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 The YPN, a committee of the Lincoln and Logan County Chamber of
Commerce, is a group of professionals age 20 to 30 that is dedicated
to attracting young professionals to Logan County and providing them
with an environment to develop their careers so that they will stay.
"The YPN plans a strategic event once a month such as a professional
development class,” said YPN Chamber liaison Nicole Cox.
Over 35 people gathered at David Lanterman’s newest business, “By
the Bean,” coffee bar for pastries and coffee to begin the tour.
Lanterman, Lincoln Mayor Keith Snyder, and Patrick Doolin served as
tour guides for the afternoon.
The first stop was the space above “By the Bean” and “Bean’s and
Such” next door. David Lanterman discussed the history of the 19th
century buildings and his vision of what could be done with these
spaces.
The tour moved next door to the second floor of the old Myers
Brothers building, formerly used by the Elks Club as their lodge
before they moved to the current Elks Country Club. Part of the
space was for women only because at the time women were not allowed
in the men’s section of the lodge.
Lanterman stressed his vision of what could be done with these
second story spaces. They originally served as living space for the
owners of the retail shops that were housed on the first floor.
While some were used for businesses, most served as residential
space.
Lanterman wants to bring these wonderful areas back to their
original purpose, residential space in downtown Lincoln.
The views are spectacular from the lofts with the Logan County
Courthouse serving as a backdrop. Even on the gloomy Sunday
afternoon, natural light poured in from the huge windows fronting
Kickapoo Street.
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The tour moved on to the second story loft of the building currently
housing the Pink Shutter, at one time Boss Drug Store. This area had
three separate living areas. Doolin pointed out the sturdy steps and
level wooden floor of the building. “This is an example of how well
the old buildings in downtown Lincoln were originally built. It does
not take much to return the wood floors to a gleaming finish”, he
said.
Doolin should know. The next stop on the tour was the beautifully
restored building at 110 Kickapoo Street that he chose as the first
downtown home of Integrity Data. It is now home to Natalie Marquez’s
law practice.
The building is a shining example of what a second floor space can
become in Lincoln. “The second floor lofts we have seen this
afternoon are in great shape compared to what we found on the second
floor of this building when we first started the restoration in
2000. It took about a year to turn a much neglected area into a
modern open space office,” he said.
Mayor Snyder, Doolin and Lanterman concluded the tour on the second
floor of the Marquez Law Office with their vision of what downtown
Lincoln can become; a return to the bustling and vibrant area it
once was. They discussed the use of the TIF District, Enterprise
Zone assistance with tax abatement on building materials, and
Historic District tax credits.
The tour group moved on to Sorrento’s Pizza for a post tour mixer.
[Curt Fox]
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