DeWake Investments says Canteen Commons plans near completion after long delay

Charlie Berwick, a DeWake Investments member, told the North Platte Redevelopment Authority on Sept. 27 that the Canteen Commons project has been significantly delayed by incomplete plans but is now "one page away" from finalization with the city reviewer.

Berwick said the outstanding item concerns drywall/firewall design between apartments and that, once submitted, the reviewer (named in the transcript as Dave Hahn) could approve the plans. He said plans had progressed to about 90% a year earlier and are now roughly 99% complete, and that earlier site work (tree removal and dirt work) was performed in anticipation of faster permitting.

Explaining the delay, Berwick said the project’s architect had been retiring and did not complete the work in a timely way. "It's been a really frustrating process," he said, noting the delay has cost his construction business money because crews were hired in expectation of building work that stalled.

Berwick outlined an expected schedule: if the missing design page is completed quickly, he said city review and contractor bidding could move fairly fast, with a realistic timeline for bids by about Dec. 15 and construction starting after the ground thaws — late February to early March, weather permitting. He said project funding is in place and currently held in low‑yield accounts awaiting construction.

Board members noted the project will require minor redevelopment contract amendments because some dates and lot layouts have changed; staff said they would evaluate impacts and return with recommended modifications.