Commission declares Cornhusker redevelopment study area blighted and extremely blighted; residents urge further review

The Lincoln–Lancaster County Planning Commission on July 23 voted 8–0 to declare the Lincoln Cornhusker redevelopment area — roughly 2,065 acres bounded by N. 50th/56th, Colfax Ave., N. 27th/30th and Holdrege Street — blighted and, in a separate motion, extremely blighted under the Nebraska Community Development Law. The declarations cover a large study area that includes portions previously designated in earlier actions.

City urban development director Dan Marvin and consultants from Marvin Planning Consultants presented a blight study that, they said, documents infrastructure deficiencies, an aging building stock and other statutory criteria that support blight and extreme‑blight findings. Marvin described multiple objectives for the designation, including creating access to a state homeowner tax credit program for owner‑occupants and positioning the…