Site that may include Lowe's faces battle
digg it!
Facebook
del.icio.us
Seed Newsvine
Fark It
Reddit
BY MATT OLBERDING/ Lincoln Journal Star
The possibility of Lincoln getting its first Lowe's store may hinge on whether the city is willing to change years' worth of policy on a strip of land in southeast Lincoln. Lowe's, the nation's second-largest home improvement retailer behind The Home Depot, reportedly has its eyes on a location near 66th Street and Nebraska 2.
Apple's Way LLC and UNO Properties will go in front of the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission on Wednesday with plans for 32 homes and 235,000 square feet of commercial development on about 62 acres on the south side of Nebraska 2, including a site for a 138,000 square-foot "big box" store with with an outdoor lawn and garden area.
Bennie McCombs, president of UNO Properties, declined comment on whether the site would include a Lowe's.
Jennifer Smith, a Lowe's spokeswoman, said it is the company's policy to not publicly comment on new store locations until either a property is purchased or a lease is signed.
But she did say that while she couldn't comment on a specific Lincoln location, "I can certainly confirm that Lowe's is exploring additional opportunities in Nebraska as part of our nationwide expansion plans."
Those plans include 150 new stores this year and 160 next year. Lowe's has about 1,100 stores nationwide. In Nebraska, Lowe's has three stores in Omaha.
A member of the Planning Commission, Melinda Pearson, said it was her understanding that Lowe's is interested in the site.
If Lowe's is indeed interested in the location, the company could face an uphill battle.
Previous applications for commercial development at the site have either failed to get approval or have been pulled by the applicant, including an attempt to put a
ShopKo and a Menards there in 1994.
In response to a fight over a Home Depot store that eventually was built at 70th Street and Nebraska 2, the city adopted a subarea plan that shows no other commercial development on Nebraska 2 between 56th and 84th streets.
Despite that, the developers are pushing forward with their plan. The current application was originally submitted last year but was put on hold. It has since been amended to add a residential component and shrink the size of the proposed commercial space, but it still does not have the support of the Planning Department. The department has recommended denial of both the requested zoning change and a request for a comprehensive plan amendment.
City Planner Brian Will said it's "primarily a traffic and transportation issue."
A traffic study indicated commercial development at the location would require additional traffic improvements to Nebraska 2, including a traffic signal, which would lead to delays and congestion, according to a staff report written by Will. The area is better suited for residential development, Will said.
One obstacle the developers apparently don't have to contend with is opposition from the nearby Country Meadows neighborhood, which actively opposed Home Depot. Though representatives of the neighborhood association could not be reached, an attorney for the developers said they have been working with the neighbors to allay their concerns.
Mark Hunzeker said he couldn't speak for the neighborhood, but the developers think they have reached a point where the majority of the neighbors are not opposed to the project.
"We're hopeful we won't have the level of opposition there's been in the past," Hunzeker said.
Reach Matt Olberding at 473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com.
Post Your Comment
Standards and RulesYour posted comment will appear after it has been approved.
Frequently asked questions about story commenting.