Downtown Omaha - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Downtown Omaha is the central business, government and social core of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area

Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area

The Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area is a metropolitan area comprising the cities of Omaha, Nebraska, Council Bluffs, Iowa, and surrounding areas. The Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area has a population of 865,350 . The metropolitan area, as defined by the Office of Management and Budget,...

, and is located in Omaha, Nebraska

Omaha, Nebraska

Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...

. The boundaries are 20th Street on the west to the Missouri River

Missouri River

The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...

on the east and the centerline of Leavenworth Street on the south to the centerline of Chicago Street on the north, also including the CenturyLink Center Omaha. Downtown sits on the Missouri River, with commanding views from the tallest skyscrapers.

Dating almost to the city's inception, downtown has been a popular location for the headquarters of a variety of companies. The Union Pacific Railroad

Union Pacific Railroad

The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....

has been headquartered in Omaha since its establishment in 1862. Once the location of 24 historical warehouses, Jobbers Canyon Historic District

Jobbers Canyon Historic District

Jobbers Canyon Historic District was a large industrial and warehouse area comprising 24 buildings located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, USA. It was roughly bound by Farnam Street on the north, South Eighth Street on the east, Jackson Street on the south, and South Tenth Street on the west...

was the site of many import and export businesses necessary for the settlement and development of the American West

Western United States

.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...

. Today dozens of companies have their national and regional headquarters in downtown Omaha.

The area is home to more than 30 buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

, along with two historic district

Historic district

A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries, historic districts receive legal protection from development....

s. Downtown Omaha was also the site of the Jobbers Canyon Historic District

Jobbers Canyon Historic District

, all 24 buildings of which were demolished in 1989, representing the largest single loss of buildings to date from the National Register.

History

Downtown Omaha was the location of the settlement of the city. William D. Brown

William D. Brown

William D. Brown was the first pioneer to envision building a city where Omaha, Nebraska sits today. Many historians attribute Brown to be the founder of Omaha, although this has been disputed since the late nineteenth century. Alfred D...

's Lone Tree Ferry

Lone Tree Ferry

The Lone Tree Ferry, later known as the Council Bluffs and Nebraska Ferry Company, was the crossing of the Missouri River at Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska, US, that was established in 1850 by William D. Brown...

landing was the site of Omaha's first development. In 2004 a map expert using GPS and old maps identified a location near Gallup University as the location of the ferry landing. Omaha Central High School

Omaha Central High School

Omaha Central High School, originally known as Omaha High School, was founded in 1859.The current building, located in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, was designed by John Latenser, Sr. and built between 1900 and 1912...

, located at 124 North 20th Street, is on the site where the city's founders

Founding figures of Omaha, Nebraska

The following people were founding figures of Omaha, Nebraska. Their period of influence ranges from 1853 through 1900. Many in this group were members of the Old Settlers' Association and/or the Omaha Claim Club...

first met on July 4, 1854 for a celebration to found the city.

Much of Omaha's grim history happened downtown, as well. The Douglas County Courthouse

Douglas County Courthouse (Omaha)

The present Douglas County Courthouse is located at 1701 Farnam Street in Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1912, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Notable events at the courthouse include two lynchings and the city's first Civil Rights Era sit-in protest...

was twice the location of racially motivated lynching

Lynching

Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...

s. The first occurred when George Smith

Joe Coe

Joe Coe, also known as George Smith, was an African-American laborer who was lynched on October 18, 1891 in Omaha, Nebraska. Overwhelmed by a mob of one thousand at the Douglas County Courthouse, the twelve city police officers stood by without intervening...

, a local worker, was accused of raping a white woman and dragged from the jail in the courthouse to his death. The second was the mass mob murder of Willy Brown in 1919, in which Mayor Ed Smith

Edward Parsons Smith

Edward Parsons Smith was the mayor of Omaha, Nebraska from 1918 to 1921.-Biography:Smith was born September 30, 1860. He beat incumbent Mayor "Cowboy" Jim Dahlman in 1918 on a reform ticket aiming to defeat Tom Dennison's political machine, which at that point had run Omaha for at least 15 years...

was lynched and almost murdered as well. The event, coordinated by city boss

Political boss

A boss, in politics, is a person who wields the power over a particular political region or constituency. Bosses may dictate voting patterns, control appointments, and wield considerable influence in other political processes. They do not necessarily hold public office themselves...

Tom Dennison

Tom Dennison (political boss)

Tom Dennison, aka Pickhandle, Old Grey Wolf, was the early-20th century political boss of Omaha, Nebraska. A politically savvy, culturally astute gambler, Dennison was in charge of the city's wide crime rings, including prostitution, gambling and bootlegging in the 1920s...

, was in retaliation of Smith's reform administration. Dennison operated a private bank at 1409 Douglas Street, bankrolling a number of illegal operations throughout the city. He was likely in control of the city's Sporting District, a downtown neighborhood where debauchery of all sorts took place.

Today the highlight of downtown's social scene, the Old Market was once a warehouse district on par with the Jobbers Canyon. Torn down in 1989, Jobbers Canyon was a large area of warehouses in which much of Omaha's industrial wealth was made. Other historical areas downtown included Chinatown, the Burnt District

Burnt District

The Burnt District was the original red light district in Omaha, Nebraska in the late 19th century. The area was located east of Creighton University from Douglas Street six blocks north to Cass Street and from the Missouri River west to Sixteenth Street. It was the location of several notorious...

and the Sporting District. The latter two areas were locations for much of the crime in Omaha

Crime in Omaha

Crime in Omaha, Nebraska has varied widely, ranging from the city's early years as a frontier town with typically widespread gambling and prostitution, to civic expectation of higher standards as the city grew, and contemporary concerns about violent crimes related to gangs and dysfunctions of...

in the late 19th century and early 20th century.

Neighborhoods

Downtown Omaha is generally thought of as a large neighborhood

Neighborhoods of Omaha, Nebraska

The neighborhoods of Omaha are a diverse collection of community areas and specific enclaves. They are spread throughout the Omaha metro area, and are all on the Nebraska side of the Missouri River.-History:...

itself; however, currently and historically within it are several distinct areas. The Old Market Historic District has been rehabilitated into boutique shops, offices and loft residential units. On the south edge of downtown bordering Little Italy, the Burlington Station is one of the buildings in the Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District

Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District

The Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District, roughly bounded by Jackson, 15th, and 8th Streets, as well as the Union Pacific main line, is located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska...

that has been renovated into residential apartments.

North Downtown

A new mixed-use development, North Downtown extends 80 blocks, from the campus of Creighton University

Creighton University

Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...

to the Qwest Center

Qwest Center Omaha

CenturyLink Center is an arena and convention center facility in the North Downtown neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska. The 1.1 million ft² facility has an 18,300-seat arena, a 194,000-ft² exhibition hall and 62,000 ft² of meeting space....

and new developments along the Missouri River

Missouri River

. The boundaries are Seward Street on the north, I-480 on the south, 17th Street to the west and Riverfront Drive on the east.

The area comprising NoDo is central to the history of Omaha

History of Omaha, Nebraska

The history of Omaha, Nebraska began before the settlement of the city, with speculators from neighboring Council Bluffs, Iowa staking land across the Missouri River illegally as early as the 1840s. Before it was legal to claim land in Indian Country, William D. Brown was operating the Lone Tree...

. Along the river, Miller's Landing was the site where the Lone Tree Ferry

Lone Tree Ferry

brought settlers from Iowa. The early Territorial Legislature platted Scriptown

Scriptown

Scriptown was the name of the first subdivision in the history of Omaha, which at the time was located in Nebraska Territory. It was called "Scriptown" because scrip was used as payment, similar to how a company would pay employees when regular money was unavailable...

in the area. The historic neighborhood of Squatter's Row

Squatter's Row

Squatter's Row was a historic neighborhood in the downtown area of Omaha, Nebraska. It was an area between North 11th and North 13th Streets, from Nicholas to Locust Streets, behind the Storz Brewery. For more than 75 years this area was inhabited solely by squatters...

and the city's notorious prostitution alleyway, The Cribs, were located here.

Today the area includes the new Slowdown

Slowdown (venue)

Slowdown is an entertainment venue located at 729 North 14 Street in NoDo, a new development near the Near North Side neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska. A combination of a live music venue, shops, restaurants and apartments, the venue was developed by Saddle Creek Records as a direct competitor to...

venue. The new TD Ameritrade Park opened in April 2011 near the Qwest Center

Qwest Center Omaha

as the new home of the College World Series

College World Series

The College World Series or CWS is an annual baseball tournament held in Omaha, Nebraska that is the culmination of the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship, which determines the NCAA Division I college baseball champion. The eight teams are split into two, four-team, double-elimination brackets,...

and Creighton University

Creighton University

baseball. The area also includes national retail such as Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters, Inc. is a publicly traded American company that owns and operates five retail brands: Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain, and BHLDN....

and American Apparel

American Apparel

American Apparel is a clothing manufacturer in the United States. It is a vertically integrated clothing manufacturer, wholesaler, and retailer that also performs its own design, advertising, and marketing...

and several restaurants, bars, and coffee shops. The Hot Shops Art Center is located here where local artists have work on display. Three new hotels have recently opened; Holiday Inn

Holiday Inn

Holiday Inn is a brand of hotels, formally a economy motel chain, forming part of the British InterContinental Hotels Group . It is one of the world's largest hotel chains with 238,440 bedrooms and 1,301 hotels globally. There are currently 5 hotels in the pipeline...

, Homewood Suites, and a Hampton Inn & Suites; these are in addition to the Hilton

Hilton Hotels

Hilton Hotels & Resorts is an international chain of full-service hotels and resorts founded by Conrad Hilton and now owned by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton hotels are either owned by, managed by, or franchised to independent operators by Hilton Worldwide. Hilton Hotels became the first coast-to-coast...

Omaha already located across from the Qwest Center. Several buildings have also been renovated into apartments and condos. The Missouri River riverfront is the eastern boundary of NoDo where millions in redevelopment has taken place in recent years. The city has created a new boardwalk, walking trails, and the Lewis & Clark Landing

Lewis & Clark Landing

The Lewis and Clark Landing is a public park located at 515 North Riverfront Drive in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. This park is situated along the eight-foot-tall river walk of the Missouri River just north of U.S. Interstate 480.- History :...

which connect to the Heartland of America Park

Heartland of America Park

The Heartland of America Park is a public park located at 800 Douglas Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska USA. The park is situated between Interstate 80 and the Missouri River, and is adjacent to Gene Leahy Mall and the Old Market and connects to Lewis & Clark Landing.-History:The area where the...

and, in-conjunction, host several of Omaha's annual festivals, like the Taste of Omaha. A city marina has opened for Missouri River boaters and Rick's Boatyard is an nautical theme restaurant that opened on the boardwalk in November 2002. Buildings along the riverfront include The National Park Service

National Park Service

The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...

, Mid-West Regional Headquarters and Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is a route across the United States commemorating the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804 to 1806. It is part of the National Trails System of the United States...

visitors center, The Gallup Organization

The Gallup Organization

The Gallup Organization, is primarily a research-based performance-management consulting company. Some of Gallup's key practice areas are - Employee Engagement, Customer Engagement and Well-Being. Gallup has over 40 offices in 27 countries. World headquarters are in Washington, D.C. Operational...

operational headquarters, Gallup University Campus, and two residential towers, RiverFront Place Condos

RiverFront Place Condos

RiverFront Place Condos is a new condo development located along the riverfront in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. It consists of two condo towers anchored by two rows of town homes. Tower one, completed in 2006, is 12 stories tall and holds 36 units. Tower two began construction in 2009 and will be 15...

. Near these buildings is the 3,000 ft footbridge, the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge.

The movement in Omaha to reintroduce street cars is led by former mayor Hal Daub

Hal Daub

Harold John "Hal" Daub, Jr. is a politician and lawyer affiliated with the Republican Party.-Background:...

. The proposed streetcars would cost $55 million and run in a 3.5 miles (5.6 km) loop through Downtown Omaha and NoDo. The system would cost about $2 million per year to operate and would serve almost 7,000 passengers in its first year. One route would run the cars from Creighton University near 20th and Webster streets, proceeding east to 10th Street, passing by the Qwest Center and moving south to Jackson Street in the Old Market. After that it would then move west to 16th Street and then north to Farnam before returning to 10th Street.

North Downtown establishments
Name	Location
Qwest Center Qwest Center Omaha CenturyLink Center is an arena and convention center facility in the North Downtown neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska. The 1.1 million ft² facility has an 18,300-seat arena, a 194,000-ft² exhibition hall and 62,000 ft² of meeting space....	455 North 10th Street
TD Ameritrade Park
Creighton University Creighton University Creighton University is a private, coeducational, Jesuit, Roman Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the school is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. The university is accredited by...	320 N 20th St
Slowdown Slowdown (venue) Slowdown is an entertainment venue located at 729 North 14 Street in NoDo, a new development near the Near North Side neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska. A combination of a live music venue, shops, restaurants and apartments, the venue was developed by Saddle Creek Records as a direct competitor to...	729 North 14th Street
Morrison Stadium Morrison Stadium Michael G. Morrison, S.J., Stadium is a 6,000-seat soccer-specific stadium located at 2500 California Plaza in the NoDo neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska. The stadium is home to the Creighton Bluejays men's and women's soccer teams.-History:...	2500 California Plaza
Miller's Landing	151 Freedom Park Rd
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is a route across the United States commemorating the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804 to 1806. It is part of the National Trails System of the United States... Headquarters	601 Riverfront Drive
RiverFront Place Condos RiverFront Place Condos RiverFront Place Condos is a new condo development located along the riverfront in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. It consists of two condo towers anchored by two rows of town homes. Tower one, completed in 2006, is 12 stories tall and holds 36 units. Tower two began construction in 2009 and will be 15...	555 Riverfront Plz
Gallup University Campus	1001 Gallup Dr

Park East

This neighborhood is considered the gateway to Downtown Omaha. Although, due to its tall buildings and proximity to downtown, most Omaha citizens consider this area to be part of the downtown central district. The area runs from 20th street on the east to 28th street on the west and from Dodge street to the north and Leavenworth to the south. The neighborhood, situated between Midtown Omaha

Midtown Omaha

Midtown is a geographic area of Omaha, Nebraska that is a culturally, socially and economically important area of the city. It is home to major research centers, national corporations, several historic districts, and a number of historic residences.-About:...

and Downtown, is home to several historic buildings as well as some of Omaha's tallest buildings. The area has some of Omaha's major art institutions such as the Joslyn Art Museum

Joslyn Art Museum

The Joslyn Art Museum is the principal fine arts museum in the state of Nebraska, United States of America. Located in Omaha, it is the only museum in the state with a comprehensive permanent collection...

, the Omaha Children's Museum

Omaha Children's Museum

The Omaha Children's Museum is a nonprofit learning and exploration space for young people located at 500 South 20th Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The museum has received a national award from the Association of Science and Technology Museums., Association of Science and Technology Museums...

, and the The Rose Theater. There are still major employers in the area, such as Physicians Mutual Insurance Co, but there is also evidence of better days gone past such as the now vacant Northern Natural Gas Building

Northern Natural Gas Building

The Northern Natural Gas Building, also known as the 2223 Dodge Street Building, is located at 2223 Dodge Street in the Park East neighborhood of downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It is a 260 ft , 19-story skyscraper that ranks 8th, among Omaha's top ten tallest buildings. Currently the...

. Omaha's Destination Midtown has been working to restore the area in recent years, as well as other Midtown neighborhoods, and evidence of revitalization can be seen in newly restored condos and apartments in the area. As of 2004, an elementary school, Liberty Elementary, has been established to serve the growing downtown population.
Home to the original Nebraska State Capitol

Nebraska State Capitol

The Nebraska State Capitol, located in Lincoln, Nebraska, is the house of the Nebraska Legislature and houses other offices of the government of the U.S. state of Nebraska....

, the Park East neighborhood has hosted several significant historical buildings and structures. One of Omaha's original parks, Jefferson Square

Jefferson Square (Omaha)

Jefferson Square was the last of three original public parks extant in Omaha, Nebraska. Bounded by North 15th, 16th, Chicago and Cass Streets, the park was dedicated November 25, 1865. It was razed by the city March 18, 1969 to make way for the construction of Interstate 480 in Downtown Omaha...

, was located in the neighborhood, with the Market House

Market House (Omaha)

The Market House was a fresh produce outlet on Capitol Avenue from North 12th to North 14th Avenues in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built by the Government of Omaha in 1893 in the city's Jefferson Square, the Market House was demolished in 1913...

and Omaha's first school located in the park. The Old Post Office and other buildings were there, too.

Park East establishments
Name	Location
Joslyn Art Museum Joslyn Art Museum The Joslyn Art Museum is the principal fine arts museum in the state of Nebraska, United States of America. Located in Omaha, it is the only museum in the state with a comprehensive permanent collection...	2200 Dodge St
Omaha Children's Museum Omaha Children's Museum The Omaha Children's Museum is a nonprofit learning and exploration space for young people located at 500 South 20th Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The museum has received a national award from the Association of Science and Technology Museums., Association of Science and Technology Museums...	500 S 20th St
The Rose, Omaha	2665 Farnam St
Northern Natural Gas Building Northern Natural Gas Building The Northern Natural Gas Building, also known as the 2223 Dodge Street Building, is located at 2223 Dodge Street in the Park East neighborhood of downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It is a 260 ft , 19-story skyscraper that ranks 8th, among Omaha's top ten tallest buildings. Currently the...	2223 Dodge Street
Physicians Mutual Building	2600 Dodge St
Westbrook Tower Westbrook Tower Westbrook Tower is a 213 ft residential tower located at 2121 Douglas Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The building's erection was completed in 1966 and it is 17 stories tall. It is 18th tallest building in Omaha, as well as the 13th tallest in downtown.-External links:* Westbrook Tower...	2121 Douglas St
Omaha Central High School Omaha Central High School Omaha Central High School, originally known as Omaha High School, was founded in 1859.The current building, located in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, was designed by John Latenser, Sr. and built between 1900 and 1912...	124 N. 20th St
Scoular Building Scoular Building The Omaha Scoular Building is a five story commercial use building located in the Park East neighborhood of Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1925 the building was originally built as the headquarters for The Scoular Company, which it currently still houses. The building was first renovated in...	2027 Dodge St.
Ford Hospital Ford Hospital The Ford Hospital, also called the Fifth Avenue Hotel, is located at 121 South 25th Street in Midtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1916, the hospital was a privately-operated facility built and operated by Dr. Michael J. Ford. Operating until 1922, it was the last small, private hospital in the city....	121 South 25th Street

Old Market

The Old Market is a neighborhood bordered by South 10th Street

South 10th Street

South 10th Street is a two-way street that runs south-north from Downtown into South Omaha, Nebraska. With the street beginning at Dodge Street, the street immediately dissects Gene Leahy Mall and borders the ConAgra Campus and the Old Market. Its southern reaches are widely regarded as the heart...

. The neighborhood has many restaurants, art galleries and upscale shopping, and is the location of several condominiums, including the JLofts on the Market

JLofts on the Market

is a 6-story mid-rise, 51 unit, condominium project with street level retail and office space located at 1308 Jackson Street in the historic Old Market District in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. jLofts is the only new condo development built from the ground up in the Old Market. The building is located...

and the Broatch Building

Broatch Building

The Broatch Building is located at 1209 Harney Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1880 with an 1887 expansion, it was designated an Omaha Landmark on December 20, 1983 and is a contributing building to the Old Market Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic...

. The area retains its brick paved streets from the turn of the 20th century, horse-drawn carriages, and covered sidewalks in some areas. It is not uncommon to see a variety of street performers, artists and other vendors.

Notable locations
Name	Location
Poppleton Block Poppleton Block The Poppleton Block is located at 1001 Farnam Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The building was built in 1880 for Omaha lawyer and politician A.J...	1001 Farnam Street
St. Nicholas Hotel	12th and Jackson Streets
Anheuser-Busch Beer Depot Anheuser-Busch Beer Depot The Anheuser-Busch Beer Depot is located at 1207-1215 Jones Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Omaha architect Henry Voss designed the complex for the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association of St...	1207-1215 Jones Street
Douglas House Douglas House (Omaha) The Douglas House was the second hotel in Omaha, Nebraska. Located in present-day Downtown Omaha on the southwest corner of 13th and Harney Streets, the hotel housed influential politicians, speculators, and the first court trial in the Nebraska Territory. A two-story frame structure, it...	13th and Harney Streets
Omaha Bolt, Nut and Screw Building	1316 Jones Street
First Woodman of the World Building	15th and Howard Streets
Grand Central Hotel Grand Central Hotel (Omaha, Nebraska) The Grand Central Hotel, was an early establishment formerly located at 14th and Farnam Streets in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The Grand Central was built as Omaha's premier lodging after the Herndon House became the Union Pacific Headquarters....	14th and Farnam Streets

Market West

Market West is a newly established neighborhood to the west of the Old Market and to the south of the Central Business District. Market West is represented by the Market West Neighborhood Alliance, established in 2011. The official boundaries are construed as, but not limited to, S 17th street to the west, S 13th street to the east, Howard street to the north and the train tracks to the south.

Part of Market West is included in the Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District

Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District

The Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District, roughly bounded by Jackson, 15th, and 8th Streets, as well as the Union Pacific main line, is located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska...

. While the neighborhood is dominated by historic warehouses, the area is beginning to see new construction of apartment buildings. The area of Market West is often confused with the Old Market

Old Market

The Old Market is a neighborhood located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States, and is bordered by South 10th Street. The neighborhood has many restaurants, art galleries and upscale shopping. The area retains its brick paved streets from the turn of the century, horse-drawn carriages, and...

, as south 13th street is the most obvious boundary - the actual historically designated area of the Old Market Historic District is a few square blocks.

Notable Historic Buildings
Name	Location
Aquila Court Building Aquila Court Building The Aquila Court Building, formerly known as the Sheraton Omaha, and presently known as the Magnolia Hotel, is located at 1615 Howard Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska... (Magnolia Hotel)	1615 Howard Street
Douglas Eggerss-O'Flyng Building Douglas Eggerss-O'Flyng Building The Douglas Eggerss-O'Flyng Building is located at 801 South 15th Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991, the building was named an Omaha Landmark on March 17, 1992.-About:...	801 South 15th Street
Flatiron Hotel Flatiron Hotel The Flatiron Hotel is located at 1722 St. Mary's Avenue in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Designed by architect George Prinz and originally constructed in 1912 as an office building, in 1914 it was renovated for use as a hotel. Today the building serves as office and commercial space, as well as housing...	1722 St. Mary's Avenue
Hill Hotel Hill Hotel The Hill Hotel, also known as Kensington Tower, is a historic building located at 505 South 16th Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The building is one of the last existing examples of Colonial Revival architecture in Omaha. It is located on the historic 16th Street Mall, and contains 12 floors of...	505 South 16th Street
Omaha Bolt, Nut and Screw Building	1316 Jones Street

Restoration and expansion projects

Several projects commencing in Downtown Omaha are restoring and expanding the city's core. One is the 32 story 373 feet (113.7 m) condominium tower called WallStreet Tower Omaha

WallStreet Tower Omaha

The WallStreet Tower Omaha is a 32-story, 373 ft condomium project that will become Omaha, Nebraska's third tallest building upon completion. The building will be built on the site of the former Union Pacific headquarters, located at 14th and Dodge Street. Prices for a unit range from...

, which will be the third tallest building in Omaha, passing the Masonic Manor. The project was designed by Townsend Inc. of Overland Park, Kansas

Overland Park, Kansas

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 149,080 people, 59,703 households, and 39,702 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,627.0 people per square mile . There were 62,586 housing units at an average density of 1,102.9 per square mile...

, which has also purchased the Brandeis Building in downtown and finished converting the old department store into a high-end mixed use development. The WallStreet project is estimated to be completed by 2011. Omaha's own HDR, Inc.

HDR, Inc.

HDR Inc. is an employee-owned architectural, engineering and consulting firm based in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. HDR has worked on projects in all 50 U.S. states and in 60 countries, including notable projects such as the Hoover Dam Bypass, TD Ameritrade Park Omaha, and the The Roslin Institute building...

designed downtown's important Omaha World-Herald
Omaha World-Herald
The Omaha World-Herald, based in Omaha, Nebraska, is the primary daily newspaper of Nebraska, as well as portions of southwest Iowa. For decades it circulated daily throughout Nebraska, and in parts of Kansas, South Dakota, Missouri, Colorado and Wyoming. In 2008, distribution was reduced to the...

Freedom Center, which opened in 2001.

The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge is sparking a riverfront expansion project in Omaha and Council Bluffs. The bridge has a very modern design with two 200 feet (61 m) spires that have sail-like appearances and mulit-color LED light panels at the top. The Omaha side of the riverfront project has restaurants, businesses, and two condo towers twelve and fifteen stories tall and a large plaza area with jumping fountains, statues, and seating.

A new downtown baseball stadium, TD Ameritrade Park, is under construction in the NoDo area. The stadium will seat 24,000 and could be expanded to hold as many as 35,500. The stadium will feature open air concourses and will have impressive views of the downtown skyline from the third base side. The stadium will face southeast towards the Qwest Center, and the new riverfront developments, the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge and, RiverFront Place Condos

RiverFront Place Condos

Headquarters

Downtown Omaha is home to several corporate headquarters for businesses of international, national and regional importance. Among the earliest were the U.S. Army

United States Army

The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...

's Department of the Platte

Department of the Platte

The Department of the Platte was a military administrative district established by the U.S. Army on March 5, 1866, with boundaries encompassing Iowa, Nebraska, Dakota Territory, Utah Territory and a small portion of Idaho...

and the Union Pacific Railroad

Union Pacific Railroad

The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....

. Union Pacific laid its first rails in Omaha in 1862, and its headquarters have been located in Downtown Omaha since then. The company has stated their commitment to maintain their headquarters in Omaha, particularly with the opening of the new Union Pacific Center

Union Pacific Center

The Union Pacific Center at 1400 Douglas Street is one of downtown Omaha, Nebraska's newest high-rise buildings. It houses the headquarters of the Union Pacific Railroad and its parent company, the Union Pacific Corporation. It officially opened in June 2004 and rises 317 ft making it the fourth...

in 2004. The Enron

Enron

Enron Corporation was an American energy, commodities, and services company based in Houston, Texas. Before its bankruptcy on December 2, 2001, Enron employed approximately 22,000 staff and was one of the world's leading electricity, natural gas, communications, and pulp and paper companies, with...

corporation began in downtown as Northern Natural Gas Company, until they relocated their headquarters

Northern Natural Gas Building

to Houston, TX. ConAgra Foods

ConAgra Foods

ConAgra Foods, Inc. is an American packaged foods company. ConAgra's products are available in supermarkets, as well as restaurants and food service establishments. Its headquarters are located in Omaha, Nebraska...

relocated their headquarters from Central Park Plaza

Central Park Plaza

Central Park Plaza is a 15 story, commercial office complex in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The complex consists of office space, in two red brick towers with a lower level center connector on the first and second floors. The building features a central courtyard and a six story parking garage that...

in central downtown, to a riverfront campus in 1990, after a contentious battle with local historians of the destruction of the Jobbers Canyon Historic District

Jobbers Canyon Historic District

to make room for their buildings. In 2002, First National Bank of Omaha

First National of Nebraska

First National of Nebraska is a privately held, interstate bank holding company based in Omaha, Nebraska, USA. The largest banking subsidiaries are First National Bank of Omaha, First National Bank Colorado, First National Bank Kansas and First National Bank South Dakota. First National of...

moved into the 42-story First National Bank Tower

First National Bank Tower

The First National Bank Tower is a 634 ft , 45-story skyscraper at 1601 Dodge Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 2002, it is currently the tallest building in Nebraska. It was built on the site of the former Medical Arts Building which was imploded on April 2, 1999...

as headquarters for the company.

The Gallup Organization

The Gallup Organization

built an $81 million operational headquarters that employs 650 people on the edge of downtown in 2001. RDG Planning & Design followed in 2004, winning awards for moving and contributing to downtown's growth. The Scoular Company, a grain trading & storing company, is headquartered in downtown Omaha in the Scoular Building

Scoular Building

The Omaha Scoular Building is a five story commercial use building located in the Park East neighborhood of Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1925 the building was originally built as the headquarters for The Scoular Company, which it currently still houses. The building was first renovated in...

. The new Carl T. Curtis National Park Service
Midwest Headquarters located downtown on the Missouri River

Missouri River

front is the first building in Nebraska to be rated under the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design consists of a suite of rating systems for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings, homes and neighborhoods....

system.

Neighboring Creighton University

Creighton University

has been steadily expanding their campus in order to "integrate with Downtown Omaha". New facilities such as Morrison Stadium

Morrison Stadium

Michael G. Morrison, S.J., Stadium is a 6,000-seat soccer-specific stadium located at 2500 California Plaza in the NoDo neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska. The stadium is home to the Creighton Bluejays men's and women's soccer teams.-History:...

bring the university closer. Other locally relevant organizations downtown include all of the city's utilities. The Metropolitan Utilities District

Metropolitan Utilities District

The Metropolitan Utilities District, or M.U.D., is the political subdivision and public corporation of the State of Nebraska that operates the drinking water and natural gas systems for Omaha, Nebraska and surrounding areas. M.U.D...

, Omaha Public Power District

Omaha Public Power District

Omaha Public Power District, or OPPD, is a public electric utility in the State of Nebraska. It is one of the largest publicly owned electric utilities in the United States, serving more than 340,000 customers in 13 southeast Nebraska counties. OPPD was formed in 1946 as a political subdivision of...

, Omaha Police Department, the Omaha Housing Authority

Omaha Housing Authority

Omaha Housing Authority, or OHA, is the government agency responsible for providing public housing in Omaha, Nebraska. It is the parent organization of Housing in Omaha, Inc., a nonprofit housing developer for low-income housing.-About:...

and Metro Area Transit

Metro Area Transit

Metro , previously known as Metro Area Transit is the local mass transportation provider in Omaha, Nebraska. Metro currently operates around 135 buses throughout the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, including the communities of Bellevue, Ralston, LaVista and Papillion in Nebraska, as well as...

are each located within downtown. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

United States Army Corps of Engineers

The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...

Omaha District is headquartered in Downtown Omaha, as well.

Pacific Life

Pacific Life

Pacific Life Insurance Company is an insurance company providing life insurance products, annuities, and mutual funds, and offers to individuals, businesses, and pension plans a variety of investment products and services. Pacific Life also counts more than half of the 100 largest U.S...

's Omaha operations is headquartered in the 1200 Landmark Center

1200 Landmark Center

The 1200 Landmark Center is a 255 ft , 15-story skyscraper at the corner of South 13th and Farnam Streets in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States. As of 2004, the building is home to the Omaha operations of Pacific Life....

and the Omaha World Herald has its headquarters, as well as its state of the art printing press, the Freedom Center, downtown.

Attractions

Aside from the Old Market, other attractions in Downtown Omaha include the historic Orpheum Theater

Orpheum Theater (Omaha)

The Orpheum Theater is located at 409 South 16th Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The Orpheum hosts programs best served by a more theatrical setting, including the Broadway Across America-Omaha series and Opera Omaha...

, which was built by influential Omaha philanthropist John A. Creighton

John A. Creighton

Count John A. Creighton was a pioneer businessman and philanthropist in Omaha, Nebraska who founded Creighton University...

, whose family also built the city's Creighton University

Creighton University

. Along with the Rose Blumkin Performing Arts Center, this is the oldest theater left in downtown. Other performance spaces downtown include the Magic Theatre

Magic Theatre (Omaha)

The Magic Theatre is located at 325 South 16th Street in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded in 1968 by Jo Ann Schmidman, the theatre is designed to be an experimental theatre by and for people in the Midwest. The Magic Theatre has toured around the world, including the Suwon Castle...

, which features experimental theater.

The Omaha Children's Museum

Omaha Children's Museum

, Durham Western Heritage Museum, and the Holland Performing Arts Center

Holland Performing Arts Center

The Holland Performing Arts Center is a performing arts facility located on 13th and Douglas Streets in downtown Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, Nebraska in the United States; it opened in October 2005. Designed by Omaha architectural firm HDR, Inc...

are all important visual arts

Visual arts

The visual arts are art forms that create works which are primarily visual in nature, such as ceramics, drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, design, crafts, and often modern visual arts and architecture...

spaces downtown, while the CenturyLink Center Omaha and the Omaha Civic Auditorium

Omaha Civic Auditorium

The Omaha Civic Auditorium is a multi-purpose convention center in Omaha, Nebraska. Opened in 1954, it surpassed the Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum as the largest convention/entertainment complex in the city, until the completion of CenturyLink Center Omaha in 2003....

play host to many different events, including concerts, sports and more. Slowdown

Slowdown (venue)

is a new cultural center that straddles the boundaries of NoDo and the Near North Side

Near North Side (Omaha, Nebraska)

The Near North Side of Omaha, Nebraska is the neighborhood immediately north of downtown. It forms the nucleus of the city's African-American community, and its name is often synonymous with the entire North Omaha area...

neighborhood.

Heartland of America Park

Heartland of America Park

and the Gene Leahy Mall

Gene Leahy Mall

Gene Leahy Mall, also known locally as Central Park or The Mall, is a park located at 1302 Farnam on the Mall in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska and bordered by South 10th Street. The Mall is encircled by a long pathway that wraps around a large lagoon. There are also waterfalls, two huge slides, a...

play host to outdoor concerts and other events throughout the year.

Architecture

Downtown Omaha was the original site of the city of Omaha, where the riverfront held businesses and the area surrounding it bore the brunt of its commercial, residential, and social activities. The Omaha National Bank Building

Omaha National Bank Building

The Omaha National Bank Building was built in 1888-89 at 1650 Farnam Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built in the Italian Renaissance style, the building was saved from demolition by a rehabilitation in 1978...

was the first tower in downtown. Constructed in 1888-89, the building was designed in the Renaissance Revival style by the New York architectural firm of McKim, Mead, and White. The firm designed an identical office tower for the New York Life Insurance Company in Kansas City, Missouri. The building was Omaha's first ten-story structure. There has been a recent revitalization of the area, with several notable new buildings and other developments taking place. Following are some of the notable locations throughout the area.

Tallest buildings

Omaha's tallest building, the 45-story First National Bank Tower

First National Bank Tower

, is in Downtown. There is a proposed 373 feet (114 m), 32-story downtown condominium tower in the works. The WallStreet Tower Omaha

WallStreet Tower Omaha

would be built as soon as fall 2011 in Downtown.

Tallest buildings in Downtown Omaha
Name	Location	Stories	Height
One First National Center	1601 Dodge Street	45	634 ft (193 m)
Woodmen Tower Woodmen Tower The Woodmen Tower is a 478-ft high-rise building at 1700 Farnam Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, and is the headquarters of the Woodmen of the World insurance company. Originally completed in 1969, the Woodmen rises 30 stories...	1805 Douglas Street	30	478 ft (146 m)
Union Pacific Center Union Pacific Center The Union Pacific Center at 1400 Douglas Street is one of downtown Omaha, Nebraska's newest high-rise buildings. It houses the headquarters of the Union Pacific Railroad and its parent company, the Union Pacific Corporation. It officially opened in June 2004 and rises 317 ft making it the fourth...	1400 Douglas Street	19	317 ft (97 m)
First National Center First National Center (Omaha) First National Center is located at 1620 Dodge Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. A 22-story office building, it is one of the tallest buildings in Omaha. The building is attached to a 19 story, 420-room Doubletree hotel and a 550-stall parking garage....	1620 Dodge Street	22	295 ft (90 m)
AT&T Building AT&T Building (Omaha) The AT&T Building is a 265 ft , 16-story skyscraper in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It was the tallest structure in downtown Omaha until the Woodman Tower and later First National Tower surpassed it in height. The original 15 story building was built in 1918, a twelve story addition was...	116-124 South 19th Street	16	265 ft (81 m)
Northern Natural Gas Building Northern Natural Gas Building The Northern Natural Gas Building, also known as the 2223 Dodge Street Building, is located at 2223 Dodge Street in the Park East neighborhood of downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It is a 260 ft , 19-story skyscraper that ranks 8th, among Omaha's top ten tallest buildings. Currently the...	2233 Dodge Street	19	260 ft (79 m)
1200 Landmark Center 1200 Landmark Center The 1200 Landmark Center is a 255 ft , 15-story skyscraper at the corner of South 13th and Farnam Streets in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, United States. As of 2004, the building is home to the Omaha operations of Pacific Life....	1299 Farnam Street	15	255 ft (78 m)
Omaha World Herald Building	1314 Douglas Street	16	250 ft (76 m)
Double Tree Hotel	1616 Dodge Street	19	237 ft (72 m)
City National Bank Building (Omaha) City National Bank Building (Omaha) City National Bank Building, also known as the Orpheum Tower, is a 220 ft, 16 story, tower in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. When built in 1910, it was the tallest building in Omaha. It remained the tallest building until 1912 when the Woodmen of the World was completed. It was added to the NRHP in...	411 South 16th Street	16	220 ft (67 m)

Historic districts

The Old Market Historic District is bordered by Farnam Street on the north to Leavenworth on the south, from South 10th Street on the east to South 14th Street on the west. The Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District

Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District

The Omaha Rail and Commerce Historic District, roughly bounded by Jackson, 15th, and 8th Streets, as well as the Union Pacific main line, is located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska...

is bounded by Jackson, 15th and 8th Streets, as well as the Union Pacific main line. Both are also listed as historic district

Historic district

s on the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

. Downtown Omaha is also the site of the largest single loss of buildings included on the National Register of Historic Places to date. All of the 24 buildings in the Jobbers Canyon were demolished in 1989, to be replaced by the ConAgra headquarters and Heartland of America Park

Heartland of America Park

. The Warehouses in Omaha Multiple Property Submission

Warehouses in Omaha Multiple Property Submission

Warehouses in Omaha Multiple Property Submission is a National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Submission in Omaha, Nebraska that was created in 1998. The submission included a group of several downtown Omaha warehouses that were constructed by businessmen benefiting from Omaha's...

brings together several historic locations around Downtown Omaha, as well.

Historic buildings

According to a 1939 publication by the Federal Writers Project, the downtown core has at least 23 historic sites that were central to the growth and development of the city. Many significant buildings have been recognized as landmarks, including the following, which are all included on the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

Historic buildings in Downtown Omaha
Place name	Location	Notes
Anheuser-Busch Beer Depot Anheuser-Busch Beer Depot The Anheuser-Busch Beer Depot is located at 1207-1215 Jones Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Omaha architect Henry Voss designed the complex for the Anheuser-Busch Brewing Association of St...	1215 Jones Street	Built in 1916.
Ansonia Apartments Ansonia Apartments The Ansonia Apartments, located at 2221-23 Jones Street in the Midtown area of Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1929 in a period Revival/Arts and Crafts style, the buildings were designated an Omaha Landmark on March 27, 1984...
Aquila Court Building Aquila Court Building The Aquila Court Building, formerly known as the Sheraton Omaha, and presently known as the Magnolia Hotel, is located at 1615 Howard Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska...	1615 Howard Street	Built in 1923.
Astro Theater Astro Theater The Astro Theater originally opened as The Riviera and is currently known as the Rose Blumkin Performing Arts Center or The Rose. It is located at 2001 Farnam Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska...	2001 Farnam Street	Built in 1926.
Beebe and Runyan Furniture Showroom and Warehouse Beebe and Runyan Furniture Showroom and Warehouse The Beebe and Runyan Furniture Showroom and Warehouse is located at 105 South 9th Street in Downtown Omaha. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 23, 1998, and is a contributing property to the Warehouses in Omaha Multiple Property Submission.- History :Built...	105 South 9th Street	Built in 1913.
Bemis Omaha Bag Company Building Bemis Omaha Bag Company Building The Bemis Bag Company Building is located at 1102-1118 Jones Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1887 in a commercial style, the building was designed by the prolific Omaha architecture firm of Mendelssohn and Lawrie. It was designated an Omaha Landmark on September 12, 1978, and was added...	614-624 South 11th Street	Built in 1887.
Broatch Building Broatch Building The Broatch Building is located at 1209 Harney Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1880 with an 1887 expansion, it was designated an Omaha Landmark on December 20, 1983 and is a contributing building to the Old Market Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic...
Burlington Headquarters Building Burlington Headquarters Building The Burlington Headquarters Building, also called Burlington Place, is located at 1002 Farnam Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. This four-story brick building was originally designed by Alfred R. Dufrene and built in 1879 next to Jobbers Canyon. It was redesigned by noted Omaha architect Thomas...	1004 Farnam Street	Built in 1879.
Burlington Station	925 South 10th Street	Built in 1898.
City National Bank Building (Omaha) City National Bank Building (Omaha) City National Bank Building, also known as the Orpheum Tower, is a 220 ft, 16 story, tower in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. When built in 1910, it was the tallest building in Omaha. It remained the tallest building until 1912 when the Woodmen of the World was completed. It was added to the NRHP in...	405 S 16th St	Built in 1910.
Douglas County Courthouse Douglas County Courthouse (Omaha) The present Douglas County Courthouse is located at 1701 Farnam Street in Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1912, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Notable events at the courthouse include two lynchings and the city's first Civil Rights Era sit-in protest...	1819 Farnam Street	Built in 1908, this site was labeled a key historic site by the Federal Writers Project.
Douglas Eggerss-O'Flyng Building Douglas Eggerss-O'Flyng Building The Douglas Eggerss-O'Flyng Building is located at 801 South 15th Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1991, the building was named an Omaha Landmark on March 17, 1992.-About:...	801 South 15th Street	Built in 1902.
Farnam Building Farnam Building The Farnam Building is located at 1613 Farnam Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. It is a seven-story, , historic building that was constructed in 1929...	1613 Farnam Street	Built in 1929.
Federal Office Building Federal Office Building (Omaha, Nebraska) The Federal Office Building , also known as the Old Federal Building, is a thirteen story, stripped classical style building with Art Deco elements located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The building was designed and built in 1933-34 by architects Thomas R. Kimball, William L. Steele, and Josiah D...	110 South 15th Street	Built in 1934.
First National Bank Building First National Bank Building (Omaha, Nebraska) The First National Bank Building is a U-shaped, fourteen-story, historic steel structure building located on the corner of 16th and Farnam street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The building was constructed in 1917. It was the original building for the First National Bank as well as the first...	300-312 South 16th Street	1917.
Flatiron Hotel Flatiron Hotel The Flatiron Hotel is located at 1722 St. Mary's Avenue in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Designed by architect George Prinz and originally constructed in 1912 as an office building, in 1914 it was renovated for use as a hotel. Today the building serves as office and commercial space, as well as housing...	1722 St. Mary's Avenue	Built in 1914.
Florentine Apartments
G.C. Moses Block G.C. Moses Block The G.C. Moses Block is a historic building located in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska....	1234-1244 South 13th Street	Built in 1887.
Goodrich Building
Hill Hotel	505 South 16th Street	Built in 1919.
Horbach Building
Hospe Anton Music Warehouse Hospe Anton Music Warehouse The Hospe Anton Music Warehouse is a historic building located in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska....	109-111 South 10th Street	Built in 1919.
J.L. Brandeis and Sons Store Building	200 South 16 Street	Built in 1906.
Keeline Building Keeline Building The Keeline Building is located at 319 South 17th Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Completed in 1911 just before the neighboring Douglas County Courthouse, the seven-story Keeline was designed by locally renowned architect John Latenser, Sr....	319 South 17th Street	Built in 1911.
Kennedy Building
Kimball House Mary Rogers Kimball House The Mary Rogers Kimball House, also known as the Kimball House, is located at 2236 St. Mary's Avenue in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska.It is an official Omaha City Landmark and also is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was designed by Thomas Kimball....
Mason School Mason School Mason School is located at 1012 South 24 Street in south Omaha, Nebraska. Designed in the Richardson Romanesque style and built in 1888, the school was closed in the late 1970s and converted into apartments...
Nash Block Nash Block The Nash Block, also known as the McKesson-Robbins Warehouse and currently as The Greenhouse, is located at 902-912 Farnam Street in Omaha, Nebraska. Designed by Thomas R. Kimball and built in 1907, the building is the last remnant of Downtown Omaha's Jobbers Canyon...	902-912 Farnam Street	Built in 1905.
Omaha Bolt, Nut and Screw Building	1316 Jones Street	Built in 1889.
Omaha High School Omaha Central High School Omaha Central High School, originally known as Omaha High School, was founded in 1859.The current building, located in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, was designed by John Latenser, Sr. and built between 1900 and 1912...	124 North 20th Street	Built in 1912, the Capitol Hill site was labeled a key historic site by the Federal Writers Project.
Old Omaha Public Library building Omaha Public Library (building) The original Omaha Public Library building was built in 1891 at 1823 Harney Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska by renowned architect Thomas Kimball...	1823 Harney Street	The original location of the Omaha Public Library Omaha Public Library Omaha Public Library is a public library system for the city of Omaha, Nebraska. Originally founded in 1857, the library struggled for many years before formally forming in 1877. In 1895, the library became one of the first six in the nation to create a children's section... was built in 1891.
Omaha National Bank Building Omaha National Bank Building The Omaha National Bank Building was built in 1888-89 at 1650 Farnam Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built in the Italian Renaissance style, the building was saved from demolition by a rehabilitation in 1978...	1650 Farnam Street	Built in 1889, this site was labeled a key historic site by the Federal Writers Project.
Orpheum Theater Orpheum Theater (Omaha) The Orpheum Theater is located at 409 South 16th Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The Orpheum hosts programs best served by a more theatrical setting, including the Broadway Across America-Omaha series and Opera Omaha...	409 South 16th Street	Built between 1892 and 1927
Parlin, Orendorff and Martin Plow Company Building
Paxton Hotel Paxton Hotel The Paxton Hotel, formerly known as Paxton Manor and currently known as The Paxton, is located at 1403 Farnam Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska, USA. Designed by local architect Joseph G. McArthur, the current building was constructed in 1928, with its predecessor dating from 1882. Named for local...	1403 Farnam Street	Original building constructed 1882 was demolished and rebuilt to current building in 1928
Poppleton Block Poppleton Block The Poppleton Block is located at 1001 Farnam Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The building was built in 1880 for Omaha lawyer and politician A.J...	1001 Farnam Street	Built in 1890.
Redick Tower Redick Tower The Redick Tower is located at 1504 Harney Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The eleven-story tower was building in 1930 in the Art Deco style...	1504 Harney Street	Built in 1930.
Rose Realty-Securities Building	305 South 16th Street	Built in 1916.
Sanford Hotel	1913 Farnam Street	Constructed in 1913.
Simon Brothers Company	1024 Dodge Street	This building was constructed in 1919.
Christian Specht Building Christian Specht Building The Christian Specht Building is located at 1110 Douglas Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. It is the only existing building with a cast iron facade known in Nebraska today, and one of the few ever built in the state...	1110 Douglas Street	Built in 1884, this building barely survived destruction in 2007.
Standard Oil Company Building of Nebraska	500 South 18th Street
Steiner Rowhouses
Trinity Cathedral (Omaha, Nebraska)	113 North 18th St	Built in 1880
Union State Bank Building
Union Station Union Station (Omaha) The Union Station, at 801 South 10th Street in Omaha, Nebraska, known also as Union Passenger Terminal, is "one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the Midwest." Designated an Omaha Landmark in 1978, it was listed as "Union Passenger Terminal" on the National Register of Historic...	801 South 10th Street	Built in 1931, it currently houses the Durham Museum Durham Museum The Durham Museum is located at 801 South 10th Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. The museum is dedicated to preserving and displaying the history of the United States' western region... .

Former locations

The location of the William D. Brown

William D. Brown

's Lone Tree Ferry

Lone Tree Ferry

, downtown has been the pivotal site for Omaha's growth since the city's inception in 1854. The following are all buildings, districts and other notable locations in Omaha that have been lost over the last 150 years.

Former locations in Downtown Omaha
Name	Location	Notes
Bee Building Bee Building The Bee Building, later called the Peters Trust Building and finally the Insurance Building, was located at 17th and Farnam Streets in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. It was an architectural landmark in early Omaha that was built in 1888 by newspaper editor Edward Rosewater to house his Omaha Bee...	17th and Farnam	Built in 1888 and demolished in 1966, along with the Old City Hall, this site was labeled a key historic site by the Federal Writers Project.
Boyd's Theater and Opera House	1621 Harney Street	Built in 1891, this building was razed in 1920 to make space for the expanded Burgess-Nash Department store.
Douglas Building Douglas Building The Douglas Building is a building in southeast Portland, Oregon listed on the National Register of Historic Places....	19th and Douglas Streets	Originally the Masonic Temple, this 1918 building was demolished in 1997, this site was labeled a key historic site by the Federal Writers Project.
Douglas House Douglas House (Omaha) The Douglas House was the second hotel in Omaha, Nebraska. Located in present-day Downtown Omaha on the southwest corner of 13th and Harney Streets, the hotel housed influential politicians, speculators, and the first court trial in the Nebraska Territory. A two-story frame structure, it...	13th and Harney Streets	Built in 1854, this site was labeled a key historic site by the Federal Writers Project.
Emergency Hospital Omaha Emergency Hospital The Omaha Emergency Hospital was located at 912 Douglas Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Originally used as a brothel, there was a great deal of debate about whether the building was an appropriate donation to the city when Anna Wilson, a notorious madam, willed it to the city upon her...	912 Douglas Street	Built in the 1870s for Madam Anna Wilson Anna Wilson (madam) Anna Wilson was a pioneer madam in Omaha, Nebraska. When she died she bequeathed her life savings to the City of Omaha, along with her 25-room mansion brothel, which was used as a hospital... as a brothel Brothel Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house... , this building was made into a hospital in the 1890s and demolished in the 1940s, and was labeled a key historic site by the Federal Writers Project.
First Methodist Episcopal Church	20th and Davenport Streets	Built in 1891, this building burnt down in 1954.
George W. Lininger Residence	18th and Davenport Streets	Built in the late 1860s, this widely regarded architectural treasure was demolished in the 1930s
Grand Central Hotel Grand Central Hotel The Grand Central Hotel, later renamed the Broadway Central Hotel, was a hotel at 673 Broadway, New York City, that collapsed on August 3, 1973, killing four residents and injuring at least twelve.-History:...	14th and Farnam Street	Built in 1873, this building was demolished in 1878.
Grand Opera House	15th and Davenport Streets	Built in 1885 this edifice burnt down in 1894.
Herndon House Herndon House The Herndon House, later known as the International Hotel and then the Union Pacific Headquarters, was an early hotel located at Ninth and Farnam Streets in present-day Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1858 by Omaha pioneer Dr. George L. Miller along with several associates, it was financed by...	9th and Farnam Streets	Built in 1858 by George L. Miller George L. Miller Dr. George Lorin Miller was a pioneer physician, editor, politician, civic leader and land owner in Omaha, Nebraska. The founder of the Omaha Herald, which later became part of the Omaha World-Herald, Miller arrived in Omaha in 1854, the year the city was founded... , this building was a premier hotel in pioneer Omaha, and was used as the Union Pacific headquarters for 50 years.
Hotel Fontenelle Hotel Fontenelle Hotel Fontenelle was an upscale commercial hotel once located at 1806 Douglas Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Designed by noted architect Thomas Rogers Kimball in the Late Gothic Revival style, it was built in 1914 and demolished in 1983...	1806 Douglas Street	Designed by Thomas Rogers Kimball Thomas Rogers Kimball Thomas Rogers Kimball was an American architect in Omaha, Nebraska. An architect-in-chief of the Trans-Mississippi Exposition in Omaha in 1898, he served as national President of the American Institute of Architects from 1918–1920 and from 1919-1932 served on the Nebraska State Capitol... and built in 1914, it was demolished in 1983.
Jefferson Square Jefferson Square (Omaha) Jefferson Square was the last of three original public parks extant in Omaha, Nebraska. Bounded by North 15th, 16th, Chicago and Cass Streets, the park was dedicated November 25, 1865. It was razed by the city March 18, 1969 to make way for the construction of Interstate 480 in Downtown Omaha...	Bounded by 15th, 16th, Farnam and Douglas Streets	Dedicated November 25, 1865, it was razed by the city March 18, 1969. The first park in Omaha, it was the location of the first school and hot air balloon in Omaha.
Jobbers Canyon	Bound by Farnam Street, South Eighth Street, Jackson Street, and South Tenth Street.	Built up from the 1860s, the entirety of the area was demolished in 1989.
Lone Tree Ferry Lone Tree Ferry The Lone Tree Ferry, later known as the Council Bluffs and Nebraska Ferry Company, was the crossing of the Missouri River at Council Bluffs, Iowa, and Omaha, Nebraska, US, that was established in 1850 by William D. Brown...	Port of Omaha Port of Omaha The Port of Omaha is a port of entry in the United States with facilities on the west side of the Missouri River in Omaha, Nebraska. The official address is located at 5229 Boeing Court in East Omaha. The Port was formally sanctioned by the U.S. Congress in 1888.- About :Founded immediately on the...	Established in 1850 by William D. Brown William D. Brown William D. Brown was the first pioneer to envision building a city where Omaha, Nebraska sits today. Many historians attribute Brown to be the founder of Omaha, although this has been disputed since the late nineteenth century. Alfred D... , the original impetus for founding Omaha became the Council Bluffs & Nebraska Ferry Company in 1853.
Medical Arts Building	17th and Dodge Streets	This Thomas R. Kimball design was constructed in 1926 and demolished in 1999.
Old Post Office Old Post Office (Omaha) The Old Post Office was located at 16th and Dodge Streets in Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1898, the building was demolished in 1966. During the process of being demolished the building, along with the Old City Hall, became a rallying force for historic preservation in Omaha.-About:The Old Post Office...	16th and Dodge Streets	Built in 1898, the building was demolished in 1966, this site was labeled a key historic site by the Federal Writers Project.
Old City Hall Old City Hall (Omaha) The Old City Hall, also known as the Red Castle, located in downtown Omaha, Nebraska was located at the corner of 18th and Farnam Streets. Completed in 1890, the building was demolished 1966 after controversy erupted over landmark preservation in the city...	18th and Farnam Streets.	Completed in 1890, the building was demolished 1966.
Omaha Athletic Club	1714 Douglas Street	This John Latenser, Sr. John Latenser, Sr. John Latenser, Sr. was a Liechtenstein-born American architect whose influential public works in Omaha, Nebraska numbered in the dozens. His original name was Johann Laternser.... building was constructed in 1918 and demolished in 1992, and was labeled a key historic site by the Federal Writers Project.
Omaha Theater	1506 Douglas Street	Originally called the World Theatre, this building was constructed in 1922, and was demolished in 1980.
Rialto Theatre	1424 Douglas Street	This John Latenser, Sr. John Latenser, Sr. John Latenser, Sr. was a Liechtenstein-born American architect whose influential public works in Omaha, Nebraska numbered in the dozens. His original name was Johann Laternser.... building was constructed in 1918 and demolished in 1986.
St. Mary's Academy	2236 St Mary's Avenue	Originally built in 1864
St. Nicholas Hotel	Near 12th and Jackson
The Omaha House	2002 Douglas Street	Built in 1895, this building was demolished in 1965.
Union Pacific Shops Union Pacific Railroad Omaha Shops Facility The Union Pacific Railroad Omaha Shops Facility was a shop for the trains of the Union Pacific located at North 9th and Webster in Downtown Omaha. With the first locomotives arriving in 1865, it took until the 1950s for the facility to become the major overhaul and maintenance facility for the...	9th and Webster Streets	Receiving its first cars in 1865, this facility was demolished in phases starting in 1988, and is now the site of the Qwest Center Omaha Qwest Center Omaha CenturyLink Center is an arena and convention center facility in the North Downtown neighborhood in Omaha, Nebraska. The 1.1 million ft² facility has an 18,300-seat arena, a 194,000-ft² exhibition hall and 62,000 ft² of meeting space.... .
Woodmen of the World Building Woodmen of the World Building (Omaha, Nebraska) The Woodmen of the World Building in Omaha, Nebraska is a former building that was located at 1323 Farnam Street, in Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1912, the Woodmen of the World leased office space there until 1934 when they relocated to the Insurance Building...	1323 Farnam Street	Built in 1912, the Woodmen of the World Woodmen of the World Woodmen of the World is a fraternal organization based in Omaha, Nebraska, United States, that operates a large privately held insurance company for its members.... leased office space there until 1934 when they relocated to the Insurance Building. The building was demolished in 1978.

Other sites labeled as key historic sites by the Federal Writers Project include the Douglas Street Bridge

Ak-Sar-Ben Bridge

The Ak-Sar-Ben Bridge was a truss bridge that was the first road bridge to cross the Missouri River connecting Omaha, Nebraska and Council Bluffs, Iowa...

, Herndon House

Herndon House

The Herndon House, later known as the International Hotel and then the Union Pacific Headquarters, was an early hotel located at Ninth and Farnam Streets in present-day Downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1858 by Omaha pioneer Dr. George L. Miller along with several associates, it was financed by...

, First Territorial Capitol, Diamond Gambling House, Original Union Pacific Headquarters, Joslyn Memorial

Joslyn Art Museum

, Original World-Herald Building, Apex Saloon, St. Nicholas House, Omaha Municipal Auditorium and the Union Passenger Terminal

Union Station (Omaha)

The Union Station, at 801 South 10th Street in Omaha, Nebraska, known also as Union Passenger Terminal, is "one of the finest examples of Art Deco architecture in the Midwest." Designated an Omaha Landmark in 1978, it was listed as "Union Passenger Terminal" on the National Register of Historic...

Transportation

Omaha's main east-west street, Dodge Street

Dodge Street

Dodge Street is the main east–west street in Omaha, Nebraska. Numbered as U.S. Route 6, the street starts in Downtown Omaha and connects to West Dodge Road around 78th Street. From there it continues westward through the remainder of Douglas County....

begins downtown as a westbound one-way offramp

Offramp

Offramp is the Grammy Award winning third album by Pat Metheny Group, released in 1982. The album won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Fusion Performance in 1983.Offramp is the first studio recording on which Metheny used the guitar synthesizer....

from I-480

Interstate 480 (Iowa-Nebraska)

Interstate 480 is an auxiliary Interstate Highway, a mere long, that connects Interstate 80 in downtown Omaha, Nebraska, with Interstate 29 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The portion of I-480 in Nebraska has been named the Gerald R. Ford Freeway, named in honor of the former President, who was a...

right after it crosses the Missouri River

Missouri River

from Iowa

Iowa

Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...

. This route of the former Lincoln Highway in Omaha

Lincoln Highway (Omaha)

The Lincoln Highway in Omaha, Nebraska runs east–west from near North 183rd Street and West Dodge Road in towards North 192nd Street outside of Elkhorn. This section of the Lincoln Highway, one of only twenty miles that were paved with brick in Nebraska, is one of the most well-preserved in...

includes several buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places

National Register of Historic Places

The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...

, including the Kirschbraun and Sons Creamery, Inc.

Kirschbraun and Sons Creamery, Inc.

The Kirschbraun and Sons Creamery is a historic building located at 901 Dodge Street in Downtown Omaha, Nebraska....

at 901 Dodge Street, The Logan at 1804 Dodge Street, and the Simon Brothers Company at 1024 Dodge Street. The street was once lined by the Old Post Office

Old Post Office (Omaha)

The Old Post Office was located at 16th and Dodge Streets in Omaha, Nebraska. Built in 1898, the building was demolished in 1966. During the process of being demolished the building, along with the Old City Hall, became a rallying force for historic preservation in Omaha.-About:The Old Post Office...

. Accommodating U.S. 6 it conjoins with Douglas Street at 30th Street to hold six lanes of two-way traffic.
The City of Omaha is considering developing a light rail

Light rail

Light rail or light rail transit is a form of urban rail public transportation that generally has a lower capacity and lower speed than heavy rail and metro systems, but higher capacity and higher speed than traditional street-running tram systems...

system that would extend from NoDo to the Rosenblatt Stadium/Henry Doorly Zoo

Henry Doorly Zoo

The Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo is a zoo in Omaha, Nebraska, located at 3701 South 10th Street.It is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Its mission is conservation, research, recreation, and education.Omaha's Henry Doorly...

area in South Omaha. The historical Omaha port

Port of Omaha

The Port of Omaha is a port of entry in the United States with facilities on the west side of the Missouri River in Omaha, Nebraska. The official address is located at 5229 Boeing Court in East Omaha. The Port was formally sanctioned by the U.S. Congress in 1888.- About :Founded immediately on the...

site was located in downtown, with dozens of businesses lining the riverside to serve the steamboat

Steamboat

A steamboat or steamship, sometimes called a steamer, is a ship in which the primary method of propulsion is steam power, typically driving propellers or paddlewheels...

s and other water traffic. Jobbers Canyon was originally built here to accommodate river traffic. That same area today is home to Miller's Landing, which is a riverboat excursion launching site, and the new Missouri River Pedestrian Bridge

Missouri River Pedestrian Bridge

The Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge is a footbridge across the Missouri River between Council Bluffs, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska. It opened on 28 September 2008....

that will take walkers to Council Bluffs.

Downtown has been the location of the Union Pacific Railroad

Union Pacific Railroad

The Union Pacific Railroad , headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, is the largest railroad network in the United States. James R. Young is president, CEO and Chairman....

headquarters since its founding in 1865; they constructed a bridge

Union Pacific Missouri River Bridge

The Union Pacific Missouri River Bridge is a rail truss bridge across the Missouri River connecting Council Bluffs, Iowa with Omaha, Nebraska.-History:...

, shops

Union Pacific Railroad Omaha Shops Facility

The Union Pacific Railroad Omaha Shops Facility was a shop for the trains of the Union Pacific located at North 9th and Webster in Downtown Omaha. With the first locomotives arriving in 1865, it took until the 1950s for the facility to become the major overhaul and maintenance facility for the...

and a station

Union Station (Omaha)

downtown for their traffic. In 1989 the railroad combined all of its nationwide operational coordination into the rehabilitated 1892 Harriman Dispatch Center

Union Pacific Harriman Dispatch Center

The Union Pacific Harriman Dispatch Center is located at 850 Jones Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Called "the Bunker" by some, the Harriman is Union Pacific's rail traffic control headquarters, where the movement of more than 850 trains and nearly 36,000 miles of track across the country is...

; in 2002 they opened a new headquarters building

Union Pacific Center

downtown as well. In a similar fashion, the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad

Burlington and Missouri River Railroad

The Burlington and Missouri River Railroad was an American railroad company incorporated in Iowa in 1852, with headquarters in Omaha, Nebraska. It was developed to build a railroad across the state of Iowa and began operations in 1856...

built their headquarters in downtown in 1879, with renowned Omaha architect Thomas R. Kimball redesigning the building extensively in 1899. That company's depot in the downtown area was recently rehabilitated for use as high-end condominium

Condominium

A condominium, or condo, is the form of housing tenure and other real property where a specified part of a piece of real estate is individually owned while use of and access to common facilities in the piece such as hallways, heating system, elevators, exterior areas is executed under legal rights...

Environmental concerns

In 1889 ASARCO

ASARCO

ASARCO LLC is a mining, smelting, and refining company based in Tucson, Arizona that mines and processes primarily copper. The company, a subsidiary of Grupo México, is currently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy...

, a smeltering company, consolidated several plants at the corner of 5th & Douglas Streets in Downtown Omaha. By 1915 it was the largest lead refinery in the world. In 1972 the plant was found to be releasing high amounts of lead into the air and ground surrounding the plant, and in 1995 ASARCO submitted a demolition and site cleanup plan to the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. The company was fined $3.6 million in 1996 for discharging lead and other pollutants into the Missouri River

Missouri River

, and the plant was closed in July, 1997. After extensive cleanup the land was turned over to the City of Omaha

Government of Omaha

The government of the City of Omaha, Nebraska consists of the Mayor of Omaha, the Omaha City Council and various departments of the City of Omaha, which in located in Douglas County, Nebraska. The city of Omaha was founded in 1854 and incorporated in 1857....

for use as a 23 acres (93,077.8 m²) park. All of North Omaha, comprising more than 8,000 acres (32 km²), was declared a Superfund site, and as of 2003, 290 acres (1.2 km²) had been cleaned.

Image gallery

Related publications

Bednarek, J.R.D. (1992) The Changing Image of the City: Planning for Downtown Omaha, 1945-1973. University of Nebraska Press.
Adrian, J.C. Jr. (2006) Downtown Revitalization: Parks in the Sky. Theses from the Architecture Program. Architecture Program at University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
Beals, J. "Magic Number: Third stage in downtown Omaha development charging ahead", Omaha City Weekly. Retrieved 8/21/07.

External links

Downtown Omaha, Inc. website.
Downtown Omaha Business Improvement District website.
"Downtown Omaha", Early Omaha: Gateway to the West. Omaha Public Library website.
Map of NoDo from the Omaha Chamber of Commerce.

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