Union Carpenters Build Nebraska's Tallest Building

WINTER MAGAZINE STORY - Learn about the work union carpenters are doing on Mutual of Omaha's new 677-foot-tall headquarters in downtown Omaha, set to be the tallest building in Nebraska. To read the full magazine, click HERE.

Union Carpenters Build Nebraska's Tallest Building

Omaha, Nebraska’s downtown skyline will look different come 2026 as construction is well underway on Mutual of Omaha’s new headquarters, an investment in the city and a new and vibrant workplace for its employees. This 677-foot-tall glass tower will not only boast 800,000 square feet of office, meeting and amenity space, but its 44-stories will make it the tallest building in Nebraska and surrounding states. 

The new skyscraper will provide sixteen floors of parking with an office core. The magnitude of the build, along with its unique design and small footprint within the already bustling downtown area, presented some interesting challenges. The project’s developer, Lanoha Real Estate Company, worked closely with Mutual of Omaha and signatory contractor JE Dunn, in finding solutions that would not only create efficiency but increase safety for those on and around the job site. With the ingenuity of a DOKA Shear Core Climber, or self-climber, construction on the project has been smooth as more levels have been added. 

Work on the shear core uses the self-climber to encase the structure and create a mobile concrete framework system that surrounds three levels of the build at a time. The DOKA Shear Core Climber weighs approximately 1 million pounds and is the second largest self-climber ever built in the U.S. It provides a safe and repetitive cycle for union carpenters to prepare, pour and erect the building’s core. To ensure that the systems components are always in proper working order, a DOKA representative is on site every week. 

One of the eighteen DOKA Shear Core Climber hydraulic cylinders.

“The hydraulic cylinders push everything up so we can move on to the next level, all with a push of a button,” said Chad Balkovec (Local 427 – Omaha, NE), superintendent at JE Dunn, the project’s general contractor. “The process takes about 45 minutes, making things incredibly efficient.” 

As a 27-year member, this is Chad’s first time ever using a hydraulic system of this type and size. 

Once concrete is poured and cured, eighteen hydraulic cylinders lift the top two levels of the self-climber into its new position 15-feet higher. When locked into place, the bottom level is lifted to create a new platform position for work to continue. This process will be repeated to a full height of 650 feet where union carpenters will finish the top of the tower. 

Given the building’s height, additional sections have been added to the already impressive tower crane that was lifted to accommodate construction progress. To increase stability, large embeds were placed in the exterior core wall. The large tower crane is not only essential to the skyscrapers journey up, but it will also be used to disassemble the self-climber and safely lower its components to the ground. 

Diego Kyndt (Local 427 - Omaha, NE) installing edge form. 

“Normally these type of crane supports are only 6-10 feet long but given the nature of this build, these had to be much larger,” said Chad. “As levels go up and the building gets higher, we will move these supports when we need to add to the crane.” 

The construction of Mutual of Omaha’s new headquarters will not only add to the skyline but supports continued development of downtown Omaha and will add to the city’s vitality. Local union carpenters have been an essential part of this development and are working hard to ensure safe and timely progress.