The Sheelytown Cooperative is a transformative initiative designed to revitalize the historic Sheelytown neighborhood in Omaha, NE, with a special focus on empowering subcontractors and other small businesses. The project will create affordable commercial spaces that enable these vital community contributors to own their facilities, fostering long-term economic empowerment.

The LCA model creates a tangible link between the development and the local community by directly involving small business owners in the project. These businesses are not merely tenants or beneficiaries; they are equity stakeholders in the cooperative, contributing capital, participating in governance, and sharing in the project’s long-term success. The LCA fosters local economic empowerment by allowing community members to participate in the wealth generated by the development and ensures broad community support, as the member businesses are deeply invested in the neighborhood’s revitalization.

By leveraging the LCA structure, this project positions local businesses as key drivers of economic growth. With the LCA owning the new commercial buildings, the cooperative will reinvest revenues back into the community, ensuring that:

• Local businesses have affordable, sustainable access to commercial spaces that meet their needs, preventing displacement or rising costs that often accompany new development.

• Profits of the development stay within the community, as the LCA will distribute earnings to its member businesses, rather than outside investors.

• The LCA provides long-term stability for businesses, as cooperative ownership mitigates the risk of losing control over property and economic terms.

VCC reimagines what it means to invest in communities. VCC’s mission is to create sustainable, systemic change by combining innovation, collaboration, and strategic investments. VCC believes in the power of partnerships, shared ownership, and reinvesting locally to ensure that the benefits of growth are felt by everyone.

Development Partners