Topeka eyes Lauren's Bay do-over to combat housing shortage

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Capital city leaders are looking to make the most of a development deal that didn't go as planned for a previous administration.

Lauren's Bay is a southwest Topeka neighborhood in the Auburn-Washburn School District near Southwest 47th Street and Southwest Wanamaker Road. It borders the district of District 6 City Councilman Spencer Duncan.

Houses are somewhat sparse in the area. Duncan told 27 News that's because of an unconventional deal that was struck between the city and the original developer about 15 years ago.

"[Topeka] didn't do developments like this prior," Duncan said, "and we haven't done them since."

He said typically when these agreements are made, the city builds the needed infrastructure, like roads, sewer and water lines as homes are built around that infrastructure.

At Lauren's Bay, the infrastructure was built but many of the houses were not. Current city leaders are now trying to make the most of the situation by striking a new deal that would help combat the city's housing shortage.

"We don't have enough homes for people to live in," Duncan said. "That not just doesn't allow us to bring new people to Topeka, it doesn't serve the current people living in Topeka.

Although homes in this area would likely be north of $300,000, the city council also green-lit another project this year to bring 250 low-income apartments to downtown Topeka.

"A lot of our problems stem from a lack of housing," Duncan said. "Both from a helping people perspective and an economic perspective, and so it has got to be a priority for this city."

The potential deal's developer would be well-known Jim Klausman who was behind the creation of Wheatfield Village at Southwest St. 29th and Southwest Fairlawn Road.

Topeka city council voted 8-1 Tuesday night to get the ball rolling on a Klausman deal. District two councilwoman Christina Valdivia-Alcala was the lone 'no' vote.

According to Duncan, the city and Klausman have until the end of the year to reach an agreement.

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