Economic Development Office

Crete, Nebraska

Official City of Crete social media accounts.

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Crete, Nebraska

Tom Ourada, City Administrator
Phone: 402.826.4312
tom.ourada@crete.ne.gov

City Hall - 243 East 13th Street
Crete NE 68333-0086

The City of Crete recognizes the need for business and government to work together for economic development and works to further this concept through the Economic Development Committee and the Economic Development Office.

The Economic Development Department serves as a point of contact for local businesses, businesses looking to relocate into Crete, development organizations, and state and federal agencies. The development office can provide information about Crete's demographics, housing, infrastructure, and other aspects of the community on request, or access data in the sections below or at left. The City of Crete is proud to be a Nebraska Department of Economic Development Certified Community. The city received recertification status in September 2021.

Incentive Programs

• Downtown Revitalization
• Economic Development Assistance Program (LB840)
• Tax Increment Financing

Downtown revitalization, Crete, NE.

New Crete Public Library groundbreaking, Crete, NE.

Crete, NE.

Downtown street beautification, Crete, NE.

Downtown revitalization, Crete, NE.

Downtown revitalization, Crete, NE.

Crete, NE.

Bridge project open house, Crete, NE.

New West 13th Street Bridge, Crete, NE.

Main Ave., Crete, NE.

Crete, NE.

New library construction site tour, Crete, NE.

Pumpkin Festival craft show in City Park, Crete, NE.

New hotel construction site, Crete, NE.

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Downtown revitalization, Crete, NE.

• Crete, Nebraska - buildings, sites, and information

More about Crete: 

• ArcGIS online mapping - zoning, floodplain, redevelopment areas, public parks, parcels, sections, address points, etc.
• Housing, Business & Industry information
  • Local business regulations and licensing, real estate/housing, tourism, city affiliations, 2019 housing study, comprehensive plan, additional community data, major employers, etc.
• Building Inpsectior's Office/Zoning
• City Master Fee Schedule: A comprehensive list of all city fees for services, permits, utilities, and programs across all departments and offices. View the Master Fee Schedule
• Living in Crete - community links
  • Community & history information, local agencies and programs, churches, education, healthcare, recreation
• Major community construction highlights:
  • Crete had 68 new housing units built or started in 2024, including 25 single-family homes, town home complex, 8-unit apartment building, and 30-unit senior apartment building. There are currently multiple housing subdivisions and multi-unit projects in various phases from planning to construction.
  • Crete Public Schools broke ground in May 2025 on the $10 million 'Project Rise,' a three-phase endeavor to add a multi-sport, multi-purpose athletic facility to serve multiple student extracurricular programs. The first phase added new lighting, permanent bleacher seating, press box, scoreboards, and gravel parking lot to the track and athletic field on Iris Ave.
  • A new commercial building was constructed on Hawthorne Ave/Highway 33/103 which includes two franchise restaurant spaces for a completed Domino's and Jimmy Johns still under construction. An early 1900s downtown building is being completely renovated into a two-story restaurant. 
  • Doane University broke ground in January 2025 on a $23 million Perfoming Arts Center in the heart of their residential campus.
  • The Crete Senior Villas $3.7 million development on East 29th Street was completed in December 2024 with a 30 unit, 3 story apartment building creating affordable housing for residents age 55 and up and includes units for residents with income levels at or below 60% of AMI (area medium income).
  • Doane University completed construction in December 2023 on a new, four-floor residence hall to accommodate 128 students, with undeveloped floor space for future residential expansion. Doane also opened a new president's residence in early 2024 with additional event space on the south side of campus.
  • Crete Area Medical Center, a critical access hospital, completed a three-phase renovation and expansion project in 2023 to include its physician and specialty clinics, surgery, and labor and delivery areas. The facility was new in 2003 and has had additions and renovations to the emergency department and cardiac rehab areas.
  • Crete Public Schools purchased a former commercial space on Main Ave. and completed an estimated $3.7 million renovation in December 2021 to create a district welcome center and administration offices totaling 26,000 sq ft.
  • The City of Crete opened the new, $7.4 million, 20,000 sq ft Crete Public Library and Crete Carrier Community Room in January 2020. The site also includes a new park with a playground, walking paths, and shade pavilion.
  • A new 80-room Fairfield Inn and Suites opened in early 2020.
  • Through Downtown Revitalization funding and local property matches, over $500,000 was invested to rehabilitate 29 building facades in Crete's downtown district from 2018-2019.
  • The City of Crete's new $12.9 million wastewater treatment facility went online in May 2016.
  • Current businesses moving to newly constructed buildings: Orscheln Farm & Home (now Tractor Supply) (2020), UBT (2015), Runza (2014), Dairy Queen (2014);
  • Crete High School, at 174,000 sq ft, was new in 2016. Other district improvements new in 2016 included major renovations to the former high school building to function as a middle school; and a new 8-lane track with athletic field.
  • Doane University: completed a 22,000 sq ft expansion of Fuhrer Fieldhouse in 2014; George and Sally Haddix Recreation and Athletic Center, over 63,000 sq ft, was new in 2010; Chab Weyers Education and Hixson Lied Art Building was new in 2007.