Omaha Police and Omaha Fire Dept HQ (Crossroads)

[thenewguy]

The mayor just threw this in her state of the City speech. Still working on it. At least it's not dead.

Expect the announcement in October / November

Did someone tell you that? That would put it a year after Leo Daly was scheduled to finish the site selection study.

the way i'm gatherin it, he's referring to election fodder

[Athomsfere]

The mayor just threw this in her state of the City speech. Still working on it. At least it's not dead.

Expect the announcement in October / November

Did someone tell you that? That would put it a year after Leo Daly was scheduled to finish the site selection study.

LOL.

As much I want to tease everyone just for the heck of it...

It was a joke based off the Mayoral race, although I guess a year early.

[ita]

The mayor just threw this in her state of the City speech. Still working on it. At least it's not dead.

Expect the announcement in October / November

Did someone tell you that? That would put it a year after Leo Daly was scheduled to finish the site selection study.

LOL.

As much I want to tease everyone just for the heck of it...

It was a joke based off the Mayoral race, although I guess a year early.

Ah, I figured if she's saving it for next year's election, she'll have a bunch of announcements in January.

[Garrett]

The mayor just threw this in her state of the City speech. Still working on it. At least it's not dead.

Expect the announcement in October / November

Did someone tell you that? That would put it a year after Leo Daly was scheduled to finish the site selection study.

LOL.

As much I want to tease everyone just for the heck of it...

It was a joke based off the Mayoral race, although I guess a year early.

And the election is in May

[thenewguy]

honestly, she has gotten results. I know she isn't everyone's cup of tea, and i don't even live over there, but she got a new sky scraper and street car. I'm becoming a fan.

[skinzfan23]

honestly, she has gotten results. I know she isn't everyone's cup of tea, and i don't even live over there, but she got a new sky scraper and street car. I'm becoming a fan.

I agree, definitely some huge improvements to the city and its core.

[Busguy2010]

honestly, she has gotten results. I know she isn't everyone's cup of tea, and i don't even live over there, but she got a new sky scraper and street car. I'm becoming a fan.

I agree, definitely some huge improvements to the city and its core.

She's been great! I honestly am at the point I view any competition to her as a threat to the future health of our city. It's a total 180 from how I viewed her at the start.

[Renovator2559]

I love all the results Mayor Stothert has fulfilled, as a leader and her placing competent talented people to work.

Mayor Jean Stotthert on her first election in 2013 said:

"I'm gonna be the mayor for everyone,  everyone in Omaha, I didn't care about your political party, the color of your skin, I didn't care what your gender is. I will represent you and I will represent all of you"
-- Omaha Mayor Jean Stotthert.

We have development projects all over the city including forgotten areas south 24th and north 24th. It's a beautiful period to see all this construction activity and imagining how all these districts will interconnect to form a strong urban fabric

I can tell that she loves her job, hardly missing days, even though her husband died of suicide and she helps her mom.

She has balanced everything well, including proper backing of the police, development, safety, cutting property taxes and funding projects without raising taxes.

It was nice to see the Mayor announce her running for 4th term speech and this year's state of the city address. I see a passionate Mayor who loves her job.

[ita]

This is 100% speculation at this point, but we may be hearing about this project very soon. Tomorrow's city council meeting agenda shows on first reading an ordinance to approve a $146M bond to get onto the ballot in November. The purpose for this bond is the following:



https://cityclerk.cityofomaha.org/wp-co ... -43921.pdf

The public safety HQ project is on the 2024-2029 CIP approved back in 2021. Estimated project cost back then was $80M. Leo A Daly's design plan is supposed to be done already. The mayor is going to be talking about this and other bond requests that will be on the ballot, and that's right around the corner. Anyway, just putting it out there.

Previously approved CIP (see page 153): https://cityclerk.cityofomaha.org/wp-co ... 3-0913.pdf

[Garrett]

This is 100% speculation at this point, but we may be hearing about this project very soon. Tomorrow's city council meeting agenda shows on first reading an ordinance to approve a $146M bond to get onto the ballot in November. The purpose for this bond is the following:



https://cityclerk.cityofomaha.org/wp-co ... -43921.pdf

The public safety HQ project is on the 2024-2029 CIP approved back in 2021. Estimated project cost back then was $80M. Leo A Daly's design plan is supposed to be done already. The mayor is going to be talking about this and other bond requests that will be on the ballot, and that's right around the corner. Anyway, just putting it out there.

Previously approved CIP (see page 153): https://cityclerk.cityofomaha.org/wp-co ... 3-0913.pdf

Good catch. That’s gotta be it. I wonder if we’ll have renderings tomorrow.

[ita]

This is 100% speculation at this point, but we may be hearing about this project very soon. Tomorrow's city council meeting agenda shows on first reading an ordinance to approve a $146M bond to get onto the ballot in November. The purpose for this bond is the following:



https://cityclerk.cityofomaha.org/wp-co ... -43921.pdf

The public safety HQ project is on the 2024-2029 CIP approved back in 2021. Estimated project cost back then was $80M. Leo A Daly's design plan is supposed to be done already. The mayor is going to be talking about this and other bond requests that will be on the ballot, and that's right around the corner. Anyway, just putting it out there.

Previously approved CIP (see page 153): https://cityclerk.cityofomaha.org/wp-co ... 3-0913.pdf

Good catch. That’s gotta be it. I wonder if we’ll have renderings tomorrow.

I don't know if we'll see anything tomorrow, but second reading and public hearing will be July 23. At that point we will at least know some additional details. The City will be ready to provide details for opposing members of the public.

[NEDodger]

Include the State Offices in the same building and sell the lot adjoining Gene Leahy for additional development.

[Habits76]

Include the State Offices in the same building and sell the lot adjoining Gene Leahy for additional development.

That was my first thought after reading this!

[nebport5]

Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert wants voters' approval for $333 million in bonds, largest recent ask

Mayor Jean Stothert wants to ask Omaha voters to approve issuing $333 million in general obligation bonds for city capital improvement projects, including $100 million to help pay for expanding the CHI Health Center.

The list also includes $20 million for a combined police precinct and fire station downtown, and $20 million for an new outdoor gun range for Omaha police

The downtown police and fire station is not the new police and fire headquarters the city has been talking about for years. That headquarters is a much bigger project.

The city is still working on the headquarters, “looking at getting it designed so we know basically how much it’s going to cost, what it’ll look like, where it could be,” Stothert said.

“But we need a new police precinct downtown if we are going to remove, which we eventually will, the central (police) station that’s down there now,” she said. “The same thing with the fire station downtown.”
She said police have more calls in the urban core now.
“And as it continues to grow, we feel like we need an additional fire station where we can dispatch downtown,” Stothert said

[GrowUpFrances]

The list also includes $20 million for a combined police precinct and fire station downtown, and $20 million for an new outdoor gun range for Omaha police

20 mil for a gun range?!

[OmahaFan]

Has anyone heard anything yet on when Omaha will start construction on a new police and fire headquarters. Heard something about it 2 years ago and just radio silence since then.

[Athomsfere]

Has anyone heard anything yet on when Omaha will start construction on a new police and fire headquarters. Heard something about it 2 years ago and just radio silence since then.

No news. Scroll up a bit and the gut check is maybe 1st quarter or so an announcement.

[Doctor Fate]

Has anyone heard anything yet on when Omaha will start construction on a new police and fire headquarters. Heard something about it 2 years ago and just radio silence since then.

No news. Scroll up a bit and the gut check is maybe 1st quarter or so an announcement.

I think the mayor said on Grow Omaha that they are still in the planning stages to see what space they need and what sites would work.

[Athomsfere]

Has anyone heard anything yet on when Omaha will start construction on a new police and fire headquarters. Heard something about it 2 years ago and just radio silence since then.

No news. Scroll up a bit and the gut check is maybe 1st quarter or so an announcement.

I think the mayor said on Grow Omaha that they are still in the planning stages to see what space they need and what sites would work.

I remember that one. Man that was what, spring?

[Doctor Fate]

Has anyone heard anything yet on when Omaha will start construction on a new police and fire headquarters. Heard something about it 2 years ago and just radio silence since then.

No news. Scroll up a bit and the gut check is maybe 1st quarter or so an announcement.

I think the mayor said on Grow Omaha that they are still in the planning stages to see what space they need and what sites would work.

I remember that one. Man that was what, spring?

I think she said it during the August appearance when she was talking about the CHI Health Center expansion bonds being in the November ballot and said that a police/fire precinct was also on the ballot and that it was separate from the new HQ. And then gave a small update on the HQ.

[OmahaFan]

Curious what people would think about this. If we included Douglas county , Omaha Police , Omaha Fire and NSP Troop A into one building. I was thinking and plugged this into AI about a 25 to 30 Story building that would house all these agencies. I doubt Douglas County would go along with it but who knows .

High-Security Features (Ballistic + Blast Protection)

1. Structural Reinforcement
• Reinforced Concrete Core & Floors: Use high-performance concrete (>8,000 psi) with steel rebar cages. Redundant load paths ensure the building remains standing even if part of it is damaged.
• Blast-Resistant Façade: Curtain wall system with laminated, blast-rated glass and reinforced framing to resist pressure waves.
• Anti-progressive collapse design: Columns and beams designed to redistribute loads in case of explosion or impact.

2. Ballistic Protection
• Ballistic glass rated UL 752 Level 6–8 (high-powered rifles) in:
• Command center
• Executive offices
• Public reception areas
• Ballistic-resistant walls: Kevlar panels or CMU with steel plating around:
• Dispatch
• Holding cells
• Interview rooms
• Secure corridors

3. Access & Threat Control
• Standoff distance: Building setback 50–100 ft from the street with bollards.
• Vehicle barriers: K-rated bollards or planters, crash-rated gates.
• Secure underground garage with controlled sally port access.
• Multiple hardened stairwells and elevators, emergency-only secure escape routes.

4. Explosion Protection
• HVAC and utilities protected from chemical/biological/radiological (CBR) threats.
• Blast dampers, overpressure valves.
• Compartmentalization in the design (blast zones prevent chain reactions).

⸻

Sustainability & Climate-Friendly Features

1. LEED Gold or Platinum Certification
• Meet or exceed LEED v4 or LEED Zero standards (energy, water, materials, and carbon).

2. Energy Efficiency
• Triple-glazed windows with ballistic protection and low-E coatings.
• Passive solar design for Omaha’s climate (maximize winter sun, minimize summer heat).
• LED lighting and occupancy sensors throughout.
• Geothermal HVAC or high-efficiency variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system.
• High-performance insulation, including ICF (insulated concrete forms) for walls and core.

3. Renewable Energy Integration
• Solar panels on roof and facade (BIPV: building-integrated photovoltaics).
• Potential wind turbines (if structurally viable at height).
• Battery storage + microgrid to allow off-grid operation during disasters.

4. Water Conservation
• Rainwater harvesting for landscaping and toilets.
• Greywater recycling for non-potable uses.
• Low-flow fixtures in all bathrooms and kitchens.

5. Green Materials & Air Quality
• Low-VOC materials, adhesives, and paints.
• Recycled steel, concrete, and sustainable wood.
• Living walls or rooftop gardens to reduce heat island effect.

⸻

Smart Systems Integration
• AI-assisted surveillance and threat detection.
• Integrated Building Automation System (BAS) to manage energy, lighting, air, and security.
• Emergency notification + PA systems.
• Hardened data centers and cloud redundancy.

Feature
Spec / Target

Total floors
30 + 3 basements
Total sq ft
~600,000–750,000

Ballistic resistance level
UL 752 Level 6–8 glass + wall panels
Blast resistance

Designed to resist car and VBIED explosions
Climate rating

LEED Gold or higher
Energy system

Solar + geothermal + battery backup
Secure garage

2–3 floors underground, armored sally port
Annual carbon emissions
Near net-zero with offsets

.

[NEDodger]

I don’t $ee it happening.

[OmahaFan]

It’s really a bummer if it doesn’t get built . They need a new facility badly.

[nebport5]

It’s really a bummer if it doesn’t get built . They need a new facility badly.

I’m sure it gets built as some point though not likely with all the attributes you listed above. I particularly don’t see the county portion getting merged with the city. On the other hand, you may have the right mayor to entertain such a possibility.

[Bob from Omaha]

Curious what people would think about this. If we included Douglas county , Omaha Police , Omaha Fire and NSP Troop A into one building. I was thinking and plugged this into AI about a 25 to 30 Story building that would house all these agencies. I doubt Douglas County would go along with it but who knows .
.

It shot you everything but a price. Or were there not enough zeros in AI?

[OmahaFan]

Didn’t ask for a price but the facility would probably be around $2.6 Billion maybe. Like I said very doubtful this would happen but you never know

[nebport5]

Ewing’s 2026 budget proposal came out yesterday and much of it has lineage from Stothert. The relevant part for this discussion is the 20 mil (voter approved last fall) for a new police precinct/new downtown fire station. That is the first step and will likely impact the details of a further down the road combined police/fire headquarters. In the interim, a second fire station for downtown to complement station 1 and expanding police coverage with the new precinct may give some clues about the future. I’m sure the city has an idea where they’d generally like to locate the future headquarters duo if they’re going vertical in 2026 on part 1.

[Louie]

In the interim, a second fire station for downtown to complement station 1 and expanding police coverage with the new precinct may give some clues about the future. I’m sure the city has an idea where they’d generally like to locate the future headquarters duo if they’re going vertical in 2026 on part 1.

Is the second fire station already budgeted?

[nebport5]

In the interim, a second fire station for downtown to complement station 1 and expanding police coverage with the new precinct may give some clues about the future. I’m sure the city has an idea where they’d generally like to locate the future headquarters duo if they’re going vertical in 2026 on part 1.

Is the second fire station already budgeted?

Yes, we voted on those bonds last fall.

[nebport5]

Ok, after looking at the budget from the Tuesday city council meeting, there is not a second downtown fire station.
I apparently misunderstood something Jean said or something I read in the World Herald.


From the C.I.P. Draft 2026-2031:


Public Safety Admin Building -

Estimated Completion Year: TBD
Project Status: Programmed
Estimated Total Cost: $200,000,000

Project Description: The City will explore options that include
renovation of the existing Police Administration Building, which is
located downtown at 15th and Howard or developing a new Police
Administration Building. Funding for this project will be revised as
plans become solidified.

Summary of Master Plan Conformance: The Public Facilities
Element of the Master Plan emphasizes the need to address
building conditions and future space needs at the Police
Administration Building.




Downtown Fire Station and Police Precinct -

Estimated Completion Year: TBD
Project Status: Design
Estimated Total Cost: $20,000,000

Project Description: The City of Omaha proposes to replace the current aging Fire Station #1 with a new expanded, modern fire station that will be equipped with 10 apparatus bays. Integrated into the fire station will be a new downtown police precinct. Both the expansion and addition are necessary to serve the growing population of the urban core, which is projected to attract 30,000 residents and 30,000 jobs by 2042. Activity downtown has also increased significantly which is evidenced by over two million visitors to The Riverfront and anticipated economic development of over two billion dollars within the next fifteen years.

Summary of Master Plan Conformance: This project is recommended in the Omaha Fire Department’s 25-Year Station Optimization Project, which utilizes GIS and special allocation tools to recommend a long term build out plan that best serves the public.

[BIGO88]

Heard from an OPD Officer today in the Coffee Shop that they announced they are moving the HQ to 72nd. Anyone else hear anything? I also went went back and looked at the old/new renderings of Crossroads and noticed they have added a large office building that faces Dodge st. Wonder if that could be it.

[skinzfan23]

That would make some sense so they could be more centrally located, but hopefully all their existing property can be sold and redeveloped.

[Garrett]

Interesting! This image appears on Holland Basham's project page. I don't recall the office building being there previously

[Stargazer]

Boo. That's what precincts are for. HQ should be where the city's leadership/legal bodies are. Is the City of Omaha administration going to leave downtown too? Courts?

.. and it sure as heck shouldn't be an anchor for a lifestyle development. Elders will remember the small precinct office the old Crossroads had in its final sketchy days.

[Louie]

Boo. That's what precincts are for. HQ should be where the city's leadership/legal bodies are. Is the City of Omaha administration going to leave downtown too? Courts?

.. and it sure as heck shouldn't be an anchor for a lifestyle development. Elders will remember the small precinct office the old Crossroads had in its final sketchy days.

Care to fill the uninitiated in on how those final days went?

[Stargazer]

Care to fill the uninitiated in on how those final days went?

Honestly, probably no worse than some of the 'rambunctious' activity you'll see at Westroads on occassions, but enough outcry that they decided to put an OPD office among the retailers (that were left).

[nebport5]

Does this look like a 200 mil building?

[thenewguy]

swing and a miss...

[OmahaFan]

The Crossroads redevelopment is fundamentally designed as a high-density, mixed-use retail and residential hub—an environment that is largely incompatible with the high-security protocols, large-scale vehicle sally ports, and specialized infrastructure required for a joint Public Safety Headquarters.

Here is a little breakdown of why that site is unsuitable and where a more logical facility is likely to be placed.

The Incompatibility of the Crossroads Site

The theory that the headquarters would move to 72nd and Dodge (Crossroads) faces three primary obstacles:

Security Perimeter Needs: Modern public safety buildings require significant "standoff distance" (buffers from public traffic) to protect against threats. The dense retail/residential design of Crossroads leaves no room for such a perimeter.
Traffic Congestion:72nd and Dodge is the busiest intersection in Nebraska. Dispatching emergency vehicles into that bottleneck would severely compromise response times.

Operational Footprint: A joint HQ must accommodate hundreds of specialized vehicles, forensics labs, training facilities, and secure evidence storage. The Crossroads site has already committed its acreage to a new central library and commercial space.


Most Reasonable Locations for a Joint HQ

Given the City’s current 2024–2029 Capital Improvement Program and the design parameters set by firm Leo A Daly, the following locations are the most viable candidates:

1. The "Downtown-Adjacent" Corridor (Preferred)

The City has expressed a strong preference for keeping the HQ in the downtown/midtown area to remain near the courthouse and civic center.

The area between 16th and 20th Streets, south of the current Civic Center. Utilizing existing surface lots or underutilized industrial blocks in the South Downtown area would allow for a campus-style build with the necessary security buffers while maintaining the "urban core" presence.

2. The South 24th Street / I-80 Corridor

If the city decides that downtown is too cramped, moving slightly south toward the **I-80 and 24th Street** area is a strategic alternative.

This offers immediate interstate access for city-wide response and provides much larger tracts of land for the sprawling footprint a joint police/fire facility requires.

Near the New Nebraska State Patrol HQ (North 72nd)

3. While the *Crossroads* (72nd & Dodge) is unlikely, the North 72nd Street corridor (near I-680)remains a possibility.

The Nebraska State Patrol recently moved their Troop A HQ to this area. Placing the Omaha Joint HQ nearby could create a "Public Safety Hub," though this is less likely than a downtown-adjacent site due to the distance from the Douglas County Courthouse.

4. Expansion of the Existing Site

There is also the possibility of the city acquiring adjacent blocks to the current headquarters at 15th and Howard. By demolishing the outdated structures and building a vertical, integrated tower, they could maintain their central location while modernizing.

The most probable outcome is a new build in the southern or western edge of Downtown Omaha. This allows the city to leverage Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and urban renewal grants while ensuring the Police and Fire Chiefs remain within minutes of City Hall and the Douglas County Jail.

[CompSci99]

The Crossroads redevelopment is fundamentally designed as a high-density, mixed-use retail and residential hub—an environment that is largely incompatible with the high-security protocols, large-scale vehicle sally ports, and specialized infrastructure required for a joint Public Safety Headquarters.

Here is a little breakdown of why that site is unsuitable and where a more logical facility is likely to be placed.

The Incompatibility of the Crossroads Site

The theory that the headquarters would move to 72nd and Dodge (Crossroads) faces three primary obstacles:

Security Perimeter Needs: Modern public safety buildings require significant "standoff distance" (buffers from public traffic) to protect against threats. The dense retail/residential design of Crossroads leaves no room for such a perimeter.
Traffic Congestion:72nd and Dodge is the busiest intersection in Nebraska. Dispatching emergency vehicles into that bottleneck would severely compromise response times.

Operational Footprint: A joint HQ must accommodate hundreds of specialized vehicles, forensics labs, training facilities, and secure evidence storage. The Crossroads site has already committed its acreage to a new central library and commercial space.


Most Reasonable Locations for a Joint HQ

Given the City’s current 2024–2029 Capital Improvement Program and the design parameters set by firm Leo A Daly, the following locations are the most viable candidates:

1. The "Downtown-Adjacent" Corridor (Preferred)

The City has expressed a strong preference for keeping the HQ in the downtown/midtown area to remain near the courthouse and civic center.

The area between 16th and 20th Streets, south of the current Civic Center. Utilizing existing surface lots or underutilized industrial blocks in the South Downtown area would allow for a campus-style build with the necessary security buffers while maintaining the "urban core" presence.

2. The South 24th Street / I-80 Corridor

If the city decides that downtown is too cramped, moving slightly south toward the **I-80 and 24th Street** area is a strategic alternative.

This offers immediate interstate access for city-wide response and provides much larger tracts of land for the sprawling footprint a joint police/fire facility requires.

Near the New Nebraska State Patrol HQ (North 72nd)

3. While the *Crossroads* (72nd & Dodge) is unlikely, the North 72nd Street corridor (near I-680)remains a possibility.

The Nebraska State Patrol recently moved their Troop A HQ to this area. Placing the Omaha Joint HQ nearby could create a "Public Safety Hub," though this is less likely than a downtown-adjacent site due to the distance from the Douglas County Courthouse.

4. Expansion of the Existing Site

There is also the possibility of the city acquiring adjacent blocks to the current headquarters at 15th and Howard. By demolishing the outdated structures and building a vertical, integrated tower, they could maintain their central location while modernizing.

The most probable outcome is a new build in the southern or western edge of Downtown Omaha. This allows the city to leverage Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and urban renewal grants while ensuring the Police and Fire Chiefs remain within minutes of City Hall and the Douglas County Jail.

Chat GPT is surprisingly accurate here.