Omaha Exploration

When the pedestrian bridge that crosses the North Freeway was built in 2019, it re-established a connection between the historic Gifford Park neighborhood to the west with Creighton University on the east. Before the freeway, students lived, worked and visited the neighborhood next door. Meanwhile residents of the neighborhood would often head onto campus for church and other events.

It took the sale of the old Creighton University Medical Center (St. Joseph Hospital) in 2017 to re-establish that connection. When Carr Heaney, an attorney who worked for the hospital learned of the upcoming sale, he recalled that decades earlier, the hospital leased the air above the freeway for 49 years at a cost of $1 per year. The original purpose was so that the hospital could build a parking structure on top of the freeway.

While the design was scrapped for being too expensive, Carr realized that the lease remained in effect. He found the documentation which helped frame the discussion for building a pedestrian bridge over the freeway. The bridge fulfilled the desire of not only residents and students but also of former Creighton President Rev. John Schlegel to reconnect the campus and neighborhood.

NuStyle Development who led the project and Creighton University agreed to split the cost of the nearly 600-foot pedestrian bridge which was named for Carr Heaney and his brother Robert, both of whom graduated from Creighton University.

After an extensive renovation that removed virtually all traces of the former hospital, the Atlas Apartments opened in 2019. Today it is the largest single structure apartment complex in the state.

The apartments are geared towards Creighton students and young professionals alike. With that it mind, if includes numerous amenities such as an indoor pool, fitness center, game and community rooms, basketball court and a rooftop deck with pool and a slide that leads to the ground level picnic area with walking trails and a sandy volleyball court.

The ground level of the apartment complex serves to connect the two areas as it includes public spaces including Flight Deck Tap and Grill, Astute Coffee, a convenience store and the entrance to the pedestrian bridge that is open to the public.

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Until next time, keep exploring!

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