Memorandum

City of Lawrence

TO:	Mayor and City Commissioners
FROM:	City Manager David L. Corliss
Date:	February 11, 2010
RE:	1920 Moodie Road

City staff recommends that the City Commission authorize the distribution of a Request for Proposals for potential qualifying tenants for the use of the City owned building at 1920 Moodie Road.   The attached memorandum describes the requirements placed on the building because of previous federal funding.

Analysis of Possible City uses

Staff does not believe that the size of the 1920 Moodie building and related issues would accommodate existing and future City needs.   The square footage of the 1920 Moodie building (3,200 square feet) does not accommodate either Municipal Court and Prosecutor functions (nearly 7,000 square feet) currently housed at 1008 New Hampshire or Development Services  division (building inspection, environmental inspection, CDBG/HOME, training room with over 6,000 square feet) currently housed at Riverfront Plaza.  Additionally, the 1920 Moodie Road location is not ideal because Municipal Court and Prosecutor’s offices benefit from relative proximity to police department and district court offices at the Judicial Law Enforcement building.  As the Commission knows, the City does not plan to renew our lease of the 947 New Hampshire office space when the current lease expires in 2012. The Convention and Visitor’s Bureau will relocate to the rehabilitated Carnegie building by the end of this year, leaving the City to find appropriate office space for the Parks and Recreation administrative staff at the expiration of the lease.   While the 1920 Moodie Rd building would likely meet the Parks and Recreation administrative need with appropriate interior remodeling, we believe we can find adequate administrative space for the department and allow the 1920 Moodie Rd building to be used by a non-profit organization in keeping with the original intent of funding.   Other City uses such as storage and training space do not appear to be adequately met at the 1920 Moodie Rd building (e.g. there is a substantial need for additional evidence storage for the police department, however this building is not a long term response to this need because of size limitations).

Recommendation

While there are other City needs for space, and a desire to reduce existing lease costs, staff believes it is best to seek continued non-profit social service uses in the 1920 Moodie Rd building.