Decommissioned grain silos have long towered over a South Omaha neighborhood. By the end of 2029, they’ll be transformed into 223 market rate apartments.
The $56.2 million project at 34th and Vinton streets includes the demolition of most of the 120-foot tall silos, with a few to be incorporated into the design. Plans call for four buildings. Two will be built atop the remains of the silos.
Eight silos to the south of the apartments will be fully secured during construction, but not repurposed, said project manager Patrick Mason.
Mason took questions from Omaha City Council members Tuesday as they considered the project’s application for $10.4 million in tax-increment financing, or TIF, a financing tool regularly sought in local development efforts.
The project is in an extremely blighted area, so the TIF term would be about 20 years, said Bridget Haldey, Economic Development Manager with the City of Omaha.
“The project does meet the required criteria for TIF, is an appropriate land use for this location, and complies with the city’s current master plan. And with that, I would ask for your approval,” Hadley told council members, who approved the application.
The old grain elevator and silos have sat empty for decades, attracting urban explorers, adventurous teens and an array of graffiti artists. In 2017, a man in his 50s fell about 30 feet, lying hurt with a broken leg until he was discovered at sunrise. In 2024, a teenage girl was seriously injured after falling 20 feet, and another teen was rescued after getting stuck.
The new apartments will mostly offer one-bedroom units and studios, with studio rents starting at $1,150 and one bedrooms between $1,300 and $1,550. The plan also calls for nearly 300 new parking spots, including about 35 additional street parking spots.