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Workers placed the final beam last Friday on the Center of Research Excellence (CORE) building, located in the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s EDGE District southwest of Farnam Street & Saddle Creek Road. The approximately $105 million, 180,000 sq. ft. building, which is owned by UNMC, will support computer-based research and wet lab-based research for faculty as well as external organizations. It is projected to open in mid-2026. “We are excited to complete this phase of the CORE building project,” said H. Dele Davies, UNMC interim chancellor. “As the EDGE District positions itself as a dynamic hub for health-focused scientific discovery and entrepreneurship, the CORE building will play an important role in these innovative efforts where our faculty, students and community members can test and develop new ideas and concepts. Our goal is to foster groundbreaking discoveries that thrive here in Nebraska, driving education, economic growth and advancements in health care.”...

By Isaiah Ang & Jeff Beals Omaha’s office-to-residential conversion pipeline ranks among the top 20 of America’s largest real estate markets, according to apartment research website, RentCafe. A report on adaptive reuse of office space shows that Omaha’s gross number of office-to-apartment units in the 2025 pipeline ranks 16th at 1,294 units. The pipeline includes projects under construction, planned or prospective. Omaha’s pipeline is comprised mainly of projects spearheaded by NuStyle Development, which is converting the Central Park Plaza twin towers and the old FNBO main bank building into residential units. Nationally, the 2025 pipeline will be record-breaking and the highest ever with 70,000 apartment units created out of former office space. The New York metro leads the nation in future office-to-apartment conversions with 8,310 units in its pipeline. It’s followed by last year’s #1, Washington, D.C. (6,533 units), and then Los Angeles in third place (4,388 units). NuStyle...

Just when you thought Gretna’s Good Life District could not get any more bewildering, we’ve got a message for you: “Hold my beer.” The sprawling, 2,000-acre district is generating a lot of drama, and Gretna City Council meetings are becoming must-see events. Rod Yates, the real estate developer who originally created the district, recently backed away from the project, but the latest alternative proposal is no less fantastical. The district stretches from Capehart Road on the north to just south of Platteview Road. It includes Nebraska Crossing and straddles both Interstate 80 and Highway 31. At this week’s Gretna City Council meeting, the owner of Omaha-based Woodsonia Real Estate revealed new plans to build a blockbuster project on just part of the overall district. Woodsonia would team up with a Kansas City-based developer that has ties to the Sporting KC Major League Soccer team. Their plan encompasses 700 acres within the district. The most imminent portion includes a $400...

NAI NP Dodge, a commercial real estate company, produces a report on Omaha’s commercial real estate market each quarter. Below are some highlights for Q4 of 2024. Omaha’s office, retail and industrial markets remain healthy. Office Market The 48.6 million sq. ft. Omaha office market ended the 4th quarter of 2025 with a vacancy rate of 8.0 percent, which was up from last quarter. Absorption over the past 12 months was -358,000 sq. ft. Rental rates were up to $24.64. Approximately 1.2 million sq. ft. of office space is under construction at this time, same as last quarter. Retail Market More than 66.5 million sq. ft. of retail space was considered for this report, which is based on CoStar data. At this time, 277,000 sq. ft. of retail space is under construction, which is up a bit from last quarter. Vacancy was unchanged at 4.3 percent. Rental rates were $17.64 per square foot. The 12-month net absorption was 450,000 sq. ft. at the end of the quarter, down a little from the previous...

Greg Rothermel, development director for NuStyle Development, gave me a birds-eye view of the rooftop of a repurposed office complex known as the Central Park Plaza, now renamed The Duo. More than 700 apartments are in the process of being created. This renovation project’s construction office occupies space on an upper floor of the north tower of two buildings that once housed small businesses, federal offices, Starbucks and ConAgra. While walking from a conference table to the plan room and beyond to future apartments, Rothermel had me wear a white hard hat. I met workers who were busy with their own craft. Each person was playing their part in the vision of a graciously appointed apartment complex designed with the needs of residents in mind, featuring one- and two-bedroom units. Rothermel believes young professionals will be drawn to this project because of the many design amenities and proximity to major corporations such as the new Mutual of Omaha building rising across the...

MLV Holdings, a newly formed investment group, today announced the launch of Major League Volleyball, a women’s professional volleyball league supported by more than $100 million in committed funding. Launching in January 2026, MLV will feature 10 teams including the Omaha Supernovas, which won the Pro Volleyball Federation championship last year and has set national attendance records. In addition to Nebraska, Major League Volleyball will launch with teams in Wisconsin, California, Minnesota, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, Kansas, Ohio and Washington, according to an MLV press release. Franchises will be independently owned and operated, with MLV creating ownership standards and operational playbooks to ensure major league standards are upheld at every level. The founding partner group includes Danny White, founder of the Supernovas; Vivek Ranadivé, owner and chairman of the Sacramento Kings; Jason Derulo, partner in the Omaha Supernovas; Kerri Walsh Jennings, a three-time...

Hilton Omaha, Nebraska’s largest hotel, has announced the upcoming addition of a 15,000 sq. ft. outdoor, multi-purpose event space known as Cass Street Green. Opening will occur early this year. The outdoor space is in addition to Hilton Omaha’s 41,000 sq. ft. of indoor event space, which includes 16 meeting rooms. The hotel is located at 10th & Cass Street in North Downtown. “The addition of Cass Street Green marks a significant milestone in Hilton Omaha’s commitment to providing versatile meeting spaces, enhancing our ability to accommodate and cater to a wider range of events,” said Robert Sabin, general manager, Hilton Omaha. “We are thrilled that we’ll be able to offer our guests an outdoor venue that seamlessly combines innovation and exceptional service.” Cass Street Green is being constructed as an open-air venue with an eye for high-speed assembly, offering versatile tent building options that can span the event turf from 1,000 to 15,000 sq. ft. The advanced design, by...

The City of Omaha’s 72nd Street project between F Street and just south of Interstate 80 will continue in 2025. The improvements, once completed, will increase capacity and safety while decreasing congestion. The project will be constructed in multiple phases. Because of the high traffic volume in the corridor, delays are expected. The city recommends drivers look for alternative routes. Beginning on Monday, January 13th, southbound 72nd Street will be closed at I-80, creating a full closure of 72nd Street from I-80 to F Street. Construction is expected to take approximately six months. Local access to businesses between L Street and F Street will remain open. When the northbound bridge is complete in mid-2025, 72nd Street will have one lane open northbound and two lanes open southbound through the construction zone. Construction of the new southbound bridge is anticipated to last through the fall of 2025. Construction schedules and operations are subject to change based on weather...

The first phase of Eppley Airfield's temporary terminal split begins today – Monday, January 5th – with the closure of the central portion of level 1. During this phase, travelers will still be able to walk between the south terminal and north terminal using level 2. Travelers can expect updated wayfinding to help them navigate the closed areas. Eppley’s terminal will be split into two separate terminals, enabling construction on major parts of the project, including the central pavilion, where the future centralized security checkpoint and terminal concessions will be located. Beginning February 17th, the entire central portion of the terminal, including level 2, will be closed for construction. Until the new central pavilion opens in 2027, the airport will operate with two, separated terminals. During this time, travelers who need to navigate between the terminals will use the outdoor terminal drive walkways and lower level of the south garage. As Eppley Airfield enters this new...

For the past several months, Grow Omaha team members have been saying that Omaha is entering a golden age. There’s good reason for this optimistic statement as the metro area is experiencing record amounts of construction, healthy business growth and accelerated population gains. It’s an exciting time to live, work or visit Omaha. Today, we look back at the major development happenings in the city during calendar year 2024. Eppley Terminal Expansion Back in January, the Omaha Airport Authority released long-anticipated plans to expand and renovate Eppley Airfield’s outdated passenger terminal. The nearly $1 billion plan caused a lot of jaws to drop. The project will nearly double the terminal’s square footage while adding two new gates and an international arrivals hall. Other highlights include a centralized security and ticketing area, one long concourse instead of satellite terminals, and substantially more restaurants and retailers beyond the security checkpoint. Completion is...

The 25th annual Holiday Lights Festival will celebrate its grand finale Tuesday, December 31st with a fireworks spectacular show starting at 7:00 p.m., according to Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority. The fireworks will light up the sky near Heartland of America Park at The RiverFront. There is no set parking or designated viewing area, which means you can enjoy the show from virtually any spot in downtown. Thanks to Park Omaha, parking meters will be free on New Year’s Eve after 5 p.m. Tune into STAR 104.5 The Christmas Station at 7 p.m., either in your car or on your phone. The fireworks are choreographed to a musical score, created just for this event by J&M Displays. Photo credit: Brad Williams

The first year of construction on Eppley Airfield’s $950 million terminal expansion and renovation is nearly in the books. Progress has been substantial. The steel superstructure for the future terminal is already rising, but next year promises to bring even more significant construction. After the winter holiday travel rush ends, the expansion project – known as “Build OMA” – will enter a phase of construction that will create the biggest impact on travelers thus far. In early 2025, Eppley’s terminal will be split into two separate terminals, enabling construction on major parts of the project, including the central pavilion, where the future centralized security checkpoint and terminal concessions will be located. On January 6th, the first phase of the terminal Split will begin with the closure of the central portion of Level 1 in the terminal. During this phase, travelers will still be able to walk between the south and north terminals using Level 2. Travelers can expect updated...