Civic Square (former Civic Auditorium)

[Louie]

Seems a shame to me and a waste of prime real estate. My guess is the city simply doesn’t want to pay for the litigation it would take to move on and likely has no concrete replacement proposals.
Several years ago there was a proposal for a retirement condo tower for UNL alumni near campus at 14 and Q in Lincoln. I thought, at the time. it was a novel idea and this would be a great location for something like that related to Creighton. With construction costs being what they are right now, I’m sure anything like this is just a pipe dream but again, just seems like such a missed opportunity.

That is an excellent idea. I’m also starting to think that, while it doesn’t have any fancy element, the current design might actually work. Having a neighborhood instead of another entertainment district might be good. There’s many other districts around. I’m still hoping for a grocery store….

I'm so over the 'districts', just build things and they'll mesh together in time.

[Hawkeye]

Ol' Hawkeye can appreciate and respect the thoughts of those of you who are ready to move past the hand wringing and teeth gnashing phase and get on with building something/anything on the site.

No, that's not the issue. The problem is that many of you now seem to believe White Lotus will suddenly become a competent developer and actually deliver on even a fraction of what they've proposed....despite the fact that they have produced exactly ZERO ground-up developments of this type in their entire company history.

Six to nine months is the running joke around here. With them, it'll be a genuine shock if anything of significance happens in six to nine years. This has "Crossroads: The Sequel" written all over it.

[djc311]

Ol' Hawkeye can appreciate and respect the thoughts of those of you who are ready to move past the hand wringing and teeth gnashing phase and get on with building something/anything on the site.

No, that's not the issue. The problem is that many of you now seem to believe White Lotus will suddenly become a competent developer and actually deliver on even a fraction of what they've proposed....despite the fact that they have produced exactly ZERO ground-up developments of this type in their entire company history.

Six to nine months is the running joke around here. With them, it'll be a genuine shock if anything of significance happens in six to nine years. This has "Crossroads: The Sequel" written all over it.

I definitely do NOT believe WL will get things done - that's why it's mind-boggling that the city backed off the litigation and is basically throwing in the towel with who's probably one of the most incompetent developers in the metro area.

[Early Involvement]

City probs. https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/11/09 ... -on-track/

[TitosBuritoBarn]

I'm going to choose to feel optimistic about this. I wish they'd tear down the old Civic garage though. It's an activity dead zone on the street.

[Brad]

I'm going to choose to feel optimistic about this. I wish they'd tear down the old Civic garage though. It's an activity dead zone on the street.

I agree its bad for street activity, but one of the Nustyle or Bluestone apartments is using it and its quite full most days. It would be nice to see it replaced with something more modern with street level retail and then tear it down when a replacement is built.

[Hawkeye]

I'm going to choose to feel optimistic about this. I wish they'd tear down the old Civic garage though. It's an activity dead zone on the street.

Choosing to be optimistic is good. Those of us who choose to be realistic (along with pessimistic and unsympathetic), are doing so not because we don't want this to succeed, but because White Lotus' own track record...or rather, its complete lack thereof...belies even the faintest hope that they will actually deliver anything of substance. And of course, when (not if) these complete hacks fail, it will be everyone's fault but their own. On that note, the City does not remain blameless either. Their handling of this entire thing from the very beginning can frankly only be described as grossly incompetent.

As a result, we're once again left to ponder "what if?" while a subpar developer force-feeds yet more shi--y suburban low-rise sprawl into the urban core.

[nebport5]

I'm going to choose to feel optimistic about this. I wish they'd tear down the old Civic garage though. It's an activity dead zone on the street.

I agree its bad for street activity, but one of the Nustyle or Bluestone apartments is using it and its quite full most days. It would be nice to see it replaced with something more modern with street level retail and then tear it down when a replacement is built.

I'm guessing it's NuStyle. Across the street(to the north), they own the lot and old small garage.

I've wonder if NuStyle has been waiting to see if anything actually happens at the Civic site that might necessitate them building their own garage.

[Brad]

I'm going to choose to feel optimistic about this. I wish they'd tear down the old Civic garage though. It's an activity dead zone on the street.

I agree its bad for street activity, but one of the Nustyle or Bluestone apartments is using it and its quite full most days. It would be nice to see it replaced with something more modern with street level retail and then tear it down when a replacement is built.

I'm guessing it's NuStyle. Across the street(to the north), they own the lot and old small garage.

I've wonder if NuStyle has been waiting to see if anything actually happens at the Civic site that might necessitate them building their own garage.

They mentioned on Grow Omaha last week that NuStyle purchased the old "Central City" garage on 17th and Dodge and is currently renovating it for use by the Ledger Apartments residents.

[nebport5]

I'm going to choose to feel optimistic about this. I wish they'd tear down the old Civic garage though. It's an activity dead zone on the street.

I agree its bad for street activity, but one of the Nustyle or Bluestone apartments is using it and its quite full most days. It would be nice to see it replaced with something more modern with street level retail and then tear it down when a replacement is built.

I'm guessing it's NuStyle. Across the street(to the north), they own the lot and old small garage.

I've wonder if NuStyle has been waiting to see if anything actually happens at the Civic site that might necessitate them building their own garage.

They mentioned on Grow Omaha last week that NuStyle purchased the old "Central City" garage on 17th and Dodge and is currently renovating it for use by the Ledger Apartments residents.

Yes, I recall that, but with The Ledger coming and NuStyle also having The Wire and The Slate apartments nearby and likely losing the Civic, I wonder how those numbers work out. Do we know how many spaces are in Central City?

[Linkin5]

City probs. https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2026/11/09 ... -on-track/

The developer’s legal team compared the scenario to that of a marriage where one of the partners (in this case the city) was “enticed” by a suitor with a tempting package (in this case an indoor athletic complex) and sought a way out of its existing, contractual relationship.

“This case is about which party kept the promises it made at the altar, and which party spent (time) planning and looking for grounds to walk away,” wrote the lawyers.

This is a truly awful analogy. I would compare this more to getting married and finding out your partner has no job, sits at home all day, and you find somebody else.

Also White Lotus’ quote that they plan on getting started on infrastructure this next spring or summer has me feeling like we have years and years of delays to endure.

[Hawkeye]

Latest designs from the crack team at White Lotus were leaked by an insider. Check 'em out before they get wind of it and try to have this post deleted.

Restaurant component.


Grocery component.


Fitness center.