Main Street Consortium donates $17,000 to develop property left by demolition of Romanoff building

McCOOK, Nebraska -- The McCook Main Street Consortium donated $17,244.96 to the city to assist with development of the property that the soon to be demolished "Romanoff Building" at Norris Avenue and B Street is located on.

"We really do appreciate the contribution the Main Street group has made, not only on the Romanoff project but to our community as a whole" said McCook Mayor Dennis Berry after being presented with the check from representatives of the group at Monday's semi-monthly McCook City Council meeting at Memorial Auditorium.

The Main Street fund that was contributed was the result of countless hours provided by volunteers who held fundraisers, created promotions and solicited memberships and contributions from area businesses as well as contributions from the Kitty Perkins foundation and the Shoemaker family, according to the group.

The Main Street group also requested that McCook City Council consider utilizing its members as part of the planning aspect of the post-demolition phase of the project, adding "we are most grateful to Mayor Berry, the McCook City Council and City Manager Kurt Fritsch for bringing this long-awaited moment of downtown redevelopment to fruition."

City staff was directed to contact at least two local Real Estate agents to begin the market analysis and subsequent sale of three properties acquired as part of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program. The council discussed their desire to offer a preferred status to potential buyers with projected development and use of the property that is most beneficial to the city and surrounding neighborhoods.

The properties are all zoned differently, 206 W. Seventh is zoned as business commercial, 410 South Street is zoned heavy industrial and 301 E. Second is zoned residential medium density.

Mike Nielsen of McCook's Nielsen Chiropractic Health discussed with the City Council the downtown parking problem and offered a solution involving the purchase of the old "Ben Franklin" building and subsequent conversion of it to a parking lot. Nielsen sought the council's assistance in determining the cost of the demolition and paving project, performance of any necessary assessments as well as inquiry into the possibility of a block grant, prior to efforts on his part to pursue funding of the project from other sources.

With Nielsen saying the problem was two-fold, human nature and lack of parking, council member Mike Gonzales suggested that Nielsen's organization efforts be directed towards the human nature portion of the problem by policing up the 2-hour downtown parking restriction recently put in place.

The McCook Police Department enforces the 2-hour parking on a complaint basis only and downtown parking enthusiasts monitoring the parking situation could offer potential relief to the parking problem.

Other items approved by City Council;

* Two police vehicles were approved for surplus status and subsequent sale

* Taste of Texas BBQ was granted a special liquor license for the Monster Truck event, July 30, at Red Will County Fairgrounds

* Mo Dough LLC was granted a special liquor license for a wedding reception at McCook City Auditorium, July 10.