The library is located at 14th and Jones streets in a building constructed in 1912 but completely renovated and modernized to fit today's needs.
Sunday's grand opening of the new downtown Omaha public library welcomed hundreds of people including city and state leaders.
The 111-year-old building is transformed into a reader's paradise. Exposed brick that's classic to the old market, original tiling, and wooden beams are reminders of Omaha's foundation.
OMAHA, Nebraska, May 11, 2023 — White Lotus Group, a vertically integrated real estate development firm based in Omaha, announced today it is developing the former site of the Omaha Civic Auditorium into a groundbreaking, multi-use urban block that will be called Civic Square, with site preparation expected to begin early next year.
The development plan includes prioritizing the installation of a national grocer, a long-desired component currently missing from the downtown Omaha area. It will also feature a health and wellness anchor, office space, retail storefronts and both affordable and market-rate housing. The diverse property mix will not only increase the economic contributions of that city block, but also have a growth-inducing impact across the urban core.
“Civic Square will offer urban residents and workers the lifestyle they want downtown ‒ a destination they can walk to or park at easily, a place to buy groceries, work out, shop, dine and convene with friends,” said Arun Agarwal, CEO of White Lotus Group. “This project will bring new life into Omaha’s urban core, and give Omahans the opportunity to easily visit or stay and enjoy living downtown with convenience.”
Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert and the city have been supportive of the plans for Civic Square.
“Civic Square brings life back to one of downtown Omaha’s most prominent blocks and is part of the great momentum in our urban core,” said Mayor Jean Stothert. “White Lotus Group brings experience, innovation and design excellence to create a new neighborhood that will attract residents and businesses. A healthy, successful urban core benefits the entire city.”
Omaha’s urban core plans have had a considerable impact on the planning for Civic Square.
“Our latest version aims to help with several of the missing components of Omaha's downtown revitalization plan and will actively contribute to building a strong urban core,” said Agarwal.
“The design plans for Civic Square will not only fundamentally change the downtown living environment, but the whole Omaha city skyline. Distinct signage and impressive architecture will make southward images of downtown iconic, and embody the growth and innovation our urban core is experiencing.”
The new Civic Square is bordered by 17th and 19th Streets to the east and west, with easy access to and from I-480, and Chicago Street and Capitol Avenue to the north and south. The nine-acre site will be bisected by the reintroduction of 18th Street between Chicago and Capitol, and the partial reintroduction of Davenport Street between 17th and 18th Streets, increasing parking opportunities and accessibility into the interior of the development.
This convenience of access is by design. With dedicated off- and on-ramps connected to Interstate 480, the site was originally constructed to quickly and easily move thousands of Civic Auditorium attendees in and out of downtown. With the planned new road construction, 180 on-street angled parking stalls will be created on both sides of the interior streets and around the development, which is in addition to the existing 500-stall parking garage at the site. There are also parking garages immediately to the east and west of Civic Square, at 19th and Capitol and 17th and Davenport, which together host 1,700 city-shared stalls.
Civic Square is centrally located by several large hubs of business: Three Fortune 500 companies, Union Pacific, Kiewit and Mutual of Omaha, have or will soon have headquarters within blocks of the site, in addition to a multitude of other office buildings. Other important features include its proximity to Creighton University, which hosts more than 4,400 undergraduate and 4,300 graduate and professional students. Additionally, it will be two blocks away from the planned streetcar route and, pending the northbound track of the streetcar, could influence the development towards becoming a Transit-Oriented Development.
“With interstate and inner-city convenience, Civic Square is the most accessible block downtown, which is especially important for the grocery store component and solving for the food desert designation,” said Agarwal. “This project aims to enhance mobility around the urban core and contribute toward creating a sustainable living environment for all those who reside in it.”
Other community leaders are passionate about the impact Civic Square will have on the surrounding area and Omaha as a whole.
“As we set the vision for the urban core along with the City of Omaha, this development reflects the multi-use and benefits for the whole community and specifically for the individuals, families and visitors to this exceptional area,” said Tim Burke, interim president of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce. “The urban core vision is becoming a reality.”
“Creighton University is excited about the White Lotus Group redevelopment of the Civic Auditorium site,” said the Rev. Daniel Hendrickson, president of Creighton University. “This will be a great addition to our neighborhood, and the grocery store will be valuable to our students and faculty.”
White Lotus Group has a long resume of other complex and mixed-use developments.
Other recently announced developments include an affordable housing and mixed-use project on the previous Pershing Center site in Lincoln, the relocation of the downtown Omaha W. Dale Clark Library and a 138-acre industrial development along I-80 in Papillion.
“We are excited to keep moving forward with this historic development for Omaha,” said Agarwal. “Civic Square has already received significant interest, and there is an opportunity to customize development plans. We look forward to sharing more details once they are confirmed.”
White Lotus Group is seeking the public’s input on the Civic Square development. Thoughts and ideas can be submitted online at CivicSquareOmaha.com.
