News Briefs
MAPA Seeks Public Input on Safe Streets
The Metropolitan Area Planning Agency is reaching out to those in the Greater Omaha-Council Bluffs area for input on identifying unsafe areas on roads and streets as part of its Safe Streets for All project. This community-driven initiative aims to improve traffic safety through direct feedback from the public. To participate in the survey, visit www.mapacog.org/projects/ss4a
California Cafe Expands to Omaha
Con Azúcar Café, a new café located inside Isla Del Mar Restaurante II, will host its soft opening July 27th at 2502 South 133rd Plaza. This is the franchise’s first Nebraska location, with three existing locations in San José, Calif. Con Azúcar describes itself as “a little piece of Mexico in every sip, in every smile and in every shared moment.” – Nicole Buntgen
Omaha Riverfront Earns National Recognition
The Urban Land Institute named Omaha’s Riverfront Revitalization project as one of 10 developments to win a 2024 Americas Award for Excellence. The award recognizes superior developments and considers the entire development process including planning, design, management and economic impact. Other winners from the Midwest include the Bottleworks District in Indianapolis, Lincoln Common in Chicago and Pillars of the Valley in St. Louis. Winners become finalists for ULI’s Global Awards for Excellence. – Isaiah Ang
Latest Project
New Additions to Westgate Plaza
Construction is underway on a free-standing Starbucks building with a drive-through in Westgate Plaza on the southeast corner of 84th & Hascall Street. The 1960s-era strip center is going through a lot of change. Tom Kelly's Bowling Pros Shop, a...
Featured Stories
City Proposes Bonds for Major Capital Improvements
A series of bond issues will be on the November general election ballot if approved by the Omaha City Council at its meeting July 30th. The general obligation bonds will not raise the city’s property tax levy, according to a press release from the mayor’s office. The bonds will pay for projects listed in the Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) in six categories: public safety; public facilities; transportation; street preservation; parks and recreation; and sewer. Transportation bonds will total $80.9 million and include large road projects that are paid with federal funds but require a local match. The city uses bonds to pay the match. Examples of transportation projects to be paid with future bonds include: Fort Street improvements west of 120th Street; L Street viaduct at 38th Street; Saddle Creek & Dodge Street bridge replacement; Enterprise Park Roadway near 11th & Locust; and 180th Street widening between Harney and Arbor streets. Public facilities bonds will total $146...
Three Metro Area Development Projects Receive Additional Funding
Three Omaha metro area projects are receiving additional funding through the State of Nebraska’s “Shovel-Ready” program. During the pandemic, many projects throughout the state were delayed. In response, the Unicameral passed the Shovel-Ready Capital Recovery and Investment Act to assist nonprofit organizations with capital projects affected by the pandemic. The grant money totaled $115 million with $100 million coming from ARPA funds. This week, Governor Pillen announced that Omaha Performing Arts, Joslyn Art Museum and the Elkhorn Athletic Association will each received around $2 million to help complete projects. Omaha Performing Arts will use the funds on the downtown Tenaska Center for Arts Engagement, currently under construction on the east side of the Hollard Performing Arts Center. The $108 million, 3-story building will offer additional rehearsal, workshop and classroom spaces to accommodate expanding education and community engagement programs, which already serve more...
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Chamber
Olympians will be playing in Omaha soon
In the upcoming days, as you cheer on Team USA, keep in mind you will have the opportunity to see 75 percent of the U.S. Olympic roster play live in Omaha during the coming months. The U.S. Olympic team has named nine League One Volleyball (LOVB) founding athletes to...
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Omaha
Airport Breaks Passenger Record in June
Omaha Airport Authority officials announced that for the first time, Eppley Airfield (OMA) saw more than a half a million passengers fly in and out of Omaha’s airport in a single month. A record-setting total of 514,758 passengers in June broke the previous record set...
Omaha
Transportation
Different Types of Transit and What that Means for Omaha
I cringe when I hear someone mention the idea that we need to build light rail between Omaha and Lincoln… not because I don’t agree that more and better transit is needed between the two cities, but because of the lack of understanding of what the most applicable mode...
New Restaurants
Coming Soon
Starbucks Coffee
Westgate Plaza
Under construction
Con Azúcar Café
Inside Isla del Mar
2502 South 133rd Plaza
Opening July 27th
The Tenant
6201 Maple Street
Opening early August
30 Hop Bar & Grill
Heartwood Preserve
144th & West Dodge Road
Estimated opening: late 2024
New Retailers
Coming Soon
Nordstrom Rack
Village Pointe
Grand opening October 24th
Fly Fitness
1501 Mike Fahey Street
in the Builders District
Estimated opening: this fall
Fore Seasons
192nd & Pacific Street
Coming Soon
Barnes & Noble
Shadow Lake Towne Center
Coming Soon
Grow Omaha Eats
‘Memoir’ is an Omaha Love Note to Culinary Craftsmanship
Visiting Memoir for the first time, I felt like I had stepped into a swanky 1920s Hollywood restaurant. The open floor plan lets you look right into a bustling kitchen and take in the stunning décor as you walk inside. The host station is strategically positioned...
Clio Celebrates Family History with Delectable Mediterranean Cuisine
“Clio” is the muse of history and is one of the eight muses in Greek mythology. Clio is also the name of the new Mediterranean restaurant in Old Market. The name was chosen to go along with the restaurant’s concept of Mediterranean cuisine that celebrates…
V. Mertz Offers a Welcoming and Unforgettable Fine Dining Experience
V. Mertz is an Omaha icon nestled downstairs in the historic Old Market Passageway. Mark Mercer opened the restaurant in 1977, naming it after his wife, Vera Mertz Mercer. It boasted one of the first dedicated wine bars in the country at that time. The restaurant…
Grow Omaha Flicks
‘Twisters’ Spins Up Some Summer Big Screen Fun
★ ★ ★ ½ It’s been nearly 30 years since the movie ‘Twister’ hit the big screen to mixed reviews from both critics and audiences alike. Still, it was a box office success, and the second-highest grossing film of 1996…
‘MaXXXine’ is a Dark Nod to 80s Neo-Noir
★ ★ ★ MaXXXine caps off a horror trilogy by director Ti West that works best if you’ve seen the previous films. The trilogy, known as the ‘X series,’ takes place in three different time periods…
‘Horizon: An American Saga – Part 1’ Starts its Journey with Wobbly Wagon Wheels
★ ★ ½ I’m going to reserve the right to amend my review of the first installment of Horizon because it’s not supposed to stand on its own. The film is meant to be a sweeping epic…