Lawrence’s Civic Plaza will receive some much-needed upgrades later this year, according to Deputy Chief of Staff Joe Murphy.
Murphy said many of the city’s events are presented at the large grassy area at 5710 Lawrence Village Pkwy., in downtown Lawrence. Events include the farmers market, Lagers in Lawrence and Winterfest, among others.
Plaza renovations will include decorative concrete in what was formerly greenspace.
“The primary change taking place is all the greenspace,” Murphy said. “That has been an impediment to the city in the past because we don’t always host events when weather conditions are great.”
There also will be a steel pergola with wooden slats to provide shade, a centerpiece design of what Murphy calls a wind tree, which acts as a wind turbine to power the facility, and a three-dimensional sign reading “Fort Ben” that will double as seating, picnic tables, benches and bike racks.
A matching grant from the Indiana Dept. of Natural Resources will aid in upgrading the area.
“About 1 1/2 to two years ago, we were awarded a land and water conservation grant from the Dept. of Natural Resources to upgrade that and bring it up to date and modernize it so the city could use it for more than just functions that require greenspace,” Murphy said. “With that in mind, we began planning in earnest the redevelopment of that facility a little over a year ago.”
The Land and Water Conservation Grant provides matching assistance for up to 50 percent of the project’s cost. The original cost was estimated at $1.2 million, but Murphy said the figure could increase because of construction costs.
The city hired a firm to design the project and issued a request for proposals for developers late in the construction season in 2021. Murphy said because the request was issued too late, the city received no bids. It recently reopened the bidding process, with concludes March 2.
“We hope to select a contractor quickly in the first or second week of March,” Murphy said. “That would allow them to begin construction activities on the plaza in early to mid-April.”
Construction is expected to last six months. Civic Plaza is expected to be completed in October.
