Friday, September 10, 1999 The University Daily Kansan Section A · Page 5 Downtown face-lift moves ahead after lull By Derek Prater writer@kansan.com Kansan staff writer After a lull in action this summer, the Downtown 2000 redevelopment project is gaining momentum with plans for a new Lawrence Arts Center in tow. Jeff Shmalberg, a partner in 9-10 L.C., the private developer in the project, said that pressure to get the arts center done was pushing work on the project, which is planned for the 900 block of New Hampshire Street. On the west side of New Hampshire Street, the project would include a multilevel parking garage with about 500 public spaces, retail and commercial projects and office space. The east side of the street would include more retail commercial and office space, as well as the new arts center. Dale Glenn, an architect for Glenn Livingood Penzler Architects, who is working on both the arts center and the commercial development of Downtown 2000, said that the arts center design was being worked out with the Lawrence Arts Center Board of Directors. "We're very close to a final scheme," Glenn said. Glenn said he expected that at the next arts center board meeting, a plan would DOWNTOWN be sent to the city commission with a recommendation for submittal to the Historic Resources Commission. The earliest the Historic Resources Commission would be able to consider the plan would be at its Oct. 21 meeting. Shmalberg said that crews could begin work on the commercial part of the project any time after the first of the new year and that progress on the arts center won't be tied to commercial development. Initial plans for the Downtown 2000 project were authorized by the Lawrence City Commission in Februarybut did not include a new building for the arts center. The arts center was added to the project in May after an expansion of the old Carnegie library building, 200 W. Ninth St., was rejected by the Historic Resources Commission. Adding the arts center required drafting a new ordinance to establish another redevelopment district. In August, city commissioners passed the ordinance, which required approval from both the county and the school district. As part of the redevelopment project, the city, the county and the school district agreed to give up all new taxes the development would create to repay the tax increment financing, or TIF bonds, that would help finance the public portions of the project. The total investment in the project is about $27 million, with about $17 million invested by the city for parking, infrastructure and the arts center and about $10 million invested by the private developers. Shmalberg said that there also would be 24 apartments and the possibility of a hotel on the parking lot that was obtained this summer from Mercantile Bank, 900 Massachusetts St., in a land-for-money deal. Shmalberg said that fewer than 24 parking spaces in the new garage would be reserved for Mercantile Bank employees. Shmalberg said the project would create about 43,000 square feet of retail space. about 16,000 square feet of living space and about 26,000 square feet of office space. Glenn said that design plans for the private development were still being refined but that progress was moving along well. Edited by Brad Hallier Lewis Hall vacancies surprise some residents By Lori O'Otoole writer@Kansan.com Kansan staff writer Lewis Hall has 22 vacancies despite its previous waiting list of hundreds of people and the high demand for space in the new building, leaving some residents confused. Ken Stoner, Department of Student Housing director, said that there were several no-shows and cancellations in Lewis, which he said was common in all residence halls. He said students often moved out of halls or swapped rooms at the beginning of the year. Because of the common chaos caused by the moving and switching, Lewis has been left with some empty snacks. The hall has a capacity of 270 students, but 248 students live there. Stoner said the approximate 93 percent occupancy was typical for the residence halls. "We consider anything over 90 percent to be good," he said. "We open every building with some vacancies. It's just the nature of the beast." But to some Lewis residents, vacancies were a surprise considering the high demand for space in the hall. Lewis had a waiting list of hun dreds of people before it was throw out at the beginning of the semester Stoner said nearly every incoming freshman who applied through the department of student housing requested to live in a suite-style residence hall at Lewis or Templin Halls About 50 percent of Lewis' residents are returning students, demonstrating that the demand for space in the renovated building was not only among freshmen. Tim Reed, Joplin, Mo., sophomore. "We open every building with some vacancies. It's just the nature of the beast." Ken Stoner Department of Student Housing director 841-PLAY 1029 Massachusetts has one of the 22 vacancies in his quad room. "Hardly any of the quads on my floor are full," he said. Reed, who has two roommates instead of three, lives on Lewis' fifth floor, where there are seven vacancies. Reed said that he did not expect there to be as many vacancies on the floor because of the large number of people who wanted to live in Lewis. "That's kind of odd that there's a third of the vacancies on the fifth floor," Stoner said. "It's a strange coincidence." Stoner said students who requested to live in Lewis but were not assigned there might not want to move to the available spaces. "Once students get assigned, the question is do you really want to move," he said. "Especially if they are comfortable where they are, and they're getting along with their roommates. There will be other room changes, but the big bulk of it is taken care of." Stoner said students who want their names reaffirmed on the Lewis waiting list must contact the department of student housing. Reed said he and his roommates did not mind the vacancy in his suite. "We like it," he said. "There's more room. We hope to have it to ourselves at least until semester." — Edited by Ronnie Wachter PLAY IT AGAIN SPORTS LIBERTY HALL 644 massachusetts 785) 749-1912 RUN LOLA RUN FRI 5.00 7.00 9:30 SAT & SUN 2.00 5.00 7.00 9:30 Samuel L. 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