Occupy protesters want to remain at Centennial Mall in Lincoln.

The protesters have sent a message to the city, saying they do not intend to prevent renovation work from beginning. But, they say, their work at the mall "is not yet ready to end."

The group says it hopes to work with city officials on finding a way to stay.

The city has set a March 1 deadline for the protesters to remove their encampment so the city can use the area as a staging site for contractors working on the mall.

The Occupy movement began in New York, decrying what protesters see as corporate greed and the growing gap between rich and poor.