OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) – If you’re ever in the Benson neighborhood, you may notice something new in the making. An old building there that’s been neglected for years is undergoing a transformation.

Aria, Hazel, and Hattie are three girls the staff at The Bay program in Benson know well at.

“I like to call them the PowerPuff Girls,” said Xavier Jackson, a member of the staff at The Bay.

The Bay is a nonprofit offering mentorship, workforce training, and a hangout space for youth.

The girls’ skating and their friendship hit a stride at the Bay program a few months ago.

Hazel and Hattie are sisters, but that’s when they met Aria.

The Bay Omaha is stationed out of the community center in Benson right now, but they rent that space from the city.

Soon, they’ll take over the old building in the neighborhood that’s been falling apart for a decade, according to Andrew Norman, cofounder and executive director at The Bay.

“It looks like a bomb went off in it, right?” he said. “It’s going to be a hub for learning for young people, from skateboarding to fashion, as well as workforce training from Metro Community College.”

It will also have the city’s largest indoor skatepark.

“We’re surrounded by artists and entrepreneurs and the highest concentration of youth in the city,” Norman said, referring to the building’s location in Benson.

The new building will allow The Bay to expand hours and offer more programs.

The goal is to help more youth grow into themselves.

“(I’ve seen) them coming in at first and being shy and timid, maybe not speaking as much, to their personalities really starting to blossom,” Jackson said.

The space will allow teens to ride full force into their interests.

“Probably coming and meeting my friends is what makes me want to keep coming back,” Aria said. “It just really feels safe for me.”

“Even just walking down the street, you’ll see someone you know,” Hazel said. “It’s nice.”

That’s what really matters, having community.

The building is still in the very beginning of renovations. It’s expected to open in early 2027.