Courtesy of RDG Planning and Design.
By Hola Nebraska
The project will transform the space at 24th and N Streets into a public plaza with an amphitheater, play areas, shaded gathering spaces, public art and room for community events.
Construction of Plaza de la Raza began this week in South Omaha, at a key site along the historic South 24th Street corridor.
The project will turn a longtime parking lot used by area businesses, visitors and workers into a public plaza designed for community activities, performances, family gatherings and cultural events.
The work is taking place at 24th and N Streets, on the west side of the South 24th Street corridor. The plaza is expected to open in fall 2027.
A longtime parking lot will become a public gathering space
For years, the site functioned mainly as a concrete parking lot in South Omaha’s business district. On special dates, including the annual Cinco de Mayo celebration, the space also served as a community gathering point.
The new Plaza de la Raza will include an amphitheater, a stage, play areas, flexible green space, shaded areas for families and public art.
The design is intended to strengthen South 24th Street as a commercial and cultural corridor. It will also add improvements around the area to support gatherings, walking and outdoor activities.
Canopy South, an organization focused on community development and neighborhood improvement, is leading the project with local partners. RDG Planning and Design is part of the design team, and Kiewit is connected to the construction work.
The investment is part of recovery funds for North and South Omaha
The project received support from a $25 million state grant through the North and South Omaha Recovery Grant program, administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.
The program was created to support economic recovery in areas affected by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. In South Omaha, the funding supports investments in infrastructure, community spaces, commercial corridors and local organizations.
Douglas County and the City of Omaha also committed $500,000 each to the plaza project.
The initiative is part of a broader package of investments in South Omaha, including work along the 24th Street corridor and improvements tied to mobility, public spaces and commercial activity.
A new city parking garage is planned near South 24th Street
Construction of the plaza will remove parking spaces that had been available for years at 24th and N Streets. To address that loss, the City of Omaha is moving forward with a plan to build a multi-level parking garage near the site.
The city acquired a lot at 23rd and N Streets, next to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, where a city parking garage with up to 300 spaces is planned.
The structure would also include commercial spaces on the first level to maintain pedestrian activity near the corridor. Construction of the garage is expected to begin this winter.
The total cost of the parking garage has not been finalized. Part of the infrastructure would receive support from the North-South Omaha Recovery Grant program, while the city evaluates financing options for construction.
During construction, parking spaces for customers and businesses lost because of the plaza conversion will be replaced by a temporary lot. Details of that arrangement will be published later.
Local organizations expect more commercial and cultural activity
Plaza de la Raza has been discussed for years as a way to strengthen the South 24th Street corridor and create a more active public space for the community.
Marcos Mora, with the Latino Economic Development Council, has described the project as part of a long process to place South Omaha’s commercial district in a stronger position to attract visitors, shoppers and diners.
The Nebraska Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is also among the organizations connected to the corridor. Its president, Yesenia Peck, has described South 24th Street as a place where business and community intersect.
The plaza is planned as a space for families, businesses, events, local tourism and cultural activities. Construction also marks a visible stage after years of planning, funding and adjustments related to parking.
Courtesy of RDG Planning and Design.
The plaza is expected to open in fall 2027
Construction began Monday, June 29. Fences and construction barriers already surround the site at 24th and N Streets.
Canopy South and its partners have worked on the project’s design and preparation over the past year. The plaza is part of the investments under the North and South Omaha Recovery Grant program, whose projects have a completion deadline of December 31, 2027.
Plaza de la Raza is projected to open in fall 2027. Construction of the nearby city parking garage is expected to begin during the winter.
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