Northern Nevada’s Premier Creator Community Redefines Urban Redevelopment
LOS ANGELES (June 24, 2025) – Phase II construction is now underway at The Oddie District, the groundbreaking 175,000 square foot redevelopment project transforming a vacant former Lowe’s Home Improvement center into a multi-faceted business innovation hub. The central-city endeavor is a place where the maker economy, advanced engineering, humanoid robotics, workforce development, entrepreneurial growth, fitness, and a vibrant array of food, beverage, and entertainment options co-exist in one place, a curated co-tenancy where commerce, collaboration and creativity flourish.
The Oddie District, located on Oddie Blvd. in metro Reno-Sparks, is a development of Foothill Partners, Inc., and is anticipated to be substantially completed by late 2025/early 2026. Investment capital for the redevelopment is provided by Belay Investment Group, which worked closely with the Foothill team through project pre-development. Construction financing is provided by Heritage Bank of Nevada. The builder is Truckee Meadows Construction, Inc. of Sparks, Nevada.
The Oddie District’s Phase I opened in 2022 as the relocated home of The Reno Generator, a non-profit community maker space and one of the largest operations of its kind in the United States. A 63,000 square foot collection of fine-art, big-art and small-business artists and engineers, The Generator establishes the creative-class culture of The Oddie District. With industrial equipment, tools and a collaborative community for bringing innovative ideas to life, it is a home for regional, national and international artists who fuel Northern Nevada’s burgeoning maker economy, driving new waves of local production and artistic expression to metro Reno-Sparks.
With its Phase II expansion The Oddie District is becoming the regional nexus for maker-economy advanced technology and entrepreneurial development, a core pillar of the District’s vision. With dedicated spaces and resources The Oddie District is cultivating a supportive environment for startups and growing businesses, driving economic diversification and job creation.
“The Oddie District is a testament to the power of reimagining urban spaces to meet evolving needs in our communities,” said Foothill Partners’ Founder and CEO Doug Wiele. “We are creating a place where innovation thrives, where artists find a home, businesses grow, workers advance, and families come together to enjoy diverse shared experiences. The Oddie is a catalyst for the continued economic and cultural resurgence of metro Reno-Sparks.”
“Through our preliminary pre-leasing and pre-development efforts, Belay has been impressed not only with Foothill’s natural propensity for curating a dynamic tenancy that will serve to enrich the surrounding community, but also from a design standpoint with their creative reimagination of an empty big box into what we believe will become a bustling neighborhood gathering space. We are thrilled to be involved in a project like The Oddie District, and excited to be taking this significant step forward alongside the Foothill team in seeing the project through to fruition,” said Eliza Bailey, Co-Founder, CEO & CIO of Belay Investment Group.
The Oddie District is already over 70% pre-leased. Announced businesses for Phase II includethose in the business of advanced tech industries (Cartwheel Robotics); business acceleration and entrepreneurial development (The Innovation Collective); workforce development (Nevadaworks); food products production/distribution/e-commerce (Coffeebar): health products production and retailing (Ajaba Naturals); and fitness and fitness training (Mythic Gymnastics).
Adding to the vibrancy, The Oddie District will feature The Oddie Commons, a diverse selection of food and beverage and entertainment options anchored by regional-favorite Coffeebar coffeehouse/café, with indoor/outdoor/under-roof Commons seating for 300.
“We’re thrilled to see the ongoing revitalization of The Oddie District,” said Sparks Mayor Ed Lawson. “The maker space currently home to The Generator is already attracting new business and jobs to Sparks. The Oddie District’s tenants will bring valuable opportunities to the residents of Sparks.”
“We are witnessing the emergence of a truly unique ecosystem that will serve as a beacon for creativity, technological advancement, and community engagement in the heart of Reno-Sparks.” said Nettie Oliverio, COO and Director of Arts & Culture of Foothill Partners. “The Oddie District is more than just a collection of businesses; it’s a carefully curated ecosystem designed to foster collaboration, ignite innovation, build culture and enhance the quality of life for the entire region.”
About The Oddie District: The Oddie District is a transformative light-industrial mixed-use urban infill redevelopment project in Metro Reno/Sparks, Nevada. Developed by Foothill Partners, Inc., it reimagines a long vacant 209,000-square-foot former Lowe’s Home Improvement center into a vibrant innovation hub. The Oddie District features dedicated areas for maker arts, technology development, workforce training, entrepreneurial support, recreational and fitness facilities, and diverse food, beverage, and entertainment venues, creating a centralized nexus for community and economic growth. www.oddiedistrict.com
About Foothill Partners: Foothill Partners, Inc. is an award-winning mixed-use property developer / owner operating in Northern California and Northern Nevada. The small, privately held company acquires underperforming, obsolete or derelict infill properties and rebuilds and repurposes them. Foothill is committed to healthy communities. Our business purpose is the re-integration of the Center of Commerce, the Center of Culture, and the Center of Community – One Place©. One property at a time, we work to return the Center of Commerce back to its historic and cultural place in the Center of our Communities. www.foothillpartners.com
About Belay Investment Group: Belay Investment Group, LLC is an institutional real estate investment management firm that is at the forefront of providing scalable access to small and middle market real estate. The Firm does this through programmatic partnerships with locally entrenched and specialized operators with exclusive deal flow and “on-the-ground” market insights throughout the US. Belay pursues investment opportunities across the risk spectrum, property types, and geographies, including both debt and equity, offering its clients unique access to these alpha generating real estate opportunities. Visit www.belayinvestmentgroup.com for more information.