An update on Vision 2015's pillars

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BY MATT OLBERDING / Lincoln Journal Star

While some of the 2015 Vision group’s priorities are clearly moving forward, the status of others is less clear.

Lincoln Attorney Kent Seacrest, the group’s spokesman, said the group is not ready to talk publicly about progress.

But the group met last week with new Lincoln Mayor Chris Beutler to bring him up to speed on its plans, he said.

When it announced itself last fall, the 2015 group identified 10 “pillars” — or projects — it intends to champion.

After hosting public meetings earlier this year, the group decided to form smaller action teams. Some teams have consolidated as it became clear their work was overlapping, Seacrest said.

For instance, one team is now working on the arena, convention center and hotel, instead of two.

And one team is tackling the Haymarket park expansion and proposed sports triangle.

The downtown Catalyst One Project  and P and Q street retail corridor also consolidated.

While Seacrest is not talking, some information about the pillars can be gleaned from public documents and meetings.

Here’s a rundown of what’s known about the pillars:

* Catalyst One project and P and Q retail corridor: Last month, former Mayor Coleen Seng selected the Lincoln Synergy Group’s $180 million redevelopment project for the block bounded by P, Q, 13th and 14th streets.

The proposal includes 22- and 15-story  towers on top of a block-long parking garage. The 22-story tower would include a hotel and housing, while the 15-story tower would house office space.

The project also features an 18-story tower on the northwest corner of 14th and Q for a garage, retirement housing, space for the UNL and retail space.

The Synergy Group and city officials are hammering out a redevelopment agreement, and the group must work out deals with private property owners.

The city budgeted more than $900,000 for tax increment financing for the project in its capital improvement plan, but Dallas McGee, assistant director of urban development, said that number will grow once the size and scope of the project is finalized.

On the retail front, the Downtown Lincoln Association, city of Lincoln, Chamber of Commerce and private developers commissioned a study of downtown’s retail environment. Results are expected by mid-June.

WRK, a development company headed by Will and Rob Scott, has been involved in renovating several buildings along P Street, including the old bus depot (now a bank) and the National Arbor Day Building at 12th and P streets.

* Convention center and headquarters hotel: Developer John Q. Hammons met with city officials last month about progress on the proposed arena.

After the meeting, he said he remains committed to building a hotel and convention center in conjunction with an arena. He said he envisions a 15- to 20-story hotel with 350 to 400 rooms and a “nice” convention center.

The city has estimated the cost for a hotel and convention center at nearly $100.

The city expects the costs of the convention center and hotel to largely be borne by private developers, a blight study under way would, if approved, make the project eligible for tax increment financing.

* Arts and humanities center: Work is progressing on the Sawmill Building, 801 S St., with more than $1 million in renovations to the nearly 100-year-old building.

Seacrest declined to elaborate on work on the rest of the block, bounded by R, S, Eighth, Ninth.

* Haymarket Park expansion,  Nebraska sports triangle: Work is under way on the Nebraska School Activities Association and Nebraska State High School Hall of Fame north of Haymarket Park.

Much of the rest of these projects depend on the arena.

This team and the arena action team are coordinating, Seacrest said. “If you look at a map, they literally touch each other,” he said.

* Antelope Valley: The flood control project continues to move forward, with more than $100 million budgeted in the capital improvement project over the next four to five years.

* UNL research and development corridor: This is largely dependent on completion of Antelope Valley, but there has been developer interest, McGee said.

The department has put more than $1.2 million into its capital improvement plan request over the next six years for potential land acquisition related to the research and development corridor.

* Co-locating fairs: Easily the most controversial of the pillars, it is largely on hold until a study mandated by the Legislature is completed.

Reach Matt Olberding at 473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com.