HistoricOmaha

Published Tuesday April 18, 2006

BY MAHALIA ASANAENYI

The clusters of buildings at 33rd and California Streets are just a blip on the radar screen for some passers-by on their way to destination areas - Dundee, Countryside Village and the 72nd and Dodge Streets corridor.

Even with a local restaurant, corner grocery mart, gas station, theater and other businesses, the Gifford Park business district is not as established as other neighborhood districts.

Urban planning groups have suggested that the district, sandwiched between major universities and businesses, is a flourishing business district waiting to happen.

Now, a few neighborhood businessmen hope to revive the area by renovating buildings in the business district.

Under the name Gifford Park LLC, the group has purchased and is planning to rehabilitate several residential and commercial properties in the business district, including a run-down apartment complex and three abandoned homes.

The group consists of an architect, a banker and a technical consultant. Longtime Gifford Park neighborhood leader Chris Foster and his wife, Sallie, and local residents Robert and Martin Janousek are involved.

But they are being fairly modest about their recent undertaking - rehabbing the apartment complex at 523 N. 33rd St.

They are downplaying their efforts mainly because they are midtown’s small fish compared with Mutual of Omaha, Creighton University and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, which all have major projects under way.

The two-story, eight-unit complex has remained boarded up for months while the group rehabbed it.

The north wing has a gated porch with a view of the business district. The south wing will have an office space on the first floor and apartment units on the second floor. Both wings are separated by a courtyard with a green space on the east side of the building.

For approximately one year, the Fosters and Janouseks have been working on the complex. They say they will split the project into two phases.

The north wing will open in late spring. They hope to complete the south wing by fall.

They have not detailed plans for the abandoned homes yet. Ultimately, they hope to attract the medical students and young professionals who frequent California Tacos & More for lunch or J-N-J Grocery Store.

For years, Foster and Janousek said they have studied the neighborhood and wondered how they could accomplish their goal.

Omaha.com: Developers’ aim: Help area thrive