Lincoln Square Owner Weighs In

While Urbana has been soliciting ideas on what to do with the Lincoln Square mall property, one voice hasn't been heard from: the actual owner of the property. Tom Kacich had his thoughts about the property, ideas for its future and people leaving him out of the conversation. From Sunday's News-Gazette:

Tom Kacich | Lincoln Square's owner has ultimate say
It's great that people have grand ideas for what to do with the Lincoln Square mall and its parking lots that lie smack in the middle of downtown Urbana.

More retail, more greenspace, outdoor seating, music venues, public art, apartments, water features, more parking, less parking and on and on. The city of Urbana is even offering an online survey, asking people what they'd like to see at the site of the downtown indoor shopping center that was an architectural marvel in 1964, and is still pretty attractive and solid.

But wait a minute. Lincoln Square may feel like a public space, but it isn't. It's not owned by the city of Urbana or the university or Carle.

It's owned by Jim Webster, a guy who took a fly on a downtown mall about 15 years ago and deserves some respect before we all decide what to do with his property...

Webster was insistent about one thing: "It's not for sale. The property is not for sale."

Despite all the talk about the property's future and the uncertainties that creates, Webster said he's signed a handful of new tenants and he's still optimistic about its future.

"I'm committed to Lincoln Square, and I really want it to be an asset that the people of Urbana can be proud of," he said. "It is encouraging to see how involved the community is relative to Lincoln Square. We think there could be some positive outcomes. However, any changes are determined privately and are based on economic decisions."

Full article here.