UPDATE: City Council votes to look for buyers for Pershing Center

UPDATE:

On Monday, the Lincoln City Council voted 6-0 to push for the sale of Pershing Center.

With his approval, Mayor Beutler could now encourage potential buyers to offer their plans for the property.

Council members said the building has stood unused for more than five years and costs the city around $100,000 a year to maintain.

"It’s been sitting out in the urban development portion of the city’s website," said Councilman Jon Camp.  "So it’s been out there for these years, but…it really hasn’t actively been marketed and now we’re looking at a point where we will do that."

Camp proposed the resolution to try to get private groups to come forward.

But they added an amendment from Councilman Carl Eskridge so the resolution would solicit both private and public organizations to buy the property.

"We’re just opening the door to see what possibilities are out there, whether it’s a public use, a private use, whatever’s the best use is for it," Eskridge said.

Whoever buys the property will have to consider how costly it would be if they want to demolish the building.  Camp said one figure puts it at $2 million, including dealing with the asbestos hazards.

But the city wants to hear from anyone who’s interested.

"Anybody that has an idea, this is your time to come forward," Eskridge said.  "The city will be taking peoples’ interests and ideas and we’ll see what we can do for the best for our city."

Camp said there is the chance that the mayor won’t sign off on it, but that’s not likely because so many people want to see something done with the property.

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UPDATE:

It’s been sitting unused for several years.  Now the Lincoln City Council says it’s time for someone to put the Pershing Center’s property to use.

The council’s 6-0 vote means the city would be actively looking for potential buyers.

Council members say the building has stood unused for more than five years and costs the city around $100,000 a year to maintain.

The resolution would solicit both private and public organizations to buy the property.

"This…gives more latitude to those entities or organizations that would make proposals," says Councilman Jon Camp.  "And I think that’s good because now we really let the ideas foam to the surface from interested parties."

Camp says there is the chance that the mayor won’t sign off on this, but that’s not likely because so many people want to see something done with the property.

The City Council says whether a private or public organization buys it, they’re excited to see it repurposed.

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Posted By: Channel 8 Eyewitness News

8@klkntv.com

The City Council voted 6-0 on Monday to advertise the Pershing Center for redevelopment. 

Council members say the building has stood unused for more than five years and costs the city $100,000 a year to maintain. 

Councilman say whether they sell it to a private entity or a public organization uses it, they are excited to see what happens to the property.