In the 57 years since La Vista became a city it has never had a downtown area. That will change beginning next week as construction begins on a $225 million development on 84th Street between Harrison and Giles.
It's a plan City officials have been envisioning for the past ten years. "We want people when they cross 84th Street to know they are in La Vista," Mayor Doug Kindig said at Wednesday's groundbreaking.
Chris Erickson is a developer with City Ventures and says the plans call for several multi story buildings that will house new bars, restaurants, shops and offices. There will also be 384 apartments built. The project will overlook the former La Vista Falls golf course, which is being transformed into a city park with a large lake, walking trails and green space.
Erickson is still in the process of lining up the tenants that will move in. Phase one of the project will begin next week on the north end of the site and will include moving First National Bank to the south side of the development.
Erickson says some businesses will open in late 2018 or early 2019, but the entire project will take about 2 1/2 years to complete.
Kindig says "In the City’s short history, much has happened over the years along 84th Street. From a two-lane state highway bordered by farm fields and a trailer park, to the City’s “Golden Mile” of retail development, to empty storefronts, and now to the redevelopment efforts currently underway, this mile has seen considerable change."
That change including the demolition of the vacant shopping center last December. “The idea of creating a central city core with a memorable and distinct identity, a vibrant mix of land uses, a sense of community and a high quality of life for our residents has been a priority of ours since we adopted the Vision 84 plan in 2010, Kindig says.”
Erickson says they have never worked on a project where a downtown was created for a city that never had one. “We believe mixed-use developments offer the opportunity to develop lifestyle places that appeal to a wide variety of individuals. We appreciate the collaboration with City staff on this project.”