The Lincoln Independent Business Association (LIBA) (www.liba.org) and I recently attended the community meeting for the proposed South Downtown, or “SoDo,” redevelopment. According to the consultants hired to examine the potential redevelopment project, South Downtown has many needs. Among the needs identified, the consultants focused much of their presentation on the addition of a grocery store, the lack of residential parking, the importance of improved lighting, reducing traffic, and presenting a revitalized image.

The following is a statement issued by Bill Lien, the Chairman-Elect for LIBA and the LIBA Board of Directors.

As an organization with members throughout the city, LIBA is excited about the growth taking place in Lincoln and applauds the community for working to make historic areas such as South Downtown vibrant again. Indeed, the Piedmont Shopping district is a shining example of how Lincoln can focus on and implement positive redevelopment in key areas to strengthen the larger community.

With respect to the SoDo redevelopment project, however, LIBA has serious concerns about the discussion surrounding the closing of 13th Street and the elimination of one lane of traffic on 16th and 17th Streets.  Lincoln is a growing city with some major existing infrastructure problems.  One such infrastructure problem involves the efficient movement of traffic North and South across the city.  If 13th street were closed, traffic would only increase on 27th Street and on other high-traffic arterials such as 9th and 10th Streets.  LIBA believes that 27th Street is already overburdened, and the elimination of another route North and South with the closing of 13th Street would only make the problems on 27th Street worse.

Aside from the traffic concerns, LIBA also has reservations about the real need to close 13th Street. The reason stated for the proposed closing of 13th Street is to provide space for a new city park.  To develop the proposed park, one idea suggests removing all businesses and homes in a four block area around the corner of 13th and F.  LIBA disagrees with this suggestion.  Such development is not necessary because the city already provides a park – Cooper Park – just four blocks to the west of the proposed location. Although the consultants noted that getting to Cooper Park is difficult for local residents due to traffic, LIBA does not believe this provides a sufficient basis for the construction of a new park at the cost of eliminating so many businesses and homes.

Not only is the addition of a park costly for businesses and homes in the area, but Lincoln is also already facing a Parks & Recreation funding problem.  Notably, the golf courses owe money to the city’s general fund of nearly half a million dollars, and the city has had great trouble funding the maintenance and mowing of the public parks we have now.  Tall grass continues to swallow up baseballs in places like Cripple Creek Park due to the lack of mowing funds.  Rather than the construction of a new park, perhaps the consultants and the SoDo redevelopment team might consider a walking bridge or some other potentially less costly alternative that would allow the use of Cooper Park without placing a new burden on city infrastructure and without increasing the strain on the city budget.

We cannot achieve meaningful progress without daring ideas.  LIBA commends the Lincoln Community Foundation and the rest of the SoDo team for presenting creative ideas and for challenging Lincoln to continue to grow.  We ask that the committee keep searching for ideas that will benefit SoDo while also remaining mindful of the project’s impact on other issues faced by the Lincoln community.  The SoDo redevelopment effort is off to a great start, and LIBA is excited to see the progress the SoDo team makes.
-Bill Lien, LIBA Chairman-Elect

by Coby Mach, President & CEO

www.liba.org | 402-466-3419

LIBA studies and promotes these types of issues that are important to businesses and our community.  If you have an interest in joining LIBA, please call me at (402) 466-3419.  LIBA membership is not restricted to just businesses.  We also have “individual” memberships for those who want to help influence our local government decisions.