Grow Omaha
News Briefs
Nebraska Medicine Announces Addition of Farnam Health Center
Nebraska Medicine has officially announced construction of $99.3 million Farnam Health Center on the southeast corner of 42nd & Farnam Street. The 4-story building will provide services for dermatology, general Internal medicine, outpatient gastrointestinal program and behavioral health. The building is partially funded by donors. The doors will open to patients in September 2027.
The Learning Experience to Celebrate Grand Reopening
The Learning Experience Elkhorn is celebrating a grand reopening under new ownership on Saturday, April 11th from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Located at 3310 North 191st Avenue, The Learning Center provides early childhood education from infancy through preschool.
Another Apartment Building Under Construction in Blackstone
Construction is underway a 15-unit apartment building on a long-vacant lot at 3513 Howard Street in the Blackstone District. Known as 35Howard, the 3-story building will have studio, one- and two-bedroom units. First-time developers Josh Sullivan, Justin Spooner and Dylan Vogt said the project would not be possible without the future streetcar and the zoning changes that came with it. Completion is planned for this May.
Let It Fly West Omaha Location Opens Rooftop Bar
Let It Fly is opening “Skybar” today – March 9th – at its west Omaha location at 1311 South 203rd Street. Today’s grand opening takes place at 4 p.m. The rooftop bar will be open to the public year round on the building’s second floor.
UNMC Core Building Includes Retail Space for Lease
The nearly completed CORE Building at the University of Nebraska Medical Center includes ground-floor retail space that’s now available for lease. The 6-story building southwest of Saddle Creek Road and Farnam Street will contain office and laboratory space. Four first-floor bays are reserved for retail tenants, according to Noddle Companies. The building is part of the university’s EDGE District, a mixed-use extension of the campus.
Freedom Park Could Become a Missouri River Campground
Freedom Park, located along the Missouri River between downtown and the airport, could become a campground. The city-owned park is leased to a private entity that maintains its historic military artifacts including the USS Hazard. In past years, it was home to the Anchor Inn. Plans call for 100 R.V. sites, some primitive camping sites, mobile restrooms and office facilities. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approval is required before the campground could open. – Isaiah Ang
Elite Learning Academy & Preschool Opens Tomorrow in Elkhorn
Elite Learning Academy & Preschool will open its fourth location tomorrow – March 9th – at 2205 North 181st Street in Elkhorn. Founded in 2019 by Allison and Greg Acero, Elite Learning Academy’s three existing schools are in Omaha and Gretna. The early childhood education center serves infants through pre-kindergarten and offers “a play-based curriculum focused on building confidence, curiosity and kindergarten readiness.”
Celebrity Homes Sells to Nation’s Largest Homebuilder
D.R. Horton, the nation’s largest homebuilder by volume, is purchasing Omaha-based Celebrity Homes’ lots and floor plans. Founded in 1977, Celebrity Homes plans to finish building houses it currently has under construction and will remain in business to honor warranties. Celebrity’s remaining 1,200 lots across the Omaha area will be built out by D.R. Horton, which is based in Arlington, Tex.
Downtown Senior Housing Development Moves Forward
Hoppe & Sons development team is moving forward on a redevelopment project at 2211 Douglas Street. A former hotel has been razed to make way for a senior housing development. The 4-story apartment building will include 45 income-restricted, two-bedroom, assisted-living units and 25 market-rate units, consisting of 24 one-bedroom and 1 two-bedroom. The Omaha Planning Board approved $1.1 million in Tax Increment Financing to support the $17 million project. Construction is scheduled to begin in August. – Isaiah Ang
Law Firm to Renovate Small Downtown Building
Astley Putnam law firm plans to rehabilitate a small commercial building at 2311 Douglas Street downtown. The building is the former home of Cockle Legal Services and will be the law firm’s future home once the $1.3 million renovation project is complete. Astley Putnam is currently located in the Old Market. The firm plans to occupy the building’s 3,172 sq. ft. first floor and will renovate the basement for speculative office space. – Isaiah Ang
Ware House Comedy Theater Opening in Little Bohemia
Ware House Comedy Theater will open March 21 at 1419 South 13th Street, Suite 102, in Little Bohemia. The venue will operate in a back space accesible through an alley between Archetype Coffee and Beercade. Owned by Rachel Ware, the 18+ venue will host comedy shows and offer classes in improv, acting and stand-up, with some classes available for teens. The first show is scheduled for April 2. – Nicole Buntgen
Westroads Toys R Us Getting Geoffrey’s Café
The Toys R Us flagship store at Westroads Mall will soon be home to a Geoffrey’s Café. According to a building permit, Toys R Us will add a service counter on the first floor of their Omaha store. Geoffrey’s Café in the American Dream mall in New Jersey serves drinks, milkshakes, coffee, gelato and ice cream. The Westroads location opened last year before the holiday season and was one of eight flagship locations that opened throughout the United States. – Isaiah Ang
Buc-ee’s Sues Over Mickey’s Moose Logo
Buc-ee’s, the Texas-based chain of mega gas stations, filed a federal lawsuit February 18 against Coles IP Holdings LLC, which operates the Mickey’s convenience store chain. The suit alleges trademark infringement and unfair competition, claiming Mickey’s moose logo, red signage and rebranding from “Mickey Mart” to “Mickey’s” could confuse customers. Buc-ee’s is planning its first Nebraska location southeast of Interstate 80 & Highway 31 in Gretna’s Good Life District. – Nicole Buntgen
Pollo Feliz Opening First Nebraska Location in Bellevue
Pollo Feliz will open its first Nebraska location on March 13th at 513 Fort Crook Road North in Bellevue. The Mexican restaurant specializes in traditional marinated charcoal-grilled chicken that’s widely popular in Mexico. Pollo Feliz originated in 1975 in the Mexican state of Sinaloa, and now has more than 1,000 locations throughout Mexico. The brand is much newer in the United States with just a handful of locations.
Misolado Crafted Ramen Expands to Lunch Hours
Misolado Crafted Ramen at 7425 Dodge Street, near 72nd and Dodge Streets, has expanded its hours to include lunch service. The Japanese ramen restaurant is now open Wednesday through Sunday beginning at 12 p.m. The restaurant opened earlier this year. – Nicole Buntgen
Fun-Plex Opening New Rollercoaster This Summer
A roller coaster will debut this summer at Fun-Plex, the amusement park at 7003 Q Street. MAMMOTH will be 2,000 feet long and will rise 70 feet in the air. Fun-Plex says the ride will be the biggest roller coaster ever in Nebraska. In addition to MAMMOTH, Fun-Plex is adding a photo-and-souvenir shop at the base of the roller coaster, a coffee-and-mini-donuts shop, an upgraded go-kart track and extended ride hours on Fridays.
Creighton Business Index Shows Regional Growth
The Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, moved above growth neutral for February to its highest level since March 2025. The index ranges between 0 and 100 with 50.0 representing growth neutral. It increased to 54.7 from 49.6 in January.
Pacific Street to Reopen Thursday Following Sinkhole Repairs
The City of Omaha announced today that Pacific Street at 67th Street will re-open by this Thursday – March 5. The street, between Elmwood Park and the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s Aksarben campus, has been closed since a sinkhole opened last Tuesday. Two cars fell into the sinkhole, but no injuries were reported. The city is investigating what caused the sinkhole to suddenly open.
Omaha World-Herald to Close Downtown Omaha Printing Plant
The Omaha World-Herald will close its downtown Omaha printing plant at the end of this month, the news outlet announced today. Known as the Freedom Center, the 321,000 sq. ft. building opened in 2001 and is located at 1398 Capitol Avenue. The World-Herald’s print edition will be produced at a USA Today facility in Des Moines, Iowa. Lee Enterprises, the World-Herald’s parent company, will list the Freedom Center for sale.
Taqueria Tijuana Opens Third Location at 114th & Davenport
Taqueria Tijuana officially opened its third location this past weekend at 307 North 114th Street. The Mexican restaurant operates in a 2,250 sq. ft. space formerly occupied by Which Wich. Taqueria Tijuana’s original restaurant is at 5139 South 24th Street in the South Omaha Main Street Business District. The second location is at 12242 K Plaza in the L Street Marketplace.
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Take 5 Oil Change Plans to Build Shop at 120th & L Street
Take 5 Oil Change plans to build a shop southwest of 120th & L Street. The site was once home to a Famous Dave’s restaurant, which was demolished in 2022. Take 5 will construct a 1,620 sq. ft. building with three service bays. A Scooter’s Coffee building is currently under construction on the same 1.33-acre lot. Based in Charlotte, N.C., Take 5 has an existing shop in Papillion’s Shadow Lake Towne Center.
Children’s Museum & The Beam on Hold Indefinitely
We have an update on the 17-story Beam apartment and relocation of the Omaha Children’s museum. The museum announced last year that it was pausing its relocation to 8th & Douglas Street. According to the City of Omaha, both projects are on hold indefinitely. The city plans to reimburse NuStyle Development for the sitework it completed including grading, sewer relocation, road work and design of a city-owned parking garage. The garage is anticipated to be built regardless of either project moving forward. – Isaiah Ang
Completely KIDS to Break Ground on Henry Davis Center
Completely KIDS will hold a groundbreaking ceremony March 18th for its Henry Davis Center to be constructed at 2448 St. Mary’s Avenue downtown. Part of Completely KIDS $28 million comprehensive campaign, the Henry Davis Center will expand access to early childhood education and mental health services for Omaha children and families. The 2-story building would have eight early childhood classrooms.
AAA Projects Increased Vacation Travel in Nebraska & Iowa
AAA’s latest survey of 5,000 U.S. adults shows 39 percent plan to take more vacations in 2026 compared to 2025. Nebraska results show 35 percent plan to take more vacations in 2026. Fifty-five percent expect to take multiple trips this year, and 44 percent are taking two-to-three vacations of three days or more. Iowa results show 33 percent plan to take more vacations in 2026 compared to 2025.
Omaha-Based Scooter’s Coffee Passes 900-Store Milestone
Scooter’s Coffee, one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing specialty coffee drive-thru companies, is celebrating a milestone: 900 stores nationwide. Omaha-based Scooter’s added 83 stores to its network in 2025, a 10 percent increase in stores nationwide following a 16 percent increase in 2024. Nearly all Scooter’s Coffee locations are owned and operated by local franchisees.
Sakura Ichiban Co. Planned for Old Market
Grow Omaha previously reported that a second Yoshitomo location was planned for Downtown Omaha at 1105 Harney Street. This week, a building permit was filed now under the name Sakura Ichiban Co. for interior remodel for the new restaurant concept. – Isaiah Ang
Johnny’s Café Wins James Beard America’s Classics Award
The James Beard Foundation named Johnny’s Café of Omaha as a 2026 James Beard America’s Classics award winner. Located at 4702 South 27th Street, Johnny’s is one of six independently owned restaurants with “timeless appeal that reflect local character and serve as enduring anchors in their communities.” Johnny’s represents the Midwest region. Other winning restaurants are in Inglewood, Calif.; Philadelphia; Kingston, N.Y.; Wheeling, W.V.; and Las Vegas.
South Dakota Pilates Studio Coming to Miracle Hills
A new pilates studio is planning to open at Miracle Hills Plaza on the northwest corner of 114th & West Dodge Road. According to a building permit for a remodel of existing space, Lawless Pilates will be opening a 2,000 sq. ft. location in Suite 175. Lawless Studio currently has locations in Rapid City and Sioux Falls, S.D.- Isaiah Ang
City Sprouts to Build Structure North of Carter Lake
City Sprouts, a local nonprofit charity, is planning to build a utility barn at the southeast corner of 3rd & Jaynes Street, just north of Carter Lake. According to the building permit, the $110,000 barn will span more than 2,000 square feet. It will support the organization’s urban farming programming. - Isaiah Ang
Habitat Seeks Applicants for First New Build in Papillion
Habitat for Humanity of Omaha is seeking applicants for its first new housing build in Papillion. The Tallgrass neighborhood, located near 72nd & Capehart Road, will feature 30 single-family row homes —the organization’s latest type of housing — designed for professionals and families. The modern, maintenance-free row homes are connected to places of employment, schools and perfect for startup families who are nurses, teachers or small business owners. - Mark Champion
Nebraska Medicine Opening Bennington Clinic in March
Nebraska Medicine will open its recently completed Bennington Health Center on March 9 northwest of 156th & State Street. The public is invited to tour the clinic during a community open house Saturday, February 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place March 2 at 3 p.m. The Bennington clinic is part of the growing Nebraska Medicine health network, which in recent years has opened locations in Millard, Elkhorn, north Omaha, Chalco and Papillion.
Old Vine Wine & Spirits, ElyÉya Salon Relocating to 168th & Maple
Old Vine Wine & Spirits and ElyÉya Salon will relocate from 3821 North 167th Court in the Shops at Elk Creek to a 13,000 sq. ft. building under construction northeast of 168th & West Maple Road, next to their current space. Built by Arjay Builders, the project will replace their existing locations and double the size of both businesses, which have operated in west Omaha for 12 years under local owners Rick and Violeta Plambeck. Estimated completion date is October 2026. – Nicole Buntgen
Grand Patisserie opens second location in Aksarben Village
Grand Patisserie has officially opened its second location in Aksarben Village at 2283 South 67th Street, a space previously occupied by Rexius Nutrition. The French bakery’s original location remains open at 14451 West Center Road. – Nicole Buntgen
Mayor’s Office Responds to Streetcar Impact Alliance
Following its public meeting yesterday, the new Streetcar Impact Alliance submitted a list of demands to the City of Omaha. The alliance is comprised of 65 businesses affected by streetcar construction. The mayor’s office today responded, “The city confirms it received and is reviewing a list of requests from the Streetcar Impact Alliance. The mayor’s office remains sensitive to the group’s concerns and has prioritized the review in order to respond in a timely manner.” The statement said the city wants to improve communications along the streetcar corridor. Streetcar information is available at https://www.omahastreetcar.org/.
Assemble Bar & Crafting Center Opening This Spring
Assemble Omaha plans to open this spring on the first floor of the Boho Flats apartment building at 1440 South 13th Street in Little Bohemia. Assemble is both a bar and a studio, offering supplies and space for crafting and art work. The adults-only business is referred to as a “DIY crafting hangout” and “a spot for social creativity.” Crafts include watercolor, macrame, crochet, leather work, tie-dye, diamond painting, polymer clay, acrylic paint and more.
Omaha Company Reserves Naming Rights at Millard Center
Prime Secured, an Omaha-based managed IT services company, has reserved the court-naming rights sponsorship at the GreenState Millard Activity Center, a community facility being developed by the Millard Public Schools Foundation. Currently under construction near 210th & Q Street, the activity center will provide space for athletics, activities and events. Opening is planned for fall 2026.
New Tenants Joining North Downtown Building
Noddle Cos. has signed a lease for a yet-to-be-announced sports bar to occupy a 7,500 sq. ft., ground-level space in its 4-story office building at 1501 Mike Fahey Street in the Builders District. The sports bar will open up to the south and will overlook a small park, which is currently under construction. Additionally, interior build-out is underway for Fraser Stryker law firm, which is moving its headquarters to the building.
Two Restaurants Opening in Aksarben Village This Spring
Interior build-out is underway on two restaurants planning to open in Aksarben Village this May. Red Door Woodfired Grill is taking over the former Spirit World store at 6680 Center Street. Red Door has six Kansas City-area locations. Breakfast Club, a restaurant from Des Moines, Iowa, is taking over the former Jones Bros. Cupcakes space at 2121 South 67th Street.
Brownie Bar Bakery to Close Rockbrook Village Retail Store
Brownie Bar Bakery will close its retail storefront at 10922 Prairie Brook Road in Rockbrook Village on February 28. The local bakery will continue offering party packs, shipping and onsite catering. - Nicole Buntgen
Utah Golf Franchise Opening First Nebraska Location in Omaha
Tee Box will open its first Nebraska location March 6th in Miracle Hills northwest of 114th & West Dodge Road. The national indoor golf franchise will operate in a 4,000 sq. ft. space next to Funny Bone Comedy Club. In addition to golf simulators and a putting green, Tee box will have an in-house golf pro, fitness trainer and gym that focuses on golf-specific training. The Utah-based company has 10 locations in Utah and Idaho.
