Upstairs Downtown helps downtown North Platte revitalize vacant spaces

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (KNOP) - With improvements to the downtown area well underway, plans for revitalization continue in downtown North Platte.

This week, the Downtown Association in conjunction with the Nebraska Main Street Network are looking up to new opportunities to enhance the upper floors in the downtown district.

It’s part of a national training program called, “Upstairs Downtown” that helps older downtowns revitalize vacant spaces in their districts with upper story housing.

“Obviously, everybody loves a revitalized downtown, arts and entertainment center, but people also living downtown bring a new spending power to downtown,” said Mike Jackson, Upstairs Downtown Architect. “They’re eyes on the street, they make it safer and they increase the profitability of structures for everybody and the tax base, so all of these things come together for a revitalized downtown. Getting more people downtown is the secret and this is a way to do that.”

Jackson said currently there is legislation pending that could be part of the new stimulus package to help make historic preservation more doable. Federal tax credits could increase from 20% to 30%, if passed.

Currently, $4 million has been spent revitalizing downtown North Platte. $500,000 of that amount was paid through the Quality Growth Fund, the rest came from the City.