For a few years now, the lot behind Saddle Creek Road and Pacific Street has been mostly grass, weeds and dirt. That could change soon.
A roughly $44 million project to build about 200 apartments with retail space near the intersection might be close to getting building permits, according to WOWT. Omaha city officials told the station that if everything checks out, permits could be issued in a couple of weeks or so.
The Omaha City Council approved the project about three years ago, but construction has never really gotten going. Back then, officials were aiming to finish in 2026.
Why it stalled
The developers put out a statement explaining the delay. "We remain committed to the Saddle Creek project and are excited to move forward," it reads in part. "Rising construction costs and higher interest rates have extended the timeline and prompted a careful review of construction costs and long-term maintenance."
The developers made minor changes to the plan, which required new cost estimates. City Planning Director Dave Fanslau said the city has been waiting on revised building permit submittals, which came in only a few weeks ago.
"It's on them to tell us they're going to tweak something, amended something and so we just waited for the building permits," Fanslau said.
Back in May, WOWT reported that site preparation had started, with trees and homes torn out near 49th and Mayberry streets, before work came to a halt. At the time, Fanslau said an administrative change would take only a couple of weeks, while a major amendment would send the project back through the Planning Board and City Council, which could take four or five months.
Who's behind it
The developer is Commercial Investment Properties, which KPTM Fox 42 has described as a Lincoln-based company. When the project was first proposed in 2022, the Nebraska Examiner reported plans for nearly 200 market-rate apartments and row houses, a restaurant and a bank on about five acres northwest of Saddle Creek and Pacific. Plans at the time included a courtyard, outdoor pool and about 280 garage spaces, along with a request for tax increment financing.
The numbers have shifted a little since then. When the council approved rezoning in December 2023, District 3 Councilmember Danny Begley described about 195 apartments and 293 parking stalls. WOWT's latest report puts it at about 200 units. Since the developers have just made changes, the final count won't be clear until permits are issued.
The project has faced steady pushback. Neighbors including Debbie and Mark Rushlau have opposed it since it was first proposed, and they're still against it. They told WOWT the site is a mess and rain keeps washing out part of their property.
"We know it's not done, you know I don't even know what will happen, it's nice to just sit back and not think about it when nothing's happening up there," Debbie Rushlau said.
Why it matters for Contractors
A $44 million, roughly 200-unit mixed-use project is a big job by any measure, especially in a busy part of midtown Omaha near the University of Nebraska Medical Center. If permits come through, it'll mean garage parking, concrete, framing, roofing, plumbing, electrical, HVAC, drywall and finishes, plus retail build-outs on the ground floor.
The site work already started, then stopped. Erosion and stormwater control will likely be early priorities, given neighbors' complaints about runoff. That's work for dirt and site contractors right away. A site that has sat partly cleared through several seasons of rain may also need some regrading and cleanup before anything vertical can start, and the Examiner reported back in 2022 that houses, a sixplex and several commercial buildings were slated to come down to make room.
No general contractor has been named publicly, and we aren't naming one here. Subs who want in should keep an eye out for the permits and reach out to the developer's team once they're issued.
The delay is also a lesson many contractors know well. Rising costs and higher interest rates can stall even an approved project for years. When a developer goes back and re-prices a job, contractors who give honest, solid numbers are often the ones who get the call when it finally moves.