Mayor Gaylor Baird Says Innovative Project Showcases Sustainability Potential

LINCOLN–(News Release Aug. 14)–Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird today said a proposed new live-work development in Antelope Valley promises to demonstrate how net zero building design can combine with economic development opportunities to provide greater amenities for Lincoln residents.

“The 23rd Street Net Zero Live-Work Redevelopment Project will expand the residential and commercial options in the surrounding neighborhood, help support new businesses, utilize existing infrastructure, and provide a model for sustainable redevelopment,” Mayor Gaylor Baird said.

The proposed change to the Antelope Valley Redevelopment Plan would redevelop 335 N. 23rd Street into a three-story mixed-use building. The site currently includes an aging commercial structure that will be removed. The amendment will be considered by the City Council on August 21.

Project elements include:

• Five or six ground floor micro-restaurants for new and emerging food businesses featuring outdoor dining areas along the perimeter of the building 
• Nine upper-level residential units targeting net zero annual energy use, including two studio units, three one-bed loft units, two two-bedroom units, and two three-bed loft units. The net zero status would be achieved by a planned rooftop solar array that would generate energy for the building equal to the amount used.
• Thirteen on-site parking stalls – one stall per residential unit, four additional stalls for the commercial space, and designated bicycle parking. In addition, the project is located on a corner lot with frontage for several on-street parking spaces and is a walkable destination for the surrounding neighborhood.
• The possibility for associated streetscape enhancements in the project area

The Project is consistent with PlanForward, the Lincoln-Lancaster County 2050 Comprehensive Plan, one of whose overarching goals is to promote neighborhood mixed use areas like this one. Increasing density through mixed-use infill projects can increase the viability of alternative forms of transportation and reduce the need and length of trips by private automobiles.

Mayor Gaylor Baird said the project demonstrates the kind of development envisioned by Lincoln’s 2021 Climate Action Plan.

“We know that our community’s growth and development can proceed hand-in-hand with our climate goals. This mixed-use development will help us meet our goal to reduce emissions 80% by 2050 and demonstrates what our future looks like as a climate-smart community,” Gaylor Baird said.

If the amendment to the Antelope Valley Redevelopment Plan is approved, it is anticipated that the City Council will subsequently be presented with a redevelopment agreement for consideration that includes more specific aspects of the project.