Center Mall (42nd and Center)
Moderators: nebugeater, Omaha Cowboy, Brad, BRoss
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remline
- Home Owners Association
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
I think there is a lot of potential at this site. Two big questions for me:
1. Are we talking about tearing down the existing building, or re-developing it into apartments?
2. Is it common to mix market-rate apartments with affordable apartments?
1. Are we talking about tearing down the existing building, or re-developing it into apartments?
2. Is it common to mix market-rate apartments with affordable apartments?
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Garrett
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
1. Almost certainly a teardown. None of the structure within the parking area would be (easily) convertible to apartments, and even then, the floor plates are pretty massive where they'd need to cut in a lot of light wells to give every apartment windows. I can't imagine the juice would be worth the squeeze on a retrofit here.remline wrote: Wed Apr 29, 2026 9:24 am I think there is a lot of potential at this site. Two big questions for me:
1. Are we talking about tearing down the existing building, or re-developing it into apartments?
2. Is it common to mix market-rate apartments with affordable apartments?
2. Yes, several developments around town have done it (Highlander, Southside Terrace, Capriana)
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Garrett
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
I hope this isn't an annoying way to ask that this thread be moved to the urban subforum
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Brad
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
LOL! Takes 3 clicks to move it... Done

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Garrett
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
Haha thanks! I was worried my first ask was getting buried by further discussion.
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Garrett
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
Community meeting about this development will be tonight, 5:30-6:30, at the Field Club Ballroom. I'm interested to see their proposal
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Garrett
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)

Quick and dirty screengrab from the Channel 3 story
https://www.3newsnow.com/central-omaha/ ... fice-space
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GenX
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
7-8 stories? I like it!
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10thstgoober
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
I like what I see so far. Btw this is still in the Suburban section ...
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OmahaOmaha
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
That’s just plain ugly.Garrett wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 7:07 am
Quick and dirty screengrab from the Channel 3 story
https://www.3newsnow.com/central-omaha/ ... fice-space
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thenewguy
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
OmahaOmaha wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 1:27 pmThat’s just plain ugly.Garrett wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 7:07 am
Quick and dirty screengrab from the Channel 3 story
https://www.3newsnow.com/central-omaha/ ... fice-space

Go Cubs Go
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Louie
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
The current center mall is an architectural masterpiece. Breathtaking to behold.OmahaOmaha wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 1:27 pmThat’s just plain ugly.Garrett wrote: Fri May 22, 2026 7:07 am
Quick and dirty screengrab from the Channel 3 story
https://www.3newsnow.com/central-omaha/ ... fice-space
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iamjacobm
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
Community Redevelopment Area proposal for this in front of the planning board next week. Should get a little more info on the plans when they post the docs.
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Garrett
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
Nothing too interesting here, just an application for turning the area into a Community Redevelopment Area and some vague references to 500+ apartments with a market rate and affordable mix
https://planning.cityofomaha.org/images ... une/09.pdf
https://planning.cityofomaha.org/images ... une/09.pdf
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jag42
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
Just curious what the top floor is used for now, or if it's vacant, where the bowling alley was? I bowled there 40 years ago in my younger days!
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Louie
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
There was a bowling alley on the top floor? That’s pretty wild.jag42 wrote: Fri May 29, 2026 6:28 pm Just curious what the top floor is used for now, or if it's vacant, where the bowling alley was? I bowled there 40 years ago in my younger days!
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djc311
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
Yes there was - I bowled there on my Jr Traveling Classic league about 32 years ago. It was called Center Lanes.
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CBJason
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
Yep, I remember going there as a kid in the late 80’s/early 90’s when my parents bowled there.
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jag42
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
I thought it was Sky Lanes, since being on the top floor, it was in the sky, haha. I can't remember if it was 24 or 32 lanes. Had a pretty good video game arcade too. Spent many quarters on Millipede, the sequel to Centipede.
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Cermak
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
I was inside this place last year. It was still in fairly good condition considering its age. Really a unique building, it’s got to be one of the oldest malls in the country still standing, maybe the oldest.
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OmahaFan
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
I like the drawings the company made up be nice if it was 10 stories with shops and businesses on the bottom. Add a parking garage for the Customers , Residents and VA Employees and you’ve got something nice.
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GenX
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Re: Center Mall (42nd and Center)
Agreed!!OmahaFan wrote: Mon Jun 08, 2026 7:48 pm I like the drawings the company made up be nice if it was 10 stories with shops and businesses on the bottom. Add a parking garage for the Customers , Residents and VA Employees and you’ve got something nice.