Potential new senior housing development in Ashland faces big hurdle | Local Business News
8 min read
ASHLAND — A developer is looking at property southeast of Ashland to build a neighborhood aimed at attracting “active retirees.” The development would include up to 60 houses, situated on about 20 acres of land just outside the Iron Horse subdivision.
But to move forward with the development project, the issue of an Ashland landmark must be dealt with. Near the center of the proposed development is the 150-year-old Israel Beetison House, which is cherished locally for its Italianate architecture and limestone exterior.
Popular perception is that when Boyer Young — Iron Horse’s developer — broke ground on the subdivision in the late 1990s, there was an agreement that the developer would maintain the Beetison House. But the house has deteriorated substantially in the past two decades and would cost at least $1 million to restore, according to Historic Resources Group and structural engineering firm RO Youker, who were hired by the new group to conduct an assessment.
Their findings pose a question: Is the Beetison House — in its present condition — worth saving?
People are also reading…
In a public meeting attended by more than 100 people on March 29, photos shared of the Beetison House showed graffiti lining the interior walls, sunlight shining through the roof on the second floor, deteriorating basement framing, holes in floors, broken windows and decaying limestone on the exterior.
Officials who assessed the Beetison House estimated it would cost at least $1 million to restore.
“There is really virtually no physical integrity left on the interior,” said Melissa Gengler said of Historic Resources Group. “The years of exposure to water infiltration has deteriorated almost all of the interior physical features.
“For the most part, all of the material that’s in the building is not salvageable.”
To restore the house, Gengler said a “total renovation” would be required. Mike Eisenbarth of RO Youker made a number of immediate repair recommendations to maintain the building’s current condition, including replacing the roofing, strengthening damaged wood framing, rebuilding the exterior masonry arches over the windows and installing caps over the chimneys, which have allowed additional moisture into the house.
Gengler said that the total cost would be “roughly” $1 million, but she said that number is likely on the low end. Bruce Wischmann, an Ashland City Council member and general contractor, estimated that the total could go up to $3 million.
“It depends on how historically accurate they want to be,” Wischmann said.
Gengler presented a handful of options the city and developer could take in determining the Beetison House’s fate. She said the building could be demolished and the lot could be incorporated into the planned development, or a central “clubhouse” could be built using design characteristics or salvaged materials from the Beetison House.
No site selected, but image of proposed lake fits like puzzle piece between Gretna and Ashland
The Nebraskan who tipped his hat to Texas and built a city
Another option would be to rehabilitate the building and find a new use, but it was noted that such a use would ideally produce revenue to support future upkeep.
Following the presentation, Gengler and Eisenbarth fielded questions from attendees, many of whom wondered why the building had not been maintained.
Wischmann said there was technically no contractual obligation for Iron Horse developer Boyer Young to maintain the property. A provision in the subdivision agreement from 1999 states that the developer may “not demolish, move or sell” the Beetison House without approval.
“So, there’s nothing that says in there that if a window gets broken out, they have to replace a window,” Wischmann said.
Epcon Communities, which builds homes targeted to the 55-plus community, hasn’t yet completed the purchase of the approximately 20 acres on Iron Horse’s south end still owned by Boyer Young.
Peter Katt, a longtime development attorney from Lincoln who is a partner in Epcon, said the location between Omaha and Lincoln and the setting “is absolutely gorgeous.”
But he knows about the Beetison House’s history in Ashland and the community’s attachment to the building.
Ashland officials: Persistence paid off on acre of land that was complicated by Lincoln water main
Roads officials plan roundabout for another busy Nebraska intersection
“I can’t do anything until I own (the land), a lender won’t let me buy it until I have city approval for my project, and I don’t think I’m going to be able to convince elected officials to approve my project without a very solid plan on what to do with the home,” Katt said.
The March 29 meeting was a first step, he said, in reaching a decision on the Beetison House’s future. He said to come to a definitive decision could take up to nine months.
Patti Schofield, a member of the Ashland Historical Society, emphasized the importance of the Beetison House and the need to preserve it.
“This town is a historic town, and we have to keep those things that are part of our history,” she said. “That building is a big part of what our community has always related to historically.”
Moving the house to a new site was mentioned, but Ryan Reed of the Nebraska State Historic Preservation Office said doing so would remove the home from the National Register of Historic Places. Without that historic designation, the property would no longer be eligible for tax credits.
editor’s pick alert top story
Several residential projects in or near downtown, including the 250-foot-tall Lied Place Residences, will open to residents this year.
editor’s pick alert top story
Delta Nelson’s entire life has been rooted in the auto industry, so it only made sense when she decided to open The Mechanix Garage in Lincoln.
editor’s pick alert top story
Downtown Lincoln’s population is expected to reach 10,000 in 2025 — a 730% increase since 2010.
editor’s pick alert top story
The history, culture and DNA of the Cornhusker state are woven throughout the Scarlet, which is scheduled to open this spring.
editor’s pick alert top story
Robin Eschliman’s annual review of restaurants in Lincoln found more dining options opened in 2021 than shut down.
editor’s pick alert top story
Over $2 billion worth of inventory was sold online through HiBid in 2021, and there are typically anywhere from 700,000 to 1 million items listed on the site at any given time.
Assurity’s Jack Douglas moved with his wife from South Carolina in 2020, the height of the pandemic.
editor’s pick alert top story
What started as an ambitious vision in 2015 has nearly come to fruition for Speedway Properties and Nelnet, which partnered together and bought more than a dozen properties in the once-blighted area in the 2010s.
editor’s pick alert top story
Union Bank & Trust executive vice president Doris Robertson attributes the bank’s recent success in part to the innovations the company made during the early days of the pandemic.
editor’s pick alert top story
Before Boxcar BBQ officially served its first slab of ribs to a paying customer in October, the staff experimented with hundreds of pounds of meat and dozens of tweaks to their recipes.
Even when the work is hard and frustrating, Jayne Ellenwood says it fills her bucket to be a part of Bryan’s response to the community.
editor’s pick alert top story
The golf club that opened in 2001 has gone private and among its new features will be a 250-foot-long lazy river, an adults-only pool with a swim-up bar and a six-lane competition lap pool.
editor’s pick alert top story
“I wrote thank-you cards to anyone that spent money with us. … I wrote hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of cards,” owner Laurie Frasier said, even if someone only spent a few dollars.
With the South Beltway set to open next year, some developers worry the city isn’t thinking aggressively enough about spurring growth in an area still largely unserved by sewer and other infrastructure.
editor’s pick alert top story
Jason Ball returns home to lead the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce with determination to “keep the ball rolling” for Lincoln as the city develops and grows.
CHI Health plans to open a new clinic at 40th Street and Yankee Hill Road, while Bryan Health will wrap up a multiyear expansion and renovation at its East Campus hospital.
editor’s pick topical alert top story
Each of the eight Schulz Poultry barns holds 45,000 birds, which arrive at just a couple hours old and spend the next 42-44 days in the barns before going to Fremont for processing.
Jada Picket Pin said she enjoys serving first-time visitors to the Green Gateau, as well as regulars who return for the excellent food and quality service.
editor’s pick alert top story
Christina Melgoza has seen big changes in Lincoln during her eight years as director of lot sales at Kreuger Development. She spoke to the Journal Star about Lincoln’s growth, the housing market and more.
Since CompanyCam’s inception, more than 400 million photos have been stored and 15 million projects created largely by contractors looking to better document their work.
Monolith led a record year for investment in Lincoln-based companies, which collectively raised nearly $300 million in venture capital in 2021.
editor’s pick alert top story
Many employees moved to remote work during COVID-19, a trend that’s likely to stick around, experts say. But other pandemic effects, such as labor shortages and pay increases, are likely to be short-term changes.
A fundraising campaign brought in more than $10.3 million for the 7 acres of land near the airport and the 60,000-square-foot new office building and warehouse, almost doubling the Food Bank’s current space.
Jay Foreman, Erick Strickland and Vershan Jackson have shows on the The Ticket, which also has programs featuring 22 current Nebraska athletes.
The Journal Star invited businesses and other offices celebrating an anniversary divisible by five this year to share their history with readers.
The Journal Star invited readers to share honors that businesses or employees received as best of state, region or nation. Also included is a recap of the major awards presented by business organizations locally.
In June, the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce resumed ribbon-cutting events to mark new businesses, businesses with new owners, relocated and renovated businesses, business anniversaries and ground-breaking ceremonies.
https://journalstar.com/business/local/potential-new-senior-housing-development-in-ashland-faces-big-hurdle/article_f9ae39cd-549a-59a8-a0a5-ab4864ae155b.html
