Sell or Stay: East Omaha neighbors continue to navigate business park plan

Sell or stay, it's a complex situation in this East Omaha neighborhood as people start to learn more about a planned business park that's mapped out to go here, just west of Eppley Airfield. Reporter Molly Hudson met with one neighbor who is faced with not only losing his home but more of his property to the city in the meantime.

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"My brother Todd lives over where my mom and dad raised us, you know so, I don't know I love it," said Abe Lincoln, an East Omaha neighbor.

Like many in this neighborhood, Abe Lincoln has lived here for years, 70 to be exact.

"I've been on the same street all my life, you know and I really like the neighborhood, we got a tight neighborhood down here, we have good people down here," Lincoln said.

He's right next door to the house he grew up in where his brother lives now, But he's worried about their future here because this is where developers want to build a large business park.

But as the project timeline progresses, some neighbors like Abe are starting to receive offers for their homes from real estate speculators.

"We used to get one now and again, from people that buy and sell houses, but now we are getting them from everybody," Lincoln said.

Burlington Capital, one of the companies involved with the business park development, confirmed in a statement that no offers have been made to landowners by the development team.

"If somebody comes to your house and gives you an offer from this project, they are associated with this project, what would your answer be?" Reporter Molly Hudson asked. "I don't want to talk to them, I don't want to sell, where am I going to go," Lincoln said.

While he considers his future here, he's also faced with an immediate issue.
He says the city wants to build an access road through his yard.

"I mean one they take the house but then they want to put a road through here, you know and they said it will happen later this fall or early next spring, they will put a road through here," Lincoln said.

We walked through his two-acre property, which does include a 10-foot existing city easement.

"I worked a lot and I've got a nice place now and I really enjoy it," Lincoln said.

A yard he takes care of and his 9 grand kids like to play in when they come over.
It's been a right-of-way for quite some time.

"There has never been a road back here, if they had to go back they just drove back, you know, like OPPD to work on the lines or whatever, and I had no problem with that," Lincoln said.

Despite not wanting the road at all, Abe asked for a gate to limit through traffic.
In an email between city staff, the city agreed to add that gate and says construction could begin this fall or next spring.

"I got a lot of friends down here, and a lot of people down here and if anybody has any problem they are always there for each other, you know, and I just love it down here," Lincoln said.

While neighbors continue to wait, some are curious about the Inland Port Authority's first meeting next week. It will be August 1 at 9 a.m. in the Legislative Chambers at City Hall.