Heartwood Preserve Announces Advances in the Development’s Characteristic Features and a Contest Among Architects for Bridge Design Concepts

Heartwood Preserve’s innovative approach to public space utilization and preservation continues to be realized as sales and phased in openings mark the site’s progress

Omaha -- June 22, 2021 -- The news from Heartwood Preserve in Omaha, one of the largest urban developments in the United States, continues to find the giant development’s progress advancing forward with benchmarks being met on schedule despite some COVID-19 related setbacks and with some of its remarkable features coming to life.

Applied Underwriters, owner of the 500-acre tract in West Omaha, announced today that the development’s Heartwood Estates have all been presold well before they were scheduled to go on the market. The 48-property sector, south of Pacific Street near St. Wenceslaus Church, includes up to 1 to 1.5 acre lots and will be connected smartly by a pedestrian bridge linking Heartwood’s greenways and the two main residential areas on opposite sides of Pacific Street. The greenway on the south side of Pacific St., along with its trail system, runs along the western edge of the development for nearly a mile and a half. The Company has engaged leading US architects in a competition for the pedestrian bridge’s design, particularly as it sits near an exclusive residential area and must be site appropriate. According to Mr. Bart Emanuel, National Director of Development and Construction at Applied Underwriters, “The greenways are an essential element of Heartwood Preserve and will prove a major advantage to the residents and visitors as a symbol of our dedication to the preservation of natural beauty everywhere on these 500 acres.”

Mr. Steve Menzies, Chairman of Applied Underwriters, developer of the award-winning concept and resulting buildings and structures, stated: “We are delighted at the overall progress and the great interest generated by our inclusion of eight miles of trails and 80 acres of green space in Heartwood Preserve. To date, it has been gratifying to see the construction of cairns, ponds, and other architectural features that bring the greenways to life providing visitors with a visual and natural experience like few others.”

Additional updates and construction notes include:

• The Carson Group building is completed and its more than 150 employees have begun to move into the facility which can accommodate up to 300 in staff comfortably.
• The Valmont building is complete and the company’s staff is expected to complete the move in of its first 100 employees shortly. The facility can accommodate up to 500.
• Construction will start later in the year on the residential area at the south-western corner of Pacific St. and Applied Parkway. It will consist of 234 single-family residences in duplex and town house home styles.

Mr. Menzies noted that four builders have been identified for this 234-residence neighborhood and will be named shortly, once details are finalized: “We are also pleased to note that our staff has arranged construction schedules so that greenways are being built at the same time neighboring construction is completed ensuring that, once the greenways are finished, they are not disturbed by subsequent adjacent construction. This is an example of the care that the project is receiving from Bart Emanuel and the contractors we have engaged.”

According to Mr. Menzies: “We view Heartwood as an extension of Applied Underwriters’ good corporate citizenship and our corporate culture of service. Through Heartwood, we articulate in design and construction Applied’s sense of responsibility to our neighbors and to the environment we share. Seeing this come together continues to be a source of pride for us and, we trust, for all of our fellow Omaha residents.”

For further information, contact:
Ryan Gerding, Public Relations, at +1 (913) 602-8531 or at press@auw.com.

About Heartwood Preserve (www.heartwoodomaha.com)
Located in Omaha, NE, Heartwood Preserve is a 500-acre mixed-use urban development with roughly 80 acres devoted to green space, eight miles of bike paths and open trails, and over 10,000 newly planted trees. Offering a wide variety of retail, commercial, residential and recreational facilities on an environmentally observant landscape, Heartwood Preserve is designed to become a top destination for the greater Omaha area and surrounding region.

About Applied Underwriters (www.auw.com)
Applied Underwriters® is a global risk services firm that helps businesses and people manage uncertainty through its business services, insurance and reinsurance solutions. As a company, Applied Underwriters has been distinguished by its innovative approaches to client care and by its strong financial strength. Applied Underwriters operates widely throughout the US, UK, EU and Middle East. Its operational headquarters is located in Omaha, Nebraska.