GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (KSNB) - Big day in Grand Island where months of planning starts becoming reality, all in effort to bring more housing to central Nebraska.
What was known as the Central Nebraska Veterans Home will get new life after sitting vacant since January 2019. Thursday, the White Lotus Group and its partners officially hosted an official groundbreaking ceremony for phase one of Liberty Campus development.
Renovations is being led by Chief Construction, and developers are ready to start rehabilitation of the Anderson and Pershing building. Crews will transform it into 46 affordable housing units specifically designated for seniors and veterans.
Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen also spoke at the ceremony.
“But when I come out to this campus and think about the extraordinary history in the last 100, almost 40 years, I get goosebumps thinking about the impact and how many people have been served,” said Governor Pillen. “And when we start thinking about our veterans and that we’re gonna make it happen for our veterans so that they can have a place that they can afford to live and still keep this ground so focused.”
The Central Nebraska Veterans Home called Grand Island home for over 100 years. Even for developers White Lotus Group based in Omaha, this is a special project.
“You can tell by the people that were here and some of the responses to the speeches how much the campus means to folks; 130 years of history,” said Drew Sova, White Lotus Group. “It’s a badge of honor to be task with redeveloping this. I think it’s in some ways poetic to be starting out with some affordable housing on the Pershing and Anderson buildings.”
Sova said this is a great first step to providing affordable housing. Adding, it will create activity and this will tailor to what was once at this site. Mayor Roger Steele talks about what this means for the city of Grand Island.
“Grand Island and the veterans have such an emotional attachment to it. It’s wonderful to know that we can reuse it and make it last for decades now.”
Renovations for the Anderson building is scheduled to be complete by the end of the year. The Pershing building will be complete in March.
