In KC August 12th

[KCPowercat]

The royals attendance is amazing even in MLB standards...for the product they put on the field.  We'll still probably not be the worst drawing team even though we are the worst team.....in a very small metro for baseball.

[kcdcchef]

true. we will probably be 30 out of 32, or 29th, like normal. we get our attendance fix off the yankees, the cardinals, opening day, and good promos. that helps us best tampa, florida, and usually cincy.

[staubio]

Though it doesn't compare to KC, Omaha is not "boring as hell".  Omaha does a surprisingly good job of attracting touring shows, concerts and special events.  As far as urban districts, they really only have one good one, as I've said, but it is indeed a good one.  Sadly, "midtown" in Omaha is pretty weak.  It gets suburban in a hurry and only Cass and Leavenworth really have a good urban street feel. It is nothing like the mixed corridors like Main and Broadway in KC.

There are some great neighborhoods up north -- probably the best -- but sadly, this is considered the "ghetto" and most people don't ever venture that way.  Some of my favorite streets are the north/south corridors heading that way.

I find things like original local restaurants, diversity, homegrown cultural attractions, etc -- the big city stuff -- as lacking.  Take Omaha and give them the Plaza, Crossroads and Westport and you'd start to have a comparison.

No, Omaha isn't in the same league as KC, but Omaha will surprise you if you give it some effort.  It has some great architecture, a great --albeit still quite commuter oriented-- university in UNO (thanks to those virtuous rich guys pumping money into it), great parks and a solid district in the Old Market.  It just doesn't have enough of anything or any variety.  I lived there for a year and it was enough for me to wear it out.

Props to Omaha.  Like KC, it keeps getting better and better.

[kcdcchef]

what does one do in omaha for fun, go cowtipping? yes it has a great zoo, and the hotel reservation center for every major hotel chain there is, but it is class AAA boring.

[staubio]

what does one do in omaha for fun, go cowtipping? yes it has a great zoo, and the hotel reservation center for every major hotel chain there is, but it is class AAA boring.

What do you do in London, Paris or NYC for fun?

A city is what you make it.  One can make Omaha into a decent place to live, it just takes effort.  You calling it "boring as hell" only shows me that you lack imagination or initiative.

[kcdcchef]

yeah, i guess the hotel reservation thing had no impact on you.

i am sure it is a fine place to live, but it is no threat nor competition to kansas city, was my point.

as far as the lacking commentary, obviusly you have not read my replies elsewhere

[DTO]

I still haven't had time to get the pics up but they are coming.

The Old Market in Omaha isn't the only urban district in Omaha. Like you said Dundee is pretty solid. South 24th St. in Omaha is like driving on Main St. in KC from DT to the Plaza. They even look the same but the influence in Omaha is Mexican. Also the 'ghetto' North Omaha where I live has a lot of stuff happening. On North 24th St. in Omaha around Lake St. is what Omaha has similiar to 18th and Vine. It's not as built up yet but there are Jazz clubs, a ballroom, businesses, and is re-emerging as the focal point of black culture in Omaha. Also Ames St. is pretty active all the time. The whole street is just one club/bar/barbershop/rent-to-own/grocery storre/liquour store/gun store/gun store/liquor store/bar/club/ hangout spot.

Also don't place so much on pro sports teams. Without the Chiefs and Royals would KC be any less great? No.

[staubio]

Is 24th the one that runs just west of I-480.  The developed area is pretty much Pacific to Dodge and there is a supermarket on Leavenworth right next to 480?  I'm just trying to see it in my head to make sure I'm thinking of the right street.

Dundee is okay, but it is really only 2 blocks with a lot of great homes around it.  Is that modern uber-luxery restaurant still open next door to the Del?

[DTO]

24th St. is to the east of 480 where the Joslyn Art Museum is and it runs right through Creighton. 24th St. in DTO is probably the most vacant part of 24th St. actually. Go north or south and it picks up. The Dundee part you're thinking of has grown. I'm not sure what restaurant you're talking about though. They did close the Dinner Theatre though which sucked because I wanted to go.

[kcdcchef]

wait a minute........if you are speaking of the dinner theater i was thinking about, and i doubt they have several, that fucken sucks, it was really good. damn

[DTO]

We are probably talking about the same one. The Dundee Dinner Theatre. It's been in the last 2-3 years that it closed.

Staubio-
What would be the KC equivalent to the Dundee neighborhood?

Sadly, "midtown" in Omaha is pretty weak. It gets suburban in a hurry and only Cass and Leavenworth really have a good urban street feel. It is nothing like the mixed corridors like Main and Broadway in

I wouldn't say Midtown is at all suburban. It's can be mainly residential but it's like Overland Park or west Omaha. They are working on it with the Destination Midtown group. My own job, Mutual of Omaha (would you like some insurance? ), is building a whole new community with condos, apartments, retail, dining, and entertainment on it's underused parking lots. Midtown will get better. Some ot the best and worst of Omaha is in there.

[staubio]

Staubio-
What would be the KC equivalent to the Dundee neighborhood?

I've been thinking about this and I would say the closest match is the area around Gregory and Oak.  There is a small row of shops surrounded by homes with spotty development over to a major corridor.  It is very similar to Dundee.

[KCPowercat]

I've been thinking about this and I would say the closest match is the area around Gregory and Oak. There is a small row of shops surrounded by homes with spotty development over to a major corridor. It is very similar to Dundee.

and not even named in KC....in Omaha it's a major urban district.  Here is #232 of 2323423523 differences between the cities, DTO.

[eomaha.com]

(Man Powercat you've really taken the cue to dive off the sarcastic deep end along with these guys haven't you?)

Dundee describes a pretty large area beyond what is described here... what used to be an incorporated city which was (like what is happening to the city of Elkhorn today) forcibly annexed by the city of Omaha in the early 1900's. 

Have we shared photos of Benson, another former independent city turned 'burrough' which has some nice old architecture... this business district is seeing an exciting resurgence with some cool restaurants, galleries, shops.  I would say a few more years in the direction it is going and it will very much be like an Omaha version of Westport.

(clickable thumbnails...)













Click here for more...

[eomaha.com]

I guess while I'm at it...I should post a few Dundee photos...

(clickable thumbnails...)

[eomaha.com]

A few from the South Omaha business district...

[eomaha.com]

Vinton Street business district

[eomaha.com]

South 13th Street













Sokol Hall, 'birthplace' of most of Omaha's hottest Indy bands

[eomaha.com]

North 24th














Anyway, I could keep posting these... and I'm not suggesting that Omaha some how rivals KC in the number of neighborhoods like this, rather to simply make people aware that it isn't some kind of typical small town grown up, with a nice downtown surrounded only by new sprawling suburbs.  Omaha has many older urban neighborhoods serviced by business districts like these.  It truly is like a -little- 'big midwestern city'... complete with the beautiful historic residential neighborhoods, ethnic districts, ghettos, etc, etc.

[KCPowercat]

just tired of the prevailing theme of these posts....giving a bit back isn't a bad thing IMO.