One of the oldest neighborhoods in Fort Dodge is just north of downtown. People have been living there since the late 1800s. The area is called the Lincoln neighborhood, getting its name from the old Lincoln School which once stood where the St. Edmond practice fields are now along North 10th Street.

Over time, the neighborhood deteriorated. Once grand homes decayed, and the area developed a sordid reputation. In the last few years, the city government has stepped in to address that decay by purchasing and demolishing old houses. Vacant lots now line North Eighth Street in the heart of the neighborhood.

Those lots would be filled with new housing under a proposal presented to the City Council Monday.

The plan envisions apartment buildings – including a five-story one – townhomes and small houses. The intersection of Eighth Street and Fourth Avenue North would become a roundabout, leading drivers to easier access to North Seventh Street and North Ninth Street. A wide open green space is also envisioned.

None of that has been approved yet. All of it is, and should be, open to discussion.

We believe the most important aspect of this plan is really the notion that it is time to do something to bring this neighborhood back to life. By commissioning this plan about a year ago, the City Council declared that it is ready to do just that.

While there may be debate in the months to come over specifics of the plan, let’s not lose sight of the big picture: making the Lincoln neighborhood a desirable place to live.