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River’s Edge Phase Four Nears Completion But Opening Delayed
Southwest Iowa Nonprofit for Collective Impact celebrated a major milestone Tuesday as donors, community leaders and project partners gathered for a sneak peek and ribbon cutting of Rivers Edge Phase Four. The $60 million project is privately funded. The event celebrated three signature amenities to River’s Edge Park in Council Bluffs. The project includes the MidAmerican Energy Adventure Tower, Ty and Linda Heithoff Borman Treetop Walk and the Charles E. Lakin Foundation Pier. Despite the ribbon cutting, the projects are not quite ready to open to the public. Located along the Missouri River at the foot of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, River’s Edge has transformed dramatically over the past two decades. What began with environmental restoration efforts in 2007 has grown into a public destination that attracts residents and visitors with trails, events and connections to downtown Omaha. SINC led the fundraising and project management efforts for River’s Edge Phase Four. The...
Change in City Policy Leads to Street Mural in Little Bohemia
Artist Eric Conner recently painted a horizontal “mural” on the intersection of 13th & William Street in Little Bohemia, brining a fresh kind of artwork to Omaha’s public streets for the first time under a new city policy. The project was a collaboration between We Make Omaha, Local Artists Local Art, Omaha by Design, the 13th Street Business Improvement District and the City of Omaha’s Planning and Public Works departments. The mural was the first project to move through the city’s Policy for the Installation of Colored Pavement (“street art”) on Public Streets, a framework developed by the Public Works Department to create a clear, consistent permitting process for street art on public right-of-way. The Little Bohemia project serves as a pilot, helping the city test and refine the policy before it is more broadly available. We Make Omaha, the city's public engagement effort, helped initiate the project after community members across the city consistently called for more art in...
Summerfest Returns to Council Bluffs Riverfront
The City of Council Bluffs will kick off the summer season with Summerfest on Friday, June 5, from 6 to 10 p.m. at Tom Hanafan River’s Edge Park. This free event will feature live music, a drone show, food trucks, local vendors and other activities. Summerfest has become one of the metro area’s signature summer events, drawing thousands of attendees to the Council Bluffs riverfront each year. The evening’s highlight will take place at dark, around 9:40 p.m., when Fantasy Drone Shows will launch a 20-minute drone show featuring 400 drones lighting up the night sky. The best viewing area is near the amphitheater stairs. Summerfest activities include: A foam party and giant bubbles hosted by the Council Bluffs Public Library A live art and creativity zone hosted by Pottawattamie Arts, Culture & Entertainment Recreation activities including baseball, football, soccer and yard games provided by the Parks and Recreation Department and the Charles E. Lakin YMCA A mobile exhibit from the...
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GreenState Credit Union is growing its footprint in the Omaha metropolitan area. Organized in 1938, GreenState has grown to become one of the top financial institutions in the United States for returning profits to members in the form of better rates and lower fees*. As a Midwest-based institution, that means your money stays local and supports the communities where you live, work, and spend. Learn more and find a branch near you at GreenState.org.
*source: Callahan & Associates data as of 12/31/25
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Omaha Cuts the Ribbon Today on New Central Library
Omaha’s Central Library opens to the public today on the southwest corner of 72nd & Dodge Street. Mayor John Ewing will cut the ribbon at 12:30 p.m. The $158 million library marks the largest private investment in a public library system in the United States in many years. It is the first public library in the country to have an “Automated Storage and Retrieval System,” a 3-story, secured, climate-controlled system can store more than 600,000 materials, allowing the library system to grow its collection without being limited by shelf space in branches. The library combines traditional library services with state-of-the-art amenities, including the integration of the former Do Space into the Omaha Public Library system (with 3D printers, sewing and quilting machines, a video studio, podcast studio and more). The genealogy and local history sections are on the 3rd floor, offering a large space for anyone researching their family or community’s history. Counting a mezzanine level...
Omaha Ranks #2 Among Top Cities for Recent College Grads
Omaha has been ranked the second-best large city in America for recent college graduates looking to start their careers. Glassdoor and Redfin published a report Tuesday ranking the nation’s largest cities for recent college graduates based on 13 indicators across three categories: housing affordability, career opportunity and quality of life, according to CNBC. The data came from an analysis of Glassdoor’s job postings, employer reviews and salary data for early-career workers as well as Redfin’s property sales from last year. Washington, D.C. was the only city to rank higher than Omaha. Regarding Omaha, Chris Martin, senior economist at Glassdoor, said, “One of Omaha's main draws is its "really diverse labor market. In addition to being a major health-care hub for new grads, it's also home to Fortune 500 companies like Berkshire Hathaway and Union Pacific. Beyond its range of job opportunities, early-career workers enjoy a high quality of life in Omaha.” The Glassdoor and Redfin...
MidAmerican Energy Adventure Tower & Missouri River Pier Nearing Completion
The MidAmerican Energy Adventure Tower and the Charles E. Lakin Pier are on schedule for completion this June along the Council Bluffs Riverfront. Grow Omaha toured the two structures this week along with Pete Tulipana, president and CEO of Southwest Iowa Nonprofit for Collective Impact (SINC), which is developing the projects, and representatives from Lueder Construction, the general contractor. Omaha-based HDR designed both projects. Construction first began in November 2024. The tower is 138 feet tall and located just north of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. The pier is under construction between Interstate 480 and Harrah’s Casino. The MidAmerican Energy Adventure tower is nestled among Missouri River cottonwood trees on the wet side of the levee. The tower is accessible from the Bob Kerrey bridge via an elevated walkway known as the Treetop Walk. The tower is being built above the flood zone, at the levee system’s elevation, to allow opportunities for use when the Missouri...
NAI NP Dodge Announces Kristi Andersen as President
NAI NP Dodge today announced the appointment of Kristi Andersen as president, effective April 20. NAI NP Dodge is the commercial brokerage division of NP Dodge, Omaha’s largest full-service real estate company. Andersen brings a diverse background to NAI NP Dodge, having served as a top-producing commercial real estate agent, communications consultant and active community leader. She succeeds Deb Graeve-Morrison, who is retiring after 16 years with NP Dodge. Prior to joining NAI NP Dodge, Andersen served as a vice president at both CBRE and Colliers in Omaha. She focuses on leasing and selling office, industrial and retail properties for landlords and tenants. She has represented a wide variety of clients, from small business owners to Fortune 500 companies, and has led millions of dollars in successful real estate transactions. She has also been named a CoStar Power Broker. She will continue to actively represent commercial real estate clients in her role as president. In this role,...
City Council Unanimously Supports Union Omaha Stadium Development
The Omaha City Council unanimously supported the Union Omaha stadium and mixed-use development redevelopment plan in this week’s meeting. After agreeing to delay the vote to approve the Tax Increment Financing application last week, the city council voted 7-0 to approve the plan. Some concerns voiced last week including potential environmental remediation and the city’s purchase of the land before the State of Nebraska’s approval of the turnback tax package were reiterated, but all members have indicated that they fully support the project and believe the economic and community benefits once completed. The developers’, which include Union Omaha’s ownership and Hines, a Houston-based real estate development company, are on a tight timeline for approvals. They are wanting to start construction on the $125 million, 6,500-seat stadium in the fall with an anticipated opening for the 2028 season that spring. While the project hinges on the state’s approval of the $25 million turnback tax...
First Quarter 2026 Commercial Real Estate Market Remains Strong
NAI NP Dodge, the commercial real estate division of N.P. Dodge, produces a report on Omaha’s commercial real estate market each quarter. Below are some highlights from the first quarter of 2026. Office The 48.5 million sq. ft. Omaha office market ended the 1st quarter of 2026 with a vacancy rate of 7.7 percent, which was up from last quarter. Absorption over the past 12 months was 79,00 sq. ft. Rental rates were down slightly to $25.76. Approximately 1.8 million sq. ft. of office space is under construction at this time, more than last quarter. Retail Approximately 65.3 million sq. ft. of retail space was considered for this report, which is based on CoStar data. At this time, 480,000 sq. ft. of retail space is under construction, which is about the same as last quarter. Vacancy went up to 4.6 percent. Rental rates were $18.72 per square foot. The 12-month net absorption was -66,800 sq. ft. at the end of the quarter, down from the previous period. Industrial Omaha’s industrial...
City Council Considers Tax Increment Financing for Union Omaha Stadium
The Omaha City Council heard public testimony this week on the anticipated Union Omaha stadium Tax Increment Financing application. Following the public hearing, the council was scheduled to vote on the resolution to approve the application for about $49 million in TIF to help finance the more than $300 million project but voted 5-2 in favor of laying over the vote one more week. Several council members wanted additional time to review information regarding the environmental condition of the site and the financial stack that was provided the morning of the city council meeting. Council members voiced concerns about the possible environmental issues, but a full geotechnical drilling cannot be done until the city takes ownership of the property, which is anticipated to occur by the end of the month. Jennifer Taylor, a city attorney, explained that the city has a fairly good idea about the potential environmental concerns based on the city’s experience developing the CHI Health...
Upscale Department Store Could Be Heading to Village Pointe
An upscale department store could be heading to the Village Pointe area, but detailed information is scarce. A building permit was filed late last month, calling for the “demolition of an existing restaurant building” and “Construction of a two-story luxury department store totaling 40,000 sq. ft.” The address provided is 225 North 170th Street, which according to Douglas County public records, is tied to the freestanding retail buildings on the east side of Village Pointe Shopping Center, including the Best Buy, Nordstrom Rack and Bentley buildings plus two restaurant buildings that were previously Kona Grill and Johnny’s Italian Steakhouse. The Johnny’s building is expected to reopen soon as KPOT Korean BBQ & Hot Pot. The Kona building is vacant and listed for lease. Representatives for RED Development, which handles leasing work for Village Pointe, said they had no knowledge of any buildings being demolished nor of any construction plans for a department store. RED sold...
Businesses on Streetcar Route Balance Short-Term Pain with Long-Term Gain
Omaha’s streetcar project is designed to connect key parts of the city and drive long-term economic growth, but as construction continues, business owners and developers say the short-term impacts remain significant. Mike Moylan, president and CEO of Shamrock Development, has been involved with the project since its early stages and said its long-term vision is strong. “I’ve been around the project since its inception and the plan that is in place now is exceptional, because we are connecting two of our biggest economic drivers in the metropolitan area from the med center down to downtown Omaha,” Moylan said. He described the streetcar as more than a transit project, calling it a strategic investment intended to spur development along its route. “This is a transportation corridor to spur economic development,” he said, comparing it to the growth seen along West Dodge Road west of 114th Street. “Look what’s happened along the corridor from 114th to Elkhorn. We have the nicest office...
Omaha Metro Area Continues to Lag in Tech Jobs
The Omaha metro area continues to lag in information and technology jobs. The Aksarben Foundation released a new Nebraska Tech Workforce Dashboard highlighting keys trends in Nebraska. The dashboard was created with the help of the University of Nebraska’s Center for Public Affairs Research. The dashboard provides easy-to-digest, real time data regarding state and local trends affecting the tech workforce and hiring. Data points include demographics, demand, population trends and job growth. According to the data, the metro area, which includes Douglas, Sarpy, Washington and Dodge counties, has experienced a consistent decline in tech-sector jobs, falling from a high of 19,639 in 2017 to 17,391 in 2025. Much of that drop occurred from 2020-2025, with the metro losing nearly 10 percent of tech jobs. This occurred despite the fact that 15 of Nebraska’s top 20 tech employers are based in the Omaha area. According to data collected by the Computing Technology Industry Association, in...
Upscale Build-to-Rent Developments Address Omaha Housing Shortage
Two build-to-rent neighborhoods are changing the way people live in west Omaha while helping alleviate the metro area’s chronic housing shortage. Aerie Blue Sage, located at 204th & Blue Sage Parkway west of Elkhorn South High School, is partly completed and already home to hundreds of residents. Aerie Heartwood Preserve is under construction southwest of 144th & Pacific Street with first units available by this September. Build-to-rent developments are relatively new to Omaha. Instead of a traditional apartment complex, these neighborhoods offer a variety of housing options such as single-family homes, apartment villas, townhomes and cottages. These rental communities offer the privacy associated with single-family houses with the flexibility and maintenance-free lifestyle of traditional apartment living. Construction on Aerie Blue Sage started in the summer of 2024. The first residents moved in more than a year ago, but construction continues on another phase on the...
Omaha Grows by Nearly 1% According to Latest Census Bureau Data
The Omaha metro area grew by nearly 1 percent over the past year, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released today. The updated population estimates cover the period from July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025. The 8-county Omaha Metropolitan Statistical Area grew from a population of 1,000,266 in 2024 to 1,009,836 in 2025. That’s a net gain of 9,570 people and a healthy growth rate of .96 percent. The average growth rate for all U.S. metro areas was only about .5 percent. The nation has 423 metro areas, and each one of them is comprised of counties as determined by the Census Bureau. The feds have declared five counties in Nebraska and three in Iowa comprise the Omaha NE-IA Metropolitan Statistical Area. Here’s a look at how each of those counties grew from 2024 to 2025: Douglas (NE) 606,460 = +.92% annual growth Sarpy (NE) 208,303 = +1.85% annual growth Pottawattamie (IA) 92,996 = -.29% annual Cass (NE) 27,657 = +.57% annual growth Saunders (NE) 23,702 = +1.1% annual growth Washington...
