Top Awards

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS DEAL & DEVELOPMENT OF THE YEAR WINNERS

BY BROOKE STRICKLAND

Each year CRE Summit solicits submissions for its Deal and Development of the Year awards. This year’s winning projects and transactions have proven to bring economic growth to both Omaha and Lincoln.

Deal of the Year, Omaha: Relocation of Fusion Medical Staffing

Fusion Medical Staffing has seen incredible growth in recent years, growing from approximately 600 associates to nearly 1,000. This type of expansion necessitated a move to a larger building.

The company partnered with Ed Fleming, executive vice president of Colliers, to assist in its search for a property and found the highly visible 115,545-square-foot Waterford West building at 18881 West Dodge Road. Fusion leased all five floors at the location. Aligning with its mission of encouraging health and wellness, Fusion Medical

Staffing also secured additional fitness space on the first floor. Some key building amenities include a large conference area, an outdoor terrace, a Starbucks kiosk, and underground parking.

Fusion is the first tenant of its size in the building along the West Dodge Road corridor, which is experiencing rapid growth in commercial office space.

“This provides a long-term headquarters for Fusion Medical, giving them outstanding signage, location, and a wonderful work environment for current and future employees,” Fleming said. “It’s really about helping our clients drive their businesses forward … and this deal is a perfect example of that. I want to give special thanks to Fusion Medical as they are a fantastic company and have built an incredible culture. Fusion Medical truly understands how providing a best-in-class work environment will continue to propel their business forward for decades to come. It’s been both an honor and a privilege to represent them.”

Development of the Year, Omaha: Brickline at the Mercantile

The former Conagra campus at 10th and Farnam streets has been transformed into a new mixed-use space, with the first phase, the Brickline, now open. The Brickline at the Mercantile consists of a 378-unit apartment project, including 40,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space, wrapped around a city-owned parking garage. The $120 million project utilized tax increment financing (TIF) and capital improvement plan (CIP) funds, private opportunity zone equity and local bank financing. Site development began in 2020, with vertical construction starting in 2021. Labor and material shortages slowed progress, but in 2022, the full-