- Record-breaking height: Mutual of Omaha's new downtown headquarters has reached its pinnacle at 677 feet, officially making it the tallest building in Nebraska and Iowa
- Downtown construction boom: the new tower is part of a larger wave of development transforming downtown Omaha, which includes a new streetcar, additions to the CHI Health Center, and new apartment buildings
- Project timeline: the building is expected to be completed later this fall, with a targeted opening date of November 2026
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) – Mutual of Omaha is celebrating a major construction milestone as its new downtown headquarters reached its pinnacle at 677 feet, making it the tallest building in Nebraska and Iowa.
After three years of construction, the tallest beam is now in place. Drake Williams Steel manufactured the beam.
"It's an exciting ceremony, so any big project like this, we're always gonna have a top out now ceremony," Derrick Fitton, CEO and president of Drake Williams Steel, said.
Architect Jon Pickard, founding principal of Pickard Chilton Architects, said he has been working on the project for about six years. He showed me the rendering in front of the actual tower.
"So, we put together a few ideas ... and here we are today in this magnificent site," Pickard said.
Downtown Omaha is undergoing a construction boom, including the streetcar, additions to the CHI Health Center, and new apartment buildings like the Duo.
Saul Romo, who was on a trip from Los Angeles, said the changes remind him of home.
"Feeling a little bit, like I'm in Los Angeles, it's got that cosmopolitan feel," Romo said.
With all the changes, it is easier for neighbors to lose track of how long the tower has been under construction.
"Yeah, it took it really feel like it took a year for real. Like, they got done with that fast, fast. And that thing is huge," Keniya Burton said.
The huge tower is now a defining feature for Omaha's skyline.
"You know, I think it's a great milestone for the city. Change in the skyline for sure and hopefully it helps bring more activity to downtown," Alex Hayes, senior vice president of Mutual of Omaha, said.
Construction is expected to be complete later this fall, with a targeted opening date of November 2026.
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