White Lotus Group (whitelotusgroup.com), a real estate development firm based in Omaha, announced that it is developing the former site of the Omaha Civic Auditorium into a groundbreaking, multi-use urban block that will be called Civic Square, with site preparation expected to begin early next year.

The development plan includes prioritizing the installation of a national grocer, a long-desired component currently missing from the downtown Omaha area. It will also feature a health and wellness anchor, office space, retail storefronts and both affordable and market-rate housing. The diverse property mix will not only increase the economic contributions of that city block, but also have a growth-inducing impact across the urban core.

The nine-acre site will be bisected by the reintroduction of 18th Street between Chicago and Capitol, and the partial reintroduction of Davenport Street between 17th and 18th Streets, increasing parking opportunities and accessibility into the interior of the development.

Civic Square is centrally located by several large hubs of business: Three Fortune 500 companies, Union Pacific, Kiewit and Mutual of Omaha, have or will soon have headquarters within blocks of the site. Other important features include its proximity to Creighton University, which hosts more than 4,400 undergraduate and 4,300 graduate and professional students.

White Lotus Group is seeking the public’s input on the Civic Square development. Thoughts and ideas can be submitted online at CivicSquareOmaha.com.

For more information on White Lotus Group, go to whitelotusgroup.com.