Five years after University of Nebraska–Lincoln Community and Regional Planning students began developing a downtown revitalization plan with local partners, the resulting vision continues to shape redevelopment efforts in David City.
The David City Downtown Revitalization Plan, developed during a 2021 UNL planning studio in collaboration with Nebraska Extension, Southeast Nebraska Development District (SENDD) and the City of David City, involved community members through surveys, filed assessment, stakeholder interviews, public meetings, and local asset assessments. The plan identified strategies to enhance downtown vitality, promote tourism, support small business development, protect historical identity and improve public spaces.
Since the study’s completion, several key recommendations have moved from concept to implementation.
One of the most visible developments is the relocation and renovation of Bone Creek Museum of Agrarian Art, which has become a cornerstone cultural and heritage tourism destination for downtown David City. Project leaders say the museum’s continued development has drawn directly from the ideas and framework presented in the student-led downtown study.
The plan also helped position the community to secure $400,000 in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) to support downtown improvements including façade upgrades, signage and building enhancements. While implementation has progressed gradually due to the complexity of the grant process, city leaders have assigned a dedicated staff member to continue advancing the program.
Additional initiatives inspired by the study are underway, including plans for year-round decorative lighting throughout downtown and the development of a new downtown open space and veterans memorial park. The park project is currently in the planning phase and is being supported by UNL students with construction potentially beginning as early as spring 2027.
According to local officials, two of the projects generating the most excitement among residents are the downtown lighting initiative and the proposed veterans memorial park, both designed to create inviting public spaces and strengthen the community’s historic downtown square.
The impact of the student work has also been recognized statewide. The David City Downtown Revitalization Plan received the Spotlight Community Award from the Nebraska Planning and Zoning Association.
Keith Marvin, a CRP alum and planning consultant who is a past Planning Commissioner and current City Council member, has been involved with the city and students on the project, said the partnership illustrates how university collaborations can support rural communities.
“Partnerships between the CRP program and communities such as David City are critical to both rural Nebraska and the planning profession,” Marvin said. “For projects like this, students focus on specific planning components such as downtown development and community engagement, and that work often complements the efforts of professional consultants. In many cases it introduces new ideas and techniques while helping prepare the next generation of planners for real-world challenges.”
For the Community and Regional Planning Program, projects like the David City study reflect the university’s land-grant mission to serve communities across Nebraska.
Zhenghong Tang, associate dean and professor of the Community and Regional Planning Program, said the collaboration provides invaluable hands-on learning for students while delivering meaningful planning resources to communities.
“Projects like the David City downtown plan give our students the opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge to real community challenges,” Tang said. “Through field visits, community engagement and collaborative problem-solving, students gain practical experience while helping communities identify strategies for economic development and long-term sustainability. These partnerships demonstrate how a land-grant university can work alongside Nebraska communities to build stronger, more resilient places.”
Looking ahead, David City leaders hope to continue building on the plan’s momentum. The long-term vision is to strengthen the historic downtown square as the heart of the community while supporting new businesses, tourism opportunities and housing growth.
City leaders say the plan continues to serve as a roadmap for that future — demonstrating how student-led planning initiatives can produce lasting impact in communities across Nebraska.
