One of the busiest intersections in Omaha has been undergoing transformations since December 2020. All roads in Omaha connect to 72nd and Dodge, a place for communities to grow and people to meet, according to The Crossroads Omaha.
Originally the mall was built and owned by Brandeis Department Store in 1960, but later became Crossroads Mall, home to many popular chains such as Sears, Target and Dillard’s according to Business Insider.
Discussion of remodeling the indoor mall goes back as far as 2011, around the time when Frank Krejci, a real estate developer and his partner during that period, purchased the Crossroads property according to the Nebraska Examiner. Since then, the initial plan for the Crossroads has changed dramatically.
Many of the previous plans Krejci and his team worked to develop were never introduced due to the rejection of financial requests from city officials. The city eventually committed a financial contribution in August 2020 according to The Crossroads Omaha website.
In 2022, Krejci died at age 97, but not before partnering with Lockwood Development to make his vision a reality.
The north wing of the Crossroads Mall, which was completed in 1988, was demolished between December 9, 2020, and late May of 2021. The demolition of the former Sears Auto Center along Dodge Street began the long-awaited redevelopment of the Crossroads Mall according to the Crossroads Omaha.
The Crossroads, previously the Crossroads Mall, is expected to include retail, restaurant, entertainment, office, hospitality, high-density multifamily and senior living spaces. The tallest building in The Crossroads may reach up to 10 stories according to the Crossroads Omaha website.
The 40-acre site (30 football fields), with multiple public gathering stops, such as hard scaled plazas, small parks, outdoor dining areas, and rooftop gardens is expected to cost around 862 million dollars according to The Nebraska Examiner.
Throughout the redevelopment of the crossroads, the planning and construction phases have been halted multiple times. Officials say that the multiple changes in ownership and leadership of the project have led to the shifts and delays according to the Nebraska Examiner.
Chip James, president of Lockwood Development, one of the current co-developers for The Crossroads, reported that the initial building construction would begin by 2023.
The demolition, development, and construction were originally expected to take four years. The most recent Crossroads update predicted that the first 12 acres of the project will be completed by 2027.
In the latest design, apartments and residential housing more than doubled to 1,277. Office space will now occupy 200,000 square feet and retail space increased to 380,000 square feet. Space related to entertainment decreased to 105,000 square feet and parking went from 4,900 stalls to between 3,500 and 4,500 because of the soon to be demolished parking garage.
The tallest building located in The Crossroads may reach up to 10 stories according to the Crossroads Omaha website.
Currently, the area is mostly vacant aside from the Target store and the obsolete parking garage. The parking garage was expected to be kept but now, plans for its demolition are underway.
According to a statement made by mayor Jean Stotherts office, developers have spent around 30 million dollars in preparation, sewer, utility and street construction since the destruction of Sears Auto Center thus far.
The video animation of the Crossroads can be found on The Crossroads Omaha website at https://www.thecrossroadsomaha.com.
