The old public works garage at 200 N. Adams Street in downtown Papillion has been converted into four new townhomes, and two of them already have tenants lined up before the project is even fully finished. The other two units are set to become available for rent starting November 1, according to developer Jerry Reimer.
Reimer, co-owner of Urban Village Development, told 3 News Now that the two- and three-bedroom townhomes are designed to attract more families to the area while preserving the historic character of both the building and the surrounding downtown neighborhood. The building still carries its original exterior lettering, which Reimer said the team repainted rather than removed, so it still reads Papillion Public Works. Developers are also adding stone to the neighboring building to match the garage's existing stonework and keep the block's historic look intact.
One of Papillion's First TIF-Backed Projects
The conversion is one of the City of Papillion's first tax-increment-financing projects, per the station's report, part of a broader push aimed at boosting economic growth and attracting families downtown. The property qualified for TIF because it was included in a blighted-and-substandard study that the Papillion Planning Commission and City Council approved in 2021, according to a City of Papillion resolution. That same resolution approved the terms of a future purchase-and-sale agreement with Urban Waters, LLC, though the document specifies that approving those terms did not itself approve the sale.
City council minutes from July 15, 2025, show the special-use permit for the project at 200 N. Adams Street passed unanimously, with all seven voting councilmembers in favor and none opposed, according to City of Papillion council minutes. Those same minutes described the Old Public Works building conversion as apartments, while 3 News Now's more recent report describes the finished units as townhomes — a discrepancy in how the units have been categorized across different points in the project's timeline. The approved project covers Lots 1 through 14 and Outlots A through D at the address, with Urban Waters listed as the applicant.
A Pocket Neighborhood Planned Behind the Building
Beyond the four completed units, developers are creating a pocket neighborhood behind the building that will include a mix of apartment-styled housing, the station's report notes. Construction on that portion is planned for the May-through-July window in 2027, with the buildings completed sequentially and roughly four weeks separating the finish of one from the start of the next.
A December 2024 redevelopment plan filed with the city outlined a larger vision for the site, proposing the conversion of the former city works building into four apartment units alongside the construction of approximately 12 additional residential buildings, according to the City of Papillion's Urban Waters Redevelopment Plan. That same document places the project just west of the intersection of 2nd Street and North Adams Street, estimates it will add between 66 and 88 residents to the area's population, and covers roughly 2.28 acres with about 45,820 rentable square feet. The plan put the total estimated project cost at $10,286,458 and contemplated TIF indebtedness of up to $1,184,974.
Downtown Business Owners Welcome New Neighbors
Downtown business owners are excited about the prospect of more families moving into a stretch that is usually pretty empty, per 3 News Now. Luba Carlson said she believes more residents would help turn downtown into a destination, adding that she is eager to welcome new visitors to the area.
The project fits into a wider pattern of growth across Papillion. City records show officials approved land development for 625 new apartment units over the past four years, with another 1,367 units awaiting future plat approval, according to Omaha.com. That outlet also reported that Papillion officials describe the city as part of a diverse and growing wave of apartment and townhouse projects, including the roughly $50 million, 300-unit first phase of the Venue at Werner Park near 120th Street and Ballpark Way.
Similar Conversions Taking Shape Statewide
Papillion's garage-to-townhome conversion joins a string of adaptive-reuse housing projects taking shape around Nebraska. In Beatrice, the former Stoddard Elementary School became 25 senior and market-rate apartments through a $6.4 million renovation, with a second phase planned for 45 townhome-style rental dwellings costing roughly $11.7 million, according to the Nebraska Examiner. Hastings is pursuing a $15 million conversion of a 1917-era middle school into 68 affordable and market-rate apartments, while a former middle school in Ogallala is slated to become the 40-unit Schoolhouse Apartments around 2028.
Housing demand across Sarpy County has outpaced supply for years. A Grow Sarpy executive told WOWT that the county grew 20% over the previous decade, pushing demand for housing beyond what the market could meet. Papillion's planned Tallgrass development reflects that pressure, with a mixed-income neighborhood of roughly 600 units that includes 198 rental units affordable to families earning 60% of area median income or less, along with 30 for-sale row houses built through a partnership between Habitat for Humanity of Omaha and Hoppe Development, according to the Nebraska Examiner.
