Photo: Getty Images
(Omaha, NE) -- The City of Omaha is paying an architecture firm nearly $2.9 million to design a new police and fire headquarters.
Leo A Daly will work with the city to evaluate potential sites in the downtown area, with concept designs due in the fall.
"It's just the first step," says City Council President Pete Festersen. "It's the vision to be downtown. We don't have a site yet, and although some renderings have been produced, those are still very tentative too."
City Finance Director Steve Curtiss says residents will likely face a general obligation bond issue if the city approves the estimated $80 million proposal in May 2024.
"It would be pretty hard to predict what kind of tax effect it would have," said Curtiss. "We all know we've got a fairly robust history of not raising taxes, even when they've been authorized."
Construction is expected to be complete by summer 2027.