Omaha Exploration

One of the projects I am most excited about is the conversion of Central Park Plaza from office space to residential. Before it opened in 1980 the buildings at 15th and Douglas were referred to as the Downtown Two Towers Office Complex. Its new name, of course, was inspired by the new Central Park Mall (now Gene Leahy Mall) to its east.

The twin towers were connected on the lower two levels. The project included a parking garage where the World Theater used to sit to its north. The tenants of the 15-story building were Conagra and InterNorth (Norchem). Conagra would move from its headquarters at 36th Farnam. They would go on to build a new HQ in 1989 after demolishing the 24 buildings that made up the Jobbers Canyon Historic District. That’s a subject we’ll explore another time. If InterNorth is not a name you are familiar with, they would go on to become Enron. 

The developer said that the towers were designed so as to not be too flashy, modern or old fashioned. When it opened in 1982 it was said to represent the rebirth of downtown Omaha. In subsequent years it was the home to U.S. Bank, First National Bank, Norwest Bank, US West, OPPD and FirstComp Insurance among others. 

In an attempt to revitalize the 16th Street corridor which had a history of retail stores including Brandeis, the three story Parkfair Mall was constructed in 1983 on the western side of the towers. The mall was also intended to compete with enclosed shopping centers to the west including The Center and Crossroads. The failed project closed as a shopping mall in 2004 and was utilized as office space before being converted to an enclosed parking garage one year later. 

It seems that Omaha was pursuing an interconnected skylink system of bridges at the time similar to what you find in downtown Minneapolis and Des Moines. To that end, the parking garage was connected to the office buildings while the Parkfair Mall was connected to the Brandeis building on the western side of 16th Street. It was referred to as the missing link to Omaha’s fledgling skywalk system at the time. 

In 2024 it was announced that NuStyle Development would undertake one of the city’s largest ever residential projects in its urban core. The plan to convert the building into 700 residential units called The Duo. NuStyle has been involved in some of the most ambitious residential projects in Omaha including the conversion of Saint Joseph Hospital to the Atlas Apartments and the old power plant near the Missouri River to the Breakers apartments. The Duo project was the result of the streetcar system that is currently in development. The company said that before the streetcar, they did not think this section of downtown could sustain more market rate apartments. Sullivan’s Steakhouse is expected to stay and will be joined by retailers along the ground floor.

As a part of the project, the two towers will be joined by a connector that extends to the top of the building. The project also includes razing of the old Parkfair Mall which will be replaced by a new parking garage that has apartments above them. The project is expected to be completed by 2027.

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