Baseball Parking
Another cold Nebraska winter is behind us and it's time to get outside and enjoy the best baseball the Midwest has to offer. Whether you're going to Hawks Field to cheer on your Huskers, who are striving to get back to Omaha, or the hometown Lincoln Saltdogs, who expect to have yet another stellar season, you can park at Haymarket Garage for only $2 and use the pedestrian bridge to access Hawks Field. This offer is good Monday thru Friday after 5 p.m. and all day Saturday and Sunday.
New Garage and High-Rise Planned for Downtown
On February 13, 2006, Mayor Coleen J. Seng announced that the City of Lincoln plans to construct a new parking garage in Downtown Lincoln and to seek a private developer to build a highrise building above the new garage. The new garage will be built at 1311 "Q" Street, the current location of the Starship 9 movie theater. The Downtown Master Plan identified this block as the best location for a new parking facility in order to meet growing demand in the central business district. Because this block is outside the Capitol Environs District, the maximum height of the building could be 275 feet, which would accommodate a structure of up to 25 floors.
"Building up makes the best use of downtown land," said Seng. "The parking garage will serve as the catalyst to stimulate more economic development and potentially more jobs. There is an opportunity to create something better and expand the property tax base by building above a parking garage. This will attract more private investment to downtown."
The Downtown Master Plan also recommends the garage site include the northeast end of the block along 14th Street, which is occupied by Taste of China and Wasabi restaurants. The City has begun negotiating with the owners of these two restaurants in order to explore this possibility. Mayor Seng stressed the importance of reaching a fair agreement; "I would like the City to reach an amicable agreement with these owners that will allow the restaurants to relocate successfully. I have directed the Urban Development Department to work closely with both of them to achieve a positive result." The additional space would provide for more parking and greater garage design flexibility.
The Starship 9 movie theater will be purchased with $2.1 million available through parking enterprise funds that are designated for the development of a new garage. The City will take ownership of the theater in June of this year. Possible uses of the high-rise building could be an office tower, hotel, residential housing, or a combination of such uses.
Meet Your Cashier - Jodi Panko
Jodi Panko has been employed with the Lincoln Parking System since December 2000. She has worked in many aspects of parking including as a supervisor, customer service manager, and as a cashier, which has been the most enjoyable for her. In her downtime between working and interacting with customers, Jodi likes to read and practice her needlepoint. She also has two children and two grandchildren, is deeply involved in her community and church groups, and especially looks forward to working during home football games this upcoming fall. The employee of the quarter is based on exemplary attendance, paper work, customer service, and uniform attire, aspects in which Jodi has excelled in since joining the Lincoln Parking System. When you see Jodi, congratulate her on a job well done.
FARMER'S MARKET
Farmers are beginning to dust off their tractors and get back into the fields. This means that the Farmer's Market is just around the corner and you can enjoy $2 parking at the Haymarket Garage every Saturday while you browse for the freshest produce our hard working farmers have to offer. But don't think all you can get is sweet corn and watermelon. Vendors have a wide variety of items such as baked goods and homemade crafts, and you might even be able to find some more exotic items such as buffalo or ostrich meat, all while being entertained by local musical talents or dancers. So plan on getting there early and taking advantage of our parking deal, because the streets of the Haymarket are typically brimming with thousands of patrons.
The Market starts off in May and runs every Saturday morning, 8:00 am to noon, through the end of October.
Annual Report
Now Available
The City of Lincoln Parking System recently released its Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2005. Lincoln Parking System is staying ahead of the curve in the parking industry by providing an annual report. City Parking Manager Ken Smith said, "The integration of an annual report into our business practices will put us to the forefront of the parking industry and provide accurate, reliable information to our shared customers." The 2005 annual report focuses on the financial status of the parking revenue fund, addresses occupancy rates and diversity ratios, and finally analyzes additional information related to parking services.
Achievements discussed in the annual report include the reduction of waiting lists from nearly 900 customers requesting spaces to currently less than 20. Not only did Lincoln's Parking System decrease waiting lists, but also invested over $300,000 to promote economic development and increase the value of services in the downtown area. By constantly adjusting to the fluctuating demand of the market, the City was able to continue its revenue generation by providing patrons with the most affordable and intelligent parking possible. The Lincoln Parking System's Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2005 can be seen online at www.lincoln.ne.gov, then click on "Public Parking" and then "Documents and Reports." All comments are welcome concerning the annual report. Please help us work more efficiently for you.
Who Said It?
Do you know the characters and the movies from which these lines come from?
Click on text to reveal answer
- "If I could only have one food for the rest of my life? That's easy. Cherry Pez. Cherry flavor Pez. There's no doubt about it."
- "It's not that I'm lazy, it's that I just don't care."
- "I'll have a Bloody Mary and a steak sandwich and…a steak sandwich, please."
- "Now tell me, which one of these dogs would you want to have as your wide receiver on your football team?"
Acrobat (PDF) Version (273 K) 
