The Med Center’s Catalyst Project at Omaha Steel Works

August 25, 2024

Omaha Steel was founded in 1906 near 46th Street and Farnam Street along Saddle Creek Road. It was a steel fabricator producing parts for urban infrastructure and bridges, in addition to parts for truck bodies and trailers. Over time, it would produce other things as well. After building a new 145,000-square-foot facility in Wahoo, Omaha Steel abandoned its longtime home in 2014.

1936 Durham Museum photo of the Omaha Steel plant which is being turned into the Med Center’s Catalyst.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center bought the land in 2019. They developed a plan that would use the bones of the old steel plant for the 170,000-square-foot Catalyst building, which is the key to a broader transformation of the 25-acre site on the western end of Saddle Creek Road. The building will house the UNMC Innovation Hub, which will bring together UNeMed and UNeTech, UNMC’s development arms, in a medically centered incubator space intended to foster collaboration among inventors, entrepreneurs, and others. It will bring high-paying jobs and economic development to the area.

2023 Nebraska Examiner photo of the steel frame of the old Omaha Steel plant. It will be converted into the Med Center’s Catalyst.

The Catalyst also includes space for businesses, an event center, a food hall, a market, a restaurant, and a beer taproom for Big Grove Brewing. The building is expected to be finished by the end of 2024. Meanwhile, the City of Omaha is spending $30M to build a 750-space public parking garage for the Catalyst and UNMC’s core administration building near 46th Street and Emile Street. The city-owned garage will be built on land leased from the university.

Rendering of the Catalyst buiding which is being built around the steel frame of the old Omaha Steel plant on the western edge of Saddle Creek to the south of Farnam. Courtesy of Grow Omaha.

Please feel free to comment to share your thoughts and memories.

Until next time, keep exploring!

More pictures

August 2024 Omaha Exploration photo of the north end of the Catalyst building. I believe this area will be the home to Big Grove Brewing.

August 2024 Omaha Exploration photo of the Catalyst building. This is looking south on the long structure that is built around the bones of the old Omaha Steel plant.

Looking east from 48th Street towards the Med Center campus. The Catalyst building is on the right. The CORE admin building will be built on the left.

1942 Durham Museum photo at the old Omaha Steel plant.

2001 Durham Museum photo of the Omaha Steel property looking north from 48th Street.

1962 Durham Museum aerial photo of midtown Omaha. The Omaha Steel plant is to the west of Saddle Creek. The Med Center is to the east (right) of Saddle Creek.

Google Earth view looking northwest at the site where the Catalyst will be constructed.

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