North Omaha ‘Innovation District' funded by $30M from state is topic of May 21 public input meeting
OMAHA — Community input will be heard May 21 on a plan for a new 'Innovation District' in the North Omaha area, which is being funded by a $30 million state grant.
The effort is to be overseen by the Omaha Inland Port Authority, the steward of the funding awarded by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
The public is invited to the 6 p.m. meeting at the Venue at Highlander Accelerator, 2120 N. 30th St. Representatives of the port authority will introduce the planning process and gather input to shape a vision for 'inclusive economic development in the area.'
The proposed Innovation District is separate from the planned airport area business park project that is also being steered by the port authority board, in partnership with a development team led by Omaha Economic Development Corp. and Burlington Capital.
Funds for both projects originally were approved by the Nebraska Legislature as part of the Nebraska Economic Recovery Act of 2022, though the legislation and funding sources have since been updated.
On the Innovation District initiative, the port authority board has started to lay groundwork in awarding a $546,000 consulting contract to HR&A Advisors Inc. Focus group sessions are to be held the day before the public meeting.
HR&A secured the contract in April after a competitive bidding process. In conjunction with Lamp Rynearson and Vireo, the contractor over a six-month period is to create a vision and business plan model for a local Innovation District, which is to be developed within the boundaries of the Inland Port Authority. The consultant is to outline project costs and identify key indicators to measure success.
Such a district is envisioned as an urban hotbed of leading-edge institutions, business and entrepreneurs.
On the business park venture, a concern voiced by a few state lawmakers and community members was that it lacked community input early on. The business park initiative is funded partly through a separate $90 million state earmark.
Both the business park and the Innovation District are seen as anchors within the boundaries of the port authority and seen as key to helping private businesses produce jobs and economic development that benefits North Omaha area residents. The port authority jurisdiction, members say, is roughly 3,000 acres, although not all of that is buildable property.
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