Gene Leahy Mall
Encyclopedia
Gene Leahy Mall, also known locally as Central Park or The Mall, is a 9.6 acres (38,849.9 m²) 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 horseshoe pit, and an amphitheater where outdoor concerts are held in the summer. The mall is decorated with thousands of lights during the winter holiday season. Connected on its eastern edge with the Heartland of America Park
, it is also borders the W. Dale Clark Library, the former Burlington Headquarters Building
, the Old Market and the ConAgra campus.
, and is regarded as being a major impetus for the redevelopment of downtown into a thriving commercial, residential and cultural center in Omaha. In 2005 a major redevelopment process began focused on redesigning The Mall and several areas surrounding the Old Market. However, as recently as August 2007 there was public concern over the lack of maintenance by the City of Omaha.
Downtown Omaha
Downtown Omaha is the central business, government and social core of the Omaha-Council Bluffs metropolitan area, and is located in Omaha, Nebraska. The boundaries are 20th Street on the west to the Missouri River on the east and the centerline of Leavenworth Street on the south to the centerline...
, Nebraska
Nebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
and 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 Mall is encircled by a long pathway that wraps around a large lagoon. There are also waterfalls, two huge slides, a horseshoe pit, and an amphitheater where outdoor concerts are held in the summer. The mall is decorated with thousands of lights during the winter holiday season. Connected on its eastern edge with 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...
, it is also borders the W. Dale Clark Library, the former 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...
, the Old Market and the ConAgra campus.
About
Originally conceptualized in the 1970s, the Gene Leahy Mall was named after Omaha Mayor Eugene A. LeahyEugene A. Leahy
Eugene A. "Gene" Leahy was Mayor of Omaha, Nebraska from 1969 to 1973. Gene Leahy Mall in Downtown Omaha is named after him. His unorthodox style endeared him to many Omahans...
, and is regarded as being a major impetus for the redevelopment of downtown into a thriving commercial, residential and cultural center in Omaha. In 2005 a major redevelopment process began focused on redesigning The Mall and several areas surrounding the Old Market. However, as recently as August 2007 there was public concern over the lack of maintenance by the City of Omaha.