Lincoln authorizes up to $100,000 for ledge blasting at community center site

Community Center Building Committee · Meeting of August 12, 2026

Lincoln's community center project hit ledge, and the building committee approved blasting to remove it. The Community Center Building Committee voted unanimously August 12 to authorize up to $100,000 for specialty ledge blasting at the construction site after conventional hammering failed to dislodge rock encountered during excavation for the septic tank, the deepest element on the site. OPM Jesse Lannan of Accenture put the current cost estimate at closer to $50,000 and said unused authority would be returned to the committee.

The committee also unanimously approved a $233,833 amendment package extending contracts with architect ICON Architecture and OPM Accenture through December 31, 2026, consuming roughly half of the remaining $445,000 schedule contingency; a further $140,000 extension through February was outlined as a contingency scenario that would reduce that fund to just $71,000. Blasting is targeted for the week of August 24, when neighboring facility Magic Garden is closed, and committee member Chris Murphy pressed for neighbor notification protocols more aggressive than the legal minimum, citing his own street's prior blasting experience: "It's quite obvious when it's happening."

In the full story:

• Who Was There
• Organizations And Documents Referenced
• The complete report — 3,037 words

Source: the Community Center Building Committee meeting of August 12, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.