Innovation In Revitalization: The Lincoln, Nebraska Haymarket Development Project
The following post comes courtesy of Global Site Plans' The Grid. CNU and Global Site Plans recently teamed up to syndicate Grid content, as its contingent of writers presents a view on the opportunities and issues of urbanization all across the world. CNU will carry select posts from the Grid direct on the CNU Salons.
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Downtown Lincoln, Nebraska has always been the economic and social center of the city; the Haymarket area being the heart of this downtown area. While parts of the Haymarket remain popular hot spots for restaurants, farmers markets and businesses, the outskirt area of the West Haymarket area, an area that was once a bustling railroad station, has become a run down version of its former glory. This space has deteriorated to an otherwise fairly unused space becoming a Brownfield site. This Brownfield site, a site in which the revitalization of land is complicated by the presence of hazardous substances or contaminants, was virtually vacant. As the Environmental Protection Agency conducted its studies, it found that this land contained such things as petroleum and heavy metal contaminants. With the proper cleanup procedures, however, construction is more than underway.
With the vision of architects, developers, engineers, and city officials, this area is quickly becoming revitalized as Lincoln’s new entertainment district. Within the revitalization of this underutilized property, the construction of restaurants, shopping centers, public outdoor spaces, as well as the Pinnacle Bank Haymarket Arena, are all taking shape.
As the construction is quickly emerging and most of the area is set to finish within 2013, Lincoln can expect to see massive growth as the new Haymarket area is expected to have a $260 million annual economic impact on the Lincoln economy according to a May 2009 economic analysis report completed byLeib Advisors. Along with this positive economic impact, the completion of this entertainment district will provide an entertainment community that rivals large cities within the nation. These benefits are the direct result of smart urban planning that will benefit Lincoln citizens and visitors alike. This is truly a story of creating something out of nothing, an example of true revitalization, a lesson that all cities can utilize when reinventing their cityscapes.
With this project in mind, how do you see your community using smart urban planning techniques to revitalize its underutilized spaces?
To read the original post, written by Lisa Gran, visit Global Site Plans.
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