Omaha RiverFront Market (SEC 8th and Farnam St)

[thenewguy]

hopefully they get after some local flavors to take up occupancy. Few ideas:

-Baker's Candies
-Orsi's (for pizza and breads)
-Ted & Wally's
-Kolache factory
-Dundee Dell
-Lithuanian Bakery
-Lina's
-Eddy's Catering (they used to have a store front, but seem to only do events at the millard social hall; I'd love to be able to get liver dumpling soup any time)
-Greek Islands
-Timeout Foods
-Porky Butts

[swgiust]

Are there any renderings or drawings? I would love to see what it is going to look like!

[nebport5]

Are there any renderings or drawings? I would love to see what it is going to look like!

We all would, but no images have been released publicly yet.

[halgy]

I wonder how the open hours will work. Will it be like the farmer's market, with one or two days a week where everyone shows up with smaller booths? Or will it be permanent, with larger spaces and more normal hours for all the stores?

EDIT: Also, does anyone know why the Brickline's parking garage is always marked as "monthly only"? I know people who live there, and there's always open spots even on the first level. I'd imagine that the market would like to have a bunch of easy parking next door.

[nativeomahan]

I wonder how the open hours will work. Will it be like the farmer's market, with one or two days a week where everyone shows up with smaller booths? Or will it be permanent, with larger spaces and more normal hours for all the stores?

EDIT: Also, does anyone know why the Brickline's parking garage is always marked as "monthly only"? I know people who live there, and there's always open spots even on the first level. I'd imagine that the market would like to have a bunch of easy parking next door.

I believe the plan is for it to be open 365 days per year, absent major holidays. That’s how the other city markets all operate, anyway.

[nativeomahan]

Time will tell, of course, but the people behind this project aren’t in the habit of settling for second best.

[OracleOfOmaha]

I liked the market in Columbus. https://northmarket.org/

Stanley Marketplace in Denver has multiple floors which food and vendors on first floor and some businesses like workout classes or barber shops on second floor, and a fun speakeasy on 3rd floor. https://www.stanleymarketplace.com/

I hope this market is more than the Denver Central Market which is basically just a fancy food hall with a big bar. https://www.denvercentralmarket.com/

[Louie]

I hope this market is more than the Denver Central Market which is basically just a fancy food hall with a big bar. https://www.denvercentralmarket.com/

Fortunately, they are working with a much larger footprint than the Denver Central Market.

[GrowUpFrances]

Time will tell, of course, but the people behind this project aren’t in the habit of settling for second best.

Sure, as long as they make the market a market and not a big dumb robot that fetches me the kale I want.

[windsor]

Photos if the site from this morning

1.
20260726881A4256.jpg

2.
20260726881A4262.jpg

.

Looking at these photos again, it really is a huge site with much potential. I really hope it’s done right and promoted right. The fact work is starting with no public announcement or renderings is concerning. They need to be out in front of this building support from day one. Hype it up already! Don’t be like the streetcars upset poor half |expletive| marketing department. My mind this only has one shot at success or it will be another Rick’s Boaryard.

[iamjacobm]

My main hopes for this:

Please be more actual market than food hall. The food hall concept is already long in the tooth IMO. Vendors with food to take home and use please.

I really hope they activate the lake side part of this lot. There is a pretty dramatic grade change down to the lake and would be great to have some activity down by the water.

[nebport5]

Time will tell, of course, but the people behind this project aren’t in the habit of settling for second best.

Sure, as long as they make the market a market and not a big dumb robot that fetches me the kale I want.

LOL, agreed.

I hope this market is more than the Denver Central Market which is basically just a fancy food hall with a big bar. https://www.denvercentralmarket.com/

Yes, it's a "market" mostly in name and in reality more a pretentious food hall.

My main hopes for this:

Please be more actual market than food hall. The food hall concept is already long in the tooth IMO. Vendors with food to take home and use please.

I really hope they activate the lake side part of this lot. There is a pretty dramatic grade change down to the lake and would be great to have some activity down by the water.

During the community presentation from Heritage they prominently referenced the Winnipeg Market, which similarly has a hotel, children's museum and skating area.

Having both outdoor and indoor seating areas should be a given and perhaps one of those will be next to the lake or maybe overlooking it. I can also imagine some sort of plaza possibly as a go between with the park.

It'll be interesting to see how they utilize both lots. I seem to recall Grow Omaha mentioning housing as a component but that's hard to imagine within the planned three story structure. Maybe that idea was scraped or put on hold or maybe still a possibility in a later phase?

[NEDodger]

Im ok with no housing within this building - imo, the market should be pretty much just that in the building, similar to Pike Place, Reading Market, etc..

Let’s aim the demand for housing towards the 16-story proposed building or a high-rise on the spot of the State of Nebraska building.

[mistergutierrez]

This summer I visited the Saint Lawrence market in Toronto. Two stories in the heart of the city. Fresh produce stores (fruits and vegetables, bakeries, delis, butcher, fish monger...) are mixed with coffee shops and take away restaurants. It has indoor and open tables to eat. Pretty cool.
I visited public markets in Mexico (Abelardo Rodriguez market, Coyoacan market), and in many European cities (La Boquería in Barcelona, San Miguel market in Madrid) but I never saw that concept in English speaking North America.

[Brad]

View of the grading from the Channel 3 City Camera:

Screenshot 2026-08-12 093855.jpg

[BRoss]

Looks like they've cut down the hill. Wonder if it will be three stories on the lake side and just two on the 8th Street side.

[mcarch]

Is this the lot from the original plan that included a restaurant that over hung?

[nebport5]

Is this the lot from the original plan that included a restaurant that over hung?

More or less.

[swgiust]

I still can't believe that they have broken ground and there is not a rendering someplace...

[thenewguy]

maybe it's just going to be parking lot and we are only going to have food trucks.

[stadsborgare]

It's hard to tell from the photo, but upon observing the site in person, they seem to be digging some trenches in certain areas - in other words, they're not just leveling off the ground. Underground parking, or service entrance or something? Or maybe just utilities work.

[Samuel]

It looks like they are starting to level out where the bottom floor will be.

[Brad]

The renderings everyone is hoping to see are coming out tomorrow at a late afternoon press conference

[Garrett]

The renderings everyone is hoping to see are coming out tomorrow at a late afternoon press conference

Amazing! Glad these are finally coming out. Any hints you have that you could drop?

[nebport5]

I was beginning to think that the renderings would become a wish list item for 2027.

[Brad]

The renderings everyone is hoping to see are coming out tomorrow at a late afternoon press conference

Amazing! Glad these are finally coming out. Any hints you have that you could drop?

I've seen nothing. They are announcing the Executive Director and showing renderings. I'll be there to grab some photos.

[jjjjhskr]

The renderings everyone is hoping to see are coming out tomorrow at a late afternoon press conference

Brad, do you know when and where to press conference is?

[Brad]

Its on site, but I am not sure if its open to the public or not?

[Garrett]

I'll just be here checking in every 30 minutes or so until it's posted

[nebport5]

renderings are up on https://www.publicmarketomaha.org/home.

I'll bite my tongue on the design "aesthetics"(it's what is inside that counts)and instead question why the parking lot is adjacent to the "lake"? And the askew orientation of the building I don't see the point.

[nebport5]

[Linkin5]

This looks incredible.

[NEDodger]

A+ home run.

[iamjacobm]

Building looks good if I had my druthers the parking would have been built below grade into the hill rather than surface parking but not the end of the world.

[locoluke]

I'll bite my tongue on the design "aesthetics"(it's what is inside that counts)and instead question why the parking lot is adjacent to the "lake"? And the askew orientation of the building I don't see the point.

Putting the surface lot on the south side allows the market building to be right on the Farnam Promenade. They probably didn't want to put a parking lot between the market and the rest of The RiverFront and the ORBT and OSCAR stops. My complaint is that the parking lot exists in the first place, but you can't win 'em all.

As for the skew, it might work better with the existing/proposed topology. It also makes the building stand out.

[Garrett]

Nice! I get putting the parking where it is since the north side of the lot is on the Farnam Promenade which is more actively programmed compared to the lake. I also wonder if they’ll end up moving the weekly farmers market there.

[JDirte]

Wish it was brick, otherwise looks good.

[Ben]

Wish it was brick, otherwise looks good.

Agreed. Had they gone brick, and along the lines of the Harriman Dispatch Center (UP south of the Old Market), it would have looked like it'd been there forever.

Very interesting that Vic Gutman is listed as a board advisor. This leads me to believe that the Old Market farmers market is agreeing to fold into this new organization / space, as his company runs the farmers markets...

[nebport5]

I'll bite my tongue on the design "aesthetics"(it's what is inside that counts)and instead question why the parking lot is adjacent to the "lake"? And the askew orientation of the building I don't see the point.

Putting the surface lot on the south side allows the market building to be right on the Farnam Promenade. They probably didn't want to put a parking lot between the market and the rest of The RiverFront and the ORBT and OSCAR stops. My complaint is that the parking lot exists in the first place, but you can't win 'em all.

As for the skew, it might work better with the existing/proposed topology. It also makes the building stand out.

I never imagined there would be parking on the promenade side, but with the same entry point it could've been oriented more 8th St adjacent and the southwest corner. More rectangular than a square. It's not that big of a lot. Similarly, if the building was oriented more north/south there could still be promenade and Heartland Park integration with perhaps an even better view of ConAgra Lake.

[ita]

Nice! I get putting the parking where it is since the north side of the lot is on the Farnam Promenade which is more actively programmed compared to the lake. I also wonder if they’ll end up moving the weekly farmers market there.

Just looking at the site plan, what immediately stands out to me regarding the parking lot is that its about the same footprint as the building. I my hopeful mind's eye, the surface lot is oriented there so they can build another building, whether an extension, residential building, etc. in the future, maybe even on top of podium parking garage. Or not, it may just be a parking lot.