Downtown Beatrice has been a location of strong community growth of late, however, there are still major challenges to be faced as it relates to building conditions at a handful of properties.
Main Street Beatrice & The City of Beatrice have been contemplating potential strategies to address these challenges that face our community and have the potential to negatively impact those who are doing great things in our community.

The plan being put forth, while not a perfect solution, appears to be the best route forward. We encourage our downtown building & property owners that have concerns to please let us know.

Below are a few links that we hope help to understand what is being considered:

Beatrice Daily Sun Article from November 5th

Beatrice Daily Sun Article from November 19th

Here is the letter submitted by Main Street Beatrice to downtown property and business owners dated 11/13/19.

Here is a summary of the ordinance as provided by City Administrator Tobias Tempelmeyer for the City Council’s November 4th meeting.

In 2016 the City adopted the Adjoining Building Ordinance.  As with most laws, after using it for a couple of years you discover parts that you would like to amend.  The proposed amendments to the adjoining building ordinance are as follows:

• Clarify that registration of adjoining buildings is required.
• Establish that the registration runs from January 1^st to December 31^st.
• Provide that the registration fee shall be waived if the owner provides proof of insurance.
• Requires that all adjoining buildings are inspected annually; however, if the building is found to be compliant, is properly registered, and provides proof of insurance then the building will be inspected every four (4) years.  Except in the case of an emergency or visual observations pursuant to another applicable city code.
• States that the inspection will focus on foundation, walls, floors, joists, ceiling, and roofs.

            To go along with the new proposed adjoining building ordinance we have learned that the City’s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Re-use funds can be used for rehabilitation activity that will correct code violations and enable a business to survive and retain jobs.  At least 51% of the jobs created or retained must be made available to or held by low-to-moderate income (LMI) persons. 

            Generally, this requires the applicant to fill out one (1) additional sheet of paper when they apply for the job.  The business then reviews the applications of the LMI individuals first.  If they find an employee great.  If not, the business then reviews the applications of the non-LMI individuals.  The business then submits the additional sheet of paper and a job creation and retention summary sheet to the City quarterly.

            Since these are CDBG Re-use loan funds the building owner or business owner would have to follow the City’s CDBG Revolving Loan Fund Reuse Plan. 

• Must be an eligible business.  
• Must be an eligible activity.
• Can be a loan, grant, or some of each.
• Max of $35,000 per job created or retained.
• Applications go before the Citizen Advisory Review Committee (CARC) and then City Council.
• Applicants have to submit financial statements to the City.  They are not made public.  The City Administrator reviews the financial statements.

            Finally, the City is exploring the possibility of becoming a Certified Local Government (CLG).  Being a CLG would provide the City to apply for grants to assist in surveys, National Register nomination preparation, demolition review of historic properties, publications, workshops and events.

Here is a PDF copy of the most recent ordinance revision, dated 11/19/19

Please note the definition of an adjoining building was modified.

Update from 12/2/19 – The Beatrice City Council unanimously voted to approve the revisions to the adjoining building ordinance.

News story on the meeting from the Beatrice Daily Sun

Starting on Friday May 10th 2019 a new wave of bike racks are being installed downtown. By the end of the project a total of 32 bike racks will be placed downtown.

The bike racks are an amenity for tourist and area residents alike and will give those using our trails or traveling about town a safe and convenient place to park and secure their bicycle while patronizing downtown businesses.

This project has been made possible by Main Street Beatrice, The City of Beatrice, Beatrice Plus, The Coffin Foundation, Hydo Properties and the Gage County Historical Society.

Nebraska Main Street Communities Achieve 2019 National Accreditation

Lincoln, NE (April 23, 2019) –Beatrice, Falls City, Fremont, Grand Island, and Wayne have been designated as Accredited Main Street America™ programs for meeting rigorous performance standards set by the National Main Street Center. Each year, the National Main Street Center and its Coordinating Program partners announce the list of accredited Main Street America programs in recognition of their exemplary commitment to preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach

“We are thrilled to honor this year’s nationally accredited Main Street America programs for their commitment to preservation-based economic development and the revitalization of their commercial districts,” says Patrice Frey, President & CEO of the National Main Street Center. “The power of Main Street shines across the country through these vibrant communities, who have all worked to generate impressive economic returns, preserve community character, and celebrate local history. In 2018 alone, Main Street America programs generated $4.93 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 5,310 net new businesses, generated 25,301 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 8,146historic buildings, and clocked 2.2 million volunteer hours.” 

Each community’s performance is annually evaluated by the Nebraska Main Street Network, which works in partnership with the National Main Street Center to identify the local programs that meet ten national performance standards. Evaluation criteria determines the communities that are building comprehensive and sustainable revitalization efforts and include standards such as fostering strong public-private partnerships, documenting programmatic progress, and actively preserving historic buildings.

Main Street America has been helping revitalize older and historic commercial districts for almost 40 years. Today, it is a network of more than 1,600 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, who share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, communities participating in the program have leveraged more than $79.12 billion in new public and private investment, generated640,017 net new jobs and 143,613 net new businesses, and rehabilitated more than 284,936 buildings. Main Street America is a program of the nonprofit National Main Street Center, a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.


Elizabeth Chase, Executive Director, Nebraska Main Street Network