BLAIR, Neb. — Tucked away on a hillside in Blair, the Dana College campus sat vacant for the better part of 15 years. But in recent years the property has gained new life through the work of a local nonprofit.
The private Lutheran-affiliated college closed abruptly in the summer of 2010, leaving the staff and roughly 600 students at the time in a lurch. After the land shuffled through several different owners, the property ended up in the hands of Lutheran Family Services, a nonprofit that offers family and health services.
The group has since repurposed two of the college’s aging dormitory buildings — Mickelsen and Blair Hall — into apartments, and some of the units are now occupied by young adults who have aged out of Nebraska’s foster care system. The campus grounds now have a new nam