Omaha Branch Board of Directors tours commercial space in west Omaha
Commercial real estate has changed since the pandemic, with more employees desiring a hybrid work schedule. The Omaha Branch Board of Directors found out firsthand how that is changing the look of the traditional office, with a tour of the Waterford Building in west Omaha on July 13, 2023.
“Since the pandemic, we’ve seen more amenities,” said Mike Homa, President, R & R Realty Group Nebraska. “It’s about bringing those amenities back to the office.”
Homa kicked off a presentation for the Omaha Branch Board members and Kansas City Fed leadership at the Waterford Building in the Fountain Ridge Office Park in Elkhorn. The facility has close to 200,000 square feet of office space in a luxurious setting with waterfalls, rooftop and patio spaces for entertaining, a workout room, commons area and much more.
Omaha Branch Director Dwayne Sieck welcomed his fellow board members and Kansas City Fed staff to the Waterford Building.
Fusion Medical Staffing is one Omaha company that has grown out of its current space and needed a new, updated location to fit their needs. Most Fusion employees work a hybrid schedule, so they were asked what they wanted on the days they do come to the office. After a site visit to Waterford, it was a clear decision, and the company will be moving there in September.
“Today’s workforce wants more, more benefits, more amenities, a better work/life balance,” said Corey Watton, Fusion CFO. “We are excited to move into this building.”
Following the presentation, Board members toured the building and got a firsthand look at Fusion’s workspace as it is still being constructed. The offices will include features such as moveable desks and workspaces, lots of natural light, and modern conference rooms and fun themes in each area.
Directors and Kansas City Fed staff toured spaces at the Waterford Building.
“With unemployment in Omaha still very low, businesses have made some adjustments to their working environment in attempts to attract prospective employees to their organizations,” said Nate Kauffman, Senior Vice President and Omaha Branch Executive. “This includes a variety of amenities and office upgrades that may have been less common ten years ago.”
The tour also included the offices of TEKsystems, a technology and business solutions company based in Maryland. TEKsystems moved into the Waterford Building a year ago, and executives say it fits their employee needs as well since they also have a hybrid work schedule.
Kauffman said while the Kansas City Fed relies heavily on data to understand the region, they also learn a great deal by observing the region first-hand, seeing the outcome of certain investments, asking questions about how decisions are made, and filling in gaps of an economic narrative that data might not fully address.
“Our offsite tour of the Waterford Building in Elkhorn was an opportunity for the Kansas City Fed, and our Omaha Branch Board of Directors, to observe first-hand some of the trends surrounding commercial real estate that we discuss regularly in our meetings about our region’s economy and obtain a more complete view of emerging developments,” Kauffman added.
The Omaha Branch Board of Directors, Kansas City Fed leadership, and R&R Realty Group leadership.
The last off-site tour was held in Winnebago. Click here for more on that story. External Linkhttps://www.kansascityfed.org/omaha/winnebago_offsite_board_meeting/