Omaha National Bank Building, Omaha

The Omaha National Bank Building, now commonly known as The Omaha Building, is a historic office building associated with Omaha’s emergence as a regional financial center during the late 19th century. Constructed in 1888–1889 for the New York Life Insurance Company, it became the city’s first ten-story building.

The Omaha National Bank purchased the property in 1909, using it for banking operations and offices. An additional floor was added to its towers in 1920, bringing the building to 11 stories. The bank relocated in 1972, and the building was later preserved through rehabilitation instead of demolition. Designed by the New York architectural firm McKim, Mead & White, the building is a notable example of Italian Renaissance Revival architecture. It relies on massive masonry bearing walls rather than a steel frame, illustrating an important stage in early skyscraper engineering. The U-shaped design features brick-and-terra-cotta towers flanking a monumental rusticated granite entrance crowned by a bronze nesting eagle created by Louis Saint-Gaudens. Decorative masonry, terra-cotta ornament, and classical detailing give the building a formal appearance while reflecting the architectural ambitions of the period.

The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and underwent a major rehabilitation in 1978. Today, it serves as the national headquarters of Kutak Rock LLP, whose renovation preserved the historic exterior while adapting the interior for modern offices. Because it remains a private office building, visitors generally admire its façade, monumental entrance, and Renaissance-inspired architectural details from surrounding streets while exploring Omaha’s historic downtown.