Wanted to share with you an update... as always, visit the Development section of eOmaha.com for details on these projects...

NOTE: All photos are clickable thumbnails


The downtown Holland Performing Arts Center opened earlier this fall. It is receiving rave reviews from around the nation (here's a recent article from the Dallas Morning News http://www.dallasnews.com/s/dws/ent/music/stories/DN-omaha_1119gl.ART.State.Edition1.21d6a8ff.html)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/buildings/97/pic9_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/buildings/97/pic9.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/buildings/97/pic5_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/buildings/97/pic5.jpg)


Biggest news at the moment are a couple of competing proposals for the former UP headquarters site downtown... both over 300 feet...

This one mostly condos with ground level retail/restaurants
http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/163/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/163/pic1.jpg)

This one with 80% office space, remaining condos and retail/restaurant space
http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/164/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/164/pic1.jpg)


The Rows at SoMa (South Old Market) are in their third phase, complete project has 83 units

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/82/pic18_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/82/pic18.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/82/model/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/82/model/pic1.jpg)

Riverfront Place consists of two 12 story condo towers and rowhouses

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/69/pic5_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/69/pic5.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/69/pic10_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/69/pic10.jpg)

Museum Kaneko, contemporary art museum and residency program

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/96/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/96/pic1.jpg)

Zorinsky Federal Building

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/12/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/12/pic1.jpg)

'Slowdown' mixed use development (underwritten largely by the people who brought your Conor Oberst/Bright Eyes... ie Saddlecreek Records), will comprise a concert all, Indie theatre, restaurant/bar, apartments/condos

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/144/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/144/pic1.jpg)

'Slowdown' is in the new 'North Downtown' district (what used to be a barren wasteland of Union Pacific rail yards), which has a significant master plan, among other things calling for a new downtown minor league baseball park...

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/138/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/138/pic1.jpg)

At Omaha's Midtown... Mutual of Omaha is pushing a new mixed use urban district of it's own on the east edge of it's campus...

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/154/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/154/pic1.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/154/pic2_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/154/pic2.jpg)

And farther out west on the grounds of what used to be the 'Aksarben' horse race track... there are plans for another urban district called 'Aksarben Village'

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/145/pic3_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/145/pic3.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/145/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/145/pic1.jpg)


Back downtown... numerous more new loft construction and conversions...

1101 Jackson St (Old Market)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/155/pic3_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/155/pic3.jpg)

902 Dodge St

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/77/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/77/pic1.jpg)

Beebe & Runyan

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/83/pic4_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/83/pic4.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/83/pic12_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/83/pic12.jpg)

'The Hill'

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/132/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/132/pic1.jpg)

The Paxton

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/88/pic2_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/88/pic2.jpg)

Brandies Building

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/buildings/7/pic6_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/buildings/7/pic6.jpg)

Barker Building

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/106/pic2_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/106/pic2.jpg)

Row 19

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/134/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/134/pic1.jpg)

Jackson Street Condos

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/131/pic5_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/131/pic5.jpg)

Olde Village Square

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/129/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/129/pic1.jpg)

14th and Leavenworth

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/137/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/137/pic1.jpg)

Lerner Building

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/107/pic2_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/107/pic2.jpg)


even Creighton University is getting in on the act with new student housing

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/162/pic2_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/162/pic2.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/162/pic4_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/162/pic4.jpg)


And in closing... while it has had problems with earlier cost estimates, civic leaders are re-grouping and construction is anticipated on the Missouri River spanning pedestrian bridge next year... which will be the crown jewel for downtown Omaha (see Riverfront Place photo above for another rendering of the bridge set next to that condominium development).

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/4/pic3b_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/4/pic3b.jpg)



Thanks, that's all for now...

Im glad for Omaha all of this looks awesome!!!

wow lots of stuff planned, but does Onaha already have a lot of urban condos/retail in its downtown? That new tower sure is nice.....

I thought that the UP proposal was to be decided weeks ago.

Still hoping for the tower though.

Very very nice. Love the looks of that new performing arts center. Good for Omaha, glad to see its doing so well.

Thanks guys.

Regarding the question of downtown residential presence as it stands today... there are about 6,000 people living downtown, mostly in apartments. With the sharp increase in condo demand, many of these have begun converting to condominiums. Until the recent boom, most condos were very custom units, in small numbers, above retail/restaurants in our 'Old Market' district. This is where you'll find what little retail exists downtown today. Most of the retail in the Old Market is eclectic stuff, probably appealing more to the evening/weekend visitors from the suburbs more... than day to day needs of downtown residents... contemporary furnishings, fashionable clothing stores, art galleries. Some of Omaha's very best restaurants are in the Old Market as well. A great place for tourists (and certainly a very appealing place to hang out for residents as well)... but not real practical for downtown residents, again, I'm speaking more from a standpoint of day to day shopping opportunities. There is a small grocer. With all the new residential, it is hoped downtown will get another, larger grocery store.

Some Old Market district photos...

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/pic17_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/pic17.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/pic21_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/pic21.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/pic22_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/pic22.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/pic24_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/pic24.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/pic27_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/pic27.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/pic28_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/pic28.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/3/pic7_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/3/pic7.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/3/pic12_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/3/pic12.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/pic7_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket/pic7.jpg)

Many more photos here: http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/oldmarket

Wanted to share with you an update... as always, visit the Development section of eOmaha.com for details on these projects...


http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/163/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/163/pic1.jpg)


this tower looks very impressive i must say.

You left out my favorite project Jeff, the Qwest Center expansion. This arena is only 2 years old and one of the most profitable in the world both years of it's existance.

Here's the rendering.
http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/large/0609aharena.jpg

Wow, Omaha's development looks strikingly similar to Louisvilles. Does Omaha have significant residential/retail/nightlife downtown as of today? I know about Old Market but are their other major urban nightlife/shopping districts?

I think Lville is a step ahead with the Waterfront development, and our new pedestrian bridge across the Ohio (on an old railroad truss) which should be completed in 2008. But it looks like I need to come up and check out the big "O" lol.

Here's the before pic of the arena expansion.

http://eomaha.com/gallery/qcenter/arena4.jpg

Wow, Omaha's development looks strikingly similar to Louisvilles. Does Omaha have significant residential/retail/nightlife downtown as of today? I know about Old Market but are their other major urban nightlife/shopping districts?

I think Lville is a step ahead with the Waterfront development, and our new pedestrian bridge across the Ohio (on an old railroad truss) which should be completed in 2008. But it looks like I need to come up and check out the big "O" lol.

The Old Market is pretty dominant in DT Omaha as far as nightlife. 16th St. is going to have more retail since every single building on that street is residential (condo & rental). A guy I met is working on bringing some sort of retail to a main corner of this street but they are deciding what will be the most usefull to have.

The other area of DT that is starting to increase in terms of nightlife is the north DT. There is already a building (TipTop Building) there that houses luxury apts., an arcade, a restaurant (Inplay), and a conferance center (Forte). Their are two hotels that are going to be built there between InPlay and the Qwest Center. A new music club/apt. building is going to be built by SaddleCreek Records.

We are still waiting for more day-to-day retail. A local grocer and one from Seattle are looking at seperate locations DT. Their already is a full service grocery in the area but people consider it more Midtown Omaha than Downtown.

A couple of these condo loft buildings are planned for the 'SoMa' development south of Omaha's Old Market.

http://i2.tinypic.com/vgpiir.jpg

As may or may not have been reported... there had been problems with getting bids which came in under budget for Omaha's Missouri River spanning pedestrian bridge. The city decided to issue a new RFP which requested proposals for a complete design/build solution (rather than soliciting bids on building the cities selected design). The budget is $22 million... and here are the proposals which have come back... 2 of them looking pretty much just what the city started with... the mayor/city council will approve a selection and the hope is to yet get this project started within the year.

Proposal 1
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/avanzee/Omaha/41306hntb.jpg

Proposal 2
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/avanzee/Omaha/41306sqarch.jpg

Proposal 3
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/avanzee/Omaha/41306sqfigg.jpg

Update on the first phase of Riverfront Place (photo courtesy of one of my forum members)... the pedestrian bridge above will land right smack in the foreground of this photo.

http://necoyote.com/images/random/RP5.jpg

Here's a model showing completed phases 1 and 2 with the pedestrian bridge...

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/69/models/2/pic1.jpg

eomaha.com.

I would have definitely gone with "proposal 2" for the Missouri river bridge.
The other Stayed cable style looks like the "Sunshine Skyway" bridge, the progenitor of this aesthetic, in Florida, or the style that every city is building these days. The famous "Ting Kau Bridge" from Hong Kong's airport to the mainland, Boston has the Bunker Hill bridge, version, Milwaukee has two, albeit one designed by Calatrava (new flavor of the day, move over Frank Gehry.) My favorite in this trend is the "Sundial Bridge" in Redding, California a new variation on this engineering concept.

Thanks buffer... I personally lean towards the twin tower cable stayed designs, as much as anything because of their curving decks. I'll be ecstatic to see any of these designs built.

Just continuing to bring this thread up to date... here are a few warehouse condo loft conversion photo updates from eOmaha.com forum members...

Former Paxton Hotel
http://i2.tinypic.com/t0rrb7.jpg

902 Dodge
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/avanzee/Omaha/April%2011%202006/morecondos41106.jpg

1101 Jackson
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/avanzee/Omaha/April%2011%202006/1101Jacksonoverview41106.jpg

Beebe & Runyan
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/avanzee/Omaha/April%2011%202006/9021Dodgefront41106.jpg

Kimball Laundry
http://i1.tinypic.com/sg4qwm.jpg

The Zorinsky Federal Building renovation has been in planning since just before the OKC bombing... and as a result, it went through many delays while the GAO decided to take another look at how they build their structures. After sitting empty for several years, it's finally getting close to completion. I'm still trying to figure out what generation of people actually were drawn to the original design of the building (complete with aqua colored metal panels). Needless to say, the renovation brings a big improvement.

Before
http://204.26.90.252/gallery/buildings/18/pic1.jpg

After
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/avanzee/Omaha/April%2011%202006/Zorinsky41106.jpg

$52 million, 134,000 sq ft Sorrell Center on the Midtown campus of the University of Nebraska Medical Center (which has just moved up to #11 in the US News' ranking of top primary care medical schools in the nation).

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/158/pic3.jpg


Also anticipated to break ground relatively soon is a second research tower on the west end of the UNMC campus.

http://debab.omaha.com/np_0/medium/1022pcunmc.jpg

UNMC is rapidly beginning to develop a small skyline of it's own (foreground).
http://204.26.90.252/aerial5.jpg

First research tower...
http://204.26.90.252/gallery/unmc/pic5_thumb.jpg

Lied Transplant center tower
http://204.26.90.252/gallery/unmc/pic13_thumb.jpg

We had a thread dedicated for this, but I'm going to place this information here to ensure everything is centralized under a single thread...

Wallstreet Tower
32 stories, 373 feet
$100 million
Developer: Townsend Development
Completion: 2009

This project is being built on the site of the former Union Pacific headquarters building and is the include ground level retail/restaurants.

http://204.26.90.252/gallery/develop/163/pic2.jpg

http://204.26.90.252/gallery/develop/163/pic3.jpg

New condo development for the Old Market

Just announced... jLofts, a $22 million development with ground level retail/office space ... 55 units in a new 6 1/2 story structure to be located at the NWC of 13th and Jackson Streets.

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/169/pic1.jpg

To learn even more about what's changing in Omaha go to:

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u_pg=528&u_xid=948

Requires log in (don't worry, it's free)

I love the "Old Market" area, it's one of the best cohesive, warehouse district,
redevelopments in the Midwest.

I am glad to see more dynamic, dignified, bridge designs
for spanning the Missouri over to Council Bluffs. Crossing a river is an event,
crossing the Missouri (longest river in the U.S.) to another state, should be monumental and iconic.

Thanks for the updates eomaha! I don't get a chance to make it to your site much, so it's nice to see everything recapped right here. The Paxton renovation is looking awesome. When that building sat vacant, is single handidly gave negative impressions of downtown Omaha because of its visible location. Now it's a building the city can be proud of again.

Can't stop looking at that Wall Street Tower rendering, and I'm anxious to see when we'll be getting our version in Des Moines.

Historybuffer, the Old Market has really anchored all the interest in downtown residential. I hate to think where we'd be without it today.

And my pleasure Ryan... hopefully Townsend's contribution to Des Moines will be just a tiny bit smaller (we have alot of ground to make up on you guys you know) ;) I'm sure life likely won't allow you to make it to the forum meet later this yet, but you'll be interested to know we're considering getting a bus to shuttle us around (hopefully this won't be used as a cue to post any embarrassing photos).

By the way, I love that new Gateway West building... we need something like that among the brick and mortar in Omaha as well.

The new North Downtown district is getting a boost with three new hotels which will add another 365 rooms... bringing the downtown total to at least 2,600 (almost 1,200 within 2 blocks of the convention center). This following the cities commitment of $8.4 million in tax incentives.

http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/large/0502ahnewhotel.jpg
Rendering of the 6 story Holiday Inn proposal which includes street level retail space (and in indoor water park no less). The other two hotels will include a six-story Homewood Suites and four-story Hampton Inn. All of the hotels will be built immediately adjacent Cuming Street with parking to the rear. The Holiday Inn will be connected via a 'sky bridge' to the existing inPlay entertainment center.

Existing Tip Top building and inPlay entertainment center in North Downtown... hotels will be built in close proximity

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/buildings/98/pic1.jpg

Some Aksarben Village renderings (albeit somewhat poor quality) have surfaced from Omaha planning department documents... but seem to support the intents of the developers (and desires of the city) to make this a dense, pedestrian oriented district (for those unfamiliar with the project... Aksarben Village is the re-development of what was once a horse race track in central Omaha).

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/145/pic6.jpg

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/145/pic7.jpg

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/145/pic8.jpg

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/145/pic9.jpg

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/145/pic10.jpg

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/145/pic11.jpg

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/145/pic12.jpg

The Missouri River spanning pedestrian bridge is really picking up steam now... the mayor has selected the following design proposal (an architecture/contracting team from KC) and construction is projected to start late this year. You can find some nifty video animations at the following address: http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/2786071.html


http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/large/511spbirdseye.jpg

http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/large/511sqnp.jpg

http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/large/511sqeapproach.jpg

http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/large/511sqwabut.jpg

http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/large/511sqmain.jpg


World Herald story:

Mayor chooses bridge design

Construction could begin this fall on the 200-foot-tall twin spires to suspend the long-delayed pedestrian bridge over the Missouri River.

More than nine years after the idea first surfaced, six years after federal funding was secured and two years after the original plan collapsed due to finances, Mayor Mike Fahey selected a team to build the 3,000-foot span.

"It has been a long journey with its share of advancements and setbacks to get to this point," Fahey said in making his selection from among the three proposals.

The $22 million span will connect nearly 150 miles of bike and pedestrian paths that stretch from south of Blair through Council Bluffs and Iowa to the Missouri border.

An aggressive construction schedule sets a completion date for November 2008 for the span that will sparkle at night as part of the Omaha skyline. Federal permits and environmental studies must be completed before construction crews can begin work.

From the beginning, the bridge sparked debate over whether the project, which is largely funded with federal money, is a proper expenditure or a classic example of a pork-barrel project. The project also will receive some state and private funds.

Fahey and Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan said today that the completed bridge will win over doubters and be an important architectural addition to the riverfront.

"I can assure residents of Omaha and Council Bluffs that upon completion, this bridge will be the icon that we have been looking for over the past few years," Fahey said.

Hanafan said the bridge will be "an economic development tool for all of us."

Bicycle enthusiasts predict the bridge will be an attraction for "bicyclists from around the world," Hanafan said.

Two Kansas City area firms were selected for the project. HNTB of Kansas City, Mo., is the designer and APAC of Kansas City, Kan., is the general contractor. The team was selected partly because of its joint experience with cable-stay suspension bridges in Milwaukee, Wichita, Kan., and Boston.

After the original plan produced bids at more than double the anticipated cost in 2004, the city began to look for a way to build the span without using local tax revenues. Instead of seeking bids for a predetermined design, the city asked for a design-build proposal in which teams propose a design and promise to build it for a set price.

The delays were expensive. More than $4 million has already been spent.

Fahey said he and Hanafan are close to reaching their target of $5 million in financing from private foundations, corporations and individuals.

They already have commitments for about $3.5 million, Fahey said, and he is confident additional commitments will be in hand when the final contract goes before the City Council in June.

In making his pick, Fahey stayed close to the original plan for a curved suspension bridge from a plaza north of the National Park Service building to a landing on the levee in Council Bluffs.

John K. Green, a citizen member of the review committee, said the committee chose this design because its two towers best served to symbolize the partnership between the two states and two cities.

That is one reason the two-tower idea was superior to a proposal to use an arch to suspend the bridge over the river. The HNTB design also took the Iowa landing all the way to the levee, making it more beneficial to Council Bluffs, Green said.

Hanafan said the Bluffs is counting on the bridge to stimulate the kind of development along the Iowa riverfront that has occurred in Nebraska.

In 1997, Hanafan stood with then-Mayor Hal Daub and then-U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey as they launched the back-to-the-river concept. At that time, Hanafan said, the Asarco battery plant stood where Rick's Café Boatyard now is, the old Union Pacific shops lay vacant and a junkyard greeted travelers coming from Eppley Airfield to downtown Omaha.

Cost: $22 million

Winning design team: Designer, HNTB Corp. of Kansas City, Mo.; builder, APAC-Kansas City, Kansas City, Kan.

Design: The curved bridge will span 3,000 feet across the Missouri River. The bridge will have two 200-foot spires and will be lighted at night.

Uses: City officials hope that bicyclists and pedestrians will use the bridge to access 150 miles of trails on the Iowa and Nebraska sides of the river. They also hope it will be a destination along the riverfront.

Oh, and if you're a 'gun and fishing' person (sorry, not my thing... but I know there are many around me here)... you'll be excited to know construction is well underway on the Cabela's super store in La Vista... a bedroom community adjacent Omaha's southwest edge. The Southport West development which is hosting this store will also see construction of an 8-story (airport height restricted) Embassy Suites hotel, La Vista convention center, and a lifestyle center. Several other hotels and a Paypal office building are also being built in the area.

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/2092/560012ne.jpg


I'm not sure there are any smaller metropolitan areas in the nation which have both a Cabela's and a Bass Pro Shops store (located in Council Bluffs).

http://members.aol.com/icejammer/BPS1.jpg

http://www.nebraskamed.com/bellevue/BellevueMedCenter_render.jpg

The Nebraska Medical Center has announced plans to build a hospital in Bellevue on the strength of a growing community, a base hospital closure and major investments by local physicians.

"I'm kind of surprised that nobody has done it," said Cindy Arbaugh, project administrator working with UNMC. "I just think Bellevue has really come into its own."

The $58 million hospital and $90-million project will be located at the southwest corner of Highway 370 and 25th Street. Groundbreaking is set for this fall, with an anticipated opening in October 2008. Other buildings will include medical clinics on site.

Advertisement
The project won't require any taxpayer funds, thanks to financial investment of more than 70 physicians, the minimum of which is $10,000.

Dr. Roy Holeyfield Jr. of Bellevue said having physician investors will have an impact on who makes decisions at the hospital. Half of the hospital's board of directors will be physicians, according to the center's bylaws.

"So if things are not up to par, we are able to have a direct role in how things are being run," Holeyfield said.

"Our goal is to make this the premier medical center in the Bellevue region, including Plattsmouth. It's unbelievable to me that there is no hospital here."

Arbaugh said interest in opening a hospital in the region came when the Ehrling Bergquist facility at Offutt Air Force Base officially lost its hospital status. UNMC officials looked at the population and the market of medical businesses and discovered some needs weren't being met, she said.

"We've really noticed there does seem to be a shortage of some of the specialty physicians in the area, and also some of the testing facilities," she said.

The biggest services are emergency care, obstetrics, inpatient and outpatient surgery, intensive care, cardiac catheterization, a pharmacy, radiology and

lab testing.

The hospital will start with 60 beds, with enough space to add 60 more in the future. Arbaugh said it wouldn't surprise her if that development happened quickly. At capacity, it will offer 200,000-square feet of room.

Arbaugh began working on the project a year ago, joining others already involved with the idea. Previously she helped develop the orthopedic center at 144th and Center streets in Omaha. The place is known for not feeling like a hospital, Arbaugh said, thanks to unique design.

"We want it to be like the orthopedic hospital, or even better," she said. "I think the environment plays a huge role for people as patients or for people working there."

Bellevue Fire Chief Dale Tedder estimates each visit to a hospital currently takes an hour and 15 minutes, and he expects that to be cut in half with the new hospital.

About 90 percent of BVFD calls currently go to Midlands Hospital in Papillion, he said.

"This will benefit our response times, too," he said, noting that in some cases squads are not available because of the travel time.

An economic impact study conducted by the Sarpy County Economic Development Corporation and the Greater Omaha Chamber Economic Development Council suggests the project also delivers a healthy dose of good news for the local economy.

The overall project is expected to support more than 700 new jobs while also providing a significant financial benefit. More workers will lead to an increase in income tax revenue. The hospital, medical offices and employees will also be paying sales tax on purchases made in the community.

Add property tax payments and the amount totals an estimated $5 million to $7 million in new state and local tax revenue.

"This is a significant investment in the Bellevue-Offutt community," said Megan Lucas, president of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce.

The Chart

* Where is it at? Highway 370 and 25th Street, southwest corner

* Is it a full hospital? Yes. The biggest services are emergency care, obstetrics, inpatient and outpatient surgery, intensive care, cardiac catheterization, a pharmacy, radiology and lab testing.

* How big is it? 200,000 square feet, 60 in-patient and observation beds (could add 60 more beds in the near future).

* What's the cost? $58 million for hospital construction, entire project could be $90 million.

* When do we start? Groundbreaking is set for later this year. The campus is expected to open in October 2008.

* What's the impact? Estimated $5 million to $7 million in new state and local tax revenue.

Thanks for taking the time to update everyone.

Thanks D'Shawn.

Here's a new Kimball Laundry Building condo conversion rendering and photo from our meet (clickable thumbnails)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/175/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/175/pic1.jpg)

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/175/pic2_thumb.jpg (http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/175/pic2.jpg)

Towns at Seventh and Little Italy

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http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/176/pic2.jpg

By next summer, the former Caniglia's restaurant south of downtown Omaha could be the site of 35 town houses featuring front porches and tiny lawns.

Bluestone Development is working with the Caniglia family for the project that will replace the restaurant and surrounding parking lots between Seventh and Eighth and Pierce and Pacific Streets for its first phase.

"They wanted to make sure the next cycle of the property will be for the betterment of the neighborhood, and they selected us to work with them," Bluestone President Christian Christensen said of the Caniglias.

He said he was attracted to the site because it's a city neighborhood rather than a hard-edged urban environment like the one he worked with for his Rows at SoMa project. That project, at 11th and Leavenworth Streets, features row houses priced from $240,000 to $475,000 and eventually will include midrise loft condos starting at $195,000.

The new Towns at Seventh and Little Italy, Christensen said, will feature small lawns, garages and unfinished basements. The two-story town houses will range from 1,200 square feet to 1,800 square feet and sell for $190,000 to $225,000.

Bluestone is asking the city for a rezoning and some variances to allow its dense, close-to-the-street plan. Christensen said he also will request tax-increment financing for the nearly $8 million project.

The Planning Board will have its first look at the proposal today. Staff planners are recommending approval, saying the project is consistent with the city's goal of encouraging reinvestment in older parts of the city.

Christensen said the proposal's design is consistent with the parts of the neighborhood planned in the early 1900s.

He said he wants to build on Little Italy's long history.

He met Monday night, just days after the birth of his twin sons, with about 80 area residents to explain his plans and to answer questions. Longtime residents of the neighborhood - first settled by immigrants from Sicily in the early 1900s - are being asked to record their stories for use on the project's Web site.

Suspense is part of the marketing. A poster during the Santa Lucia Festival and a newspaper ad last week teased, "Little Italy is getting some new neighbors." The www.townslittleitaly.com Web site invites online visitors to "register for an upcoming announcement."

Christensen, whose renovation of the former Butternut building downtown was nearly completed when it was destroyed by fire, said he hasn't wanted to get public discussion of the project too far ahead of city approvals.

But keeping quiet has been difficult. Rumors have swirled since the sale of the restaurant property last September to a Bluestone-managed Caniglia Little Italy LLC. The 59-year-old restaurant, one of several in Omaha run by members of the Caniglia family, closed Aug. 8.

Christensen said Little Italy residents have stopped by his office to ask about his plans.

"It's a very close-knit neighborhood," he said. "You talk about one thing and someone goes to the Sons of Italy (hall) on Thursday, then everyone knows about it."

He said he has been pleased so far by the reaction of neighbors, including those at Monday night's meeting.

An immediate neighbor of the project, Roselyn Fisk, said she and her husband, Mike, are excited by what they heard. She grew up in Little Italy, and the couple returned nearly three years ago.

They renovated the 1925 former Piccolo Grocery on Pierce, live upstairs and rent out three apartments downstairs. Roselyn Fisk said they love the charm of the old neighborhood combined with the vibrancy of the nearby Old Market.

"It's just really neat what they're doing to revive the area," she said of Christensen's plans. "He has a respect and appreciation for the past and a real vision for the future. We just see the whole area flourishing."

If everything goes as planned, a groundbreaking is expected in July, and residents would be moving in a year from now, Christensen said. He said he will start taking reservations after the groundbreaking.

Chuck Caniglia said he expects to see additional residences and small shops coming to Little Italy. The family felt strongly about how to reuse the land that was in the family for more than 100 years, Caniglia said, and he is "elated" with the Bluestone plan.

"I think the front porch is bringing back the way Little Italy was: You talk to the neighbors, sing and play a little music," he said. "We needed a plan that would make our ancestors proud of us, and I think we found it."

Hey eO, nice to see ya! I'm glad you're over here to update us on Omaha stuff.

Thanks SRG.

Riverfront Place progressing

Crews placed the highest beam Friday on the Riverfront Place condominium tower in downtown Omaha as buyers got their first tours of the interior and the developers made plans for a second tower.

The topping-off ceremony, called Beams, Blues and BBQ, was planned for about 250 people and included a chance for future residents, construction workers and contractors to sign the final beam.

With everything on schedule and on budget, one of the developers, Ross Robb, said before he left Scottsdale, Ariz., for the event that he was pleased with how the project has progressed and with how it's been received.

Most of the phase-one units are sold; three of the 18 town houses and six of the 38 tower condos in phase one remain.

Also sold are the penthouse, which was marketed for $1.65 million but still is being designed and doesn't have a final price tag, as well as unit 1 of the town houses, which is closest to the Missouri River. The 2,800-square-foot unit was listed at $634,000 when it sold.

"We remain high on downtown Omaha and Omaha in general," Robb said. "We'll probably be looking for future projects for ourselves there."

For now, though, Robb said the focus is on designing phase two of the project launched when Mayor Mike Fahey selected the developer for city-owned land south of the Gallup University campus and near the base of the planned pedestrian bridge linking Omaha and Council Bluffs.

Condo prices have increased since sales began in October 2004. For example, the town houses with what are called "sky rooms" on the rooftop were being offered for about $450,000 when sales first started, and the two that remain are priced at about $550,000.

Sales manager Ben Proctor said the prices have risen not only because fewer units are left, but also because of the views from certain condos and the additional features that were added, such as sky-room baths, in response to feedback from prospective buyers.

Construction workers for Construction Services Inc. of Omaha and West Des Moines typically are the only ones taking the construction elevator to the top of the 13-story building.

From the 5,500-square-foot penthouse's 45-by-23-foot balcony - one of three, standing about 160 feet in the air and about 200 feet from the river - views stretch for miles, including over the treetops on the Council Bluffs shore.

From the eighth floor, which is where the Friday tour had to end for insurance liability reasons, the view featured the river and the treetops, but not the structures beyond.

The town houses, which have rooftop decks, also have expansive windows. Friday, stacks of 8-by-9-foot windows waited in the first-floor garage as glaziers prepared the next one for installation in the tower.

Robb said phase two, a tower that will sit northeast of the current one and closer to the river, also will feature a lot of glass but probably will have more varied units, including some that are smaller and possibly lower priced than in phase one.

That phase, he said, also will include a pedestrian plaza and some component of a restaurant site. He expects to unveil the design and begin sales in the fall.

Move-in time for phase one is around Nov. 1.

Some people are just discovering the project, Robb said, now that windows are in up to the eighth floor and the town houses are in the stage where cabinets, countertops and tile are being installed.

But some buyers have been monitoring the progress for more than a year, and Friday's event was their first chance to see the views they imagined when they looked at plans for their future homes.

Jon and Cindy Empson will be moving from a five-bedroom house in the Westside High School area into a two-bedroom ninth-floor unit.

Jon, who is a senior vice president for Aquila, said the couple thought that with four grown children, it was the right time to give up home-maintenance worries and "get tied in to a lot of the activity going on downtown."

They love to walk, he said, and expect to make a lot of trips to the Old Market, where a son is a chef at M's Pub.

Crew members feel they're working on something special, said Dan Biere, president of Construction Services Inc., the general contractor.

"There's really nothing else like it in Omaha, nothing close," Biere said. "It's a landmark, and we're proud to be working on it."

We recently had a forum meet which coincided with a downtown 'Urban Omaha Tour', during which we got to check out a half dozen or so condominium projects in various stages of development.

Towards the end we were fortunate enough to be given a tour of one forum member's own row house south of the Old Market. As you can see, his roof top deck has quite a view!

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/forummeet/2006/pic1.jpg

that pedestrian bridge is pretty nice!

I saw this building in Architectural Recrod. It's really really cool. It made me surrender what i previously thought omaha. It's nice to see good, foward-thinking architecture in middle america. It's nice to know that middle america is evolving into something no longer reminscent of whatever the term "middle america" has come to mean. Omaha must be at least some what of a trendy place if it has this store. I can't think of anywhere in chicago like it.

From AIA Nebraska website:

Honor
Bizarre, Omaha, by Randy Brown Architects, for Djel Brown
This women’s boutique offered the architects an opportunity to challenge the typical retail store conventions “where the walls, fixtures, ceilings, and floors are all separate elements,” they say. They developed the interior space by folding and cutting a piece of paper to simplify the design language. This translated to a continuous surface that bends and folds to display merchandise and conceal the mechanical, electrical, and structural systems.
Photo © Assassi Productions, California.

http://www.aia.org/aiarchitect/thisweek06/0120/aiane5bizarre_b.jpg
Arch Record blurb

This 2,700-square-foot boutique illustrates a conceptual design focus developed from experiments with the cutting and folding of paper. Two airy and light areas resulted—one, an enclosed space that houses the checkout, restrooms, and stairs; the other, an open space where a series of pods display the merchandise.

http://archrecord.construction.com/features/images/06_int-04_lg.jpg

omaha has some really nice projects, the pedestrian bridge is awsome!

cant wait to see it.

The Giovanna

Just a couple of blocks from the recently announced Towns at 7th and Little Italy project will be yet another Little Italy development. The Giovanna will be comprised of 16 Italian-themed town houses and two commecial spaces at Sixth and Pierce Streets (immediately southeast of downtown). The town houses will be priced in the $230-240k range. The $4.2 million project seeks $1.2 million in TIFs.

http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/large/81006sqitaly3.jpg

Dundee Ridge

To be located between 48th and 49th Streets, Dodge to Douglas, Dundee Ridge is a rowhouse style town house development consisting of 27 units (three rows of nine town houses).

The two-bed, 2 1/2 bath homes will be 1,600 to 1,800 sq foot and sell for $275-$300k. Each home will have a rooftop deck and two-car garage.

http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/large/0818bcdundee.jpg

http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/medium/0817bcdundee2.jpg

Mutual of Omaha Aiming for a Destination Development
By Adam VanZee and Lou

(Omaha)- On May 18, 2005, Mutual of Omaha announced it was seeking redevelopment options for the property east of its headquarters. The development sits on an 8 acre site bound from 31st to 33rd streets and from Dodge to Farnam streets. The development is tied to an initiative called Destination Midtown, which plans to make the Midtown District a destination through a partnership of public and private interests (http://www.destinationmidtown.org/).

At a Mutual of Omaha monthly executive management meeting, held this month, new specs of the project, now deemed East Campus Development Project, have surfaced. Bigger and better than originally conceived, the project plans to become an attraction in midtown and all of Omaha.

Mutual of Omaha will contribute $25 million of the now $240 million project which encompasses 1 million square feet of condo and commercial space. The business professional oriented condos would appeal to a diverse group of people. Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, Maggie Moo's, Starbucks, and even a 7 screen movie theatre thus far have announced their intentions to the project with many more to be announced later will rival downtowns own Old Market district.

Site preparation will begin later this month and construction is set to start in the spring of 2007. The East Campus Development Project will take 2 years to complete and is expecting a spring/summer of 2009 opening.

Residence Inn plans to build a 120 room, 6-story hotel at the northwest corner of 12th and Jackson in Omaha's Old Market district. The project includes underground parking and street level retail.

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Midtown Crossing at Turner Park is a $250 million mixed-use development to be located on 15 acres at the east end of the Mutual of Omaha campus adjacent to Turner Park, bordered by 31st and 33rd streets, Dodge to Harney. Backed by Mutual of Omaha and ECI Investment Advisors, Midtown Crossing will be comprised of seven buildings with 200,000 square feet of leasable space for restaurants, retailers and entertainment venues as well as 600 condominiums and apartment units and additional parking for up to 2,220 vehicles. Plans also call for a multi-screen theatre and urban grocery market. Turner Park itself will be expanded west into the development area. Site preparation is to begin in fall of 2006 with construction to start the following spring and completion by the summer of 2009.

Website: http://www.midtowncrossing.com

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Site plan (new buildings labeled 1 through 7)
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North facing elevation
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Mutual of Omaha's midtown campus already draws nearly 4,500 Omaha workers. A $250 million development could bring even more people to midtown seeking a place to live, shop and dine.

Mutual executives today unveiled details of plans for a 15-acre development east of its headquarters building at 33rd and Dodge Streets. Demolition work for the project will begin immediately, with completion set for the summer of 2009.

By that time, the newly minted Midtown Crossing at Turner Park will have 600 condominiums and apartment units and more than 200,000 square feet of retail space, including possibly a multiscreen theater, grocery store and health club.

Mutual Chairman and Chief Executive Dan Neary said the company's primary business is insurance. The real estate venture, he said, is about making midtown and its campus attractive to Omahans.

"We have been part of this neighborhood for 60 years, and we intend on staying," he said.

Seven buildings - from four stories to nine stories tall - would form the new complex, which is in an area bounded by 31st, 33rd, Dodge and Farnam Streets.

The focal point will be three buildings that form a crescent shape and overlook Turner Park. Those buildings will house condominiums on their upper floors and a mix of restaurants on the first floors. The restaurants could offer outdoor dining in good weather.

Behind the condo buildings will be two apartment buildings, one facing Dodge and the other facing Farnam.

Turner Park currently is a patch of green along Dodge that people drive past but seldom use. By enlarging it, adding parking and surrounding it with residences, Mutual and city officials believe it will be transformed into one of the city's most active spaces.

The project has expanded since the idea was introduced in May 2005. It now extends south of Farnam with the addition of two buildings and a parking garage.

Former Omaha Planning Director Bob Peters said the project rivals the ConAgra Foods campus, the Union Pacific headquarters and the First National Tower in cost and significance.

"ConAgra's campus is the last project of this scale and importance to the city," Peters said.

This project is the culmination of efforts that have transformed how Omahans view the community, Peters said. "The people of Omaha have finally fallen in love with their city," Peters said.

Both Gov. Dave Heineman and Mayor Mike Fahey praised Mutual of Omaha for its commitment to the city and the state.

"This is an exciting and historic day for Mutual of Omaha and the whole midtown area," Neary said.

Neary said Mutual had a vision "to do something really productive with this space," which now has mainly vacant office buildings and parking lots.

Neary said the location is ideal because it draws students, employees and visitors to its campus, the nearby Creighton University, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Peter Kiewit Sons' Inc. and Berkshire Hathaway.

A feasibility study done for the project by Chicago-based ECI Investment Advisors found that the area was prime for redevelopment.

The company is "not in the business of doing things that don't make economic sense," Neary said.

The construction phase of the project would infuse $420 million into the Omaha economy and create 1,000 jobs in the area, according to an economic impact study.

The development will be owned by Mutual.

Despite a condo boom downtown and in the Dundee area, Keith Bawolek, an executive vice president with ECI, said Midtown Crossing won't overload the city with new apartments and condos. The condos will cost from $200,000 to $400,000.

At Mutual's urging, the city appears ready to turn one-way Farnam Street into a two-way, slower-speed road more conducive to pedestrians.

A final decision could be made in the next several months, said Bob Stubbe, public works director. Converting to two-way traffic would make it easier to reach midtown businesses, he said.

Negotiations are in the final stages for expanding and redesigning Turner Park, said Steve Scarpello, city parks director. Mutual will give the city 1.5 acres to expand the park.

The city also cleared the way for the project to qualify for millions of dollars in tax-increment financing. That is a way to subsidize a project by letting the new property tax revenue it generates pay for part of the development.

The idea for the project grew out of a series of meetings with residents and businesses in the midtown area. In 2004, Destination Midtown, an area revitalization group, developed a master plan for the area.

"Few companies are willing to go out on a limb for neighborhoods," said Tawanna Black, executive director of Destination Midtown. "This effort is unparalleled throughout the city."

Mutual last launched a major real estate project in the 1970s when it financed the development of Regency's commercial and apartment areas.

Latest Aksarben Village renderings below... clickable thumbnails...

Aksarben Village is a mixed-used development proposed on 70 acres of the former Aksarben horse race track property. Driven by Aksarben Future Trust and other participants and developed by the Noddle Companies, Aksarben Village will include offices, shops, restaurants, apartments, townhomes, a hotel and theatre. Additionally, a 4 1/2 acre park, to be named Aksarben Square, will provide a public space with a signature tower the focus of the main entrance at 67th and Center. Occupancy is planned to begin by spring 2008.

-750,000 sq feet of office and research space
-250,000 sq feet of retail and entertainment
-135 room Courtyard by Marriott hotel
-500 housing units including both multi-family and condominium units


http://204.26.90.252/gallery/develop/145/1/pic1_thumb.jpg (http://204.26.90.252/gallery/develop/145/1/pic1.jpg)

Office/retail
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Entertainment
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Hotel
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Residential
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http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/large/1028bcmaps.jpg

A streetcar system linking the Creighton University campus and downtown is gaining support from the Fahey administration and enjoys serious backing from several of Omaha's corporate leaders.

The $55 million plan calls for a 3.5-mile loop connecting Creighton, the Qwest Center Omaha, downtown and the Old Market area. It would be financed in a way that avoids direct spending out of the city treasury.

A decision on whether to move forward with the plan could come from Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey before the end of the year. If the City Council approves, it could be all aboard by 2010.

Speculation about a streetcar system, trolleys or light rail has surfaced, then faded, several times over the last 15 years. The latest plan making the rounds at City Hall is based on hard numbers rather than dreams and wishes.

"I like the idea," Fahey said in an interview. "I really do. . . . This is very exciting."

The positive buzz from the mayor came after his office reviewed a privately funded study of the streetcar line.

Fahey said he should make a decision on whether to proceed with the project by the end of the year. City officials began Friday checking the finances and legality of the plan.

The streetcar study was conducted over the last two years by HDR, the Omaha-based architectural, engineering and planning firm, and funded by Heritage Services, a nonprofit fundraising organization.

The mayor and corporate leaders view the streetcar system as an economic development tool, not purely as a people mover.

"It does change the city," Fahey said.

The loop would begin at 20th Street by Creighton's new dorms and run east along Webster Street to the Qwest Center Omaha, where it would swing south along 10th Street to the Old Market. At Jackson Street, the streetcar would head west to 16th Street before returning to the Old Market area along Farnam Street.

City officials caution that the precise route could change since no track has been laid.

Two future routes also are suggested in the study. One would extend west to the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and the other would run south to the Henry Doorly Zoo and Rosenblatt Stadium. The report concludes that, of the two, a midtown route to the medical center would make more sense because it would get more use than a tourist-oriented path to the zoo.

The final financial analysis from HDR concluded that a streetcar line is feasible and that it "would act as the catalyst for stimulating downtown Omaha's enormous potential."

A novel financing plan is based on an anticipated "streetcar effect," with development stimulated in a three-block zone on either side of the track.

The city would create a tax-increment financing district in the development zone surrounding the track. The idea is that, as the area developed, the new property taxes generated would be used to pay off the construction bonds for the streetcars.

As with any plan that relies on bonds, taxpayers could end up on the hook if the revenues faltered.

No federal, state or general city tax funds would be tapped for the initial Creighton-to-downtown loop.

Heritage Services' role was to underwrite an independent study of the feasibility of a streetcar system, its route and financing alternatives, said Sue Morris, president of Heritage Services.

"We are now in an advocacy position," Morris said.

The study found that the numbers make sense and that the project would generate economic development, Morris said. "It makes Omaha a better place to live," she said.

Heritage Services, with influential Omaha executives on its board, has a track record of undertaking major projects and getting them done.

Its study investigated a number of ways to finance the streetcar line. Asking Omaha taxpayers to fund the line was seen as impractical given the city's current debt to finance the convention center and arena and the Hilton Omaha. Obtaining federal funds for the first phase of the project also was unlikely and could take years, the report concluded.

Omaha would be more likely to receive federal funding for a later route to the medical center, said Doug Bisson, who prepared the report for HDR.

The idea of creating a TIF district is new to Omaha but has been used elsewhere, Bisson said.

Tax-increment financing, or TIF, has been used extensively by Omaha to help pay for roads and utilities for projects or to directly finance individual projects. Those projects include the downtown First National Tower, the planned Aksarben Village and Midtown Crossing developments and Sorensen Park Plaza, the shopping center at 72nd Street and Sorensen Parkway.

The proposed TIF district for the streetcar project will receive close scrutiny in the coming weeks, said City Planning Director Steve Jensen. The city also will check with other cities, including Little Rock, Ark., Memphis, Tenn., and Portland, Ore., to see whether their streetcar projects ignited a development boom, Jensen said.

The cost estimates included in the study are lower than what another city is spending on its streetcar system. Albuquerque, N.M., assumes it will have to spend $29 million a mile to build the line. At that rate, the Creighton-to-downtown loop would cost $101.5 million - or nearly double the HDR estimate.

Bisson remained confident that the $55 million estimate is firm. He said HDR was conservative in its assumptions about costs, revenues and ridership.

In the first year of operation, the study estimates there would be 6,800 daily passengers, if the rides are free, and 3,300 daily passengers with a $2 fee. Fahey says he prefers a free service.

Operating costs are estimated at $2 million a year. The study does not address who would pay the operating costs.

Fahey and Morris believe that the streetcar plan would enliven downtown, boost north downtown development and polish the city's image. The proposal is to use sleek, modern streetcars - rather than vintage trolleys - to portray Omaha as "a progressive city moving forward," Morris said.

City officials said they still have work to do before seeking public support and approval from the City Council.

A streetcar is not just a nice bauble, a piece of unnecessary jewelry, the study suggests.

"To make the transition from a somewhat moribund downtown to a lively one, or from low-density, auto-oriented development to true city-building, rail transit is not a frill," according to the study. "It has proven to be a necessity - a powerful force for making it happen."

I LOVE that pedestrian bridge!

Then you'll like these video clips too... :D

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/4/mov1.html

http://www.eomaha.com/gallery/develop/4/mov2.html

Still underconstruction, but still feverishly working on it.

http://www.omahaevolution.com/Construction/

The Missouri River spanning pedestrian bridge is really picking up steam now... the mayor has selected the following design proposal (an architecture/contracting team from KC) and construction is projected to start late this year. You can find some nifty video animations at the following address: http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/2786071.html


http://www.omaha.com/imglib/mainsite/pub_0/photos/large/511spbirdseye.jpg

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World Herald story:



Cost: $22 million

Winning design team: Designer, HNTB Corp. of Kansas City, Mo.; builder, APAC-Kansas City, Kansas City, Kan.

Design: The curved bridge will span 3,000 feet across the Missouri River. The bridge will have two 200-foot spires and will be lighted at night.

Uses: City officials hope that bicyclists and pedestrians will use the bridge to access 150 miles of trails on the Iowa and Nebraska sides of the river. They also hope it will be a destination along the riverfront.

That is one sweet-looking bridge. Kudos! :master:

Nice bridge

Lol. I was wondering if someone would ever bring this thread back up to the top.

From the the Executive Summary of the specific detail specs of the Mutual of Omaha Midtown Crossing project..(As also just told by our friend Jeff Beals on his Grow Omaha radio show this morning)..Some HUGE news!..

Here goes:

-598 Residential units:

*312 condominiums (primarily targeted to sell in the low to mid $200,000 to low $300,000 range. A limited number of units in the $325,000-$375,000 range..

*261 apartment units (rental rates projected to average $1000-$1200 per month..

*25 extended stay corporate apartments..

-209.090 square feet of targeted retail tenants:

Anchor tenants-

*15,000-20,000 sf food market/urban grocery store (either Trader Joe's or Hy-Vee)..

*Urban movie theatre concept 30,400 sf (several companies bidding)..

Restaurants/Entertainment 45,000-50,000 sf-

*Steakhouse (Ruth's Chris, Stoney River, Texas de Brazil)..

*Seafood (McCormick & Schmick, Cameron Mitchell, Landry's)..

*Italian Restaurant/Bistro..

*Additional local owner concepts..

*Ethnic Restaurants (Chinese, Thai, Greek, Mexican, and other locally owned concepts)..

In-Line Service Retail 95,000-100,00 sf-

*Casual Dining (Old Chicago Bar, Panera, Subway, Pizza parlor, Starbucks or Scooters)..

*Apparel (Jos A Banks, Ann Taylor Loft, men's/women's shoes)

*Beauty/Personal Care (Bath & Body Works, Crabtree & Evelyn, hair salon, day spa)..

*Jewelry & Accessories (Kay Jewelers, Zales, local owners)..

*Specialty Tenants (FedEx/Kinkos, Hallmark Cards, UPS Store, Bookstore, office supplies)..

-2,262 new parking spaces:

*362 underground spaces with secure direct access to residential units..

*708 space new garage (with minimal height above street level..

*950 spaces in expanded ramp A..

*242 Surface spaces..

Whew!! There you have it folks..This is obviously HUGE!!!..

Suffice to say, if Omaha scores most of these specific, new to market retail/restaurants, it would be a major coup..All together now..GET TRADER JOE'S!!!!!!!..

http://omahaevolution.com/Images/mcariel.jpg

http://omahaevolution.com/Images/mccloseup.jpg

http://omahaevolution.com/Images/mcsiteplan.jpg

Here are some demolition pics.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/2.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0001.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0002.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0003.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM00010.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0011.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0012.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0013.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0014.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0015.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0016.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0017.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0018.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0019.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0020.jpg

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0021.jpg

The Omaha metro extends into Iowa correct?

Yes. 3 Iowa counties are in the Omaha metro.

So Omaha is technically Iowa's biggest "city". Interesting.

Just announced: 80Dodge http://www.80dodge.com

$100M mixed use project, first phase includes 72,000 sq ft of office space, 19,500 sq ft of retail, and 72 condominiums. The biggest surprise, this project is located at 80th and West Dodge (hence the name).

http://204.26.90.252/eomaha/gallery/develop/198/pic1.jpg
http://204.26.90.252/eomaha/gallery/develop/198/pic2.jpg
http://204.26.90.252/eomaha/gallery/develop/198/pic3.jpg

An Omaha development team plans a 12-story development of condominiums, offices and stores at 80th Street and West Dodge Road.

The nearly $100 million 80Dodge project will replace a vacant building and parking lot that were used for 35 years as a General Motors Training Center, then a Christian school and, most recently, a Vatterott College site.

In their place would rise a contemporary glass and concrete building that, in the first phase, would feature 19,500 square feet of ground-floor retail, 72,000 square feet of office space on two floors and as many as 72 condos selling for from just under $200,000 to more than $1 million.

If the condos sell as well as the developers expect, a parking garage, 12 rowhouses and two more condo towers are planned.

The 10,000 square feet of penthouse space would sell as one to three units for about $350 a square foot, said Michael Kucera, one of the three members of the project's BKS Development team. The others are Charles "Ken" Bunger, a former deputy city attorney, and Jerry Slusky, a developer and attorney.

The project is to be complemented by a planned renovation of the Beverly Hills Plaza shopping center that stands between much of the project site and West Dodge Road.

"There will be a seamless integration between the two properties," said Thomas Adams of First Management Inc., manager of the shopping center. "You won't know the difference between the two."

"This was an older center in need of something new and exciting, and this is it," Adams said. "This will take the center well into the future."

The developers believe the project would jump-start redevelopment of a much wider area. The project is what that stretch of Dodge needs to take it through the 21st century, Bunger said.

"80Dodge will help revitalize the heart of Omaha," Kucera said.

Bunger said the developers have met over several months with city planners and believe the project is consistent with the city's goals, as well as those of Omaha By Design, the private effort to upgrade the quality of development in Omaha.

City Planning Director Steve Jensen said the proposal is a great example of some of the urban design goals that city leaders have been talking about for a few years.

"It's an indication that area of the city is healthy, vital and growing, and that's a positive thing," Jensen said. "It would have been great if it was just an office building or just residences. I think they've really put a nice plan together, and the combination of uses makes it a much more interesting project."

Connie Spellman, director of Omaha By Design, said even though the project is farther west than the high-rise residences that were part of a plan showing the potential for revitalizing the city's main street, 80Dodge "certainly follows the spirit" of that plan.

"What's really nice is the connectivity they're trying to bring to the residents, the shopping center and the neighborhood," Spellman said.

She said she also liked that the Alley Poyner Architecture design complements Children's Hospital, both in its use of glass and its orientation.

Project architect Nathan Gieselman said condo floor plans were designed "to maximize views from every angle." Each unit has a balcony, and those on the fourth-floor level have large terraces. That level shares a year-round pool that in summer would open to an outdoor deck.

Other planned amenities include heated underground parking, a fitness center, clubhouse and concierge services, said Chris Redfield, director of condo sales for NP Dodge Real Estate, which will be marketing the condos. He said the garage would include storage for bicycles because of the project's proximity to the trail system.

Several grocery stores, restaurants and other services are within walking distance of the project.

"What's missing downtown in terms of services and retail is all right outside the door here," Redfield said.

He said he is not worried about competition from condo projects already announced for downtown and farther west along West Dodge Road, because he believes many people committed to that part of the city are ready for a lifestyle change.

"80Dodge is perfect for people who want a lively and maintenance-free lifestyle that doesn't include mowing a lawn," he said.

Bunger said the area is crowded with major employers, including two hospitals, and is close to the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the Peter Kiewit Institute.

The developers, who submitted their rezoning application to the city Monday, plan to formally announce the project today at the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce's downtown office.

Bunger, who pointed out that the project is not eligible for tax-increment financing and is being financed by private investment, said 80Dodge would generate nearly $2.8 million a year in property and sales taxes.

Redfield said reservations are being accepted immediately on condos. First Management and Kucera's Cornerstone Commercial Real Estate are talking to potential office and retail tenants.

Once approved by the city, construction will begin once half the condos are reserved, Bunger said. The goal, he said, is to hold a groundbreaking this fall and complete the first phase in 18 months.

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y195/pkiphd/Mutual/MTCM0015.jpg

This yellowish-orange building should be demolished?

Here is a 12 story condo project that I'm managing. It will be a catalyst in Omaha and truley lives up to Omaha by Design's high design demands for development. Go to www.80dodge.com to learn more. Until then, check out this little piece I put together.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/avanzee/Omaha/th_7cf45460.jpg (http://s37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/avanzee/Omaha/?action=view&current=7cf45460.pbr)

What is the status of the Wallstreet condo tower ?

Hello ?

Not really development news, but since this forum is so dead...
Omaha Skyline shot is in the new movie " Michael Clayton" starring george clooney..eExcellent movie.. Just a breif shot of the city but you can clearly see the Woodmen building.

Where are the Omaha people ?

Well, at least I got an email from the Omaha Steaks people today.

Hello ?

Hello:banana:

What is the status of the Wallstreet condo tower ?

Demolition of the old UP site should be finished by March of 2008.

Wallstreet Tower thread on eOmahaForums (http://eomahaforums.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=3120)

Any other news in Omaha? All the other Omaha people disappeared. Welcome, by the way.

Nice to see Omaha doing good. A lot of developments.

Wow, it is really sad to see how neglected this thread has been. There are so many exciting things that have been going on in Omaha, I guess I will have do all the dirty work.

Lets get it started:

Wall Street Tower
32 Stories, 373 ft. 270 condo units, retail space, rooftop pool; Demolition of the former Union Pacific Headquarters is well underway, and should be completed by May. This glass beauty should be completed by 2010.
Rendering:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v674/almighty_tuna/thenewdto.jpg
Demolition:

http://i8.tinypic.com/7yq8750.jpg
http://i14.tinypic.com/6qe0xn7.jpg
http://i13.tinypic.com/6khisqo.jpg

Riverfront Area
Riverfront Place
Phase 1 of Riverfront Place, which included townhomes and a 13 story condo tower, is complete. Phase 2 should begin shortly, which includes a 15 story condo tower and more townhomes. Note: phase two is the closest to the river.
Here is a very cool flyover video:
http://riverfrontplace.com/tour/t_tower-video.htm
Site Plan:
http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us/departments/mayor/EconDev/RiverfrontPlace/Large/rev_site%20copy.jpg
Rendering:
http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us/departments/mayor/EconDev/RiverfrontPlace/Large/Riverfront004.jpg
Post construction Phase 1:
http://www.wedeking.org/gallery/albums/downtown_omaha/DSCF0115.sized.jpg
http://www.wedeking.org/gallery/albums/downtown_omaha/DSCF0125.sized.jpg
http://i12.tinypic.com/2m64pir.jpg

Missouri River Pedestrian Bridge
The 25 million dollar pedestrian bridge, which is the centerpiece of Omaha's riverfront revival, is well under way. The towers are both complete and the decking is beginning. The bridge should be opened by the end of this year.
Rendering:
http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us/departments/mayor/EconDev/RiverFront/Large/NightShot04%20w%20LED%20lightpipe%20w%20red.jpg
http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us/departments/mayor/EconDev/RiverFront/Large/Birdseye_noOverlooks_POSTER.jpg
Construction:
http://i5.tinypic.com/6qe0ind.jpg
http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/4981/img8185ek7.jpg
http://img527.imageshack.us/img527/6164/img8179wq1.jpg
http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/412/img8174iz6.jpg

Council Bluffs, IA Riverfront Plan (Other side of Pedestrian Bridge)
The city of Council Bluffs, Iowa has been developing their plan for the other side of the pedestrian bridge. Their plan includes 200 residential units, a 10 story condo building, park space, retail, and office.
The Plan:
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/7444/pparkqj0.jpg
http://www.nonpareilonline.com/local/Z/Zwire2703/zwire/images/2007/10/full/NP-PPNeighborhoodparkwithtownhomesbeyond.jpg

Downtown Baseball Stadium
There hasn't been any mention of this here. Currently, the NCAA and the City of Omaha are negotiating a contract extension for the College World Series. The city of Omaha is currently investigating two options, either build a new downtown stadium in the North Downtown/Riverfront area for a 20 year contract extension or renovate Rosenblatt stadium for a 10 year extension. The city has formed a committee to evaluate 5 different downtown sites and 3 different renovation plans for Rosenblatt to determine the best option for the city.

The initial stadium proposal: $120 million stadium that would seat 9-10,000 for the Omaha Royals (AAA PCL) and be expandable to 24,000 seats for the College World Series. The initial idea was to build it on Lot D of the Qwest Center Omaha, however, the idea was met with opposition because the Qwest Center uses that lot of outdoor events and as an unloading area for conventions and events, and would also block future expansion of the convention center.
http://marquette.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=30018657&id=1319400200


North Downtown Area
The North Downtown area has been taking off as of late. There are currently 4 hotels either completed or under construction in the area and the newly completed Slowdown Development, which includes Saddle Creek Records new music venue, an independent movie theater, Urban Outfitters, Live/work units, Blueline Coffee, upper level condos, and rumored American Apparel. There have been rumors of other developments in the area, but we probably won't hear much until the dust settles with the baseball stadium.

Slowdown venue/Theater (Saddle Creek Records)
http://img355.imageshack.us/img355/86/img2968gd3.jpg
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/8201/img2970wm9.jpg
http://i16.tinypic.com/4pyxmdd.jpg
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/7130/img2953qj0.jpg
http://img142.imageshack.us/img142/6072/img2949so8.jpg
http://necoyote.com/images/random/UO1.jpg
http://necoyote.com/images/random/UO2.jpg
A great night shot of the entire development (UO, Slowdown, Theater)
http://i21.tinypic.com/315mmqb.jpg

Homewood Suites and Hampton Inn:
http://www.ncghotels.com/cms/images/stories/Omaha%20downtown%20rendering.jpg
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/5737/img7595bj6.jpg
Fairfield Inn:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/avanzee/Omaha/8306sqfairfield.jpg
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/3904/img7602rm5.jpg
Holiday Inn:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/avanzee/Omaha/0502ahnewhotel.jpg
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/7026/img7603bb6.jpg

Old Mattress Factory Bar & Grill
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5319/img7592ek7.jpg

Old Market Area Development
jLofts: 55 condos with ground floor retail and office space in the heart of the Historic Old Market
rendering:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y75/xraraavis/jloft1.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y75/xraraavis/jloft2.jpg
Construction:
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/8752/img7613gw6.jpg
http://i2.tinypic.com/507xero.jpg
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2140/img7614lp9.jpg
Residence Inn: 118 room hotel located at 12th and Jackson in Old Market
http://necoyote.com/images/develop/RI3.jpg

Other Downtown Development
Brandies Building:
The original developer of the 10 story former department store filed for bankruptcy in May of last year. After being on the market half finished for almost a year, Townsend Inc of Kansas City has purchased the property and plans to redevelop it into condos, apartments, office and retail space.
http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/4/8/0/480B0F25-F457-4352-B526-1F022CDC6473.JPG

The Paxton:
The former Paxton Hotel building has been successfully converted into condos and ground floor retail space. In the three lower level bays, two have been leased to the Paxton Chophouse and Ashley Lynns Tanning. Its garage, located in the rear of the building, has office space on the upper level and a n American National Bank on the ground floor. Oscar winning director Alexander Payne and former Nebraska Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns have purchased condos in the building.
http://images14.fotki.com/v379/photos/4/42372/4449058/P1014264-vi.jpg
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/avanzee/Omaha/April%2011%202006/Paxton41106.jpg
http://images18.fotki.com/v376/photos/4/42372/4449058/P1014265-vi.jpg

Magnolia Hotel:
The former Aquila building has recently been redeveloped into a Magnolia Hotel. From what it sounds like, this will soon be downtown Omaha's second 4 diamond hotel.
http://imageshack.us/
http://i12.tinypic.com/6b9rejl.jpg
http://www2.magnoliahotels.com/photos/Omaha/Entry.JPG

Patrick's Market:
Omaha recently opened its second full scale urban grocery store to the west of the Old Market area.
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/7582/img7610jb0.jpg

Zorinsky Federal Building:
The renovation of the Zorinsky Federal Building is complete.
http://necoyote.com/images/random/ZB7.jpg

Little Italy Developments
Towns at Seventh at Little Italy consists of 35 row houses in the Little Italy neighborhood to the south of Downtown.
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/avanzee/Omaha/0606bcitaly.jpg
http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/5592/img7618me6.jpg

Giovana
http://img213.imageshack.us/img213/8123/img0134mo0.jpg
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/4978/img7621gk9.jpg
http://img211.imageshack.us/img211/4951/img7622az4.jpg

Midtown Development
Midtown Crossing: The Midtown Crossing development is finally taking off. The demolition has been completed and the construction has begun.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y75/xraraavis/pic3.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/tonicopeland/100_0616.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/tonicopeland/100_0620.jpg
http://i22.photobucket.com/albums/b343/tonicopeland/100_0626.jpg

University of Nebraska Medical Center Research Tower
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e99/avanzee/Omaha/41806squnmc.jpg
http://img205.imageshack.us/img205/4519/img8190wk5.jpg

Outside of Downtown/Midtown
Aksarben Village
Phase 1 of this mixed use development on the former Aksarben Racetrack site is well underway.
http://phpdev.ist.unomaha.edu/~sadams/eOmaha/Akarben_Village_Plan
http://necoyote.com/images/develop/AV1.jpg
http://www.loopnet.com/Attachments/7/A/4/xy_7A4869D7-44F5-4EBC-95E0-73EFD17C3E3A__.jpg
http://www.omaha.com/neo-images/photos/large/102207asqkgraf.jpg
http://img184.imageshack.us/img184/751/img8283lm3.jpg
http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/4375/img8284gl3.jpg

80 Dodge
The future location (red brick building)
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/80_DODGE_002sm.jpg
Renderings
http://www.omaha.com/neo-images/photos/large/021207kc80dodge2.jpg
http://necoyote.com/images/develop/801.jpg
http://necoyote.com/images/develop/802.jpg

Demolition of the old UP site should be finished by March of 2008.

Wallstreet Tower thread on eOmahaForums (http://eomahaforums.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=3120)

Thanks! Sorry, I had given up on ever hearing from Omahans. :nuts:

WOWSER! I guess the upside of not hearing anything for months and months is that you get hit by waves of new developments. Very cool stuff indeed. :)

WOWSER! I guess the upside of not hearing anything for months and months is that you get hit by waves of new developments. Very cool stuff indeed. :)

Thanks. Most of these had been kind of scattered throughout the thread, but I figured I may as well update everyone on all of it. Lots of exciting stuff.

Thanks for all the news. I was wondering - for the new building on the old Union Pacific Railroad Building site - are they going to preserve the facade? It kind of looked like in the demolition picture that they were bracing some of the outside walls. I hope so. That is a beautiful building. Actually it would be nice if they could save the whole building and simply convert it to another use - but if that's impossible - it sure seems like it would be nice to at least save the beautiful architecture on the outside of that UP building. Also - I like the pedestrian bridge very much. I'm just curious where the funds are coming from to pay for it. Federal DOT Transportation Enhancement grants? State / City funds? Local or other foundations / philanthropies? Local contributions? Other? All of the above? Did they ask Warren Buffett for the change behind his couch cushions? Just curious - its a real nice bridge and I find it helpful to see how other communities are funding their pedestrian infrastructure. Hope Omaha keeps growing. - Tom in Tampa / Indianapolis

UrbanTom, Thanks for the comments.

The pedestrian bridge was the vision of longtime Nebraska Senator Bob Kerrey. He saw it as a potential centerpiece to the city's "back to the river" campaign. Before leaving office, he secured a $17 million federal bridge grant. The rest of the bridge was paid split. The bridge totaled $22 million, and the money came from a mixture of the City of Omaha, City of Council Bluffs, and various philanthropic organizations and businesses.

With the old UP Building, sadly, none of it is being preserved. The facade of the building has been in extreme disrepair in the past several years. Parts of it were crumbling onto the street and sidewalk below, making it kind of dangerous. The inside also was covered in asbestos. I guess you could say this thing was a real mess. There were also numerous ugly little 70s style additions to the building that made it unappealing to save. As much as I don't like to tear down our history, I am glad to see that an even more beautiful building will take its place.

Thanks for the comments guys!

Big news for downtown yesterday. The Gallup Organization, who employs 600 in their riverfront campus, will be building a new 100,000 square foot, 4 story addition. To fill this they will be expanding their riverfront workforce by 300.

Both shots taken on Christmas day:
http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/028-2.jpg

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc56/lilj4425/027-2.jpg

Great shots! Wall Street will fit in perfectly.

Omaha Development update as of 1-31

Wall Street Tower
Demolition of the Union Pacific Headquarters for the http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=566610 (Wall Street Tower)continues to chug along. On Jan 23 the Omaha World Herald repoted that the demolition should be completed by the end of February.
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1208&u_sid=10239079


http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/1599/img8612zw0.jpg

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/7610/img8613ua2.jpg

http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/3749/img8614kv3.jpg

Missouri River Pedestrian Bridge
Funding goals for the new $2 million dollar bridge landing and park area on the Omaha side has been reached.
http://www.omaha.com/neo-images/photos/large/011308kcbridge.jpg
Construction Update:
http://img207.imageshack.us/img207/1860/img8608cr9.jpg

http://img242.imageshack.us/img242/119/img8597kn7.jpg

http://img526.imageshack.us/img526/5452/img8610wl6.jpg

Old Market jLofts
The jLofts suffered a minor construction setback Monday when an Omaha World-Herald delivery truck crashed into the construction site taking out two of the columns. Work should still be on pace to meet fall move in dates.

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/7290/img8629zs0.jpg

The Giovanna
The model for the Giovanna Rowhouses in Omaha's Little Italy area is complete.

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/4458/img8630hg5.jpg

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/4041/img8634qe6.jpg

http://img352.imageshack.us/img352/3329/img8635xr9.jpg

Towns at Seventh and Little Italy
What looks to be the last row of the 35 row house Tows at Seventh and Little Italy development has begun.

http://img82.imageshack.us/img82/9289/img8640an5.jpg

Mutual of Omaha's Midtown Crossing
Construction on the $300 million http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=570799 (Midtown Crossing)development is cruising along.

http://i29.tinypic.com/33f5kbb.jpg

Former World-Herald Building
The Omaha World Herald, who recently moved from into the former Qwest Building, has announced its plans to demolish the 2 story and "temporarily" build a plaza. Rumor has it that there are plans in the works for a new high rise.

Notice how cheap the plaza is, no fountains, statues, etc.
http://phpdev.ist.unomaha.edu/~sadams/eOmaha/World_Herald_Plaza.jpg

NICE!

I was in Omaha for the first time last summer and was very impressed with the development happening in the Downtown/Riverfront area. Glad to see that what I saw was just the beginning of an urban renaissance. Go Omaha!

I love Omaha. Good to see things moving along. Oh, and I absolutely loved how American Idol painted this picture of Omaha as this one-horse farm town, and the smallest city they'd ever been to. It is larger than Charleston, right? 'nuff said.

Some great news in regards to the historic preservation in Omaha!

First with the Brandies Building
http://www.omaha.com/neo-images/photos/large/0207pkbrandeis4.jpg

Townsend Inc has released their plans for this vacant building on 16th and Douglas. They plan to convert the ground floor into a restaurant (2 national chains and 1 local restaurant have already expressed interest), floors 2-7 into 118 luxury apartments, and floors 8-9 into 35 condos. They are still uncertain what to do with the 10th floor, which was formerly a ballroom.

more from the Omaha World-Herald:
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1208&u_sid=10253086

Next, the Logan Building

http://www.omaha.com/neo-images/photos/large/0201pdlogan2.jpg
http://www.omaha.com/neo-images/photos/large/0201pdlogan1.jpg

Garrison Development plans to renovate this vacant building on 18th and Dodge into 105 studio apartments.

More from the Omaha World-Herald:
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1208&u_sid=10246910

Both of these should meet the HUGE demand for apartments in downtown Omaha. We have had more than our fair share of condo projects as of late, but both of these are taking advantage of the growing market for cheaper apartments in downtown. We also get to see two historic landmarks preserved in the process!

Wow, I once again let this thread sit un updated for far too long! Over two months, not good.

Here is a little update for everyone!

North Downtown Development Update
Lets start off with the new stuff:
Blue Lofts
http://www.omaha.com/neo-images/photos/large/040208kclofts.jpg
http://www.omaha.com/neo-images/photos/medium/040308jlapt.jpg
The Blue Lofts, which are part of the second phase of the Saddle Creek Records development, will be a 3 story loft apartment building that will feature 22 units and retail space on street level. This is (conveniently) across the street from the new proposed downtown ballpark. Ground on the lofts should begin by the end of summer and have residents moving in by summer 2009.

Sticking at the Slowdown site, American Apparel has announced plans to open a 3,800 sq ft store. This is just the latest addition to the complex which includes an Urban Outfitters, Blue Line Coffee, Slowdown Bar and Rock Venue (run by Saddle Creek Records), indie skateshop BBB Ltd., Graphic design firm Secret Penguin and the Film Streams independent movie theater.

Hotels-Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn, Homewood Suites, and Holiday Inn
http://www.omaha.com/neo-images/photos/large/041508kctiptopgraphic.jpg
The Hampton Inn is now complete and open, as is the Fairfield Inn. Construction on the Holiday Inn is still moving along and the Homewood Suites is going to be opening next week.

InPlay
The owners of InPlay, a restaurant and interactive gaming center located in the historic TipTop building is getting new owners and will be downsizing the gaming floor. The plan will make room for Ally Poyner Architecture, who will be relocating their offices there.

General Downtown

Wall Street Tower
Demolition is still chugging along at a snails pace. What was once a 12 story building that took up an entire block is now just 4 stories.
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/3513/img7994sg4.jpg
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/8751/img8009ow5.jpg
http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/9049/img8010er5.jpg

World Herald Building
Demolition on this building is flying. It should be down by within the next couple of weeks.
Last week:
http://i27.tinypic.com/24ymgsp.jpg
Yesterday (notice the sunlight):
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6995/img7993vz8.jpg

Patrick's Market
Downtown's first major downtown grocer opened up a few months ago. It sounds like business has been fantastic!

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/9440/img8011lk3.jpg
Produce.
http://i31.tinypic.com/2ajygwo.jpg
Dairy.
http://i28.tinypic.com/2yzbha1.jpg
Meat counter.
http://i32.tinypic.com/14tnhjm.jpg
The important section. :;):
http://i26.tinypic.com/2ez6zdf.jpg
Overview from the front.
http://i27.tinypic.com/xge534.jpg
Check out time.
http://i31.tinypic.com/ezj0ao.jpg

Missouri River Pedestrian Bridge
The construction on the bridge has been flying since my last update. The bridge is now connected on both landings (IA and NE) and has only 1 more space left to connect it. A lot of work remains, however, it is great to see the bridge itself done (or about done).

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/1757/img7989ty5.jpg
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/9476/img8001kg7.jpg
Iowa Approach:
http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/1490/img8003vg6.jpg

jLofts-Old Market
http://img231.imageshack.us/img231/1405/img7515ce4.jpg

Midtown

Midtown Crossing
Construction is moving right along. Two of the elevator shafts have topped out.
http://i226.photobucket.com/albums/dd24/joeshawphotos/MidtownCrossing-20080404-234945.jpg

UNMC Durham Research Tower II
http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/1586/img7353pz2.jpg

And I'm spent!

any idea what that project being built across from the skinner macaroni building will contain? i saw some mention of a retail element on the hoardings.

:)

great thread by the way. i spend a lot of time in downtown omaha. love the old market area. i had no idea patrick's market even existed! will definitely check it out next time i'm down there.

Well, because they're building a downtown Stadium, Rosenblatt is being torn down to be made into a parking lot for the zoo, but they the zoo is razing a smaller parking lot thats closer to the zoo and making it into an Alaskan Tundra area, the parking lot is shown here between 10th street and the Desert Dome. Also, they are building a Madagascar Exhibit with Lemurs and other native Madagascan wildlife. They are also building a new Elephant exhibit, which will give us a herd of a dozen elephants, and Finally, a sky rail to connect the two sides of the Zoo. A butterfly pavilion also recently opened.

And with the World Herald tearing down their old headquarters, there are rumors of another tower going up in its place, owned by Pacific Life.

There are rumors that Yahoo is going to build a data center somewhere in the Omaha area. Also, just about every hospital in the City is going through an expansion with several more being built. And finally, plans to revitalize Benson have been released, called the Benson Beat.
http://bensonbeat.com/
http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/26967049.html

Omaha is going to get a Yahoo Data Center and a hotel has been decided upon for Mid Town Crossing, a new brand called the Element by Westin.

Omaha 1953


http://www.offutt.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/070118-O-9999C-002.jpg

Anybody have pictures of how the ballpark is coming along?

They just broke ground a few weeks ago, nothing worth of note yet, except for ripped up parking lots.

Sorry I was opposed to the new ballpark that is to replace the Johnny Rosenblatt Stadium in the future. I was opposed to it because if the new ballpark had under 20,000 seats, it had to be expanded to about 30,000 for the College World Series and that would be a waste of money. Glad to see that the final capacity of the ballpark is 24,000 with the capability of expanding to 35,000 for the CWS. I don't know if the expanded capacities would be a waste of money, also.

With the Midwest HSR program imminent, why is Nebraska content with the HSR capable line terminating in Omaha? It seems that the door is open to extend this line 60 miles to Lincoln. Lincoln is certainly a large enough city to merit HSR, it is home to a major university and the rail lines could easily connect to the Airport as well as downtown.

I am aware that the California Zephyr already stops in Lincoln, but that is 1 train per day. The HSR program will eventually have 3-4 trains between Omaha-DesMoines-Davenport-Chicago.

The time is right to begin planning for this extension if it has local support.

http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/ss253/jpillinois/midwest_hub_map_30Jun09_large.gif