OMAHA, Neb. — For years, mornings at The Grove Juicery and Wellness Cafe meant a steady stream of Downtown Omaha workers grabbing smoothies, coffee and breakfast on their way to the office.
Now, owner Meghann Schense says those once-busy mornings are noticeably quieter.
The Downtown Omaha business, located near 24th and Farnam, is feeling the effects of ongoing construction tied to the Omaha Streetcar project. Multiple streets in the area are closed, making it more difficult for customers to reach businesses along the route.
"I got here about 40 minutes ago," said 3 News Now Downtown Omaha Neighborhood Reporter Jeremy Fredricks during a visit to the shop. "I've seen two customers come in, and two people picking up orders, and that's it. Is that normal on a weekday morning?"
"No," Schense replied. "Mornings are our busiest times, or when we get our largest rushes, with a lot of our regulars who are commuting in to go to work. So to see this place empty on a weekday morning is very unusual."
Businesses feel the impact
Schense opened The Grove in 2018 and says the business has endured its share of challenges. But she believes the streetcar construction has created obstacles unlike any she has faced before.
Parts of Farnam Street, Harney Street and 24th Street remain closed as construction crews continue work on the streetcar corridor.
For many customers, getting to businesses in the area now requires extra planning.
"I walked here, but you have to navigate the sidewalks a little harder," said Downtown Omaha neighbor Adam Nebel.
Business owners have raised concerns with city leaders about customer access and parking during construction.
City makes traffic adjustment
In response to those concerns, the City of Omaha is opening Farnam Street eastbound from 25th Street, allowing customers additional access and parking opportunities near affected businesses.
Schense says the change could make a meaningful difference.
"This U-turn is going to be essential for people for parking, for people to get here quickly and really reach us," she said.
Concerns about a lengthy construction timeline
The construction has already stretched on for more than a year, and Schense says she has been told the disruptions could continue for another one to two years.
"We've already been through a year of it, and we're getting told that it's now going to be another one to two years on top of that," Schense said. "Which is very concerning and harder to survive than COVID was."
Omaha Public Works expects one westbound lane of Farnam Street and one eastbound lane of Harney Street to reopen by Thanksgiving, providing some relief for businesses and drivers navigating the Downtown construction zone.
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