Thursday, January 17, 2008
While students were away for the holidays the Lawrence City Commission approved plans for a new place to shop.
Lawrence city commissioners voted 4-1 Tuesday to give Wal-Mart the final approval needed to build a second Supercenter in Lawrence at the northwest corner of Sixth Street and Wakarusa Drive. The approval ends a five-and-a-half-year dispute between Lawrence residents and the world’s largest retailer.
Kyle Wagner, St. Paul, Minn., senior, who lives in Saddlebrook Townhomes near the store’s future location, said the second Wal-Mart would be convenient for students living in that area.
“A lot of people in our area could use a Wal-Mart nearby,” Wagner said. “There’s not a Wal-Mart or Target or anything out here.”
Bobby Carter, Overland Park senior, said he thought the new store was a bad idea.
“Wal-Marts are notorious for killing smaller businesses,” Carter said. “I personally won’t shop there because there’s already a Wal-Mart in Lawrence and I rarely shop there.”
The commission’s decision was met without protest as no one from the public who opposed the project attended the meeting. Doug Compton, co-president of VI Wak Land Investments, which sold Wal-Mart the 52 acres for the project – said he couldn’t be happier with the decision.
“It’s good to get this final chapter behind us,” Compton said shortly after the vote took place. “I’ve been doing this for a long time and this has been the longest process I’ve ever been through.”
Fewer than 10 minutes were devoted to the issue before the vote took place. City commissioner Dennis “Boog” Highberger who has opposed the project from the beginning, cast the only dissenting vote.
“I think the project won’t be beneficial to the city,” Highberger said after the meeting. “I think it will generate a significantly higher amount of traffic than the city is ready for.”
The next step is for Ray Frankenburg, a private consultant for Wal-Mart, to submit his building plans. Wal-Mart officials said they planned on getting a building permit by this spring. They estimate the store’s construction will take 10 to 12 months and hope they can open the store by 2009.
The conflict began in August 2002 when Wal-Mart officials first announced their plans to build the 200,000 square-foot Supercenter store on the west side of the city.
Neighbors immediately raised concerns, ranging from a traffic increase to the negative effect the retail store would have on downtown businesses. After the previous city commission denied the project, Wal-Mart and VI Wak Investments filed several lawsuits claiming the city acted outside the scope of its authority.
Days before the trial was scheduled to start last April, the 2007 election put Mike Dever and Robert Chestnut on the city commission, flipping the majority in favor of the new Wal-Mart. The lawsuit was settled out of court as the two sides agreed to shrink the size of the new store by 50 percent to 100,000 square-feet.
Toward the end of the commission meeting, city manager Dave Corliss advocated the need for a new stoplight at the intersection to accommodate the anticipated increase in traffic. Because the area is considered a benefit district, Wal-Mart would have to pay two-thirds of the cost for the stoplight, which is estimated to be about $330,000. The other businesses at the intersection are expected to pay the remainder.
A hearing is scheduled for Feb. 5 to discuss how businesses in the area will divide the cost of the proposed stoplight.
— Edited by Sasha Roe
City Commission finally approves Wal-Mart store
After years of squabbling, the city commission and Wal-Mart have come to ...
Discussion of second Wal-Mart revisited
The second Wal-Mart proposed for Lawrence was voted down 3-2 by the ...
Lawrence expects new Wal-Mart plan
Wal-Mart has frequently hit road blocks in trying to build another store ...
O'Neill: Consumers ‘vote’ when dropping their dollars ...
People complain about Wal-Mart, but not its prices.
Tyson removes contaminated beef from shelves
The Lawrence Wal-Mart removed contaminated beef from its shelves after a recall ...
City commission? What?
Within the last six years, the Lawrence city commission banned three unrelated ...
Lawrence's landlord: a developer's story
Doug Compton, owner of First Management, has helped guide Lawrence's development for ...
Mass. Street Dillons to undergo makeover
The Lawrence City Commission approved the construction plans with a few stipulations ...
English: How Wal-Mart keeps sucking me back ...
Wal-Mart gets more than 200 applications
Students can apply for a job at the new Wal-Mart until March ...
New Wal-Mart begins hiring process today
The store is accepting applications for 230 jobs at new Sixth Street ...
Give your mom love on Mother’s Day, ...
Salsbury: Inn cell towers higher than expected
New hotel on campus slowly becoming taller with more additions.
Bowersock plant to create green jobs
The Lawrence City Commission voted last week to approve the issuance of ...
In your cart, out of your wallet
Students pick favorite grocery stores based on price, quality of food.
Oread Inn closer to materializing
Public will be able to comment on official plan in a future ...
Oread Inn to face opposition from Student ...
Some senate members said that the Inn is not a student-friendly building ...
New $6 million boathouse gets city commission ...
City commission approved a measure to continue negotiations on boathouse
Editorial: Last chance
Students who disagree with the construction of the Oread Inn will have ...
Homeless shelter extends its stay
The Lawrence city commission approved a three-year permit allowing shelter to continue ...
Commission bans guns in bars
The city of Lawrence will start cracking down on anyone who brings ...
Oread Inn proposal up for review by ...
The Planning Commission voted Monday for the Oread Inn proposal to go ...
City Commission Recap
Rezoning of the Oread neighborhood, downtown parking and possible demolition of historical ...
No time for the Inn
The Lawrence city commission postponed its decision on the proposed Oread Inn ...
Rowing team one step closer to boathouse
First drawing released for rowing boathouse to be built near Kansas River
City commissioners select new mayor
Robert Chestnut will return to his former role on the City Commission.
City Commission passes domestic registry ordinance
The Lawrence City Commission approved a new city ordinance that gives gay ...
KU museum up for top tourist recognition
Spencer Museum of Art competes to be a top tourist destination on ...
Highberger re-elected to city commission
Schauner falls short in bid for re-election, while Bush and Maynard-Moody also ...
Student came up short in city commission ...
Jake Davis ran for the Lawrence City Commission with a main platform ...
Store closes department
New complex may offer nine-hole golf course
The Links at Lawrence would feature a nine-hole golf course, among several ...
City recommends fewer bus routes
Proposed changes include combining routes but adding more stops
Lawrence City Commission adopts Oread Redevelopment Project
With city commission approval, demolition on Indiana and 12th streets may begin. ...
Student Senate proposes crosswalk construction
Senate has offered to pay for a crosswalk in front of Naismith ...
Commission votes to draft ordinance
Political affiliation not always accurate
Politicians and professors in Lawrence divide city commission candidates into two groups: ...
Commission approves boathouse permit
The Lawrence City Commission approved a special use permit that would allow ...
Downtown meters will allow quick shopping
City commissioners voted 4-1 to approve 15-minute meters in each block of ...
From left: Kimberlee Hinkle, Libby Johnson and Hannah ...
1 comment
Kansas Jayhawk fans hold aloft a reproduction of ...
2 comments
Erin Saupe, a Ph.D. student from St. Cloud, ...
1 comment
0 comments
Armed robbers continue to threaten.
3 comments
Lecture from Greg Mortenson, co-author of New York ...
0 comments
Comments
Commission votes to start Wal-Mart construction
This is an extraordinary piece of journalism! I compared it to the LWJ piece and found Mr. Greenhaw's article to be much more informative and interesting. It was if I was at the meeting myself! I would not hesitate to give Mr. Greenhaw ever more challenging items to report on. He obviously has had a superior education and upbringing!
Sign in to comment
Or login with:
OpenID