|
Good morning, Henry.
Thank you for sharing the information regarding how other communities structure and market their economic development tools.
With respect to comments about governance structure, those matters would need to be directed to the JEDO voting board members, as policy decisions rest with the County Commission and City Council representatives serving in that capacity.
Thank you,
Economic Development Director
City of Topeka
215 SE 7th Street, Topeka, KS 66603
lboling@topeka.org
Phone: (785) 368-0974
NOTICE: This message and any attachments may be confidential and contain legally privileged information. If you are not an employee of the City of Topeka (see K.S.A. 75-6102(d)), we do not waive any legal protection that may apply such as attorney-client or work product privileges. If you have received this email in error, please immediately notify the sender and delete the message and any attachments. Further, this communication is not intended to constitute, nor should it be relied upon, as legal advice to you.
From: Henry McClure <mcre13@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 18, 2026 11:19 PM
To: Leigha Boling <lboling@topeka.org>; Spencer Duncan <sduncan@topeka.org>; MCRE Media <mcre1.9999@blogger.com>
Subject: Look at this
| Notice: -----This message was sent by an external sender----- |
Leigh,
We need to look at taking the land away for Go Topeka and put it in the Land Bank
This is Lawrence
The **Catalyst Incentive Program** is a special, temporary economic development initiative by the City of Lawrence, Kansas, designed to attract and support **new industrial projects**. Launched in 2017 (with expansions and renewals over time), it provides streamlined, expedited incentives for qualifying developments to stimulate growth, particularly in designated business parks and industrial-zoned areas.
### Key Features and Incentives
The program offers an automatic "basic assistance package" for projects meeting minimum eligibility criteria, with approvals handled directly by the City Commission for faster processing. Core components of the **Catalyst Business Park Assistance** package include:
- **10-Year Real Property Tax Abatement**: 50% abatement on the increased property value from the project; increases to **70%** if the building achieves LEED Silver equivalent standards (certification not strictly required, but encouraged for the higher rate).
- **Industrial Revenue Bond (IRB) Financing**: Includes a **sales tax exemption** on construction materials and equipment used in the project.
- **Land Assistance** (in select cases): City- or county-owned land provided at **no cost** for projects in Lawrence VenturePark or East Hills Business Park.
Additional perks may apply based on project specifics, such as location on brownfield sites (which can help toward LEED goals) or expansions of existing buildings (abatement applies only to the expanded portion).
### Eligibility Criteria
The program targets **new spec development** (speculative buildings ready for tenants) or **full build-out industrial projects**. Minimum thresholds vary by location:
- **Lawrence VenturePark**: New buildings ≥75,000 sq ft with ≥$5 million capital investment.
- **East Hills Business Park**: New buildings ≥25,000 sq ft with ≥$1.6 million capital investment.
- **Building Expansions** (anywhere): ≥15,000 sq ft added with ≥$1 million investment.
- **IG-Zoned Land Citywide**: New buildings ≥25,000 sq ft with ≥$1.6 million investment.
Projects must be industrial in nature and meet other city economic development standards. Spec or full-build projects hitting these marks qualify automatically for the base package.
### Program Status and Sunset
This is explicitly a **temporary program**. It is set to **sunset on April 1, 2025**, meaning no new applications or approvals will be accepted after that date unless the City Commission extends or replaces it. (As of early 2026, available information confirms the sunset has passed or is imminent, with no indications of renewal in recent public records.)
The program has been used for various industrial projects since inception, contributing to job creation and investment in Lawrence's business parks.
### Comparison Context (to Topeka)
Unlike Topeka's more general, discretionary fee reductions (capped at 25% via City Manager approval for economic projects), Lawrence's Catalyst Program focused on aggressive, predefined tax abatements and exemptions tailored to industrial growth. It offered fuller, longer-term relief (e.g., 50-70% property tax breaks over 10 years plus sales tax exemptions) but was limited to industrial sectors and specific sites—making it more targeted and generous in those areas than Topeka's broader but shallower approach.
For the most current details (especially post-sunset status or any successor programs), check the City of Lawrence's official economic development page at lawrenceks.gov/ed/catalyst or contact their Economic Development division directly. Lawrence continues to offer other incentives through programs like affordable housing policies or general IRBs.
