The Lincoln Diocese is considering selling land near First Street and Pioneers Boulevard that is directly north of Lincoln City Church.
The Catholic Diocese of Lincoln has decided to explore selling land it owns on the southwest edge of the city.
The diocese is taking sealed bids for nearly 75.5 acres it owns near First Street and Pioneers Boulevard. The deadline for bids is 5 p.m. on June 11.
The land was purchased in 2000 as a potential site for a future parish or school, said Tracy Lockwood, the organization’s chief financial officer.
According to county real estate records, the diocese paid $800,000 at the time. The land, which is zoned for agricultural uses, is valued at less than $300,000 by the Lancaster County Assessor’s Office.
The land is bordered by Wilderness Park on the east, Pioneers Boulevard on the north, U.S. 77 on the west and Lincoln City Church on the south.
Lockwood said the diocese recently “received some interest in the land” and decided to look into whether selling it would fit into its plans.
“We don’t think that’s probably going to be our next parish or school site based on the research we’ve done,” she said.
The diocese is using a formal bid process to ensure it gets the best possible price, Lockwood said. She said it had an appraisal done so it knows what the minimum market price should be.
Whether the land ultimately does get sold “will depend on whether there’s clearly a best bid or not,” she said.
The Lincoln Diocese buys land and property periodically but it doesn’t often sell locations.
Lockwood said she’s been with the diocese for five years and this is the first time she’s aware of property being put up for sale.
County real estate records show that the diocese sold nearly 16 acres near 84th Street and Rokeby Road to a developer in 2014 for more than $2.4 million, and that was its largest land sale in records available since 1987.
Photos: Inside Lincoln’s beautiful houses of worship
Churches
The sanctuary of First-Plymouth Church
Mount Zion Baptist Church
Mount Zion Baptist Church.
Holy Thursday 4.1
The Newman Center-St. Thomas Aquinas Church hosted in-person worship for Holy Thursday. One year after COVID shut the doors to in-person services, churchgoers again returned to the pews the week of Easter, the most important holiday for Christians.
Westminster Presbyterian
The Westminster Presbyterian Church’s newly renovated sanctuary.
St. Patrick’s
Newly installed stained glass windows and stations of the cross help move the new St. Patrick’s Catholic Church toward completion on Aug. 14, the day before the church dedication.
First-Plymouth stars
“It’s not like people will think they are in a planetarium, but you can see all the stars,” the Rev. Jim Keck said about the constellation adorning First-Plymouth’s ceiling.
St. Mary’s
St. Mary’s Catholic Church has a small gated room off to the left of the main entrance with a statue of St. Joseph and a baptismal font.
St. Joseph Catholic Church
Organ builders from Bedient Pipe Organ Company install a new pipe organ in the upper cavity behind the crucifix and a mesh screen at the front of the church on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013, at St. Joseph Catholic Church.
First Christian Church
A Bedient pipe organ is in the First Christian Church chapel.
First Presbyterian Church
The current First Presbyterian Church organ includes all three organs used in the church. Each time a new organ was installed, the chancel was remodeled and enlarged to accommodate the new piece.
Friedens Evangelical Lutheran
Friedens Evangelical Lutheran Church installed this statue of Jesus in the church in 1907. The statue was saved from a fire in 1925 when it was carried out by the pastor.
Sabah Mosque
The interior of Sabah, a mosque in the 1100 block of Furnas Avenue.
St. Luke United Methodist
Rod Scott uses a nail gun to attach wood trim around the final pane to be installed in 2004 in a stained glass window at the St. Luke United Methodist Church at 1620 Superior St.
St. Teresa’s
The meditation garden at St. Teresa’s Catholic Church.
Zion Church
John C. Friesen practiced on the new Zion pipe organ in 2011.
Salem Baptist
Salem Baptist Church in 2008.
Saint Paul United Methodist
A cross hanging over the pulpit is framed by organ pipes at Saint Paul United Methodist Church.
North American Martyrs
Sydney Arndt (left) and Jalyn Meyer watch Mass at North American Martyrs Roman Catholic Church from the choir loft in 2004.
St. John the Apostle
St. John the Apostle Catholic Church.
First United Methodist Church
The stained glass dome at First United Methodist Church in Lincoln features a portrait of Abraham Lincoln and Civil War-related symbols.
Christ Temple
A view of the renovated interior at Christ Temple Church.
St. Thomas Aquinas Church and Newman Center
A 72-panel stained glass window containing about 7,200 individual pieces of glass is a major focal point in the chapel of the new St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. The window, called “Christ in the Heavenly Court,” was made for the church by Franz Mayer of Munich in Germany.
Compline at First-Plymouth
First-Plymouth Congregational Church’s Compline service harkens back to ancient fourth-century monastic traditions. Not a word is spoken, and only candlelight illuminates the vast sanctuary.
Tifereth Israel Synagogue
Megillat Lincoln is a relief sculpture at Tifereth Israel synagogue. The sculpture by Lincoln brothers Dean and Jay Tschetter, depicting the history of Jews in Lincoln and their ancestry, was a gift to the synagogue from the Max Neiden family.
St. Joseph Catholic
This stained glass window towers over the sanctuary in the new St. Joseph Catholic Church.
St. Patrick’s
Murals were installed at the new St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on Aug. 3, 2015.
First Presbyterian
A reredos titled “Christ – Teacher and Lord of All” is at First Presbyterian Church.
Zion Church
After Zion Church’s original building was destroyed by fire, the church rebuilt.
St. Thomas Aquinas Church and Newman Center
The chapel of the new St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church was nearing completion in April at 16th and Q Streets.
Saint Paul United Methodist
New oak pews grace the sanctuary at Saint Paul United Methodist Church.
St. Patrick’s
A finished pew rests in a press created for assembling the pieces in the new St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on Aug. 9.
Reach the writer at 402-473-2647 or molberding@journalstar.com.
On Twitter @LincolnBizBuzz.