A century-old east Lincoln house will get a facelift and some new neighbors as part of a plan approved Wednesday by the Lincoln-Lancaster County Planning Commission.
The commission voted unanimously to recommend approval of a landmark designation for the home at 325 S. 55th St. and a special permit to allow eight homes to be built on the 1.3-acre lot.
The home was built in the early 1900s, likely before 1915, by John G. Cordner, an architect who was involved in designing several notable buildings in Lincoln including First Methodist Episcopal Church in University Place and the College View Carnegie Library.
The house and its lot remained as is over the years as urban neighborhoods sprung up around it.
It is now owned by Kelly Langer of Kelly Custom Homes, and Langer has started restoring the home for his family to live in. He is seeking permission to build eight single-family homes in a cul-de-sac design.
People are also reading…
The goal, he said, is to create a "pocket neighborhood," essentially a smaller neighborhood within a neighborhood that is planned around a central design element to encourage residents to gather. For this project, that central element will be a community garden.
"I like to do things that are a little different, and this is a little different," Langer said.
One neighbor and a couple of planning commissioners expressed concerns about the amount of traffic the development will add to the area, especially considering the only entrance to the homes will be off of a private drive. But planning staff pointed out that Langer or any other developer could tear down the existing house and build four duplexes with eight total units without any city review of plans, other than a building permit.
Commissioner Dennis Scheer said Langer's plan fulfills a lot of the goals of Lincoln's Comprehensive Plan for land use, including building new homes in the already developed city rather than on the edges.
"I like the project," Scheer said. "I like it a lot."
In other action Wednesday, the Planning Commission:
* Recommended approval of a zoning change and use permit for a proposed 8,000-square-foot daycare near 81st and O streets with room for 130 children.
* Recommended approval of a landmark designation and special permit to allow First Street Bible Church to add onto its building at Southwest First and West F streets to accommodate its growing congregation.