LINCOLN- The former site of Cushman Motorworks would become a $175 million development with housing for retirees and retail space under a proposal selected by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Under a redevelopment plan put forward by Woodbury Corp. of Salt Lake City and WRK Real Estate of Lincoln, Unity Commons would also include housing for the city’s international community.

Anchoring the development and serving as the front door to the UNL campus would be the Unity Cultural Center, a multipurpose facility for people of all ages, cultures and faiths, according to the proposal.

The 16.5-acre district sits at the intersection of Vine Street and Antelope Valley Parkway, with easy access to recreational trails and green space.

UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green said Unity Commons would create new opportunities for retired alumni, faculty and staff to “come back home” and live near campus — housing would not be exclusive to UNL grads — while also offering work and research space for current faculty and students.

“This proposal offers many exciting new opportunities for the university,” Green said in a statement, adding the development would provide a key connection between City Campus and the Prem Paul Research Center at Whittier School.

UNL said the project is still in the early stages, and university groups and developers are planning to engage with the Malone neighborhood, Cultural Centers Coalition of Lincoln, the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute and others on how Unity Commons can serve several constituencies.

The redevelopment plan is expected to go before the NU Board of Regents for approval early next year, with construction to begin in the latter half of 2022.

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