 City aldermen heard details of how the historic downtown building
might be spared the potential of falling into disrepair, and made a
bigger-than-it-is-now asset to the downtown in the near future.
Mayor Beth Davis-Kavelman said she was contacted sooner, but she
first met with two nice gentlemen on the night before Thanksgiving.
The men would like to work with Main Street Lincoln and the city to
do something nice downtown.
She asked Pete Ross if he would explain more to the council. Ross
currently manages the business and the building, and would continue
to manage the building if the interested party were to purchase it.
Ross said that this is one of the most historic buildings in
Lincoln. It was designed and built in about 1915 by the same
architect who built the courthouse.
The wife of the current building owner has become ill and he
would like to sell now.
Two gentlemen from Texas have ambitious plans for the building
that include an upscale restaurant, bed and breakfast, and a banquet
room for wedding receptions and parties. "I think it would bring a
lot of outside business into Lincoln. It would be a real boom to the
downtown area," Ross said. They are looking to put a lot of money
into it, he added.
The potential owners are interested in getting whatever tax
incentives or other options the city might be able to help provide,
Ross said. Anything you can do might help these gentlemen out and
help bring them into town, he said.
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"My real concern is that if they don't buy it, someone else doesn't
buy it, the gentleman who owns it now is going to walk away from it,
and the building's going to sit and deteriorate," Ross said.
The mayor said that most of the seven points listed in a request
made to the city and county have been covered. She said that
guidance from Les Last, the city building and code officer, was
helpful. Last sat in at the November meeting with the businessmen.
The fire department inspectors have already assessed the building
and made recommendations, along with Last's inspection, she said.
"It looks like mostly, now, they will be seeking historic
building grants," she said.
The mayor called on Aldermen Jonie Tibbs, who serves on the
city's public grounds and building committee and the Historic Homes
and Buildings Commission; Alderman Wanda Lee Rohlfs, who also serves
as the executive director of Main Street Lincoln; and the new
director for Lincoln & Logan County Development Partnership, Joel
Smiley, who was in the audience. She asked if they would work
together with the potential new business owners to see if there are
grants available.
This is a beautiful building that's four stories. It is a very
nice structured building, and a lot of nice things can be done for
our downtown with that.
The building is in the enterprise zone.
[By JAN YOUNGQUIST]
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