The City of Omaha yesterday has taken ownership of “Home Plate,” a 25-acre property in North Downtown where Union Omaha’s planned professional soccer stadium and much more will sit. The city closed on the $18.6 million land purchase on Friday.   “Two words: Home run,” said Mayor John W. Ewing Jr. “This purchase puts us at the plate, pun most definitely intended, to swing for the fences on creating a more exciting Omaha.” Union Pacific called its North Downtown property “Home Plate” because of its proximity to Charles Schwab Field, home of NCAA Men’s College World Series. The railroad uses it to park historical passenger railcars for special events. Rail is also how baseball teams once traveled to games. Union Pacific retained access to six acres around its rails and to event space there through an easement as part of the property deal. “Union Pacific has proudly called Omaha home for more than 160 years, and we want to thank the City of Omaha for its partnership,” said Union Pacific...

Seventy-Five North Revitalization Corp. hosted a showcase and open house earlier this month, to mark the completion of a new home and accessory dwelling unit (ADU) in the Highlander neighborhood of north Omaha. Building on a winning design first introduced to the public through an ADU demonstration at the Omaha Riverfront, the Highlander ADU brings that vision into use as permanent rental housing. The home and detached ADU will soon be available for rent, adding a flexible housing model to Seventy-Five North’s growing portfolio of affordable housing options. The event drew elected officials, community partners, funders and neighbors to celebrate a housing solution brought to life through three years of bold ideas, collaboration, and shared commitment to expanding housing choice. The project originated with AARP Nebraska’s ADU for You design competition in 2023, an “Omaha-focused effort to raise awareness of ADUs as age-friendly, family-friendly housing options and produce buildable...