Omaha has long been known as one of the steadiest commercial real estate markets in the Midwest. It’s little surprise, then, that the mood was an upbeat one during the 10th annual Omaha Commercial Real Estate Conference held Nov. 13 by Midwest Real Estate News.
The event, held at the Embassy Suites LaVista — Omaha Hotel & Conference Center, attracted a big crowd eager to hear the good news coming from Omaha’s commercial real estate market.
And what did they year? Several of Omaha’s sectors remain strong performers, including multifamily, industrial and retail. Each of these sectors continues to see high demand from tenants and investors.
Yes, the office market here is sluggish. That, too, is no surprise. The office sector continues to struggle across the United States. But even this sector is seeing positive signs, especially as more people return to the office at least on a part-time basis.
New development remains steady in the Omaha market, too, with several major projects set to enhance the city, from its downtown core to its far-flung suburbs.
The conference also offered attendees the chance to mingle and network with their fellow CRE pros. That, of course, is a main benefit of Midwest Real Estate News’ many conferences and events.
The conference kicked off with keynote speaker Jacquelyn Morrison, Senior Deputy Chief of Staff, Economic Development and Development Services with the City of Omaha. Morrison spoke about the many big developments still taking place in the city.
The first panel of the event was the Multifamily/Apartment Market Update and Forecast. Not surprisingly, speakers on this panel were optimistic about the future of the multifamily sector in the Omaha market, as demand remains high for rental housing. Speaking on this panel were Ralph DePasquale, Managing Director, Berkadia; Alicia Reed, Executive Vice President of Affiliated Assets, SELDIN, LLC; Tim Coonan, Vice President, Hubbell Realty Company; Scott P. Moore, Partner, Baird Holm, who served as the panel’s moderator; Brett West, Vice President Real Estate Development, Assurity; and Sara A. McCue, Partner, Baird Holm.
The Omaha Market Sector Update panel focused on the challenges and successes of the other major commercial sectors in Omaha. Participating were Nicole Boatwright, Business Development Manager, Turner Construction Company; Samuel Rolfe, Associate Broker, The Lerner Company; Charles McNeil, Vice President, Nebraska Brokerage Services, Colliers; Luke Maher, National Account Manager, First American Title Insurance Company, the panel’s moderator; J.P. Raynor, Broker, Investors Realty, Inc.; and Jenn Kanne Morris, Market Manager, Great Southern Bank.
Omaha is still seeing a significant amount of new development. This was the focus of the Transforming Downtown and Suburban Development—Game Changers panel, which featured speakers Brayden Mussman, Leasing Specialist, Noddle Companies; Greg Frayser, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, WRK Real Estate; Amy Thompson, Director of Campus Development, University of Nebraska Medical Center; Jason Lanoha, President/CEO, Lanoha Real Estate Company; and Jon Blumenthal, Attorney, Chair Real Estate Group, McGrath North, the panel’s moderator.
