Over the next few years, the Midtown community will see the area around Saddle Creek Road and Farnam Street transform into an even more vibrant neighborhood district.
UNMC plans to renovate an historic industrial property on the west side of Saddle Creek into an “innovation hub,” where researchers can turn ideas into venture capital, and also construct an administrative building near the southwest corner of Farnam Street and Saddle Creek Road.
“The project will reinvigorate the area, spark future development and provide future campus growth space,” said Doug Ewald, vice chancellor for business, finance and business development at UNMC and the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Developers currently are being sought for both projects with construction expected next year. Meanwhile, the City of Omaha has agreed to develop roads and utility infrastructure, as well as build a parking garage to support activities in the area.
UNMC’s plan includes injecting new life into two existing structures that played a historically significant roles in World War II, as well as in Omaha’s industrial growth. Campus leaders say they will preserve as much as possible from the historic Omaha Steel Works facilities as they develop the Innovation Hub to house such entities as: UNeMed, UNMC’s tech transfer office; UNeTech, which coordinates business startups from UNMC and University of Nebraska at Omaha research; UNeHealth, UNMC’s contracting and fiscal arm for industry-funded clinical trials; and the Nebraska Business Development Center.
The Innovation Hub emulates the Cortex Innovation Community in St. Louis, a vibrant, 200-acre hub of business, innovation and technology integrated into the city’s historic Central West End and Forest Park Southeast neighborhoods. UNMC’s planned development project encompasses approximately 30 acres, the equivalent of 22 football fields.
“The development interest shown for this project reflects the medical center’s growing vibrancy,” said UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD. “We will continue to work closely with the surrounding neighborhoods to ensure that this development is attractive to both current residents and new recruits.”
The planned 350,000-square-foot administrative building, which would sit on the west side of Saddle Creek Road, is the equivalent of two Lauritzen Outpatient Center buildings. The new space would provide an opportunity to consolidate office space, and also provide retail or community space. A pedestrian connection across Saddle Creek is planned to move pedestrians safely across the high-trafficked area and onto the med center campus.
“We see development of a mixed-use campus with recreational green spaces alongside restaurants and retail operations,” said Brian Spencer, director of facilities & clinical space planning, for Nebraska Medicine and UNMC. UNMC will manage storm water on the site, which should mitigate the area’s past issues with flash flooding, Spencer said. The development project aligns with UNMC and Nebraska Medicine’s 2030 sustainability goals to reduce emissions, waste and water use.
Meanwhile, Don and Millie’s, which has a long-term lease with UNMC, will remain on site for the foreseeable future. In April, UNMC announced acquisition of two properties: 4524 Farnam Street, which includes a building leased by Rathskeller Bier Haus, and a parking lot at 4602 Farnam Street. Rathskeller has a current lease expiration date of May 31, 2031.