Eschliman questions developer’s sale of Waverly land to Lincoln company

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BY DEENA WINTER / Lincoln Journal Star

City Councilwoman Robin Eschliman is unhappy with a local real estate development company that sold Waverly land to a Lincoln electric company — which will result in 80 jobs moving out of the city.

WRK LLC — owned by Will and Robert Scott — has a minority ownership interest in Waverly Development Co., which owns the Waverly business park.

Watts Electric Co. rents property in Air Park but will move to the Waverly business park in June.

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Robin Eschliman (LJS file)

Robin Eschliman (LJS file)

Watts Electric owner Dave Watts has publicly complained the city of Lincoln didn’t do enough to help him build on land he bought at 7301 N. 70th St. in Lincoln. After flood maps were updated, the land ended up in a floodway — where commercial construction must be specially built so as not to exacerbate flooding.

WRK has received public assistance on several redevelopment projects in Lincoln and has taken an increasingly prominent role on the Lincoln development scene. A WRK-led team was also selected by the city to develop offices, stores, restaurants and at least one hotel if the city builds a new arena west of the Haymarket.

“As a landowner, WRK certainly has the right to recruit any and every company in Lincoln to Waverly if that’s what they want to do,” Eschliman said in a written statement.

“However, we have cooperated well with WRK’s numerous projects in Lincoln and attempts to do economic development here, and I expressed disappointment to them that they would take Lincoln jobs to Waverly.”

Will Scott was flabbergasted by Eschliman’s comments.

He was told Watts had given up on building in Lincoln.

“We definitely did not recruit anybody,” Scott said. “Watts Electric actually approached us through the city of Waverly. … I’m really surprised and disappointed. I guess I’m just confused with the logic.”

He said the business park has been a boon to Lincoln — it’s near an interchange that is the first exit into Lincoln from the east.

Since 2005, the business park has attracted a Tractor Supply Co. retail sales distribution center and an MBA Poultry packaging plant.

Scott noted the business park agreed to move Tractor Supply farther north to accommodate the city and county’s eventual plans for an east beltway. Scott said they’ve “sat on” about 15 acres of high-priced land in an effort to be a good neighbor.

“I’m not trying to steal someone out of Lincoln,” he said. “There was no intent to harm Lincoln in any way.”

But Eschliman fears Watts’ employees might move a few miles down the road to Waverly and asked WRK to “consider a policy of only recruiting businesses from Omaha, out of state, or anywhere else besides Lincoln” to their business park.

Dave Watts doesn’t see why Eschliman has a problem with WRK’s decision.

“I guess they were supposed to turn my offer down in this soft market to protect Lincoln,” Watts said. “You would think a real estate agent would understand it’s just good business to sell your goods to the highest bidder.”

Watts has estimated he will save more than $800,000 by moving to Waverly, because the city offered $650,000 in tax increment financing and doesn’t charge development impact fees or a city sales tax.

Chamber President Wendy Birdsall didn’t want to enter the fray over Watts’ exit. But she said  the Tractor Supply development “was a huge win for both communities” because the company had considered moving out of state.

The workers live in both cities, she said, and even those who live in Waverly are likely to use Lincoln’s hospitals, clinics, stores and other services.

Reach Deena Winter at 473-2642 or dwinter@journalstar.com.