The Westmont Inn and Suites, a hotel that sat abandoned near 108th and L streets in southwest Omaha for more than eight years, has finally been torn down after a prolonged fight between the city and its owner. Neighbors who had grown used to graffiti, fires and homeless encampments next door say they are relieved to see it gone.
Eddie Mayberry, who has lived next to the hotel for nearly four years, told KMTV 3 News Now Omaha that the property drew squatters, homeless people, tents and vandalism for years, and that he's just glad it's gone. The demolition caps a saga that stretched back years, with the property's owner, Newport Blue Impact, fighting to stop the city's demolition of the hotel for years, according to the station.
Demolition work began in May, after the city spent money to remove the long-vacant building. The city of Omaha spent $300,000 on the effort, though other outlets have reported differing figures tied to the project: WOWT reported the city would pay $300,000 to tear down the hotel, while KETV reported the Omaha City Council unanimously approved a $310,000 contract, and 3 News Now described the city as spending more than $300,000 in public funds on the privately owned site. The council approved using Keno Community Betterment funds as part of the arrangement, per WOWT's reporting.
A Legal Fight That Delayed the Wrecking Ball
Newport Blue Impact didn't give up the property without a court battle. The company sued to block the demolition, and a judge extended a temporary restraining order halting the city from proceeding, according to KETV. That injunction was set to remain in effect until February 12, 2026, the station reported at the time, before the legal standoff was eventually resolved and crews were cleared to move in.
Once demolition finally got underway in May, crews ran into an unexpected obstacle. White styrofoam scattered throughout the building created a significant mess and slowed the work down, WOWT reported, with the site expected to be fully cleared by the end of June.
Neighbors Welcome a Quieter Block
For residents who live closest to the site, the hotel's removal is long overdue. Mayberry said he enjoys the quiet of the neighborhood and hopes that whatever gets built next preserves its character. Emma Grafton, who has lived nearby for a month and a half, said the now-empty lot has the potential to benefit property values and support future development.
More broadly, neighbors hope that redeveloping the property will improve the local area, a sentiment echoed in earlier reporting from 3 News Now, which noted that once the hotel was finally leveled, neighbors believed the surrounding area would improve. The site had originally been slated for conversion into a senior or assisted-living facility, but that plan never moved forward, the station reported, leaving the building to decay for years while neighbors waited.
What Comes Next for the Cleared Lot
With the building gone, the parcel is now a clean site ready for development without a lien on the property, according to WOWT. Multiple developers have already expressed interest in the property, the outlet reported, and an earlier WOWT story quoted a source saying there are four or five different people with ideas for what could go there next.
No specific redevelopment project, builder or timeline has been confirmed for the site. The Westmont saga is one of several blighted-property fights playing out around Omaha; elsewhere, a developer has sought city funding to demolish abandoned buildings near 25th and Center streets and replace them with apartments and townhomes, including nearly 200 affordable units, WOWT has reported. For now, the southwest Omaha lot sits empty — but after eight years of neglect, neighbors say even that is an improvement.
