Marlo Lundak, WOWT wrote:Tuesday, the Omaha city council voted to approve a resolution to support the creation of a new business improvement district in the N. Saddle Creek road area, getting the neighborhood one step closer to plans for revitalization. “We’ve been there forever and we’ve seen businesses come and go, people try to do something and it doesn’t happen,” says Eric Janousek, who owns Janousek Florist in the area. “Finally, someone is stepping up and trying to improve the area.” In a few years, the N. Saddle Creek area along NW Radial Hwy could be the next Benson or Blackstone. “I’m excited to explore this opportunity for the area,” says Joshuwa Hannum, the lead developer of the project for the area. He plans to construct a 161-unit apartment complex on the southeast portion of N. Saddle Creek road. t will include 7,500 square feet of amenities and 7,500 square feet of retail space for coffee shops, bars, and restaurants. “It’s going to increase traffic, increase visibility, it should increase customers, so quite frankly it should increase all of our revenues, and increase our services that we have in that area.”
Hannum currently owns several businesses in the area and he and other business owners see the potential the district could have. “We feel like it needs to be revitalized, and the only way to do that is to come together as a group and to have a cohesive business district neighborhood with extended lighting, security, landscaping, more parking we can provide, all those things that can provide more traffic and increase the overall value of the neighborhood,” he adds. The city council voted in support of the creation of a business improvement district.
“Just a little bit more public investment in the area could make a huge difference for the success of the business district, the businesses themselves, and of course the surrounding neighborhood,” says Council President Pete Festersen. In the coming weeks, Mayor Jean Stothert will appoint at least five members to the area improvement board. The appointed members will be business and property owners and residents in the area. Once the board members are appointed and approved by city council, the business improvement district can then begin to explore more options and potential plans for the area. They will also begin creating the budget for future plans. “We’ve got signs on our roads [that say] Benson district this way, Dundee that way...what happened to us? We don’t exist unless we start improving the area and do things for it,” said Don Janousek at the city council public hearing Tuesday.
“We’ve been in the area since 1967,″ says Eric, Don’s son. The Janousek’s have been supportive of the revitalization plans since they first heard of them. “It would be good for business and bring in more traffic, make the area nicer for the people that live around there and have places to eat and not have to go out west or downtown or over to Benson or other areas,” Eric adds. Hannum tells 6 News he hopes the appointments by the Mayor are completed soon and they hope to begin working on a cohesive plan by early next year.
Josh Kristianto, KETV wrote:North Saddle Creek might soon be getting a facelift if a newly-approved business improvement area board can help it. It is part of an effort to revitalize that part of town and others. The new board for North Saddle Creek still needs appointments by the mayor and approval by the city council, but the council president tells KETV things are moving along. The Janousek family has owned a floral shop in North Saddle Creek for generations. It is an area staple that Eric Janousek is trying to carry on for his kids. "A lot of people keep coming back that are in the area that have been shopping here a long time. And a lot of people go to Homy and Sgt. Peffer's," said Janousek.
While places like Sgt. Peffer's and The Homy Inn have their faithful few, Janousek sees the potential for more in North Saddle Creek. "This area kind of has been skipped over. Not very many people want to redevelop in this area or new businesses coming in. I've seen a lot of businesses leave," said Janousek. The new board will be tasked with revitalizing and maintaining the area. From better sidewalks and bike lanes to new landscaping, small enhancements can make a big difference.
"Dundee and Benson are two of the best examples of where this has really worked. But it's happened throughout the city now. We have it in Elkhorn, we have it in Blackstone, we're working on North and South 24th Street," said Pete Festersen, the Omaha City Council president. Festersen says the city has $300,000 available to pour into redeveloping North Saddle Creek. For Janousek, it is the promise of more business. "Seems like this area is just forgotten. It's nice to hopefully see all the businesses come together and improve the area and make it a better place to shop and spend money," he said. Festersen tells KETV they hope to develop plans over the next few months and implement some of those ideas by next year.
Cal Larsen, KETV wrote:Business owners along the North Saddle Creek that would full into the proposed "Business Improvement District" are hopeful that Omaha City Council will move forward with plans to bring new life to the area. The Council held a public hearing Tuesday night which saw a handful of proponents of the BID show up and voice their opinion on the necessity for money and development in the area.
If approved, the BID would be eligible for a portion of $2 million of ARPA funds in 2023. Omaha City Council will vote next week.
Back in September, the Omaha City Council approved the creation of a new Business Improvement District in the North Saddle Creek Road area. The newly formed BID has plans to revitalize the area, but first, the BID must decide on a name. Business owners want to make sure the community is involved in picking a name for the Business Improvement District. The BID met Friday morning at the Do Space on 72nd and Dodge. One of the items on the agenda, create an official name for the newly formed BID. “We feel like branding is going to be key, right, being called the North Saddle Creek Business District just doesn’t roll off the tongue the way we want it to,” said BID member Joshuwa Hannum. “So we want to come up with something that’s catchy and kind of cool, we do want it to be something somewhat historical but at the same time we need people to recognize where that district is.” BID members cut the list of possible names down to five Derek Babb sat through the meeting. He’s not really interested in what the BID calls itself, he wants to know how the organization will help his community grow. “We’ve all seen this place sort of come and go and I’m excited to see development happing,” Babb said. “There it’s been derelict for a long time, particularly with things that were used by the community like the laundromat and the car wash being closed, I’m excited to see what comes in next.”
I don't think it will matter all that much what they call it, but something about "North Creek" (and renaming the street to North Creek) appeals to me. Saddle Creek Rd actually ends at Cuming and then picks back up at Lafayette as N Saddle Creek. Kind of consigns it to an also-ran state from the start.
The other thing I thought was something to do with the Peanut but couldn't come up with the perfect name.
I really like that area, and the Homy, Pfeffers and Janousek have hung on for a long time despite being surrounded by mostly derelict stuff - they are strong businesses that could anchor something.
KMTV first brought you this story in May of 2022. A development plan that would include an apartment complex and eventually other improvements for the neighborhood near North Saddle Creek. But the original phase one of that plan, the apartment complex is on hold after the developer learned that the land is on a floodplain.
Neighbors on North Saddle Creek Road are ready for a renovation that builds a better future for pedestrians, drivers, and local businesses. A multi-million dollar renovation is now designing public infrastructure stretching five blocks, from Northwest Radial Highway to a peanut-shaped roundabout near Metcalfe Park. The North Saddle Creek Neighborhood Business District Renovation Project addresses issues like crumbling sidewalks and speeding drivers.
Dozens of people showed up Tuesday night to learn more about the coming changes to their neighborhood. The Saddle Creek Road Streetscape Improvement Project covers North Saddle Creek Road from North 50th Street to Hamilton Street. City Council President Pete Festersen presented the main changes: new sidewalks, lighting, landscaping, and parallel parking. “What we want to do is improve what’s already here, right?” said Festersen.
Traffic is buzzing along North Saddle Creek Road, a connector street for many neighbors like Susanna Von Essen. "I drive it all the time, that's my route to my grocery store, for my own medical care and a variety of other things," Von Essen said. She volunteers to help keep the plants in the well-known traffic peanut alive. "I was very pleased to find out that they were planning on putting a water source on the peanut," Von Essen said. That's just one element of this $3.5 to $4.5 million project.
S.O.Boy wrote: Thu Feb 08, 2024 8:16 am
They need to repave or overlay the Peanut.
Something needs to be done at the 5 way. At evening rush hour it backs up onto Saddle Creek. If the Apartment gets built, it will only get worse.
I think one of the new stories I saw said the 5 way was going to become a 4 way. Not sure how this improves things at rush hour. Maybe putting in another roundabout here would be the best solution. However, that might take more land than is available and is most likely cost prohibitive. I do completely agree about repairing the peanut up by 50th street. I have seen a number of volunteers over the years do a pretty good job at keeping it weeded and cleaned. However, it really is crumbling pretty badly. It hasn't been repaved in years and it only make sense if this is going to be what you see at the end of all this really nice improvement to at least repave it and maybe put in something like some low maintenance prairie grass. Hopefully this can somehow find a way into the project budget.
S.O.Boy wrote: Thu Feb 08, 2024 8:16 am
They need to repave or overlay the Peanut.
Something needs to be done at the 5 way. At evening rush hour it backs up onto Saddle Creek. If the Apartment gets built, it will only get worse.
I think one of the new stories I saw said the 5 way was going to become a 4 way. Not sure how this improves things at rush hour. Maybe putting in another roundabout here would be the best solution.
One thing mentioned was closing Saddle Creek East of there for the apartment. I agree with you, that intersection is a mess during rush hour.
S.O.Boy wrote: Thu Feb 08, 2024 8:16 am
They need to repave or overlay the Peanut.
Something needs to be done at the 5 way. At evening rush hour it backs up onto Saddle Creek. If the Apartment gets built, it will only get worse.
I think one of the new stories I saw said the 5 way was going to become a 4 way. Not sure how this improves things at rush hour. Maybe putting in another roundabout here would be the best solution.
One thing mentioned was closing Saddle Creek East of there for the apartment. I agree with you, that intersection is a mess during rush hour.
I think I mentioned it before, but my preferred approach would be to make Hamilton>Saddle Creek continuous with no stop, especially since the plan is to take that small section of Saddle Creek out. Make the Hamilton west of Saddle Creek traffic the ones that need to make the stop and turn.
S.O.Boy wrote: Mon May 05, 2025 10:08 pm
Ground breaking today. $5 million for 10 foot wide sidewalk for Sgt. Peffer's Cafe Italian and Homy Inn.
Obviously they are doing a lot more than just adding a 10-foot sidewalk, they are redoing the full roadway, adding some parking, and adding decorative lighting and landscaping. Half of the funds for the project are private donations too so really the City is getting a great update for half price. It's an important first step in hopefully getting the new apartments in the area going, I don't think it'll be the next Blackstone or Little Bohemia but it would be great to add some more density to some of the open lots around here.
S.O.Boy wrote: Mon May 05, 2025 10:08 pm
Ground breaking today. $5 million for 10 foot wide sidewalk for Sgt. Peffer's Cafe Italian and Homy Inn.
Obviously they are doing a lot more than just adding a 10-foot sidewalk, they are redoing the full roadway, adding some parking, and adding decorative lighting and landscaping. Half of the funds for the project are private donations too so really the City is getting a great update for half price. It's an important first step in hopefully getting the new apartments in the area going, I don't think it'll be the next Blackstone or Little Bohemia but it would be great to add some more density to some of the open lots around here.
WOWT did a better job covering.
Would like to see a round about at 49th & Charles.
My hope is that this is a catalyst for further development in that area along Saddle Creek. Touchy subject, but the homeless population are ever present in this stretch of town. They talk of increased safety in the WOWT report, but improved street lighting is not going to cut it.
