Triplets on the market

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By DEENA WINTER / Lincoln Journal Star

The three identical, historical houses commonly called The Triplets finally have found a home, out of the way of the city’s massive Antelope Valley public works project.

And now they’re hoping to become a home for people interested in living in the North Bottoms neighborhood.

The trio of homes got a lot of bad press when they were on North 22nd Street — because even though they were 100 years old, dilapidated and sometimes inhabited by homeless people, the city had no choice but to shell out about $630,000 to preserve and move them rather than just demolish them. The move alone cost the city $135,000.

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Rick Williams of Lincoln, Neb., contractor for Skyline Homes, walks into 1425 North 15th Street. Williams has been working on the Triplets since March 2006 and says, "When I first saw them I thought, I'm getting into a mess...I never thought they would come out this good." (Kainaz Amaria)

The city agreed to preserve such historical structures when it signed up for some $49 million in federal funds to support the Antelope Valley project.

The city’s new Urban Development Department director, David Landis, likened the city’s predicament to getting on a roller coaster and realizing you can’t get off until the ride’s over. He said it was a “supremely unprofitable exchange,” but necessary to avoid jeopardizing federal funds.

The irony is that the houses were preserved, but look nothing like the eyesores they once were. The insides are completely remodeled, with new windows, carpet, light fixtures, kitchens and bathrooms. Very little of the original homes remains, other than the layout, design and Queen Anne architectural style, with white wooden columns on recessed front porches.

They each have garages in the alley and a good view of the Antelope Valley project, particularly the Big T overpass, and University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus.

The Joint Antelope Valley Authority bought them for $71,000 in 2005. Now that they’re nearly completely renovated, they’re for sale, and the city hopes to get about $130,000 for each. A sale is already pending on one of them, and negotiations are underway on a second. If the city gets its asking price, it will have spent about $240,000 on their makeover and relocation.

Like a benevolent Big Brother trying to keep orphan siblings together, the feds also required that the homes stay together. And so they stand, side by side, at 1433, 1437 and 1441 North 15th Street, triplets still. Except they no longer sag; they’re the jewels of the neighborhood.

Their garages are right across the alleyway from Leonard Pospisil’s garage, who was working on his roof Monday in the rain. Although the Triplets caused quite a mess when they first moved in, they’ve shaped up and he’s happy to have them around now.

“They’ll improve the neighborhood,” he said.

Before, there was just an empty lot for about 30 years, Pospisil said.

Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.