KU to host public forum on Central District redevelopment

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas invites Lawrence residents to learn about redevelopment plans for KU’s Central District at a public forum from 5-7 p.m. Wednesday, July 29, in the Schwegler Elementary School gym.

Hosted by KU’s Office of Design & Construction Management, the forum will provide residents a chance to explore the university’s plans to transform the Central District with new structures and spaces as part of KU’s comprehensive Campus Master Plan, which was launched last year.

The Central District, sometimes referred to as the Irving Hill area, is the part of campus bounded by West 15th Street to the north, West 19th Street to the south, Naismith Drive to the east and Iowa Street to the west. The heart of the redeveloped district will be Innovation Way, which will include new learning and research facilities and student living spaces.

Rather than a large presentation, the open forum will be a series of small, direct conversations between attendees and KU planners. KU will provide various visuals to help residents envision specific components of the Central District redevelopment and, more broadly, the Campus Master Plan.

“Public forums like these are a great way to have conversations with residents so we can all understand what KU will look like in the future and how a modernized university will benefit the entire community,” said Jim Modig, DCM director and university architect. “As we said when we launched the Campus Master Plan in 2014, this is a special opportunity for us to transform the university into a national model and better position ourselves to serve the state and nation.”

KU holds public forums such as this as part of its land-use agreement with the city of Lawrence. For example, the university held a series of forums in 2013 for the launch of the Campus Master Plan.

Additionally, the university will host a second open forum from 4-6 p.m. Aug. 24 in the Burge Union.

The 2014–2024 Campus Master Plan is KU’s fifth and most comprehensive master plan. The plan was developed over a 13-month period, during which hundreds of individuals were engaged in meetings, focus groups, interviews, and charrettes. The end result is a document that includes extensive analysis and reports on space and classroom utilization, historic patterns and resources, land use, program accommodation, sustainability, coordination with the local community, and other areas. Visit the Campus Master Plan homepage for details, including renderings and a video.