The Lincoln City Council on Monday gave initial approval to a project to build a 22-story luxury high rise at the corner of Ninth and P streets, despite concerns from Haymarket businesses.
Jon Camp, a former City Council member who was integral to development of the Haymarket, said business owners are worried about the effect construction of the project would cause and how the development would affect parking.
The Haymarket businesses are worried about parking during construction but also how more residents living downtown will affect parking in the long haul.
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“The real question is not location, location, location, it’s parking, parking, parking,†he said.
Their concerns include traffic congestion, parking during and after construction and revenue losses to businesses in the Haymarket during construction.
The council unanimously found the project conforms to the city-county comprehensive plan, which is the first step toward a redevelopment agreement with the city. Such agreements are required by projects that use tax-increment financing. TIF allows developers to use future property taxes the project generates to pay for certain up-front costs. Developers hope to use about $23 million in TIF.
Lincoln Bold, an $87 million project, will likely become the second-tallest building in the city, surpassing the Lied Place Residences at 11th and Q streets by 6 inches.
Plans for the high rise include 36,000 square feet of office space on floors two through five, 70 luxury apartment units on floors seven through 15 and 33 condo units on floors 16 through 21.
Amenities will include a members-only club on the top floor, and a pool, fitness center, co-working suites and a pet wash station on the sixth floor for renters.
DaNay Kalkowski, who represents the developers, said getting answers that some of the concerned neighbors want about parking and the impact of construction isn't possible yet because they’re not far enough along in the process.
A redevelopment agreement won’t come forward for at least two months, she said, and she promised to keep nearby property owners informed.
The council has been flooded with emails and calls from people concerned about parking, and several of them asked the developer for assurances that an affirmative vote Monday was early enough in the project that those concerns could be addressed.
Camp wanted the council to delay a vote until its meeting Jan. 9.
City officials told the council they are considering using the nearby Marketplace Garage for parking. Hallie Salem, with the urban development department, said they think there’s enough room there to accommodate valet parking for Lincoln Bold and also for students who live in a housing project going up on the old Journal Star site across the street.
Mark Whitehead, who owns the land where the high rise will be built and where the longtime service station Melichar’s now sits, tried to reassure the council that he was working with the Melichars to find another location.
They didn’t want to move, he said, but have been “tremendous†to work with and have a signed agreement to move to another as-yet-undisclosed location, even though it’s not their first choice.
A number of changes to the architecture of the building, which will sit at the entrance to the Haymarket, have been made as the project makes its way through the Historic Preservation Committee and Urban Design Committee to combine both the modern architecture with the more historic buildings in the Haymarket.
The development group includes Executive Travel owner Steve Glenn; his son, Paul; Mike Weatherl, who founded Silverhawk Aviation and now owns a company that provides security and janitorial services; and Alexander Carlson, whose family owns ARYSE, a startup that makes high-tech orthopedic braces.
They hope to start work on the project in the spring or summer and will be finished roughly two years later.