Neligh Redevelopment Project Receives Unanimous Support

A development project near downtown Neligh moved closer to fruition Monday night as two organizations unanimously voted to recommend it to the City Council. 

A resolution for the Mill Pointe Project, located along Highway 275 where Helmer’s Furniture and the Neligh Locker once stood, was recommended for passage by both the Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA) and Neligh Planning Commission during separate meetings. 

The latter held a public hearing Monday that was attended by only five other individuals, including the land owners. No one spoke against the project. Only one other individual spoke at all - Neligh Economic Development Director Greg Ptacek. 

Craig and Melissa Smith of Neligh own Mill Pointe LLC and plan to construct a building on the property with four commercial spaces, as well as a public parking lot with 24 new spaces. 

"If you think back to a year ago, the area being developed was one of the biggest eye sores in the community,” Ptacek said. 

Commissioners all agreed the project would be of great benefit to the community and recommended moving forward with the project. Walter Storey made the motion while Dane Nielsen seconded it. All members, including Bennie Taylor, Don Zegers and Lance Sanne, voted in favor of the passage. 

At the CRA meeting an hour earlier, Dennis Anderson made the motion for the passage while Al Stelling seconded it. Joining them in favor were Terry Jensen and Ryan Koinzan. Ashley Krohn was absent.

By approving the resolutions, the organizations are recommending using Tax Increment Financing (TIF) for the public parking lot, which would use future taxes from only that project to pay for the public infrastructure improvement. The same process was used when The Willows Assisted Living was transitioned from a trailer park to a property that’s added nearly $1.4 million to the tax base, according to the Antelope County Assessor's website.

The City Council will hold a public hearing on the Mill Pointe project during Tuesday’s regular meeting, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Neligh Senior Center.

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