‘It’s just taking pride in the community’: North 24th BID launches Facade Improvement program

• Acccording to the North 24th Business Improvement District runs from Meredith Ave to Cuming Street.
• The applications for the Facade Improvement and Building Restoration Program are not open yet but for qualified businesses there is a survey available.
• The $2 million for the project comes from the NSORG.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

I’m Melissa Wright in north Omaha where one business owner, born and raised in Omaha says he wants to see this community transition and improve. Hopefully making people more attracted to this historic district.

Kyle Bland’s barber shop sits on 24th street. He says the area has looked the same since he was a kid.

“It’s just taking pride in the community. People take more pride into it if it doesn’t look torn down or beat down,” Said Bland

Take it from a barber, appearances matter.

“If it looks better people will be more incline to spend money and you know that’s what it really comes down to. We need money in our community, so we can grow things, so we can prosper.” Said Bland.

The North 24th Business Improvement District recently launched its Facade Improvement and Building Restoration Program.

“Business growth, economic development, first helping the small business owners that have been holding it down. They survived covid, many of them have been in place…10, 20 years.” Said Goodwin.

LaVonya Goodwin with the Business Improvement District says the idea behind the improvements are to give small businesses more support.

“Giving them an opportunity to keep pace with the growth, that we know is already in progress for this North 24th street… BID area.” Said Goodwin.

The program focused on enhancing the look and feel along 24th street. The $2 million that will be used to improve the area, comes from the North and South Omaha Recovery Grant. Around north Omaha you can find several improvement projects, similar to this one through different organizations.

Bland land calls it good news and hopes more people will make the trip to 24th street.

“The biggest thing that’s needed down here is people living down here and also businesses attract people that want to spend their money, ‘you know… where it doesn’t feel like are they even open are they closed?” Said Bland.

To keep update with when applications will open for the program you fan follow the business improvement district on their social media. As of right now, they are offering a survey to qualified businesses to better understand the needs of the project.