Residents in Omaha's Dundee neighborhood gathered at the AV Sorensen Community Center to learn about a proposed mixed-use development that could transform the area near California and 46th Street.
The project, called Saddle Creek Marketplace, would include approximately 250 apartment units and 75,000 square feet of retail space. The development would be built where the Family Fare grocery store on Saddle Creek Road and surrounding strip of businesses currently operate.
Developer Mitch Hohlen with Woodsonia Real Estate said the project aims to revitalize the area through comprehensive redevelopment.
"Our strong desire to do a mixed use development here where it's more than just housing, it's more than just retail, but those combined into really reinvestment in the area," Hohlen said.
The existing grocery store building would undergo complete renovation as part of the project, though the specific tenant remains undetermined.
"We're not sure who the actual long term tenant is going to be in that box, but we are going to completely rescan the box. So the building itself is a little on its last leg, I would say. So we're gonna be putting in all new utilities, new roof, new facade, the building will be unrecognizable," Hohlen said.
Community reaction to the proposal has been mixed. Some residents welcome the potential improvements to an area they view as needing attention.
"I'm really excited about it actually. I mean, the Saddle Creek neighborhood along that street has been blighted for a very long time, and it's just a matter of time that shopping center needed to be developed, and we had a problem with homeless people," said John Jacobson, a neighbor who supports the project.
However, other community members expressed concerns about the development's impact on existing residents and businesses. Business owner Jess McCallie raised questions about affordability and community input in the planning process.
"We've been seeing this all over the city, and what I'm noticing is high rent in areas with low-income earners and also little regard for community input. Feels like this is happening to us and we don't get any say," McCallie said.
McCallie said she left the meeting with many questions unanswered.
"I feel like I have so many more questions. Partially that's a setup of the meeting structure. We only had 1 hour and we had a huge turnout. We organized this in only 48 hours in response to their TIF application getting approved. That was the first step. So this was kind of quickly done," McCallie said.
Parking availability emerged as another concern among residents, though Hohlen said the project would add approximately 75 new surface parking stalls plus 200 underground parking spaces.
The project has not yet reached the planning board stage, but the developer hopes to begin construction in the second quarter of next year. Another community meeting is scheduled for December 3rd.
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