COMMUNITY PROFILES / CITY OF OMAHA
City Offices
1819 Farnam Street
Omaha, NE 402-444-7000
https://www.cityofomaha.org/
Chamber of Commerce
1301 Harney Street
Omaha, NE 402-346-5000
https://www.omahachamber.org/
Quality of Life
With its prime Midwestern location, Omaha serves as a hub within a four-state area for delightful shopping centers, fine restaurants, fascinating museums, and professional or collegiate competition. Dancing, golfing, tennis, skating, winter sports, boating, fishing, water-skiing, hiking, biking, and camping are just a few of the opportunities for exercise and outdoor enjoyment. Aficionados of the arts can choose from symphony, opera, ballet, musical concerts, chorale performances, big bands, jazz clubs or comedy clubs.
Elegant older homes mingle with luxurious new construction in distinct neighborhoods throughout the metropolitan area. Many residential areas offer quiet, tree-shaded lanes graced by meticulous landscaping and floral accents. In spite of Omaha’s many urban advantages, the friendliness of your new neighbors may be the most pleasant surprise of all. With its small-town atmosphere, Omaha is still a place where newcomers are likely to be greeted with a warm smile, a loaf of bread, or homemade pie.
Services
From the economic environment to health and education, Omaha shines. Balancing the presence of major corporations are family-owned businesses and a strong entrepreneurial spirit. The city offers a per capita concentration of patient care, health education, and research that stands without rival in the United States. Superb healthcare is available through state-of-the-art hospitals and skilled professionals that frequently appear on ‘the best’ lists.
The Omaha Public School District is one of the nation’s finest, ranking among the top five metropolitan area schools on ACT test scores. Serving the outer edge of the city are the districts of Westside Community, Millard Public, and Boys Town. Schools have the advantage of community and local business support, parental participation, and excellent teachers. Opportunities for higher education abound, including two highly acclaimed medical schools. Renowned as a family-friendly environment, Omaha provides everything from special arts and entertainment for kids to the internationally acclaimed Boys Town National Research Hospital.
Omaha Neighborhoods
CENTRAL OMAHA
Stable and filled with hidden treasures, the city’s older neighborhoods like Bemis, Gold Coast, and Blackstone are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Stately mansions mingle with inexpensive, cozy homes with meticulous yards and colorful accents. In Dundee and areas like the Field Club are “Norman Rockwell” scenes with inviting porches and sidewalks where children play.
Elegant homes with lovely finishing touches characterize Fairacres, Loveland, and Happy Hollow. Bordering vast city parks and the lush campus of the University of Nebraska are tree-canopied neighborhoods of handsome homes. The Ak-Sar-Ben neighborhood is the chosen home for the university’s new technology campus, while the spectacular and historic St. Cecilia Cathedral towers over the “cathedral neighborhood.”
Also located in central Omaha are five hospitals and the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus, Mutual of Omaha, the Crossroads Mall, Omaha Community Playhouse, the College of St. Mary, two golf courses, and indoor/outdoor tennis centers. Crowning the recreational amenities is the Keystone Trail, which draws people from across the city.
DOWNTOWN OMAHA
Claiming the grace and charm of the historic Old Market District, downtown Omaha most accurately mirrors the city’s early life. Here, old brick warehouses have been transformed into trendy condominiums, restaurants, shops, and artist’s lofts. Lively, stimulating, and festive, the area is a favored gathering place for local artisans, craftspeople, and musicians. Adding to the historic atmosphere are nostalgic scenes from yesterday, like the gentle rhythm of a horse-drawn carriage against the quaint brick streets.
Local parks welcome kite-flyers, joggers, or those who just want to take a leisurely stroll and absorb the ambiance. Local cafes make wonderful places to socialize and sip a cool drink, while gallery openings draw enthusiastic crowds. Residents of the downtown district enjoy living in close proximity to the finest of cultural venues. Among the facilities are the Orpheum Theater, Durham Western Heritage Museum, Omaha Children’s Museum, Civic Auditorium/Music Hall, Rose Blumkin Performing Arts Center, the Joslyn Art Museum, Bemis Center for Contemporary Art, and Creighton University’s Lied Education for the Arts.
NORTH OMAHA, NORTH HILLS
Those who appreciate country living with city convenience will find attractive homes nestled in rolling terrain, in small communities, on farmland, or on forested river bluffs with breathtaking vistas. Beautiful older homes with porches, surrounded by mature trees, characterize this historical area of Omaha. New residents are drawn to the affordable housing selection, interspersed with newer construction.
The historic Village of Florence was long ago annexed by the City of Omaha, yet retains its small-town flavor along the central district of 30th Street. Beyond Florence is the Ponca Hills area, where larger homes on generous acreage are tucked into wooded hills to offer spectacular views of the Missouri River Valley below. Recreational amenities include Lake Cunningham, complete with marina for renting sailboats, canoes, and fishing boats. NP Dodge Park offers soccer fields and a large Missouri River marina.
Also in this area is Fort Omaha, a military post built in 1878 that now serves as the campus for Metropolitan Community College. Creighton University borders downtown Omaha, and the far north is home to the new World Communications Park filled with high-tech companies.
NORTH WEST OMAHA
In the minds of many developers, the northwest quadrant of the city will serve as the focal point for future growth as the new millennium unfolds. A significant portion of the metropolitan area’s development is expected to occur in this area from Interstate 680 to approximately 168th Street. Here, newcomers will discover a spacious region of sparkling lakes, first-rate recreational amenities, and beautiful homes in a pleasing variety of styles and price ranges.
Many beautiful new homes in lovely neighborhoods are situated near swimming pools, theaters, services, and shopping areas. Young professionals and families can enjoy activities like soccer, hiking, and golf just beyond their own backyards. Northwest Omaha is home to the 18-hole private Champions Golf Club, while Tranquility Park provides an outstanding ice rink and soccer fields. Close to home, both Standing Bear and Cunningham Lakes ensure convenient opportunities for sailing, fishing, and picnicking. Residents can also access the nearby trails for bicycling and jogging.
SOUTH OMAHA
Once settled by the Eastern European immigrants who first came to the Omaha area, the southern quadrant continues the tradition of diversity. Now this colorful heritage continues with the fastest growing ethnic groups in the city, Asian and Hispanic. The housing selection is equally varied, mixing small, well-kept cottages with larger and more luxurious homes throughout southern Omaha. Some homes boast wonderful, rich woodwork, and elaborate Victorian exteriors that have been lovingly restored or maintained.
South Omaha was actually a separate city before its 20th century annexation, so the downtown district still provides shopping and an array of delightful ethnic restaurants. Attractions and opportunities for recreation abound in this part of the city. The Henry Doorly Zoo, the Hitchcock Park and Ice Arena, and the Rosenblatt Stadium—home of the NCAA College World Series—combine to make this neighborhood a popular destination for residents from all corners of the metro area. Other highlights include the beautiful Mount Vernon Gardens, the Chicano Awareness Center, El Museu Latino, the Omaha Livestock Market and Exchange Building, Sokol Hall, Grace University, and the city’s new Botanical Gardens.
SOUTHWEST OMAHA
In addition to welcoming tree-shaded neighborhoods lined with well-kept homes and families with children, southwest Omaha is home to major metro employers. The industrial area clustered along L Street hosts several large and mid-sized companies. Local businesses and companies appreciate the convenience of a strong highway network and nearby Millard Airport. Commercial activity is strong in neighborhood shopping malls that include Westwood Plaza, Bel Air Plaza, Orchard Plaza, and Baker Square. The largest shopping center in the area is Oak View Mall, where department store anchors combine with a myriad of specialty shops and eateries.
Serving as the “capital” of southwest Omaha, the community of Millard was annexed by the city of Omaha. Even though suburban development has surrounded Millard, the community has preserved much of its small-town flavor, spirit, and identity. Housing in the southwest section of Omaha is dominated by newer ranches and modern split-levels, although neighborhoods blend older and more modern developments in a pleasing variety of prices and styles. Recreational opportunities can be found at Zorinsky and Wehrspann Lakes, both created within the last decade. Serving as an urban oasis, the lakes provide public boating, fishing, jogging, bicycling, and soccer fields.
WEST OMAHA
For many years, growth and housing development in Omaha gravitated toward the west—beginning with smaller 1950s bungalows that evolved into larger, more luxurious homes. Most of the area reflects the suburban styling of the city that had its genesis in the 1950s. Commercial centers and shopping plazas line the main thoroughfares, diverting traffic from tree-shaded neighborhoods with winding lanes and quiet cul de sacs. An area known for its beautiful homes, West Omaha claims the city’s first planned community, Regency, with its own lake and tennis club. Two private golf course communities, Highland and Happy Hollow, offer upscale homes in a lovely fairway setting.
West Omaha is home to the Jewish Community Center, which draws visitors from across the metropolitan area. A number of popular shopping centers and malls dot the area, including Westroads, Old Mill, Rockbrook Village, One Pacific Place, Countryside Village, and Regency Court. Boys Town, an internationally famous village with family homes for 500 youth, sprawls along the western edge. The western Omaha corridor, which covers several miles north and south along Dodge Street from Center to Maple Streets, boasts a significant concentration of shopping, offices, and entertainment facilities.
