Local Land Use - March Update

Welcome to Local Land Use, our new bi-weekly series where we unpack the most impactful city council decisions across the nation. In this update, we’ve analyzed 827 real estate-related decisions to bring you the key trends and opportunities shaping urban development. Let’s dive in.

Attivo Trail Omaha

The Attivo Trail Omaha just received a mixed-use district development agreement for Avenue One, allowing construction of a 612-unit multifamily project. The project, developed by Haverkamp Properties, is part of a larger “grandest new neighborhood” west of Omaha.

Avenue One - a live, work, play concept - looks to combine apartments, townhomes, and senior living with build-to-suit work concepts and a multitude of shop, dine, and stay experiences bounded by a central park.

This amendment ensures that the development aligns with the city’s urban expansion plans and supports the growing demand for high-density residential housing in West Omaha.

Editor’s note: It’s always great to find live, work, play concepts in the wild. We will be following the progress of this neighborhood closely.

930 McCarter, Newark

The City of Newark has approved a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) with 930 McCarter Urban Renewal, LLC (Boraie Development LLC), Elizabeth Development Company of New Jersey, and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority. This agreement is a condition for receiving tax credit incentives under the Aspire Program Act to support the construction of a 25-story high-rise mixed-use tower.

The project consists of 333 residential units, with 20% designated as affordable housing, 3,750 square feet of ground-floor retail space, and a four-story parking garage with 240 stalls. The total estimated project cost is approximately $170,193,254.

As part of the CBA, the developer will contribute $150,000 to Newark’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund, provide $450,000 in landscaping improvements for Newark Riverfront Park, and sponsor a free summer movie series for children at Cityplex Movie Theater.

Columbus Annexes 988.81 Acres

The Annexation, executed under the Expedited Type-1 Annexation Procedure, includes a portion of Hoover Reservoir and adjacent land. This annexation allows Columbus, OH, to provide municipal services and facilitates streamlined governance and potential future development opportunities.

City Properties - Record Lot Sales & Auctions

This week we’ve seen a record volume (since tracking began in July 2024) of city-owned properties being sold or auctioned.

Noteworthy mentions include:

• Chicago, IL – 32 lots sold through their ChiBlockBuilder platform
• El Paso, TX – 17 city-owned properties in Union Plaza sold for approximately $9.3 million
• Houston, TX – Marketing properties including 14.95 acres at 12606 Cityscape Avenue
• Fresno, CA – Sale of a surplus city-owned parcel on Broadway Avenue
• Riverside, CA – Continued sale of surplus land at the Sugarloaf Booster Station

Hamtramck, MI

Recognized as Michigan’s densest and most walkable community, Hamtramck currently has an ongoing silent auction of 26 city-owned properties. Hamtramck’s economic development manager, Isabel Allaway, mentioned that interested parties should contact her directly. She highlighted several key attributes of these parcels:

• Vacant & Ready: 25 out of 26 lots are vacant and immediately ready for construction.
• Flexible Zoning: All properties are zoned residential while permitting a broad array of commercial special land uses.
• High-Density Development: Each parcel can accommodate up to six apartment units by right.
• Aggregation Opportunities: Two clusters of three adjacent parcels present opportunities for larger developments such as condos or townhomes.

Fun Fact: Hamtramck has probably the simplest zoning map I’ve ever seen.

Conclusion

If you find this article insightful, feel free to share it. We’ll be back in 2 weeks with a new update on local land use changes.

Bye now,
Daniel Heller
[email protected]