- Omaha City Council votes Tuesday on demolishing an abandoned hotel near 108th and L
- The city would pay $310,000 for the demolition without owner reimbursement
- Neighbors have voiced safety concerns about the deteriorating property for years
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) – The demolition of an abandoned hotel near 108th and L is just an Omaha City Council vote away from becoming reality.
A proposed settlement would have the city paying $310,000 for the demolition without reimbursement from the property owner, Newport Blue Impact. The City Council is scheduled to vote on the settlement on Tuesday.
In late 2025, the city found the money to tear down the deteriorating hotel and expected to recoup costs from Newport Blue Impact. However, the company sued to stop the action.
District 5 Councilmember Don Rowe acknowledged concerns about the city picking up the tab but supports the demolition.
"Yeah, that's one of the concerns that I have about it, but I'm okay with it," Rowe said. "The city attorney determined, you know what, this property really needs to be demolished. We don't want the neighbors to have to deal with this anymore."
Neighbors have been waiting for a change for years due to safety concerns. Sandy Trimmer has lived in the Aspen Lofts in the shadow of the abandoned hotel for more than a decade.
"Oh, heck, yes. They need to demolish it. The city needs to do something. They need to make it safe," Trimmer said.
Edgar Rockwood is also concerned about safety near the site.
"I have two grandbabies," Rockwood said. "They're not going to play over there, but you never know if those people might wander down this way sometime. You know, and who knows what could happen."
Trimmer said she has been voicing her concerns for years but has not felt like city officials were listening. If the demolition is approved, she feels her voice will finally have been heard.
"Yeah. Then I will be very, very happy," Trimmer said.
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