- Central Omaha neighbors gathered at 42nd and Center to protest plans to redevelop The Center Mall into offices and apartments
- The developer said it needs TIF money from the city, which can only be given if an area receives a blighted designation
- The City Council is expected to hold a public hearing and vote on the CRA designation on Oct. 6
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) – Neighbors in Central Omaha are pushing back against plans to redevelop The Center Mall, gathering at 42nd and Center on Thursday afternoon to protest a key step in the development process.
The protest began around 4 p.m. Demonstrators carried signs and wore shirts expressing their opposition to Lockwood Development's plans to redevelop The Center Mall into offices and apartments.
At the center of the dispute is a request to designate the site as a Community Redevelopment Area, or CRA. That designation is necessary for the developer to access Tax Increment Financing, or TIF.
Jon Blumenthal, an attorney representing Lockwood Development, told 3 News Now's Jeremy Fredricks last month that the project cannot move forward without it.
"We do not believe this project will happen without TIF. It's just not economically feasible for the developer to build this without TIF," Blumenthal said in August 2026.
Central Omaha neighbor Joey Enright said the prospect of a long-term redevelopment project raises concerns about what could happen to the area and surrounding property values.
"I think about Crossroads that's been basically a vacant dirt lot for the last, going on seven years. Is that what's gonna happen in my neighborhood? And how will that affect my property value?" Enright said.
Central Omaha neighbor Stephen Houston also raised concerns about the impact of multi-year construction on one of the area's busiest corridors. As a fire truck made its way up 42nd Street, Houston pointed to it as an illustration of his worries.
"A perfect example of what will happen if we have multiple year construction in one of the most important blocks in all of South Omaha. It will cause congestion. It will cause emergency services to be delayed," Houston said.
Houston also made clear why he and others showed up Thursday.
"We're here today to stop a CRA in our in our non blighted area," Houston said.
3 News Now has learned from Councilmember Danny Begley that the City Council is expected to hold a public hearing and vote on the CRA designation on Oct. 6.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
