- Woodsonia wants to replace the strip mall with 225 apartments and 67,000+ square feet of retail
- A 1.95% sales tax could be added if the area becomes an Enhanced Employment Area
- A public hearing is set for June 2 at the Omaha City Council, with a vote expected later that month
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) – A Central Omaha strip mall could be replaced with hundreds of apartment units and tens of thousands of square feet of retail space under a new development proposal — and shoppers in the area could also see a new tax on their receipts.
Woodsonia has told the city it plans to replace the current buildings at 46th and California with nearly 225 apartment units and more than 67,000 square feet of retail space.
The Omaha City Council could also add a 1.95% tax on sales if the area is designated an Enhanced Employment Area. The tax is a developer incentive to build job-creating projects in certain areas.
Enhanced Employment Areas have already been approved across Omaha, including in Blackstone, the Capitol District, and Avenue One in West Omaha.
Neighbors shared their reactions to the prospect of paying more in sales taxes.
"Yeah, that could add up. That's pretty big tax, actually," David Barrett said.
"I feel okay. It's not very different in other stores," Edgar said.
"Honestly, it wouldn't stop me from coming. I just kind of grumble a little bit more," Wesley Farewell said.
Councilmember Pete Festersen, who represents the area, said the tax will apply to goods but not apartments.
A public hearing is scheduled at the Omaha City Council on June 2, with a vote expected later that month.
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.
