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Omaha's Benson community to get $2 million facelift

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The Benson community in Omaha has broken ground on a nearly $2 million project that will widen the business district's sidewalks and provide more parking.

Omaha television station KETV reports that several officials and Benson leaders were on hand Monday for the groundbreaking, which used jackhammers instead of shovels.

The $1.9 million renovation project is being funded through a public-private partnership.

John Larkin, the owner of three Benson bars, says he has been in the neighborhood for nine years and has seen it blossom into an Omaha hotspot. He says the sidewalk improvements are critical, noting that the current sidewalks are "dumpy and somewhat dangerous." The renovation will see the walks widened by 18 inches.

The project is expected to be completed in December.

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Information from: KETV-TV, http://www.ketv.com

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