Downtown Omaha Living Thread (Papillion, Elkhorn: apartments, condos, hotel)

[ScranBarre]

Hello everyone,

After receiving helpful advice from several Omaha boosters, I am now putting some serious consideration into your beautiful city. Your moderator will be pleased to note that I have taken the liberty of utilizing the search feature to browse other threads regarding downtown, but I think it may prove most helpful to just start one major thread dedicated to boosting the notion of downtown living in Omaha.

From my research the "Old Market" neighborhood looks very promising. I'm a young gay professional who craves living in a historic downtown neighborhood within walking distance to many conveniences such as restaurants, coffee shops, nightlife, arts/culture, churches, etc. It is with a heavy heart that I've finally decided to depart my beloved hometown of Scranton, PA, but the recession has hit our area rather hard; I can't locate many (if any) accounting opportunities here. Nearly all openings are either for senior-level accountants with multiple years of experience or low-paying $12/hr. positions as A/R clerks. I'd need something in between as an accounting intern, entry-level certified public accountant, etc., and it seems as if Omaha offers more opportunity in that area.

What is the Old Market neighborhood like? Rowhomes? Lofts? Victorians? I would love to live in any of the above, but I'd be willing to settle for a condo or loft for a number of years until I'm ready to branch out and adopt some children with my partner. What is the gay scene like in Omaha? I'm a very masculine, "straight-acting" gay guy who likes sports, working out, and politics, so I'm not very concerned with people targeting me for being effeminate, but if I'm out on a date with my partner are we likely to be ostracized? I'm certain folks in the western suburban areas are probably much more conservative socially than folks in the city's core, which seems to be more diverse and progressive, but are residents in Greater Omaha generally accepting of alternative sexual orientations?

Can any accountants in the area give me some professional encouragement? I'll be graduting with my B.S. in Accounting in May 2009, after which point I hope to go on for my Master's Degree. Is there ample opportunity available here?

Besides Old Market, are there any other historic walkable neighborhoods near downtown that I might consider? Is there a "gayborhood" in Omaha?

Thanks in advance for all of your help!

[laserdisque]

The old market is probably the place you would want to be. There is sort of a gayberhood on the southern side of the market with several gay bars clubs etc. One problem with the area is price. All the new construction is probably going to run in the 300 to 400 range with the lofts in the main blocks of the market going up into the low millions. They just put in a new downtown grocery several blocks from the market which is awesome. Omaha is really a city on the rise right now. I love living here. As a musician the music scene is awesome if your into that sort of thing. People in the city center will not care about your sexual orientation. The west side tends to be republican, but people still wont care all that much. Of course you'll always have to deal with the occasional a-hole. whatever. Any more questions?

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by laserdisque

The old market is probably the place you would want to be. There is sort of a gayberhood on the southern side of the market with several gay bars clubs etc. One problem with the area is price. All the new construction is probably going to run in the 300 to 400 range with the lofts in the main blocks of the market going up into the low millions. They just put in a new downtown grocery several blocks from the market which is awesome. Omaha is really a city on the rise right now. I love living here. As a musician the music scene is awesome if your into that sort of thing. People in the city center will not care about your sexual orientation. The west side tends to be republican, but people still wont care all that much. Of course you'll always have to deal with the occasional a-hole. whatever. Any more questions?

Thanks for the prompt reply. It's a big help. As a single young professional (CPA) I'd probably be earning around $45,000 annually to start, so that will probably afford me a 1-BR apartment downtown somewhere until I move up the corporate ladder and/or land a partner with a stable income as well and can afford one of those $300,000-$400,000 Old Market properties. From the research I've done online it looks like a wonderful up-and-coming part of town for younger people.

I'm also intrigued by new developments in Council Bluffs, IA. When the pedestrian bridge is completed I'd feasibly be able to also live there and walk to work in Downtown Omaha. Are there any financial/tax advantages (disadvantages) to living in IA and commuting to NE? How is crime in Downtown Council Bluffs?

[laserdisque]

The taxes in Iowa are cheaper. I know that property tax is lower, as well as gas tax. I think there are plenty of threads about this in the Omaha and Nebraska forums. Another web site that you should look into is eomahaforums.com It is down right this second, but when it is back up you should talk to DTOLuv about urban Omaha living. He will be able to talk your head off about where to live downtown. He will have good advice for you.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by laserdisque

The taxes in Iowa are cheaper. I know that property tax is lower, as well as gas tax. I think there are plenty of threads about this in the Omaha and Nebraska forums. Another web site that you should look into is eomahaforums.com It is down right this second, but when it is back up you should talk to DTOLuv about urban Omaha living. He will be able to talk your head off about where to live downtown. He will have good advice for you.

Thanks. I've noticed that DTO Luv is a very insightful member on here, and I've already come to value his opinions. I'm going to check into Council Bluffs, IA as well. I'd be able to walk to work and play in Downtown Omaha via that new pedestrian bridge, but I'd also be able to enjoy cheaper taxes, lower housing prices, and probably the ability to purchase a small single-family home vs. a loft. I'll check out those forums as well.

[GraniteStater]

Scran Barre,
I think you would like Downtown Omaha near that Old Market neighborhood. It is very urban and lots of new developments are ongoing in DTO.

[kite eating tree]

Skinner Macaroni Apartments Ratings, Reviews, Map, Rents, and other Omaha apartments for rent from ApartmentRatings.com

That's a good place to start for finding less expensive options compared to newer condos. The Macaroni building is in the Old Market (or rather across the street for those that want to be technical) and it hits about $800/mo. There are less expensive lofts as you move west and south that are still within a block or three of the Old Market.

Omaha has two gay newspapers and several gay clubs (located mostly in the Downtown area). The Pride Celebration here is a big deal and when it's going on, the streets get clogged with people. You shouldn't have any issues here.

Another useful resource may be here: GrowOmaha.com Discussion Forum :: Index DTO Luv is a mod there.

[ehenningsen]

Check out:
OmahaNightlife.com : - Omaha Bars & Clubs | Dining | Events Calendar | Concerts
Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce - Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce <-- Just look, there's much more than whats listed
Omaha City Weekly
www.eomahaforums.com <--- updates to current Omaha developments
Grow Omaha :: Economic Development Program <-- same as eomahaforums

There is a whole lot of new construction in DT

Rows of Soma
Rows of Little Italy
Giovanna of Little Italy
32 story condo tower by the name of Wallstreet tower by townsend inc
New 25k-36k stadium in NoDo (North Downtown) and soon to be new Home
of the NCAA mens college world series and other big events
New streetcar system in the makings
Many other apartment/condo opportunities
Midtown Crossing a $300,000,000 condo/apartment/retail/resteraunt/movie scene and etc..
(Mayor Fahey said that $500m - $1000m worth of proposals for NoDo developments are being looked at, this doesn't include anything on this list)
A 15 story condo (almost twin to the one already built) called Riverfront with row housing and such..

Things to do in DT:
Omaha's gay scene (including a very popular and known club called the Max)
Qwest Center (Top concerts (top 20 in the world in concert ticket sales annually), American Idol came by, WWF comes by, Dancing with the Stars, Olympic Swim Trials, NCAA national tournaments and championships, Cirque Du Soliea comes by a few times a year, as well as the blue man group, and much more)
World-Class Holland Performing Arts Center, a $90,000,000 performing arts center that regularly gets performances and plays and broadway plays etc..
Opera OMaha, is a well-established Omaha Opera House
Children's Museum (probably not your style, lol)
Josyln Art Museum, a fantastic art Museum that gets nationally touring art shows..
Saddle Creek Records HQ - Slowdown (ranked as the best club in some category by Esquire magazine for 2007),
Film Streams - an independant movie theater
Ruth Sokolov Theatre - I forgot what this is for, LOL
A Food Network producer is moving here to start a Baker in Dundee
Omaha Beef - An IFL arena football team
Creighton University - The midwests most prestigeous University
Complex system of walking/biking trails..

Council Bluffs, just across the river:
3 casinos (19th largest casino market in the US)
MAC center - another arena with concerts and events
Hooters

Known proposals:
A minneapolis club developer who made 'the myth' in minneapolis wants to build a top quality 3500 person club with a 7000 seat outdoor amphitheatre
Sushi-bar in NoDo

Very Qualified Rumors (Rumors with meat behind it)
New Pac-Life High-Rise
New Hyatt Hotel High-Rise
3 Story Target Center

Known Festivals:
Septemberfest
Jazz on the Green
Cinco De Mayo
Gay Pride Parade
Another Art festival I forgot about, sadly, as it is a top national festival

Notable DT companies:
Union Pacific HQ (Fortune 500 - Emerald building you see in the pictures)
First National Bank HQ (The 44 story high-rise you see in the pictures)
Conagra HQ - Fortune 500
Berkshire Hathaway HQ - Fortune 20 lol
TD Ameritrade HQ - Fortune 1000
Peter Kiewit HQ - Fortune 500
Mutual of Omaha - Fortune 500
Hawkins Construction HQ

Notable non-DT companies:
Valmont industries (another fortune 500 HQ)
Nebraska Furniture Mart HQ (America's largest furniture store)
Omaha Steaks HQ
HDR HQ - top 20 architecture firm
DLR Group HQ - top 20 architecture firm
3 Medical Research facilities, including UNMC (has its own skyline with hospital care and research towers)
Top notch health facilities, currently in a Hospital construction boom that consists of nearly $800,000,000 worth of new construction and expansions..

Notable Food:
Runza's!!!!
Valentinos!!
Steak everywhere!
Make no mistake, Omaha is a very established and well known resteraunt haven, with many great resteraunts..
Fatburger
Cheesecake Factory
PJ Changs
Kona Grill
Old Chicago
Zio's Pizza
Big Freds Pizza
Roja's Mexican
El Aguila Mexican
La Casa's (Great and well known unique pizza)
Upstream (Won three medals in a world brewing competition, one in DT)
There's many many many more, you'll have to look at the guide

Sports:
Omaha Beef
Creighton Univeristy - Basketball, Soccer, Baseball - Division 1
University of Nebraska at Omaha - Hockey - Division 1
AAA baseball - Omaha Royals (we'll see if they stay)
Lancers Hockey - Jr hockey league team


Notable Non-DT Areas:
Very nicely built and renovated South Omaha district, a known mexican district
Old Mill - A complex area of companies near I-680, Dodge and 108th street
Village Pointe - An outdoor mall near 168th and Dodge
South Pointe - An outdoor mall in Papillion that is nearly 900,000sq ft and includes a Fatburger

[kdbrich]

So you're not allowed to live in certain areas if you're not gay? Or only certain areas if you are?

[ehenningsen]

I live near Elkhorn

Downtown is just a much heavier concentration of them, and has a very nice gay scene..