Even though some people would say I don’t know anything about baseball, I would argue that I’m still a baseball guy, and I often find myself relating life situations to baseball. Or, in this case, a baseball movie. “If you build it, he will come”, which is often misquoted as “If you build it, they will come”. Either way, it’s a great line taken from one of the greatest baseball movies of all time, “Field of Dreams”.
That movie quote is exactly how I feel about downtown Beatrice. For the last several years I have heard many discussions about downtown buildings needing businesses to fill the first floor of vacant buildings, but rarely, if ever do I hear discussions about who will shop there. As I usually do, I have a different perspective than others on most topics and in this case, our downtown buildings. I’ve always had the approach that we should focus on the second-floor residential uses of those buildings, and never have I confirmed that thought as much as I did this last year.
Recently, our department has been tasked with conducting adjoining building inspections, which covers approximately 118 different buildings within the City of Beatrice, and as you’d expect, many of those buildings are in the downtown or Central Business District (CBD) of the city. These 90-plus inspections we have completed so far, have given our department the opportunity to positively interact with nearly every CBD property owner. So far, our inspections have yielded some very positive results; the majority of our CBD buildings are in good condition, and only some routine maintenance is really necessary to ensure these buildings last another 100-plus years. While our main focus is to inspect for and encourage some routine maintenance, we also get the opportunity to look at all of the amazing possibilities of each building.
Some of our most recurring words after we leave an adjoining building inspection are, “That (second-floor) space would make a great set of apartments”. With our most recent housing studies showing how we need more market-rate rental housing, it seems like an excellent opportunity for many owners, investors, or anyone in between to consider some amazing possibilities. Sometimes as human beings we look past the obvious. In this case, I feel like the obvious opportunity exists in renovating an upper-floor of a CBD building into a residential space that could turn positive cash flow for buildings waiting on business tenants. Overall, if we build the population base in the CBD, the businesses will come.
While everyone has their own personal taste for new or nostalgic items, this is an excellent way to merge the new with the old. Over the past couple of years, we have seen some amazing transformations with the Mercantile Building at 301 Court Street, Tall Tree Tastings building at 122 North 5th Street, and recently completed (second floor at) 711 Court Street, where Amy Redd renovated the second-floor space for her residence, and the first-floor space for her business, Natural Vibes (coming soon). Craig and Casey Zarybnicky are in the process of renovating 713 Court Street, where they will reside on the second floor, and lease business space on the first floor. Most recently Aaron and Kylee Schoen are in the process of renovating 516-518 Ella Street with two apartments on the second floor and their business, Wicked Good Foods, on the first floor. After seeing Redd’s final product, I cannot wait to see the positive transformations of Zarybnicky’s and Schoen’s residential spaces as I know they will all rival each other.
Downtown living in Beatrice, Nebraska seems like a reasonable thing to do…no mowing grass, no scooping snow, a couple-block walk to some great venues, parks, movie theaters…just living!
Whether you believe in building the population base, and businesses will come, or you believe in building businesses/buildings, and people will come; either way you are correct. As we continue to move forward, we are working harder than ever to build “it”.
If you are an owner, investor, or anyone in between and would like to discuss some possibilities for a CBD building, specifically residential living, I would suggest you contact the Community Development Department, as well as Michael Sothan at Main Street Beatrice. Together we can answer all of your questions regarding building codes and historical building requirements.
Rob Mierau
Community Development Director