Void causes downtown parking garage evacuation

OMAHA, Neb. —

It’s not a text message that Parker Krain was expecting to receive on Tuesday, but with streetcar construction right outside his front door, it’s not the first time there’s been issues.

“Urgent car removal from garage. We have been informed of a safety issue concerning our garages,” Krain read the text message from his building.

The safety issues refers to a hole that has opened up underneath a streetcar rail at 9th and Farnam. Tuesday morning, the void was a new discovery for residents of the Greenhouse Apartments.

“We haven’t noticed it before,” Deborah Trivitt, another resident, said. “I know they’ve checked the building to make sure it’s sound and can handle the construction, but no, this is a first.”

Trivitt said residents were told they must park across the street, but the complex did not say how long it would last. KETV NewsWatch 7 reached out to the apartment complex but have not heard back at this time.

“Sometimes we get information and then it doesn’t happen and sometimes things happen and we haven’t gotten information about it, but I think that’s normal with any construction,” Trivitt said.

Road issues have been in the spotlight recently after a sinkhole on Pacific Street swallowed two cars in February. Just this past Sunday, a building collapsed in Blackstone, but Krain said he’s not concerned.

Related coverage: Driver describes moments his vehicle was trapped in sinkhole

“Infrastructure across America is pretty poor, I feel,” Krain said. “It’s not terribly surprising to hear that some cities are starting to fall apart a little bit here and there.”

Mayor John Ewing Jr.’s office told Omaha’s News Leader it was not a sinkhole, but they are award of the situation. A city official said Omaha Public Works spent Tuesday exploring the extent of the void through the 9th & Farnam garage — the very garage that residents were told not to park in.

Related coverage: Partial structure collapse in vacant Blackstone building

Deborah Trivitt said all the recent news makes her wonder about the state of all Omaha roads.

“The concern is that it’s something that maybe our streets haven’t been maintained the way they should be or our infrastructure hasn’t been maintained,” Trivitt said.

Omaha’s News Leader reached out to Public Works asking what caused this void, if there are safety concerns for nearby buildings and what residents should know about parking and parking fees, but we have not heard back yet. The Mayor’s office said at this time there is no threat to public safety.

All concerns can be shared with the Mayor’s office at hotline@cityofomaha.org or by calling (402) 444-5555.