Upscale condominiums are coming to the Old Market. Sentinel Property Group, which has redeveloped several downtown Omaha buildings over the years, is converting the former Cornerstone Lofts building at 1105 Harney Street into 29 condominiums. The building is now known as Cornerstone The Residences. The 5-story brick building is located along the future streetcar route, and in addition to residential units, is home to Jams American Grill on the ground level. Just west of Jams, the former Mouth of the South space will soon be occupied by Sakura Ichiban Co., a Japanese restaurant owned by David Utterback, and Anna’s Place, a speakeasy relocating from the Hotel Indigo. Built in the 1880s as a mercantile warehouse, the building was designed in the Romanesque Revival style and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was constructed by businessman Ezra Millard, a former mayor of Omaha for whom Millard, Nebraska was named. The building is held up by massive Douglas fir...

In April 2026, Nebraska enacted LB1114, formally authorizing Community Improvement Districts (CIDs) as a new tool to finance public infrastructure and support development within city or village boundaries, including inside Omaha city limits.  The legislation received near-unanimous approval (48–1) and was signed into law following an 18-month effort led by the Welcome Home Coalition and Bluestem Capital Partners, with sponsorship from Senator Mike Jacobson and strategic guidance from Neilen Strategy Group. J.P. Platisha, managing director of Bluestem Capital Partners, noted, “The state of Nebraska is vastly short on housing, particularly affordable housing. CIDs seek to provide the economic incentive to increase lot supply across the state, while reducing upfront lot costs by spreading infrastructure expenses over time—helping make homes more affordable.” In addition to residential development, CIDs are expected to be useful for the development of commercial mixed-use and...