Projects along K-10 require some different considerations in city code, and additional processes are needed for multi-family as they go through the commissions.
The style and layout of the apartments is expected to be similar to K-Ten Place in De Soto, Gero said.
