Most important thread: What is YOUR opionions of the city that I treasure (Omaha metro)?? (Lincoln: houses)

[ehenningsen]

your in the wrong thread...

[Cordor]

Oh no I don't think I am. I was responding to your statement in which you said about how the weather has changed here in that we have colder summers and warmer winters. I then gave a response about maybe its global warming. Sorry I didn't mean to confuse you.

[Isaysos]

I like how Downtown Omaha looks from Across the river in Council Bluffs, espcially with the casinos along the river. Those homes look alot like what we have in St. Paul. However, Omaha is pretty bland and boring compared to what Im used to in the Twin Cities as far as night life or other amenities I guess, so I would deffinatly not want to live there.

[DTO Luv]

I have plenty of friends who moved up to Minneapolis and came back to Omaha and compared it favorably. Minneapolis is fine but it's not Chicago.

[MattDen]

I have been to Minneapolis many, many times and also Omaha many, many times.

In both cities the downtown proper when I was there on many occasions for both places was mainly people waiting on buses. When I was walking on Nicollet from Loring Park to the light-rail at 8pm at night I noticed very, very few people out there.
I saw lots of people waiting for buses at (6th or 7th) and a few people walking their dogs. Overall, personally to me not interesting.

Omaha 16th street is the same people waiting on their evening buses, overall not impressive either.

The nightlife in both cities is below average in my opinion. Minneapolis has Uptown and Dinkytown which I have not been impressed with and this wasnt the winter time either. Omaha has very, very little nightlife downtown and a majority of it is in the suburban-like newer areas of west Omaha so that means people have to drive to get to around. Downtown Omaha is very, very weak of nightlife also.

As far as Omaha and Minneapolis arts both are above average but how often are people going to go to the museum usually not every weekend.

Both Omaha and Minneapolis overall have very bland neighborhoods with a few exceptions in my opinion. Minneapolis doesnt tend to have alot of retail places compared to most cities in their neighborhoods which is a minus and my opinion was bad planning in the past.

Overall, both cities could use alot more energy as far as nightlife and neighborhoods. Although both cities have very strong arts communities.

[Isaysos]

What cities are you comparing Mpls to if you think it is bland! Yeah, its not like New York or Chicago but geezz. If you dis like most places and say they are "boring and bland" then why the heck are you moving to Ohio!?!

[MattDen]

In response,

Im just not impressed with a majority of Minneapolis neighborhoods I like the area around Loring Park, Uptown and Dinkytown and the area along Nicollet downtown during the day. Alot of Minneapolis is small wooden homes with very little retail with some exceptions (I love the architecture and character around Loring Park and in some of the other neighborhoods but overall not impressed with a majority of it). They segregate retail and residential more in Minneapolis then other places which reduces vibrancy of the neighborhoods. Omaha tends to lack the amount of retail on the east-side also compared to other cities, but it is getting better with the slow, steady improvement of the eastern neighborhoods.

Omaha and Minneapolis both in my opinion have historically and even now have been weak on most of the neighborhoods. They seem to be more downtown cities then neighborhoods ones. I prefer neighborhood cities personally because they are more personable and laid-back. Minneapolis has alot of friendly, nice people as does Omaha but both cities just seem very stuffy with being so downtown centric.

I like Ohio because Columbus might not be the most impressive place but the neighborhoods in my opinion are more entertaining and more vibrant then Minneapolis. Also, I like the fact Ohio isnt isolated and Dayton, Cincinnati, metro Detroit, Cleveland and Pittsburgh (one of my favorite cities) is just a couple of hours away.

With Minnesota the only somewhat entertaining place outside of the Twin Cities in my opinion is St. Cloud an hour up the road. For some reason St. Cloud is my favorite city in Minnesota, followed by St. Paul.

[Minnehahapolitan]

MattDan, MattDen. You'r favorite city in Minn. is Saint Cloud? I personally do not like strip malls, falling drunk into the Mississippi or being abducted by priests. H ell, It beats Mpls and Omaha. But to get your stance on Nebr., we should evacuate the entire Nebr. prairie and move them to Omaha, because everyone in Nebraska hates Omaha and drains the very life from it. (replace them with illegal Mexicans who would be flown in daily from Denver, right?) Then we should abandon Omaha because it is a boring, lifeless slum of wooden frame houses. I love Ohio too, but you are rude and insolent if you think you should come on this website and degrade my birthplace and hometown or thiers. Can anyone here say DISPLACEMENT?

[MattDen]

I like Omaha it has alot of advantages. Great suburban areas and West Omaha is very nice. The retail density is just about right, they have good amenities in West Omaha. Also, Omaha despite having some issues lately is a low violent crime rate city for a city of its size. Also for people wanting a rural setting close by Omaha tends to transition rural very quiickly. It also has a very, very good road infrastructure. So I do think overall Omaha is nice but its got alot of faults especially on alot of its neighborhoods and vibrancy. Omaha also has a better economy then most midwestern cities, which regionally most are struggling.

Even the parks system in Omaha is very good. Memorial Park and the University of Nebraska Omaha campus is very, very nice and a great urbanesque neighborhood.

Omaha is very weak though on the neighborhoods for the most part in the eastern part of Omaha. I dont think the area around along Dodge from Downtown to University of Nebraska area is anywhere close to being the vibrant neighborhood the locals tout it is being though.

Downtown Omaha is very business like and corperate just like Minneapolis. They both are very, very prosperous places. However, Omaha's downtown retail scene leaves much to be desired and the cultural scene could be much better. They lack of the size of the districts of other cities. By districts I mean a cultural district, entertainment district, retail district. Omaha has a very nice arena and convention center but the fact of the matter is that other then the parking lot there isnt much to keep people in that area once their performance or trade show is over.

On rural Nebraska I do think that the state allocating anything to rural Nebraska for the most part is a waste. Ive been through rural Nebraska and other then some manufacturing and agriculture the area just has very, very to offer. They do have some widely isolated of topographical appeal but overall what good is topographical appeal if the nearest medium sized retail selection is many hours away. Its just a seems like a waste keeping up a roads system and school system for such a very, very small population. Omaha should always come first, its economy and infrastructure will not be as strong as it otherwise would be if they continue to not put Omaha first and pander to the rural areas.

St. Paul is more then just strip malls. They have a large cultural scene because of the university there, the downtown is fairly nice, its easy to get around in, the people are very friendly and its a very well planned, bicycle friendly community. I also like the proximity to the Twin Cities because even though I would never want to live in Minneapolis I always liked Loring Park area, Uptown, Dinkytown great neighborhoods to bad Minneapolis doesnt have more neighborhoods like those.

[Isaysos]

MattDen, your forgetting the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul where I live. It has a good communtiy feel and there are 5 private colleges in a 3 mile radius. Lots of nice shops and restaurants in near by Grand ave and the ford plant area. The Cathedral and many museums are not that far. If you want to go out at night, downtown Minneapolis is within view from my neighborhood you culd drive or walk to Hiawatha across the river and take the light rail. I would for sure pick St. Paul over St. Cloud or Columbus!!