It took more than 25 years and a lot of teamwork, but Wahoo recently broke ground on the North Highlands subdivision, a 91-lot development that includes a mix of single-family homes, villas and townhouses. A new housing development became a priority for Wahoo following a strategic planning session conducted by the Greater Wahoo Development Foundation in early 2020.
The city of Wahoo was joined by Wahoo Utilities, Greater Wahoo Development Foundation and the Omaha-based developer, SRE Companies, in turning ceremonial shovels at the site where work on two homes was already underway. All agreed that Wahoo’s location between Lincoln and Omaha makes it a prime location and that the need was there.
“Wahoo is a vibrant, growing city with great schools, great people, great businesses and a great location between Omaha and Lincoln. We’ve known that Wahoo is a great place to live and raise a family, but we could also see that there is a pretty significant need for new housing options in the city,” according to Erik Booth, Partner with SRE Companies.
“In designing the development, we wanted to create a neighborhood that would be a great landing spot for those younger families looking to come back to the area, empty nesters looking to stay in town but have less upkeep, and for those working in Omaha or Lincoln but wanting to live in a smaller community. With its location and mix of reasonably priced custom homes, townhomes and villas, we feel that the North Highlands neighborhood will be a great addition to Wahoo,” he stated.
“One of the things I enjoy most about my job as City Administrator is the variety of tasks and responsibilities I have,” said Melissa Harrell. “Working with my co-workers, the various boards, and the developer to find answers to some of our housing needs was challenging, but having our team develop a solution that is not only good for the developer but also good for Wahoo is the work I am most excited about.”
Conveniently located near the Wahoo Middle School High School with quick access to the Highway 77 By-Pass, phase one of the development will include 36 homes, 16 villas and eight townhomes. Phase 2 includes an additional 31 single-family home sites. There is a possibility groundbreaking on phase two could happen in the next year, well ahead of schedule.
Theresa Klein, Executive Director of the Wahoo Chamber of Commerce and Wahoo Area Economic Development, summed it up nicely. “Any rural community can target positive change, but getting it done requires both creativity and investment from those within its boundaries. It is a privilege to connect, encourage and assist those leaders and their partners in Wahoo and Saunders County.”
She added, “Having access to ED experts, especially the folks that have helped from NPPD, certainly makes progress easier!”
Wahoo is a wholesale community of Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD). NPPD’s Economic Development Team provided an economic impact study on the housing project, which helped the community evaluate the benefits of the project.
Read more about Wahoo’s new subdivision on the Wahoo Newspaper’s website.