Lincoln City Council to hold public hearing on downtown redevelopment project

A redevelopment project in the downtown area is being looked into.

It would put a 20–story multi–purpose building in place of where an Applebee’s restaurant used to be near 11th and Q streets.

“It is multi–use, it is residential and it adds to the vitality of a 24/7 downtown,” Urban Development Director David Landis said.

It’s a $30 million project,with 25 million coming from private investment and the rest from TIF funding.

The building would house a restaurant, office space and several floors for apartments.

“We do have a shortage of affordable housing,” Councilman Bennie Shobe said.  “This development will add more housing stock to our community.”

The Lincoln City Council will now decide whether or not to approve the agreement between the city and the developer and whether or not to appropriate the $5 million in TIF for the project.

“This is a large development and it’s a change in our cityscape and public input’s always helpful to us to make decisions,” Shobe said.  “We are deciding things for the entire community, not just for a developer in one section of town.”

The city council is holding a public hearing on this proposal on January 28 and they want members of the public to participate.  So far, that meeting is scheduled at 5:30 p.m.