City officials considering a $306 million redevelopment plan to make the Omaha downtown similar to what it was 50 years ago

Omaha, Nebraska – The Omaha city officials are considering a $306 million redevelopment plan which should reshape the downtown Omaha area in the upcoming years.

According to multiple reports, at the Wednesday’s city planning board meeting officials are expected to take a look on the ambitious 30-page plan that should help develop the city adding thousands of jobs.

We already know of Omaha’s streetcar desire. Construction of 5.5 track miles of a modern route to serve Downtown, Midtown, Blackstone, and UNMC have already been unveiled. But it is just part of a much bigger plan to redevelop about 50 city blocks.

According to the available data, the city of Omaha lost more than 21,000 jobs in the last half a century and those who support the plan believe that once enforced, the plan might redevelop the downtown area and bring those jobs back.

And there’s too big of a need for parking; that’s where the streetcar comes in.

The plan claims an upgraded city infrastructure grid, plus better use of more than 17,000 outlying parking spaces in the metro, surrounding an efficient streetcar as the main artery, has the potential to deliver 30,000 jobs and 30,000 residents to Omaha’s core over the next three decades.

The current plan is in its initial stages and the first reading is expected to take place today at 1:30 p.m.