OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — On the northwest corner of 14th and Leavenworth Streets sits a building that might not grab your attention — except for the Hollywood Candy ambulance and vintage yellow Omaha streetcar out front.
Curious, 3 News Now connected with the owners. A group of born-and-raised Omaha friends rents the building, which dates back to the late 1800s, for visitors, staycations and events. As much as we were surprised about what's inside, what's on top of the building is quite unique.
Jim Kristl co-owns the Downtown Omaha Oasis:
"It's a little over 10,000 square feet of rental space that's here — 4,500 on the interior. And it's another 6,000 then on the rooftop. (It) sleeps 20 and can have 250 comfortably."
The vision is to give people a place to have that Omaha vacation that they can't have anywhere else.
The thing that gets me right away, every time, even when I'm pulling up to the building and I see a big, yellow streetcar outside and I'm going, 'This used to be in downtown?'
And when you walk in, you're saying, 'Okay, I like the decor. It feels very traditional.' Well now, here's the Storz bar done as a speakeasy downtown because that's a great piece and memory from Omaha that people want to enjoy.
The main bar itself is really what's original to it. Everything else was added to try to complement it.
Off the main entryway, everybody needs a place to watch a movie. A nice, throwback traditional-style theater. I love how the curtains set up there, and it's a nice way to unwind whether you're on the first floor or in the balcony.
The bar on the rooftop actually was from the Rivercity Riverboat. So, when that had reached its end, the bar from the top is now put on the roof, next to, of course, our 1974 Streamline RV. It's just an eclectic blend of different pieces of conversation.
We did put the 8-person hot tub on the roof, as well, because who doesn't want to unwind while looking at the Woodmen, and at the First National, and really go, 'We are in Omaha at this very moment.'
Even when folks travel outside or go to whatever college or work endeavor outside of the state, you seem to have that elasticity. And they're coming back to town, saying, 'What is it that I like?' Well, it's the pace of living, it's the warmth around it, it's the — you know that the comfort's going to be there and I think you get those when you start looking at pieces of town that have been here and you can still keep alive."
To connect with the Downtown Omaha Oasis on various platforms, including social and rental sites, click here.
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