OMAHA, Neb (KMTV) — BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
An abandoned building in Omaha's Columbus Park neighborhood could be transformed into roughly 200 new affordable apartments.
The building, which towers over the surrounding neighborhood, is marked by graffiti, overgrown weeds and broken windows. Residents say it has long been an eyesore.
Neeraj Agarwal, a developer with Clarity Development — a company that has worked on a large number of projects in Blackstone — said he is trying to turn a blighted building into something the community can use.
"The building has issues with attracting things like attracting homeless people, crime and vandalism. So I think both the neighbors and the Omaha Police Department will be glad to see it changed," Agarwal said.
Neighbors raised concerns about increased congestion in the neighborhood. Others expressed worry about dust and noise for future residents, as the proposed building sits next to an industrial site.
Agarwal said design choices would help address those concerns.
"We will use design choices to help mitigate this...for example...we can use landscaping and make sure we position the building correctly to help mitigate noise and dust," Agarwal said.
Construction on the new building is expected to start in January.
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