BEATRICE – A southeast Nebraska community could pick up considerably more available housing by using two elementary school sites soon-to-be-unused.
"As I think realtors will tell you, there's a grand total of five to ten houses for sale, in the City of Beatrice. That's pretty tough, to get a lot of growth."


Mayor Bob Morgan and the Beatrice City Council reviewed concepts submitted by JEO Consulting for the Paddock Lane and Lincoln Elementary School properties, which the city will take possession of in about November. They’re being replaced by a new single site elementary set to open this coming year.
City Administrator Tobias Tempelmeyer says a public open house on the concepts will be held July 8th, 4:30 to 6:30 p.m., at the Beatrice Public Library.


Infrastructure costs for the phased projects total about $2.3 million…streets, water and sewer. It doesn’t include engineering, electrical or demolition costs.
"These areas are eligible for TIF (tax increment financing). And, your question is going to be, how's that going to work, if the city puts in the infrastructure? The purchase price is a TIF-eligible expense....so that would probably be the main TIF-expense if the city were to be the developer and put the utilities in."


The concepts include single family homes and duplexes at the Paddock Lane property along with two cul-de-sacs and storm water detention area.
The Lincoln School site concept is for twenty single family home lots, two cul-de-sacs, storm water detention and a playground, with Grant Street extended east and 20th Street extended to connect with it.

Lincoln School property concept
Lincoln School property concept  


Although the city would consider private developer proposals, Councilman Gary Barnard feels the city should be the developer.
"I just think it's important that we retain control of it. As we have seen in the past, it's hard to find developers to come in and take over the whole thing. I just think that this should be something the city should consider being the developer, on. I wouldn't normally think that, but in the climate and the circumstances that we have within our city, I think it would be important that we retain control of what we're going to build there."


Tempelmeyer said one goal was to minimize the number of driveways that connect to street traffic bordering the developments. "Looking at Lincoln school site...what you'll notice is the extension of Grant Street through the property, so there are no driveways onto existing roads. You'll see that we're looking to extend 20th Street through there. It makes it difficult for several reasons....snow removal and trash collection. The last thing we wanted to do is have one entrance and exit from the site."


Mayor Morgan said the development plans might also have application for other areas around the city that may be acquired in the future.
"At least if we put it out there and there is a really good developer, at least he's got a map of what we want done. It's tough to find a developer and I agree that it's kind of nice to control your own destiny. But at least now, this is how we want it."


Although the Lincoln School property concept shows a round-a-bout at 19th and Lincoln, officials were quick to point out no decision has been made as to how that intersection would be designed.