A few details about the parking garage/high-rise project on Q Street were described in today's Journal Star. Most disappointing is the non-proposal from John Hammons; I think a lot of folks considered him to be a front-runner, after his hotel proposal on 17th Street was shot down due to concerns about using eminent domain to boot existing property owners. The other two projects are much more interesting.
The first is from Dial Realty, a $45 million, 13-story project featuring a 112-room Residence Inn by Marriott and a 600-stall parking garage. The project would also include entertainment, office, and retail space, including two floors occupied by Sinclair Hille.
The second is a much -- much -- bigger project from Lincoln Synergy Group. Their project would feature a "22-story tower with 726-stall garage, 150-room full-service hotel, 104 apartments and more than 140,000 square feet of office and retail space." But that's not all. They also propose to redevelop all or part of the block across the street to the north. That building would include 700 more parking spaces, retail space, room for UNL offices, and 245 retirement units, all within 18 stories. The price tag for the two projects? $180 million.
In terms of "wow" factor obviously Lincoln Synergy Group is the winner. To a certain extent "wow" should be a major factor in determining which group gets the project. "Wow" projects generate excitement and momentum -- just what Lincoln needs to boost economic development, attract (and retain) employers, and move toward completion of the 2015 Vision Group's pillars and other priorities. But Lincoln has been promised "wow" before, only to receive much less. Consider, for example, just how difficult it could be to convince property owners on the north block to move. (It's not clear how many would have to move to make room for the proposal.) Although Lincoln Synergy Group's proposal is very exciting, Dial Realty's project is very attractive to me for the simple reason that it sounds achievable.
Which is your favorite? What ideas do you like, and which rub you the wrong way?
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I’m not sure what the backing of the alumni association means for the project that would occupy the block north. Does this mean the university is OK with that? I have always assumed the university would someday expand to that block, considering the Visitor Center and Ross Theater are across the street to the west.
I have never been convinced that the high rise was necessary, and I can’t say that an even more ambitious plan is all that necessary. Are businesses and people just waiting to occupy space in downtown Lincoln?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for progress and improvement. I just haven’t seen the demand yet.
sounds pretty cool either way. No matter what parking is such a bummer downtown. I will circle for a long time before I will hit a garage.
I am gonna be a positive Peter not a negative Nancy on this. I say build it a few feet shorter than the capitol 😉
I suppose it’s something like: “If you build it, they will come.”
I know if Lincoln wants to host NCAA events, it needs more lodging downtown, so maybe this needs to happen now. If it improves the chances for hosting NCAA events, I’m all for it. Those thing bring quite a bit of money to town.
Oklahoma City invested in its “Brickyard” area (much like the Haymarket or Omaha’s Old Market) and it now hosts the Big XII baseball tournament. Lincoln really ought to be able to compete with that. I’ve also thought the Missouri Valley baseball tournament would be a good fit for Lincoln. Wichita ends up hosting it most of the time, which usually ends up giving the Shockers a home field advantage.
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