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UrbanNebraska

09-25-2015, 04:02 PM

Looking like it wont be all sunshine and roses for a while here. ConAgra HQd in Omaha for nearly 100 years has been doing very poorly for a while now. Lately new investors have come in pushing for massive changes, a new CEO, both sitting on the board members living in Omaha have stepped down and today the new CEO made veiled comments that jobs would be moving to Chicago and it really sounds like the HQ is going away. There have already been reports that Conagra has secured space in The Merchandise Mart. He said the company would still have a presence in Omaha, but sounds like upwards of 1200 jobs are in danger for Omaha.

The downward spiral began when they bought a private label brand company a few years back. The deal was a complete tank for the company and they are already trying to spin that off for 50% of what they paid for it. There was so much hope that the deal would lead to hundreds of jobs moving from STL to Omaha. Turns out it probably caused the loss of a Fortune 500 HQ.

There was a scare that they would leave for Tennessee in the late 80s. The state ended up giving a lot of tax breaks to keep them in town b/c that was on the heels of Enron leaving for Houston and taking 1000 jobs with them.

Whatever ends up happening Conagra will forever have a legacy on the city. Along with the tax breaks given out 25 years ago they were allowed to create a suburban campus for their HQ downtown. They tore down 24 buildings that the CEO at the time described as "some big ugly, red brick buildings. At the time is was the nations largest historic district to be demolished.

http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll177/liphastings/JC1_zpsaxuiphix.jpg
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll177/liphastings/JC2_zpsscruxftx.jpg
http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll177/liphastings/JC3_zpsvnaz9tfs.jpg

The campus today consists of 5 buildings around the lake.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/IMG_16503.jpg

This could really go down as an example for anything from city planning to corporate welfare to historic preservation. Was all of that worth 25 more years of jobs? I have heard valid arguments from both sides, but it should serve as a reminder that decisions we make about our cities today have ramifications for decades which is why we need to try and make the very best decisions we can.

adaniel

10-01-2015, 09:37 AM

UrbanNebraska

10-01-2015, 04:27 PM

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CQPTmVVUsAArTgv?format=pjpg&name=large

Yes that is a statue of Chef Boyardee. I hope they take that tacky statue and put it on the roof of The Merchandise Mart. Would be awesome.

zookeeper

10-01-2015, 06:43 PM

Saw that this morning so I though of this thread. I really hate that for Omaha. I hope you all get through this.

Slim Jim maker ConAgra to cut 1,500 jobs | Money - Home (http://www.click2houston.com/news/money/slim-jim-maker-conagra-to-cut-1500-jobs-and-move-to-chicago/35595388)

Of course OKC is dealing with the Chesapeake fiasco. Also just heard from a college friend the other day who lives in Northwest Arkansas that Wal Mart is preparing to lay off in excess of 1,000 people from their HQ. For an area of that size, that could really hurt. Honestly, I am starting to wonder how strong the national economy really is.

What a blow to Omaha.

Of all things, the headline mentions 'Slim-Jims'? What does ConAgra not make? Try this list, it's unbelievable.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ConAgra_brands
For the more visually inclined: Brands: The Brands That America Loves | ConAgra Foods (http://www.conagrafoods.com/our-food/brands)

traxx

10-02-2015, 09:24 AM

EricOK

10-05-2015, 03:12 AM

Omaha was already a relatively large city by the 1880's and has a huge stock of buildings from that era. I love these old industrial cities. When I lived in Omaha I would ride my bike all over the east side of town and marvel at the old Victorian homes and factories & warehouses. I wasn't aware that Jobber's Canyon once existed. What a terrible loss.

UrbanNebraska

11-11-2015, 10:37 PM

Well even with the ConAgra loss DTO seems to still have momentum. ConAgra is keeping 1200 jobs on the campus and it will still be the largest office site for the company. The Mayor has stated that she has been contacted by developers wanting to redevelop the wasted space on the property too. Elsewhere downtown:

The tower crane for the 333 room Marriott Hotel portion of The Capitol District has a tower crane being erected.
http://i.imgur.com/L8mY7Gx.jpg
http://www.capitoldistrictomaha.com/images/rendering_1.jpg

And the entire two block site littered with equipment. The 12 floor apartment tower will be in the foreground.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/ShamR26.jpg
http://www.capitoldistrictomaha.com/images/rendering_2.jpg

HDR Inc. a major architecture/engineering firm HQd in suburban Omaha is moving forward with plans to move 900 jobs DT into a 16 story office tower with a 7 floor garage attached. No rendering yet, but this is the lot that will be replaced. Considering this would be the HQ for a large arch firm we have some high expectations for the finished product up here.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random4/HDR11.jpg

The Capitol District is directly out of frame to the left of this photo. Really highlights how big of a change this couple blocks of DTO will get. 1000s of new jobs between the office space, hotel, retail ect. Hundreds of potential hotel occupants and a couple hundred residents on the three city blocks. This will really expand the DT footprint and help to spread the activity out from what is basically just around the Old Market and CBD.

KETV local news station has moved into their new home DT. The gorgeously restored Burlington Station.
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20151012sc8a8918.jpg
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20151012sc8a8901.jpg

That sits on the south end of downtown which is really seeing a resurgence.

An old industrial building is turning into a large office project. A locally based construction company is moving their office here bringing 100 jobs. The rest of it is collaborative startup space for people to rent by the desk instead of by the SF and share amenities. Also a restaurant bay along with a solar array and wind turbines on the roof.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random4/RailCoBldg11.jpg

The Blue Barn Theater and Boxcar10 mixed use project is finished.
http://payload410.cargocollective.com/1/7/249521/10503232/MinDay_121_03_1333.jpg
http://payload410.cargocollective.com/1/7/249521/10503236/MinDay_120_03_1759.jpg
http://payload410.cargocollective.com/1/7/249521/10503236/MinDay_120_13d_767.jpg
http://payload410.cargocollective.com/1/7/249521/10503236/MinDay_120_19d_1287.jpg

Directly next door to ^that^ an old streetcar barn that has been used by the post office for a long time is being turned into a year round market. The concept sounds amazing,
http://necoyote.com/images1/random4/BB51.jpg

As it stands now, the layout calls for:
» A 30,000-square-foot main market hall to be accessed from 11th Street. That space is to feature nearly 25 permanent tenants, such as the butcher and baker, and a handful of day stalls for short-term tenants testing concepts and wares.
» An event space and more day vendors in the parking area outside the 11th Street entrance.
» A 3,000-square-foot mezzanine area with a tasting room for a deli and microbrewery.
» A 30,000-square-foot lower level that opens on to 10th Street and features a few sit-down restaurants, an area for events such as health- and food-related discussions, and a “back end” section for food production.
» A 4,000-square-foot rooftop area with an enclosed restaurant and bar as well as open-air gathering space.
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtf1/v/t1.0-9/11917484_1651505741731737_9167905709064927618_n.jp g?oh=d13c04707cd58c31b8261876cd34e1fc&oe=56AE8CEE

And just down the street from there is a 36 unit row house project.
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t1.0-9/12122553_1639041163042516_6223018764962124239_n.jp g?oh=4887bf80a3ee5470750232ea15c82f27&oe=56C0F357

The 125 unit Corvina apartment project is getting its finishing touches and already has residents in. Helping extend the Old Market out of its traditional boundaries.
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/648/21443684363_30ac1ca1a7_k.jpg

The Woolworth building is practically the last building in the Old Market with vacant floors above the ground floor retail. $12 million will renovate it into 43 apartments, 15K SF of office space and a rooftop deck.
http://necoyote.ipower.com/images1/random1/Fox12.jpg

The north end of downtown is getting love too.

The Yard parking lot has been torn up and ground is broken on the new Kiewit University facility.
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20151014sc8a8952.jpg
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20151014sc8a8961.jpg
http://www.ketv.com/image/view/-/34167508/medRes/1/-/maxh/460/maxw/620/-/lrvb7j/-/kiewit-1-JPG.jpg

The north end of the block will have a 100 unit apartment building with ground floor retail. Between Kiewit and the apartments will be a hotel yet to be named. Fingers crossed for Hotel Indigo.
http://www.ketv.com/image/view/-/34167530/highRes/1/-/w/620/-/krna2dz/-/kiewit-4-JPG.jpg

The city put out an RFP for another North Downtown lot and got two responses. This lot has a little bit of a sour history. It used to house the showroom of a 32 floor condo tower that got killed by the recession.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random4/Showroom11.jpg

Option 1 is a 5 floor 75 unit apartment building with no retail.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/19/11961cce-6d11-52fb-b1e6-2ea9c13a5313/55fa0e6e951a8.image.jpg?crop=1564%2C873%2C40%2C0&resize=1024%2C572&order=crop%2Cresize

Option 2 is a 4 floor mixed use. Retail on the ground, office second and 45 apartments on the top two.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/f4/0f4ff83e-93fc-5b86-bda9-cf1c04bb4fcf/55fa0e6f24a8b.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C576

Moving further west from downtown a couple projects are moving into what used to be a pass by overlooked area of urban Omaha.

Even Hotel. A new concept from IHG hotels. The first few have been on the East Coast including Brooklyn and the Garment District in NYC. It is a health focused concept with built in exercise equipment in every room and a health conscious restaurant. Will include ground floor retail.

http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/livewellnebraska.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/4b/24b6b792-d4b0-50f7-994c-54a59fbd707f/5611e7c61ae8d.image.jpg?resize=760%2C397
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xta1/v/t1.0-9/1508543_756308127829544_4596711681459630281_n.jpg? oh=3a77beefb8bafcfe56c6742e92884fdd&oe=56EE3CDD

H2 apartments 114 units.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/5c/55c8cb8f-bf17-5ee5-9a83-8a3b95f8f73f/551cbddad48ce.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C576
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=270

The Flats on Howard is a 150 unit project renovating a collection of historic buildings being renovated in the same area. I have posted pics before, but they are coming online now. The best part about this project is that the units are pretty small and are only going to be a little over $500 a month. Really should open up downtown living to another subset of the market that can't afford those $1000 a month rents in most projects.

All these new residents should make this little retail project successful. Old building getting renovated into 3 smaller bays and a larger restaurant spot with a rooftop.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random4/Farnam2511.jpg
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/0/02/002010ec-3d28-11e5-b525-f7cceb1f6453/55c4e81fc7418.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C577

The Blackstone District continues to transform at a rapid rate.

50 units with retail.
http://static1.squarespace.com/static/54a7207ae4b0ac4256e17c9a/54ee3760e4b0a0e0c107204e/5531788ce4b0c39656cc952e/1429305510297/39th+and+Farnam.jpg?format=1500w
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/BStone16.jpg

40 units.
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=215

This building is being renovated into 12 units on the second floor and retail on the bottom.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/BStone14.jpg

The suburban style building and surface lot will be replaced by a $15 million 112 unit apartment project with retail and underground parking.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/BStone11.jpg
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/7b/47bd4188-9d9c-51f4-b284-fd0495fe900b/561da2c80dacd.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C484

There are about a half dozen other small projects going on in the area right now. Lots of renovations of mid-century apartments and reactivating underused storefronts. I live just a few blocks from here. When I moved I never thought I would stick around this area for 5 years b/c I wanted to get to a more walkable area. What happened here changed that mindset. A ton of locally owned shops popped up in the past two years. I walk to the barber shop now, theres a brewery, late night food spot, NY style pizzeria and rumors of a music venue. I moved to the neighborhood for the affordability and lucked into an amazing walkable place.

This neighborhood is buoyed by the nearby growing Nebraska Medical Center.

The new $300+ million cancer center is topped out.
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20150919sc8a5567.jpg

The facility will include a $12 million healing arts center designed by Dale Chihuly.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CRsTrbuWcAAOG6z.jpg:large

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BpBPbKd1BY

The new pharmacy school is being finished up.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/UNMC126.jpg

New outpatient center getting close.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/UNMC125.jpg

With all these new facilities I guess you need a heck of a parking garage as well.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/UNMC122.jpg

The Med Center has two other large projects coming down the pipe with no renderings yet. One is a $100 virtual reality teaching facility combined with an expanded biocontainment facility. A lot of federal money behind that one to make UNMC one of the centers where other hospitals will send people for training in containing highly infectious diseases. The second project is a 200 room 7 floor hotel to help support the entire campus. Between the cancer center and the teaching facility they need a hotel within walking distance.

Mixed use project in the Dundee neighborhood really moving forward. Retail space on the ground floor, rumors of a local vegan restaurant expanding here. Second floor a doctors office with 6 apartments on top.
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/v/t1.0-9/11659374_10155813869545074_1988019930912815665_n.j pg?oh=49d1ba16c193d5146991a8761e8c76c4&oe=56BA05ED
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/DundeeRB17.jpg
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/DundeeRB16.jpg

150 unit apartment project with a bank branch on the bottom floor. in the Benson neighborhood. I have posted pics of the neighborhood before, but it is a very well maintained streetcar suburb. Lots of live music and locally owned shops/restaurants on the strip. This is the first substantial new construction since the resurgence began.
http://media.graytvinc.com/images/2015_7-14+Benson+Apartments-Street+View.jpg
https://scontent-ord1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/12032189_10153148853343314_2775608566182487269_n.j pg?oh=8e3fd5176534de4b3f5934e7028b37f0&oe=568A4ED2

The new urban Aksarben Village got a big addition recently. Pacific Life's Omaha operation moved from DT to a new facility in this new area. Ground floor retail, first announced tenant is Pauli's bar which is a local favorite that closed down when the Med Center bought the land from them. People are excited to get them back.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random4/PL65.jpg

Another new addition is a 4 story office building. Rumors that Green Plains Energy(one of the largest ethonal producers) will move their HQ from the suburbs here.
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20151017sc8a8980.jpg
http://x.lnimg.com/photo/poster_1920/eb3c4026f0ee45858e1f95e689c971a7.jpg

This neighborhood is right around University of Nebraska Omaha which is really seeing its best days. Enrollment is way up and their on campus living is booming.

434 bed dorm addition. They had to turn away 200 students wanting to live on campus this year and this wont be done until 2017. UNO in the past decade has gone from 0 students living on campus to over 2500 with over 3000 living on campus after this project. Really changing the commuter campus vibe they had for decades.
https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7728/18394656646_a9efcc67d3_z.jpg

They also recently opened their own on campus arena. It has been amazing for campus life and student pride. Doesn't hurt that the Maverick hockey team went to the Frozen Four last year and is a top 10 team. The pack nearly 8000 in here, a heck of a hockey barn.
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20151001sc8a6120.jpg
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t1.0-9/12074821_10101061484833313_3566663278346355176_n.j pg?oh=01821269ec519aacf99de68e59e93e45&oe=568A9BDB

A new tech library "Do Space" recently opened. Offering a ton of tech based services from 3D printing to coding classes. Should be a great resource for the city. The building is a repurposed Borders.
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfl1/v/t1.0-9/12247144_553971328089960_3448241336173926455_n.jpg ?oh=ec909b3116bd46702ec977c6e5a15c15&oe=56ED60A1

Crossroads Mall redevelopment moving forward slowly, but surely. Demo of the mall will begin in March. Phase 1 is $275 million and includes:

» about 410,000 square feet of retail space
» a 125-room boutique hotel
» a 10-screen cinema
» about 150,000 square feet of office space
» up to 200 residential units

http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/a6/4a6e20a0-7a27-5980-b663-7d84a4b83310/56174278cc913.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C498

An additional selling point is that the development will have 10 Gig internet throughout. Obviously 1 gig is big right now, but they are looking to push the envelop here to help attract tech companies to the office space. The 10 gig will also be available to residents and visitors.

Anonymous.

11-12-2015, 12:27 PM

That Boxcar/Bluebarn space is absolutely amazing. This is what OKC needs more of. Send those developers down here please!

UrbanNebraska

11-18-2015, 09:25 PM

That Boxcar/Bluebarn space is absolutely amazing. This is what OKC needs more of. Send those developers down here please!

It sure is! On of my absolute favorite projects of 2015. Blue Barn is a professional theater company that is entering its 27th season. They had a fundraising campaign to raise $7 million for construction and operating expenses. Min|Day is the architect behind it, they are a small San Fransisco/Omaha firm. The design features in this place are great and will most likely go unnoticed.

For instance the black box of the condo portion is the exact proportion to the black box theater void.
http://payload410.cargocollective.com/1/7/249521/10503232/MinDay_121_04.gif

And the back stage has huge doors that open up to the park space behind the building. The theater company has said they want to incorporate nontraditional performance spaces with this asset.
http://payload410.cargocollective.com/1/7/249521/10503236/MinDay_120_07_1375.jpg
http://payload410.cargocollective.com/1/7/249521/10503236/MinDay_120_20d.gif

boitoirich

11-21-2015, 09:59 AM

Great stuff! I love the UNO revitalization, especially the bit about going from 0 students living on campus to 2500 with demand being strong. That is an unqualified success story.

UrbanNebraska

11-30-2015, 06:08 PM

Great stuff! I love the UNO revitalization, especially the bit about going from 0 students living on campus to 2500 with demand being strong. That is an unqualified success story.

It really has been a lot of hard work and investment, but both the university and city are reaping the benefits. UNO was unaffectionately called "Omaha High" or "Dodge Street High" and was completely a commuter campus with very little campus pride. Now UNO is the fastest growing university in the Nebraska system with faster % and raw number growth than the flagship in Lincoln.

http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/2b/a2b5d2be-5683-11e5-9c1a-675410c07d05/55ef7321e3981.image.jpg
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/75/b7592810-5683-11e5-a8c5-6f77a7171dc0/55ef733ec2e2b.image.jpg

The graduate programs have also grown 10% this year. 12% more out of state students are enrolled than last year too.

UNO will obviously never be UNL, but it can be a university to employ the next generation of workers in Omaha. Local business leaders realized the potential here when they donated millions to build a new building for the business college.
http://www.unomaha.edu/news/2014/06/homepage/mammel-hall-hba.jpg

This is a cool shot of where the main campus sits compared to the urban areas of Omaha.
http://www.unomaha.edu/about-uno/img/then-and-now-uno.jpg

In that aerial you can see two universities(UNO and Creighton), two medical schools(UNMC and Creighton) and 4 Fortune 500 HQs. And my house :cool:.

UrbanNebraska

01-06-2016, 08:14 PM

Local photographer Brad Williams got up in the air recently and grabbed some great shots of Omaha.

Even with ConAgra leaving we still have an impressive coporate HQ presence for a city our size. A couple big names in the suburbs.

Fortune 1000 TD Ameritrade's HQ(Online Trading).
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20151207SC8A4197.jpg

Fortune 1000 Valmont(Irrigation).
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20151207SC8A4160.jpg

Fortune 1000 Green Plains(commodity trading). Moving from a suburban location to the new urban Aksarben Village.
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20151017sc8a8980.jpg
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/a5/5a597bb0-19b4-51b8-8e76-d0e7e4cb9a8b/56550cfe90a78.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C621

The classic DTO shot. ConAgra's campus just begging for dense development...
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20151207SC8A3905.jpg

The Capitol District has two cranes flying.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/ShamR41.jpg

And the aerial shows the relation with the rest of DT. I also like this shot b/c it shows the linear density we are developing. You can see DT, Midtown and if you look closely the cranes over the Nebraska Medical Center. The BRT was run right past all of these employment centers. Also the surface lot right next to the construction site will be the new 16 story HQ of HDR brining 900 jobs from the suburbs to DT.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20151207SC8A3925.jpg

The Buffett Cancer Center at the Nebraska Medical Center.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20151207SC8A3935.jpg

And the next area of the city eyed for an Aksarben Village or Midtown Crossing type new urban development. This is an old industrial area directly next to the medical center that the institution has bought and is looking to develop hotel, retail, residential and office space to support the campus and make it more attractive to students and professionals. All the cars are the construction crew for the cancer center.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20151207SC8A3943.jpg

BG918

01-06-2016, 08:22 PM

UrbanNebraska

01-06-2016, 09:02 PM

ConAgra's campus reminds me a lot of OSU's campus in Tulsa. Both are not urban but next to downtown and have a similar style of architecture.

Hopefully ConAgra's campus gets redeveloped into something denser. It's a great location on the river next to downtown. It's just a shame so much of the warehouse district was destroyed to originally build it.

From what I have been hearing developers have already been contacting the Mayor and she has said that is is just way too early in the process. ConAgra is still keeping 2-3 of the buildings full and the talk here is that the buildings are way too well maintained Class A office to make a complete tear down realistic. The thing is they aren't going to sell off property until the restructure is done and that is a long process.

I think in 2-3 years the front lawn and gaudy corporate promenade will get taken care of. Omaha is pretty good at taking care of big time properties. I think they get heavy handed, but they don't mess around on spending money to appease the movers and shakers in town.

TU 'cane

01-08-2016, 12:35 PM

Call it or call me whatever, but every time I come here and look at what Omaha has going on, I'm more than impressed.

Urban, are you and/or the city expecting a bigger year than 2015 in terms of development and announced projects that you can tell right now?

TexanOkie

01-08-2016, 03:24 PM

zookeeper

01-08-2016, 07:55 PM

UrbanNebraska

01-11-2016, 06:19 PM

Well I was going to respond to you guys with a lot of the things I am excited for in 2016, but I will have to get to that some other time.

The Old Market lost an icon and it really has put a damper on the new year. A century old building burned all day Saturday with sub zero temps after dark making it extremely hard for the amazing fire fighters. A gas line was hit an explosion lead to a fire. M's Pub a restaurant and Nouvelle Eve a clothing store have been on the ground floor of this building for 40 years and are gone. M's especially wears heavy on me b/c it has always been a go to for me. From first dates to holiday celebrations it has served me well for years and decades for others. Truly an Omaha institution. This corner is the direct heart of the Old Market and it just feels like the whole city lost a piece of its soul. Fingers crossed they can rebuild.

http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/2014_06_26-STORM_PANO-005a.jpg
http://bradwilliamsphotography.com/old-market-fire/SC8A7515.jpg

ConAgra is a bigger loss on paper, but this one feels like a punch to the gut.

zookeeper

01-11-2016, 10:10 PM

Spartan

01-17-2016, 12:44 AM

Sorry to hear about the Old Market building. At any rate, I am sure it's a valuable-enough corner, that the right solution will be found.

UrbanNebraska

01-25-2016, 05:53 PM

HDR gives us a first look at their new HQ.

http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/7b/37b6da04-c37e-11e5-bbe1-7f4d71a86150/56a6492ba09fd.image.jpg

zookeeper

01-25-2016, 06:16 PM

Interesting building. When I first looked at it I saw a giant razor cartridge.

Have you heard anymore on what they plan to do at the M's Pub building? Such a shame.

UrbanNebraska

01-25-2016, 07:26 PM

Interesting building. When I first looked at it I saw a giant razor cartridge.

Have you heard anymore on what they plan to do at the M's Pub building? Such a shame.

The city said they thought the north wall needed to come down. The building owners decided to bring in their own consultation to check the structure and just tonight they came out and said that they are feeling positive about saving the structure.

The north wall is the one w/o windows on the right side of the building.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20160115SC8A9267.jpg

And the structural engineer inspecting the building.
http://bradwilliamsphotography.com/old-market-fire/SC8A9690.jpg

The people that own the building are the Mercer family. They own a number of the buildings in the Old Market and their family has owned property in the neighborhood since the late 1800s. The Mercer family owned the original building on this site that burned down 101 years ago to the month.
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=402
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=400

The building standing today was the replacement for that building.

The Mercer's actually had an apartment in this building and they lost a pretty substantial art collection.

Basically it is safe to say the owners here care about The Old Market like it is a family member. They have the resources and the will to do anything and everything to save this place.

zookeeper

01-25-2016, 09:52 PM

Wow. Those are incredibly sad pictures. To think they burned 101 years apart sent chills up me looking at those photos.
Thanks for the update, Urban.

Spartan

01-26-2016, 01:49 PM

Great news though that it may be salvageable!!

UrbanNebraska

02-15-2016, 10:09 PM

A great(and rare) day for historic preservation in Omaha.

In the background of the new HDR headquarters were 4 100+ year old buildings. The whole thing is complicated, but here it goes.

When HDR said they were going to move DT they eyed this surface lot in the middle of the photo.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20151207SC8A3925.jpg

That lot is owned by Omaha Performing Arts(OPA). They own and run the Holland Performing Arts Center across the street.
http://musictour.eu/data//uploads/media/halls/2308/9411732f13b46242eadf87ef119f8bf1.jpg

OPA said that they would not sell the parking lot to HDR unless they could get a hold of the 4 century old buildings on the east end of their block. They said they needed it for a parking garage and potentially more performance and education space.
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpt1/v/t1.0-9/12190011_899350716767109_4541929801732150092_n.jpg ?oh=2bb956cb38e4f22f467c191008e56cf7&oe=5768ED54

And the back of the buildings. OPA already owns the lawn.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random4/HollandGreen11.jpg

The most significant historic building is the 132 year old Specht Building. It is the last cast iron facade in the state.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2c/Specht_building_%28Omaha%29_from_SW_2.JPG/676px-Specht_building_%28Omaha%29_from_SW_2.JPG

The building I felt got overlooked was the Happy Hollow Coffee Building.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/23/d23fac6a-86a0-11e5-b35b-53d04f961c74/56402bfcaca81.image.jpg?resize=620%2C517

Well when it came down to the numbers the owners of the buildings didn't want to sell to OPA. With the threat of OPA not selling their lot to HDR the city decided to step in. They came in and said they would buy the properties for $11 Million and then GIVE IT to OPA. OPA was then going to sell the parking lot to HDR for $3 million, of which would have been funded through the TIF for HDR. So basically the city was going to give $14 million in tax payer dollar funds to OPA as well as give them 4 historic buildings to tear down. Also it came out that the CEO of HDR is on the OPA board so all kinds of backroom deal theories were being thrown around.

Well obviously that pissed people off. Freedom of Information Act requests were filed, boycotts of OPA were organized, multiple downtown architects and business owners spoke out. It was a really organized opposition.

Even through that the planning board and mayor had said they supported the deal. Just today OPA came out and said that they would drop the request for the properties from the city and would still sell the lot to HDR. It is honestly the first time I can remember that big $ and power lost to the people in this city. Maybe I am overestimating the impact, but I really hope this galvanizes the citizens of this city to think they actually have a voice in the major decisions in our city.

UrbanNebraska

03-01-2016, 10:03 PM

The wife and I visited Omaha for a 4-day mini-vacation a couple years ago and loved it. Several things stood out about the city:

(1) There is a higher density of development in the older neighborhoods than you find in central Oklahoma City or Tulsa; so much so that Omaha feels like a bigger city when you're walking or driving through it than it actually is.

(2) There were multiple grocery stores in the downtown/midtown area, fairly well spaced through downtown, the old market, and midtown.

(3) The Doorly Zoo is one of the best zoos I've been to. It's not the largest, but the open buildings used for many of the enclosures really brings you face to face with the wildlife.

(4) The quality of the public parks system (or at least the parks we went to) rivals cities two or three times its size.

1. That is one thing I really love about Omaha. While the traditional urban stock has taken a hit over the years the neighborhoods have stood strong. Dundee, Fairacres, Benson, Gold Coast, Joslyn Castle ect are all very well maintained and have seen surging home values with the push back to the city core.

I live in the Joslyn Castle neighborhood. This building is literally two blocks from my place.
http://schipperhaven.org/journey/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/joslyn-castle.jpg

This video focuses mostly on Memorial Park, but does show the old hoods still going strong.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TwahwYfHH0

2. I kind of like our urban grocery options. Patrick's Market downtown is just so expensive and I feel like doesn't differentiate themselves enough from a big box to draw people outside of convenience. Haven't ever been in, but it seems like a Native Roots finds the smaller grocer niche better.
https://irs2.4sqi.net/img/general/width960/lDRdISeVESRxsbnG5P02GlngRoZZ3_fK1kPjwhtu2s4.jpg
http://i27.tinypic.com/xge534.jpg

The Wohlner's in the Midtown Crossing development is still higher than the big box, obviously, but more reasonable. Plus the best meat counter in town!
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rdbeKIH-A0A/TpMKFrRQDpI/AAAAAAAACqQ/jHdunwBpa_U/s1600/R1-04998-021A.jpg
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qM9zubsM7tY/TpMKFAvO3qI/AAAAAAAACqI/z0J9RcqH_Rs/s1600/R1-04998-020A.jpg

3. The zoo here is really awesome. Annually competes with STL and San Diego for best zoo in the country and world. They are just finishing up on the zoo's largest project ever, a $73 million African Grasslands project. The elephant barn is supposed to be the largest in the nation. We are waiting on elephants from Africa along with Wichita and Dallas zoos. Hoping they can clear through the hurdles soon, it has been too long since we have seen elephants. Had to give ours up when one of the two died and needed to get the lonely guy into a new group.

4. The parks are plentiful, but I wish we had at least one "active" park along the lines of Myriad. All of our parks are passive green space, which is nice, but wish there was one headliner than was a bit different.

UrbanNebraska

03-01-2016, 10:13 PM

Omaha is a great city and will handle the ConAgra HQ loss. Great pix, by the way.

You know, Urban will know this, but there is an old joke in Omaha back in the 70's and 80's that went something like this:

Visitors in town have to only ask one question about how to get to ________.
"Which way on Dodge?"

The growth patterns at that time made that answer truer than many wanted to admit.

My, how things have changed!

Dodge is still "Main Street" in every way possible. Omaha is very much a E/W linear city when it comes to the major employers and commute patterns. About a decade ago they built this massive $100 million bypass project to jump Dodge over 3 stoplights. A little I-35 in Austin vibe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIypb2d0Ifk

UrbanNebraska

04-07-2016, 04:19 PM

HDR no longer moving downtown. Said the land deal with OPA couldn't be reached, parking was too expensive to workout and that the timeline doesn't work anymore. Staying in the city likely the suburbs according to the rumors.

UrbanNebraska

05-26-2016, 12:21 AM

Well I was going to wait until HDR announced their new HQ location, but a huge project was dropped that has got me jazzed.

Creighton University Medical Center is moving their facility a bit further west to a hospital near Aksarben Village. In the wake of that they were selling their massive, dated current building. Just today the buyer was announced and their plans were released, they are exciting and substantial to say the least.

The details include:

$90 million redevelopment
700 apartment units
40K SF in retail
2.5 acre lake with a fountain and sand beach
A rooftop pool
A 700 foot pedestrian bridge over the interstate to connect the building to Creighton's campus
A new elementary school on the parking lot across the street
Walking and biking trails running to Midtown Crossing and North Downtown

Here is a look at the Soviet-esque looking monster
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/livewellnebraska.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/a9/9a9e5cea-ae1d-11e4-8e18-1bd3c8e2a896/542261e567c1b.image.jpg?resize=760%2C516

A rendering
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=675

A site plan
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=676

700 units in one building is insane and will be a massive anchor for the entire neighborhood just west of DT and north of Midtown Crossing.

The Capitol District is beginning to make its presence felt.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random6/ShamR105.jpg

The hotel will have a great street presence.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random6/ShamR111.jpg

And the apartment tower using a pretty interesting modular process. They say it will put up 10 floors in 15 weeks.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random6/ShamR107.jpg

The Yard in North Downtown coming together.

Kiewit's national training facility.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20160522SC8A6312.jpg

And the 100 unit apartment project on the other end.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20160522SC8A6318.jpg

A yet to be announced hotel will sit between those two.

Even Hotel, which will be the 4th location of the concept getting closer.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20160522SC8A6272.jpg

This modest apartment project is very close to ^that^ hotel. Right next to the high rise on the left side of the above picture.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20160522SC8A6281.jpg

A mixed use project is set to start in North Downtown this summer. Alvine Engineering will occupy 30K SF of office space with retail and 45 apartments taking up the rest of the building. Interestingly Alvine has an office in OKC and it is the only suburban location of their 4 locations in Omaha, Lincoln and DSM. Maybe they will move in OKC eventually.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/08/208ad499-a684-5073-ae7e-ab1ffa68af81/571d23f2d000c.image.jpg?crop=1624%2C862%2C82%2C82&resize=1024%2C544&order=crop%2Cresize

The old postal annex is u/c into a new office building with a restaurant bay. A local construction company and alternative energy companies have already been secured as tenants. The top 2 floors are spec office space while the bottom floor is going to be leased by the desk for startups.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random6/PostalAnnex20.jpg

Another cool industrial building moving forward. Former power plant being turned into apartments. Save developers as the med center redevelopment from the first project above. They are awesome.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random6/Breakers13.jpg
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/65/16533cfe-a407-11e5-a0c8-fb80db8e2abf/56717edf6d0ef.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C574

Kaneko is an arts compound in the Old Market. They are adding an atrium to connect their buildings and ad about 5K SF of space.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/9a/c9af967b-fdd2-57f3-9a8b-c636ada3bc53/56e6e8cc355b7.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C217
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/Kaneko12.jpg

This project is also supposed to incorporate these black and white granite sidewalks which will be super cool.
http://www.junkaneko.com/images/uploads/Arial.jpg

32 unit row house project just south of DT going up.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/SouthHill15.jpg
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/SouthHill17.jpg

19 more row house units set to start south of DT.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/c5/ac59cba2-3de7-5189-8b29-e22411d6af20/568331ca456f5.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C617
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/bf/6bf1d7c8-ae94-11e5-b6d4-733a5a26602f/568332e367b7c.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C663

Also in the area south of DT these storefronts are being rehabbed.
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=624
http://x.lnimg.com/photo/poster_1920/b49e05862d664b9ca08b8178e8de2a2e.jpg

Near Midtown Crossing a 137 unit project has broken ground.
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=521

The Blackstone neighborhood getting very strong lately. This project is retail on the bottom with 7 apartments w/ garage doors above and a 50 unit apartment building behind.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20160522SC8A6271.jpg

Also in ^that^ picture the building with the orange sign is being turned into 12 apartments and retail space and the building with blue awnings is being renovated into 40 market rate units.

A little further west Dundee has three good projects.

A Home2 By Hilton is going in by the Med Center.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/af/9affdae8-f60b-11e4-b7a6-e78df5d8ed60/554d9a4b92f1f.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C576

Dundee Flats is 63 unit apartment building with a coffee shop.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/a9/ba9d59ba-0740-11e6-9819-47a94305c5e9/5717f7e0322e1.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C611

Then in the hear of Dundee this perfect building will have a clothing store, vegan restaurant, medical office on the second floor and apartments on top.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random6/DundeeRB30.jpg

The area just west of Dundee will get a 215 unit project under the shadow of the 3rd tallest(sadly) building in Omaha.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/93/e9383af3-d007-5eb8-b196-463e1464874b/56ad4eaa10e6f.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C626

Our main mall has got some interesting development too.

Westroads got rid of their traditional food court with the Orange Julius and Burger King and replaced it with a food hall run by a local company. Word is they will expand the concept to Madison and Chicago soon.
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12347925_1638675536383962_3933331320840636444_n.jp g?oh=f826d77073fe30fc53f44e20d3c5663f&oe=579B2FEC
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/12745931_1657917527793096_106653000761125416_n.jpg ?oh=d5c73ca0e0c4d23742acf8d79e590165&oe=57D5F291
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/FlagComm14.jpg
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/FlagComm12.jpg

The old food court is being replaced by a Container Store.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/9b/89bf4964-d9c0-11e5-abf5-cb0ab53bcc34/56cba14349da0.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C676
https://scontent-dfw1-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xtp1/t31.0-8/12698615_10153880264545420_2776002093055439432_o.j pg

Still lots of stuff going down elsewhere. Aksarben Village has another hotel and 250 apartment units going up. Crossroads is supposed to start demo by Sept 1st. A 500 acre tract of land by Boy's Town is being developed into a massive project. HDR still needs to announce a home. The Civic Auditorium demo is fully underway.

OKCisOK4me

05-26-2016, 02:25 AM

For its size, Omaha really is a beautiful city.

UrbanNebraska

07-07-2016, 08:07 PM

The Henry Doorly Zoo welcomed their 1 Millionth visitor of 2016 this past weekend their earliest ever to that mark. The zoo opened a new $73 million African Grasslands exhibit that included the zoo having their first elephants since 2011. Safe to say the facility this is consistently ranked in the top 2-3 in the country is not sitting on its laurels.

For its size, Omaha really is a beautiful city.

Haha, I think we have plenty of work to do, but we try our best. The awesome photographer Brad Williams got back in the helicopter a few weeks ago and took a bunch of great shots. I will put a couple of my favorites, but this is the link for the entire set.
http://www.eomahaforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=17994

http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20160623SC8A8762.jpg
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20160623SC8A9037.jpg
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20160623SC8A9421.jpg
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20160626SC8A9829.jpg

That last shot I absolutely love b/c it just showcases the whole urban city including the DT, Midtown and Med Center skylines.

And this shot to me is just the quintessential Omaha. The old school brick of the Old Market gradually leading to the historic stock in the CBD that often gets lost other skyline shots then you get the modern buildings behind. Then you throw in the train in the fore ground that harkens back to our founding. Just awesome.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20160626SC8A9814.jpg

For development news:

HDR settled on their new site for their HQ. They were originally going DT, but the land deal fell about through an entirely messy situation. Once they pulled out of DT there was a worry that they would make a suburban office park. Well we got about the best alternative to DT. They are going to the last empty plot of land in Aksarben Village.

10 floors ~250K SF with room for their 900 Omaha based employees in one building. They are turning the plot next to this building as temporary park space b/c HDR expects to add a couple hundred employees to the local workforce.

http://www.hdrinc.com/sites/all/files/corporate-hq-omaha-hdr.jpg
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=735

With the addition of HDR Aksarban Village is stamping itself as a major anchor for the city for generations to come. Office anchors include Blue Cross Blue Shield, Gordman's HQ, Pacific Life's Omaha operations with over 350 employees, Fortune 1000 Green Plains Energy HQ, Fortune 500 First Data's Omaha operation and 2 massive Architecture/Engineering firms in DLR group and HDR. And it site right next to the University of Nebraska Omaha campus creating a great energy.

This aerial is a little older, but HDR's building will go up on the surface lot and grassy area on the right side of this photo.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20150619SC8A2369.jpg

The Buffett Cancer Center with the exterior done.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20160623SC8A8775.jpg

And the Nebraska Medical Center's new $100 million virtual teaching facility. This puts the investment on campus to nearly a billion dollars in this 5 year window.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/livewellnebraska.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/bf/fbfd1d22-43eb-11e6-b77f-b73a010426ec/577dc0f742183.image.jpg?resize=760%2C382

Capitol District progress
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20160623SC8A9392.jpg

Iowa developing their side of the riverfront into a large mixed use development w/ 300K SF of office/retail and over 350 residential units.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/f9/5f94d709-bb57-5195-b2ed-2ff222713e66/544ba1234825d.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C576

With the infrastructure going in
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/20160623SC8A9335.jpg

The Civic Auditorium is finally seeing demolition. They began exterior demo last month after over half a year of asbestos removal inside. It is set to be replaced by a $300 million mixed used project with a 16 floor office tower, 200 rental units and a new civic component(which the hot rumor is will be a new modern flagship library). Here is the rendering.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/20/220b9942-fc15-53d1-a2ed-6caadc91d4d2/53b22a254de52.image.jpg

And the last shot of the facility before it meets its maker
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20160623sc8a9251.jpg

UrbanNebraska

08-15-2016, 07:11 PM

Not development, but one of my favortie days of the summer is this Saturday.

Maha Music Festival back at it in Aksarben Village with another great lineup.

https://scontent-dft4-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13043689_10153557589262043_8667525931626342745_n.j pg?oh=4bd38bef59a1d92b11f380463c48ea8d&oe=585798A4

And I always enjoy the map they post of locations where tickets were purchased.
https://scontent-dft4-2.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13907119_10153787804732043_4262357755401393304_n.j pg?oh=803c68539b704b21f4abeeef9728c424&oe=5817400F

UrbanNebraska

10-04-2016, 05:51 PM

Absolutely massive project announced for suburban West Omaha. Envisioned to make a DT for the west side of the city.

The 500 acre land it sits on was leapfrogged by development for miles b/c Boys Town own one farm and a family held their until now.

Plans are just sprouting, but developers saying:

Total $1.2 Billion in assessed value for the city.
2.3 Million in Commercial space, 1.3 million of that office with the rest for dinning, retail and entertainment.
2000 residences ranging from mansions on the edges near existing single family areas to apartments, condos and town homes above shops and more near the center of the development.
4 star hotel.
Outdoor amphitheater.
20 year build out.

First firm anchor is Applied Underwriters HQ. Omaha based insurance company. They will start construction next year.

This is the land it will sit on. The two farms located on the corner of 144th and Pacific. (Apologies for the small image)
13123

And a master plan look at one portion of the project.
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=877

What is crazy is that that isn't the only suburban "Downtown" project announced this year.

A suburb on the south side of the metro called La Vista is a run down empty Wal-Mart site with their own version of a city center. This one to the tune of only $250 million.

http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=605
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=606
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=604

Will be fascinating to watch this all come together.

UrbanNebraska

12-09-2016, 05:07 PM

Yesterday was a huge day for development announcements.

Most notable being Mutual of Omaha announcing that plans for the area east of Midtown Crossing will begin development.

The first buildings will be a 6 floor hotel and a 5 floor apt building shown in a little more detail. The rest of the orange structures will be built in later phases. Rumor is Mutual will move their offices into the larger buildings shown on I480 and their old buildings will go apartment. We will see.
http://hips.htvapps.com/htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/images/turnerparkeast2-png-1481243910.png

Children's Hospital in central Omaha also announced a $450 million, 500K SF, 10 floor addition with an attached 1000 stall garage.
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=1022

Some more images of the "downtown" planned for the suburbs.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/f8/3f87a98a-8a79-11e6-81d0-535f8b01b622/57f41e9448629.image.jpg
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/15/41509c4a-8a79-11e6-8115-2b241c92deba/57f41e97472bd.image.jpg
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/09/409dfab8-8a79-11e6-b1fd-a7e1ddcd59b0/57f41e961d695.image.jpg
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/0f/40f1bc48-8a79-11e6-b1d9-9b281fbdd11e/57f41e96a32b4.image.jpg
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/04/40432ee4-8a79-11e6-86bd-bb1fc2442433/57f41e9580436.image.jpg
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/f2/3f2a53e8-8a79-11e6-a991-2bcb4de17cdb/57f41e93a7122.image.jpg
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/fe/3fe91f08-8a79-11e6-b640-0b3d00ad4d0c/57f41e94e4380.image.jpg

This building DT will become a boutique hotel to join Hilton's Curio collection.
http://x.lnimg.com/photo/poster_1920/e51e90e1814245fb89035096bd7cde4f.jpg

This awesome hidden gem will be spared from the wrecking ball and turned into affordable housing.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/d8/fd8b8a43-e386-5fed-9dcc-bdcbd504c630/58226e63de5a4.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C900

One of the last untouched buildings just outside of the Old Market getting some love.
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/572a550e20c647961c55a285/t/578e80e3d482e969c32b62e2/1468956908092/?format=500w
http://x.lnimg.com/photo/poster_1920/3c76af4365e94389ab54fccd9edb0898.jpg

This mixed use project in North Downtown has broken ground. Includes 30K SF for an engineering company with 45 apartments and retail space.
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=995

Progress on The Yard development in North Downtown. This one is Kiewit's company training facility. Supposed to contribute 15,000 hotel nights a year from people traveling in to Omaha to train.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random6/Yard40.jpg

And the apartments with retail on the other end.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random6/Yard43.jpg
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=994

Between the two buildings will be a hotel that is in the process of being approved.

The Rail and Commerce building which will be HQ to a local construction firm and offer coworking space has come a long way. Before:
http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/PostalAnnex11.jpg
And with new windows:
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=974

Another little gem DT getting some love. 20 apartments and 2 retail bays.
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=927
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/a2/ea28cac7-9ae4-50b0-8589-57340e7ef8b7/581a7c22a05a8.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C758

New dental school building for Creighton has broken ground.
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=708

And finally the tragic fire nearly a year ago that worried many that we were going to lose one of the premier buildings in the Old Market now has all 3 of the original tenants building out their space again. Amazing amazing work by everyone involved to save the beauty. Impressive with how much 11 months can do.

http://necoyote.com/images1/random5/Ms11.jpg
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/2f/b2fb2fa9-14d9-5e99-864f-899eea345296/58194192e54eb.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800

Plutonic Panda

12-09-2016, 06:22 PM

Super awesome news! Omaha and Des Moines are two waaaay underrated cities that I can't wait to visit!

Swake

12-09-2016, 10:09 PM

UrbanNebraska

12-09-2016, 11:16 PM

Super awesome news! Omaha and Des Moines are two waaaay underrated cities that I can't wait to visit!

DSM has some really impressive high rise projects proposed. Their skyline is arguably the best compared to their population in the nation.

UrbanNebraska

12-09-2016, 11:23 PM

I'm again sitting in a hotel in Lewisville on the north side of the DFW Metroplex and it's still just plain awful. I can't stand this metro.

That said, I love Omaha, great town and these look like great developments. It actually reminds me a lot of a flat Tulsa or a smaller flat Kansas City. I could completely live there if it weren't for the brutal winters.

There are some great parts of Dallas proper IMO. I love Deep Ellum, Greenville Ave, Katy Trail, Lovers, Bishop Arts. The metro is basically anywhere America, but Dallas has some pretty cool spots. Not like a tradition east coast or midwest city, but better than their rep gets for authentic neighborhoods.

As for Omaha we are anything, but flat. I am not sure there are many other cities that are as hilly as Omaha on the plains. At least the east side.

EricOK

12-12-2016, 04:50 PM

Omaha is one of the hilliest cities I've been to. They even have some San Francisco sized hills.

Plutonic Panda

12-12-2016, 05:09 PM

Really? Where? I didn't notice that from the pictures.

EricOK

12-13-2016, 10:46 AM

Not so much in the downtown area. There is a section of town on the south side that has a hill at least 3 blocks long that is at about a 45 degree angle leading up to a ridge. That is one of many examples. In most of Omaha, you are either driving up or down a hill. The hills get smaller the further you get away from the Missouri River.

Plutonic Panda

12-13-2016, 02:00 PM

Wow. I never knew! I don't why but I love the idea of hilly cities but in SF there are some insane hills!

EricOK

12-13-2016, 05:39 PM

What is even more surprising are the thick forests that border on the north and the south of the city. I forget their names, but the forest on the north side of town has huge bluffs overlooking the Missouri River floodplain. The forest on the south side is huge and has a really cool nature center.

UrbanNebraska

01-28-2017, 09:51 AM

Pretty good year for Omaha in some numbers categories.

http://www.omaha.com/money/with-rise-in-capacity-eppley-airfield-is-taking-off-in/article_ad6e81f7-f9b5-5c75-ad67-f2dccb9ce130.html

Eppley Airfield had 4,349,486 total passengers this year, a 4.3% increase over 2015. Highest total since 2008. Eppley was also Top 10 in capacity growth percentage in 2016 adding 9.02% to capacity over the year. The airport should continue to add capacity as it is adding a nonstop to Houston on SW early this year.

Omaha's Eppley Airfield was one of the nation's 10 fastest-growing airports in 2016 when it comes to airlines adding "capacity," or seats available for customers to buy.

SJC San Jose: +12.55%

PDX Portland: +10.18%

BNA Nashville: +9.51%

SEA Seattle: +9.42%

MCI Kansas City: +9.37%

DEN Denver: +9.12%

RDU Raleigh-Durham: +9.10%

FLL Fort Lauderdale: +9.07%

OMA Eppley Airfield: +9.02%

IND Indianapolis Airport: +8.97%

How other airports fared:

STL St. Louis: +8.62%

MSP Minneapolis: +4.25%

ORD Chicago-O'Hare: +2.88%

IAH Houston-Int'l: -4,03%

Breaking ground this spring is a 3000 stall $98 million garage to help with the anticipated growth.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/5f/25f82806-8055-11e6-96b8-0f4d5d86070d/57e31b0bdc6f8.image.jpg

The Henry Doorly Zoo also had a banner year by smashing its previous attendance record. They broke the 2 million barrier with 2,046,171 people through the gates in 2016. This broke the previous record of 1.7 million set in 2014. The zoo opened a massive African Grasslands exhibit that included returning elephants to the zoo for the first time in about 5 years so that is obviously a big part of the bump.

The Capitol District got big news. The City Council approved "Entertainment Districts" in the city that will allow carrying alcohol between bars in certian areas like Power and Light in KC. This development will have that ability in its inner plaza once it opens. Should be a great addition to the Omaha nightlife.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/a/29/a2933bbc-bf1b-11e6-8045-93149bb851c2/584c6cfca4437.image.jpg

^The apartments mentioned in that picture SE of 10th and Capitol are a new announcement. No renderings yet, but it was announced that it will be 7 stories. Going to be a great little midrise pocket here.

And here is some update on the project on the street level. A lot of Omaha people wish it impacted the skyline more, but I think the street level presence is pretty great.
http://i65.tinypic.com/oazozo.jpg
And the garage tucked by I480.
http://i63.tinypic.com/33x9fnd.jpg

About a block and a half from ^that^ development(just across the interstate) is this nice 5 story mixed use. 30K SF of office, 45 apartment units and retail space.
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=995&sid=c7b18b5ac801acfb1c9c0444c174c1dc
http://i67.tinypic.com/2cgipog.jpg
Just a note that train track is used for one thing. The Omaha World Herald gets its rolls of paper delivered by rail car, it runs from a spot in North Omaha to its facility downtown. Kinda cool.

And on the opposite corner of ^that^ project was a big plan announced for a huge surface lot used for event parking at the arena right now. This is the area it will be, the square lot between the baseball stadium, arena and hotel is what will be redeveloped.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/xl/20160623SC8A9158.jpg
And just because I like the history of it this is what that area looked like in 2000.
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=1117

This is so early in the process and pretty conceptual at this point, but they have made it clear that they want a lot of residential and not too much height on this site. They are at a minimum 2 years from breaking ground as they need to build a new parking garage for the arena/stadium parking.

Both concepts include ~45o residential units, ~100K Sf of office space, 130 room hotel and a museum.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/12/312b7d46-d8ec-11e6-8b70-6bddd2d9721b/5877bc2b07fa1.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C758
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c6/2c67de12-d8ec-11e6-b47d-9bf1511006b3/5877bc2309d46.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C756
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/42/34264eb8-d8ec-11e6-bf94-4f4f4609888e/5877bc3008105.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C754
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/ec/2ec963a6-d8ec-11e6-bc6d-cb49a3ddc8d0/5877bc2708c6c.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C756

North of the stadium is some older light industrial area that has been slowly turning into a startup area. A single entity called Future Forward that has ties to Kiewit has been buying up a ton of land in the area lately with intentions of creating a "Makers District."
http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/workspace-for-creative-thinkers-proposal-calls-for-omaha-makers-district/article_456286d7-41c9-547d-8e2a-5ed114d58d71.html

Future Forward is laying groundwork for potential big change — saying that if done fully, the property value of that near-downtown pocket could increase by an estimated $250 million with new construction and rehabilitation projects.

The concept has gained enough interest that city planners and public works officials helped plot out the possibilities. The preliminary analysis shows gaps on which about 50 structures encompassing roughly 1.1 million square feet of building space could rise.

Future Forward is forming a nonprofit entity to begin raising dollars needed to pull it off, saying the money would go toward maintaining properties and adding amenities.
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=1052

A block away from ^that^ project The Yard development is coming together.

Apartment and retail building.
http://i68.tinypic.com/izth00.jpg
Kiewit's job training facility. Supposed to create 15,000 hotel room nights due to flying people in nationwide to do corporate training.
http://necoyote.com/images1/random6/Yard40.jpg

Between those two buildings will be a 5 story Cambria Suites hotel. No rendering yet.

A few blocks west of ^that^ project Creighton Dental is building a new facility.
http://i67.tinypic.com/2dhwri9.jpg
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=708

Creighton needed a new facility b/c they are vacating their massive hospital facility for a more modern facility in central Omaha near Aksarben Village. The old hospital sits near Creighton's campus, but across a highway. It is going to begin a conversion from out of date hospital to apartments.

The project will cost $104 million and create 700 units. Amenities include a new small lake to attach to the walking path that winds through midtown, a rooftop pool and a pedestrian bridge across the highway to connect CU students living in the building to campus. Phase 1 completed in 2018.
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=675

And some less good news, but I guess you take the good with the bad. The office tower portion of this project on the old Civic Auditorium site has been axed.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/6d/86d86596-4ff7-5756-90b2-6d51b938e0ef/53b22a26c1f9c.image.jpg

The talk is that the city will build a new modern main library on the site along with some other civic uses and the site of the current library will be torn down for a high-rise. That is a long long ways off though so we will see.

Spartan

03-28-2017, 06:45 PM

I'm not sure I'm feeling the "Capitol District" and the "Arts & Trades District." Hopefully placeholder concepts.

UrbanNebraska

03-28-2017, 09:00 PM

I'm not sure I'm feeling the "Capitol District" and the "Arts & Trades District." Hopefully placeholder concepts.

"The Capitol District" is the name they are going with. Already have their website live and the hotel and apartments are set to open in June. It sits on Capitol Ave, the state capitol used to sit at the end of the street before it moved to Lincoln. I get it, not terribly inspired.

"The Arts and Trades District" was called NEDO(North East DOwntown) by the people behind the plan and I absolutely abhor the cliche 4 letter branding that happens in every damn city it seems like. Plus I think they picked it because it is pronounced a little like Neato and that is just dumb.

I hope that area is able to create an organic identity though because it already has a couple pioneering projects that were done by boutique developers that don't have the deep pockets of Kiewit.

Eric

03-29-2017, 08:53 AM

UrbanNebraska

03-29-2017, 11:29 AM

Apparently our predecessors were much better at naming areas that we are today. I think the areas in Tulsa that if I heard in a conversation, I would know they were talking about Tulsa. Brookside, Cherry Street, Brady District, Blue Dome, Pearl District, Greenwood, Riverview. Of course on the flip side, development isn't exactly at the pace where Tulsa needs to make up new areas.

Its kind of a running joke on the Omaha board that every proposal either has Village, Crossing or Pointe(with the superfluous e) in the name anymore.

I love city's historical neighborhood names. Omaha has Benson, Dundee, Florence, Fair Acres, Field Club, Bemis Park, Old Market, Gifford Park, Vinton, Little Italy etc. I think OKC seems to have done a good job in their branding as well with Bricktown, Deep Deuce, Automible Alley etc.

For new developments in Omaha I do like Aksarben Village. Aksarben(Nebraska spelled backward). The site was originally home to a large race track and arena by the same name. Also a uniquely "Nebraskan" name.

Midtown Crossing. Blah.

Two of the billion+ mixed used developments announced for the suburbs are going with "West Farm"(they purchased a huge plot of farm land from Boys Town that is well within the city limits) and "Avenue One" doesn't really mean anything to me.

I do think the burgeoning "Blackstone District" has done a very good job. It was historically called West Farnam, but there is a century old building that was called Blackstone Hotel in the area that gave them the name.

All in all too much comes off as a forced thing trying to copy SoHo or something else another city has done. We have tons of great unused references from historic Omaha that could be brought to light, but instead tend toward the easy or cliche way too often.

Spartan

03-29-2017, 05:24 PM

I like Aksarben and Midtown Crossing too. Midtown Crossing is actually a case study I use frequently when adjuncting bc I like the way the leasable space wraps around the common space in an interesting and uplifting way. In other words I am growing tired of monotonous square blocks.

Aksarben is noteworthy bc the surrounding neighborhood is bad. Not unlike Wheeler in OKC, although we are hoping Wheeler more meaningfully engages with the surrounding low-income neighborhood.

UrbanNebraska

03-29-2017, 10:30 PM

Midtown Crossing is really a unicorn IMO. Mutual of Omaha bankrolled it, no "normal" developer would have ever done anything close to it. Fantastic corporate citizen. You are completely on point with the retail fronting the park though. It is really unique asset for the city and is consistently the place to be in the summer. Often times I don't think people here appreciate what that development has done for the city.

Mutual over the past few years has been purchasing all the land directly east of the development and has brought in Ryan Companies out of MSP to develop it. A lot of it is still a long ways down the line, but they are going to break ground on the first expansion phase with in a year.

The first part is a hotel/apartment component. The city has agreed to build a 400 stall garage to support this phase:
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/e9/5e9bbc70-03ab-11e7-846d-779c798bceb5/58bf744656b96.image.jpg

And the developers are working through the permit process on a 150K SF office/retail building in the area too,
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/de/bde1f528-03ab-11e7-99e1-f39fcc2c32d1/58bf747995755.image.jpg

Aksarban is great, but also frustrates the hell out of me b/c of the bad decisions made in the early stages. It is the most expensive real estate in the city right now and we wasted a good chunk of it on the poor site plans of First Data, University of Nebraska Omaha and cheap hotel buildouts. I think it is a great example of good new urban development, especially office wise. Yet it frustrates me to think of what could have been with just a tiny bit more patience.

Spartan

03-30-2017, 07:20 PM

Is there a proposed streetcar I didn't know about?

UrbanNebraska

03-31-2017, 08:44 AM

Its been thrown around since 2005, but there is a big push right now from some big players. At the beginning it was going to be a DT circulator or run from the airport to the zoo, both awful ideas. About 5 years ago they realized running it from the arena/baseball stadium, past the Old Market, through the CBD, through Midtown Crossing to the Nebraska Medical Center is the way to go. 3 major job centers, 3 major entertainment districts and lots of developable land.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/6d/46dc1f50-eb53-11e6-8b26-cbc369518ab5/58969c2edc4e7.image.jpg

So trying to push it forward officials from Mutual of Omaha, Nebraska Medical Center, Kiewit, Creighton University and Heritage Foundation(which is a major driver in this city) created Midtown Vision 2050. https://www.midtownvision2050.org/

So they have some major players, Fortune 500 companies, major universities, the region's largest medical center etc behind this. We are in a mayoral election year and both the incumbent Republican and the Democratic challenger have publicly said they support the streetcar.

This was the public announcement article.
http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/omaha-employers-put-muscle-behind-shared-vision-of-midtown-including/article_7485d770-5e6a-53c5-b20d-5a5426c9f6d7.html

And this article discussed potential funding sources.
http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/assessment-puts-cost-of-omaha-streetcar-at-million-suggests-ways/article_e18effd5-df6c-543a-b6df-5f09ebf74c17.html

The options that were considered — which do not add up to $156 million, because they are a smorgasbord of suggestions that could be combined to build and run a modern streetcar — include the following:

» Federal Transit Administration grants, $78 million

» Philanthropic donations, up to $41 million

» City money, from $10 million to $30 million, from sources such as general obligation bonds and redevelopment bonds

» Traditional tax-increment financing, or TIF, in which real estate developers of new projects would put a portion of that tax incentive toward the streetcar

» Up to $40 million from an enhanced TIF district, which would apply to existing properties within three blocks of the streetcar line; proceeds from a portion of increased property taxes from valuation growth believed to be caused by the streetcar would go to help pay for it

» Doubling the documentary stamp tax fee within the streetcar area, from $2.25 per $1,000 of value to $4.50, and designating the increased revenue to the streetcar; totaling about $4 million a year

» A Benefit Assessment District, in which owners of properties within three blocks of the streetcar line would pay a special assessment, could raise about $4.5 million a year initially

» Parking stall fees of up to $10 a month for people who park in surface lots or garages downtown and in midtown could generate up to $4.2 million a year

» Streetcar fare of $1.25 per ride could generate about $700,000 a year initially

» A fee of $1.50 per ticket per College World Series event, beginning in 2018, could bring in about $500,000 a year

» Station naming rights, about $150,000 a year

» A State of Nebraska loan of up to $20 million from the state infrastructure bank, or a state appropriation of up to $20 million

They are supposed to nail down a funding plan by October and are trying to avoid federal funds b/c of the uncertainty involved with those in this administration and because it would push back their goal of being operational in 2021.

We will see if it will happen. I think it is an uphill battle, but usually when those kind of names get behind something in this city it happens.

UrbanNebraska

07-25-2017, 11:19 AM

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/1a/81a782f8-711d-56c6-b3d2-fc72caee5f51/5955c8284b458.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800

CWS always a great tow weeks in town. The parking lot out of right field is being pushed as the next big development opportunity downtown. They are looking for 400+ apartment units, 130 room hotel and ~100K in office space. The new hot rumor or talking point is to make a College Baseball Hall of Fame a part of that site being interactive like the CBB HOF in KC and the CFB HOF in Atlanta. The College Baseball HOF is currently in Lubbock. With Omaha's history of support for the CWS and the sport there isn't really any other city in the country that makes a much sense for the facility.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/3/12/312b7d46-d8ec-11e6-8b70-6bddd2d9721b/5877bc2b07fa1.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C758
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c6/2c67de12-d8ec-11e6-b47d-9bf1511006b3/5877bc2309d46.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C756

Also in that aerial you can see two other developments in the area going up. On the right side is "The Yard" with Kiewit's new company training facility and a 100 unit apartment building with retail:
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20170507sc8a1405.jpg

Between the two this rather uninspiring Cambria hotel is going up...
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2877/34321511525_23651a72b7_b.jpg

Also shown in that first photo is a 5 story mixed use building. It is directly across the street from the long hotel. It will have ground floor retail, 30K SF for Alvine Engineering and 45 apartment units on top.
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=995

Looking from the other way is a good shot of the Capitol District.
https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/54/5542d97b-e555-5a27-b1d1-47175044881c/593e252e65608.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800

Mentioned it a bunch, but 212 apartments on the left, 333 room full service Marriott on the right. There is a two story retail building along the side closest to the garage and the empty side on the street has been cut from two 8 story office buildings to a smaller 2-3 story building. In the courtyard in the middle you will be able to carry your drinks between bars like Power and Light on a smaller scale.
http://i.imgur.com/LYCh4SC.jpg
Obviously disappointing to not get the larger buildings, but plans changes and the office market DT has a lot to absorb with the ConAgra issue last year.

In the aerial of the Capitol District you can see the edge of another recently started project, it is the dirt patch on the right edge of the photo. Capitol Place Apartments feeding off the big development next door with 75 units and 27K SF of retail.
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=1361

In all those projects we have ~430 apartment units, ~475 hotel rooms, ~100K SF of office space and ~150K SF of retail all that will come on line w/in 12 months of each other pretty unprecedented for that edge of DT. Should be a HUGE shot in the arm to the North Downtown area and expand the traditional DT core a lot.

At the airport on top of a new 3000 stall garage they are building a new structure to house the rental car operations. A much more modern design than the tired rest of the terminal and getting the car rental desks is the first step of many toward the overhaul of the entire facility. YTD Eppley Airfield is up 5.6% passenger wise and looks to be on pace for well over 4.5 million passengers for the year which would be a record.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/cc/ecc80feb-b3d9-5dfd-bf69-7223271b2c13/58ec2de9dda98.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C601
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/1d/51d41f2b-4a97-5b43-b974-49f71f9cc0fa/58ec2de8c9477.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C637

South side of DT. The 100K SF Rail and Commerce Building is complete. It is an old postal annex that is listed on the Historic Register. Got an entire rehab and now is home to an established regional construction company's HQ a national distribution company's HQ and the HQ of a startup alternative energy company. The ground floor is co-working space with 90 desks for rent as well as smaller office suites all for startups. This is a look at the building with the new windows. The established companies get the top 3 floors and the coworking space is the bottom floor.
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=974

And this is the awesome view of DTO that they will have. It would be hard to get work done...
http://commercevillageomaha.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/home_gallery_rootop_view.jpg

A few blocks south of that project is a new neighborhood revitalization starting. Number of old car shops, vacant retail and homes being converted to more modern space. Current state of the buildings in the area:
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=624
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=625
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=1280

And renderings of the finished products:
http://x.lnimg.com/photo/poster_1920/b49e05862d664b9ca08b8178e8de2a2e.jpg
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=1279
http://x.lnimg.com/photo/poster_1920/caf55827f0714380bf0353466fce43a2.jpg
http://x.lnimg.com/photo/poster_1920/52163828467c487cbbef80efeb854b66.jpg
http://x.lnimg.com/photo/poster_1920/c02d866a6f9b4b809d545add345a4f8b.jpg

Also just south of DT an old power plant is brought back to life as apartments. Should bring some life to a previously dead portion of the riverfront.
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20170507sc8a1428.jpg

The Civic Auditorium redevelopment was originally planned to be ~$300 Million including a 16 story tower, but the tower was cut and the price dropped to ~$200 million. New plans call for a DT library, grocery store, ~350K SF of office/retail space and 176 residential units. Considering that the site is the size of 4 city blocks the density is disappointing, but if it can deliver on the amenities it will be a big addition to DT.
https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/e/56/e5642bcc-af93-5816-b6fb-909366a54093/591b5f50e35bd.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=1306
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=1304
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=1305

The Civic site is very close to Creighton as well as these other two projects. Creighton Medical Center and the medical school has officially closed their old hospital and moved to a newer facility. The old hospital building is getting a $108 million renovation to turn it into 750 apartment units. Just a massive number to absorb. They are eliminating a parking lot and replacing it with a small lake as well as putting a pedestrian bridge over the interstate to connect students directly to Creighton's campus. It is amenity rich as the building as ~1 million SF to use. Anything from rooftop pools to dog grooming facilities.
http://www.nustyle.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/landing-1.png

Because of the med center moving Creighton Dental needed a new home. This building is topped out and is on Creighton's main campus rather than a few miles away at the new med school location.
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20170507sc8a1394.jpg

Nebraska Medical Center still moving forward with projects and creating a lot of spin off development in the areas surrounding it.

The Buffett Cancer Center is open. Was a $323 million investment and expected to create 1000 jobs. They also included a lot of art.
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/sc8a8001.jpg
A portion of the facility is a indoor/outdoor garden for the cancer patients to enjoy. Designed by Dale Chihuly.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/d/63/d63c3a83-5439-5614-a233-eac81301ab07/591cb2d2abe1c.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C859
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/d2/5d2c419b-f4e1-506e-b6ad-11be1282a340/591cb2cf27817.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/f/2b/f2b6d679-8cc3-511d-98d8-14bcb63d5558/592247c63a0f4.image.jpg

Elsewhere on campus this $119 million building is being built, tower crane is up. For educational purposes as well as creating a national training facility for infectious diseases. Nebraska Medicine got a lot of notoriety for their ability to treat patients with Ebola from the outbreak a few years ago.

Described as the nation’s most advanced experiential health care training facility, the center will feature replicas of hospital rooms and other settings where students and health professionals can practice treating lifelike mannequins. The center also will feature new high-tech visualization and virtual reality tools – some the first of their kind in the world – that will allow students to virtually map a brain tumor or see how a protein folds.

The other program to be housed in the center is the National Center for Health Security and Biopreparedness. A floor was added to building plans last year after the university announced that it had received a $19.8 million federal grant to develop a new training, simulation and quarantine center in Omaha that will help federal health care workers train to treat Ebola and other infectious diseases.

http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/b/2c/b2cfad74-1896-11e7-8cf2-2741ba7f2bb5/58e28cdc9f24f.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C674

There are also rumors of a 15-18 story hotel on the med center grounds to help support the facilities national/international visitors, but thats just a rumor as of now. The development is spinning off a number of things in the neighborhood though.

This 82 unit apartment building with retail is getting site work.
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=1131

Midtown Triangle 178 units a few blocks away.
http://imgur.com/eXGhAAL

Home2 hotel getting site work a block form the med center,
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/9/af/9affdae8-f60b-11e4-b7a6-e78df5d8ed60/554d9a4b92f1f.image.jpg?resize=1024%2C576

Historic movie theater being renovated. Will not include a new restaurant and "micro" theater for local film makers to get more exposure in a right sized facility.
http://www.cranesandtrains.com/images/20170709sc8a7971.jpg
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=1103

Momentum keeps up in Aksarben Village.

University of Nebraska Omaha built a new parking garage and dorm to support the growing enrollment numbers. Has had faster growth than "big brother" down in Lincoln for a few years now.
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20170706sc8a7895.jpg
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20170706sc8a7893.jpg
https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4274/35219313761_5dce8461af_k.jpg

Hilton Garden Inn going in A/V. Great use of land using the building to hide the garage.
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=1363
http://eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=1439

And the crown jewel going into Aksarben right now. HDR moving their headquarters from the suburbs to this mixed used development in East Omaha. 10 floors 160 feet and over 800 employees to support the local businesses.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Cz1G8kkUcAApEN8.jpg
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4314/36158697705_7cc304e46d_k.jpg

And lastly yet another change in the Crossroads Mall redevelopment saga. Each turn seems to come with less organization and asking for more tax payer money. Lets just say I am not holding my breath on this right now. The most recent update calls for:

Phase I: 230,000 square feet of retail space, 10,000 square feet of office space, 360-unit apartment complex, 12,000-square-foot health club

Phase II: 59,000 square feet of retail/entertainment space, 210,000 square feet of office space, another 252,000 square feet of apartments

Phase III: 215,000 square feet of office space, 200-suite boutique hotel

Phase IV: 36,000 square feet of retail space, 478,000 square feet of office space and another 200-suite boutique hotel

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/8/bd/8bde2534-65ed-11e7-996a-fb95191db263/59644d907e1ec.image.jpg
https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/5/c2/5c2e41c8-62b1-11e7-ad6e-abc8a6e5cee0/595ee0035ba56.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C675
https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/1e/61ea7384-62b1-11e7-936d-3b97c3862363/595ee00d0bf21.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C800

One notable big development in the burbs worth sharing. Facebook investing over $1 billion on a data center just SW of town. Nothing pretty to look at and should employ about 100 when finished, but obviously a major investment.
http://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/1/ab/1ab55a42-195a-11e7-b177-3f34b38ab18c/58e3d482ba843.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C673

UrbanNebraska

11-03-2017, 01:20 PM

Not a lot of new development news this Quarter. Lots of talk about some things, but not worth reposting a bunch of similar pictures. One potentially huge piece of news was hinted at yesterday that has me giddy for a new DT development though.

https://lifeattoast.s3.amazonaws.com/page_icons/cbea36f3-c57f-44e2-950d-6be876c73102.png

http://www.omaha.com/money/tech-company-explores-omaha-for-new-office-that-could-employ/article_4fb828e0-c018-11e7-bbc9-7fcb67cd1819.html

An out-of-town technology company is exploring Omaha sites to possibly open an office that could employ hundreds of people.

The company had representatives in town this week touring locations in the downtown area, according to several people with knowledge of the search who spoke on the condition that they not be named.

Job postings on the website of a company called Toast point to the Boston-based restaurant-technology firm as a company scouting for Omaha sites. The company focuses on electronic restaurant point-of-sale systems. (Think a very modern version of a cash register.) Its software also deals with restaurant management, inventory, sales data and loyalty programs, according to company materials.

A Toast publicist, responding to an inquiry from The World-Herald, declined to comment. She said the company’s officials were unavailable Thursday evening.

Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert gave a clue as to the firm’s identity about a week ago, when speaking at a public neighborhood town hall meeting about the city’s bid for another tech firm — this time giant Amazon, which is on the hunt for a second headquarters.

Omaha fell short of many of Amazon’s requirements, the mayor said, but she offered: “I will tell you we just landed a great tech company. Just found out the other day they’re going to build downtown. And, originally it’s going to create 200 to 300 jobs and eventually around 1,000 jobs,” she said at the South Omaha town hall.

“And they’re a tech company, a point-of-sales (company). They’re coming to Omaha. They’ll be in the downtown area.”

Toast has two job openings in Omaha posted on its website. It currently has no office in Omaha. It’s seeking a “Help Desk Manager” and a “Customer Support Team Lead.”

The job description for the help desk manager says, in part: “Part of this role may initially include some facilities responsibilities, while we grow our presence in the building and hire more people in this area.”

Obviously everyone isn't giving official statements yet. Safe to say this could be some of the most exciting news for the DTO job market in a while. Paypal, LinkedIn and HayNeedle(eCommerce wing of Wal-Mart) are our big tech players in the city along with Google and Soon to be Facebook billion dollar data centers are the majority of our tech presence. While startups like FlyWheel who now employs 100 in DTO and Hudl with ~40 grow.

A company HQd in Boston bringing a few hundred while eventually bringing 1000 would really help to prove our tech economy and would make for an exciting time of growth in the urban core. Hoping for an official statement soon.

UrbanNebraska

11-12-2017, 10:31 AM

Turns out it was true! Boston based Toast will open an office in Omaha employing hundreds.

http://www.omaha.com/money/amazing-food-and-amazing-entrepreneurs-drew-toast-to-omaha-software/article_10346bfa-c66e-11e7-af2c-7b308c0075f5.html

Omaha as the place to plant its first U.S. corporate flag outside its home city. The company makes restaurant point-of-sales systems that take payments from customers and help establishments take care of inventory, personnel and other business-management functions.

Omaha appealed to Toast because of the city’s already established base of tech companies — like PayPal — and its business community’s culture of entrepreneurship, said Tim Barash, Toast’s chief financial officer.

And one more thing caught the company executives’ eyes, Barash said: Omaha’s restaurants.

“It was just meal after meal of amazing food and amazing entrepreneurs” when executives came to town over the past few months, Barash said Friday in an interview. “We’re excited about coming to Omaha and becoming a piece of the restaurant world.”

As for Omaha, he said: “This is going to be a sizable office for us. We expect to have at least a few hundred (employees) in the next few years.” The Omaha staff will work in every aspect of the company — including positions in sales, software and customer satisfaction.

The company hasn’t decided yet where it will locate in Omaha. It’s been looking downtown.

“We’re a hyper-growth tech company,” Barash said. “We certainly want to move as fast as we can. We’re trying to find a home in Omaha that will make sense long-term.”

Toast has people working remotely around the country, but its only offices are the headquarters near Fenway Park in Boston and an office in Ireland that opened last month.

UrbanNebraska

11-29-2017, 08:14 PM

Just announced today. Eppley Airfield will begin daily service to Toronto via Air Canada starting next spring. First daily international service for the airport. Spring 2018 will add a lot of service to the airport.

Eppley is well on its way to smashing its record 2016. YTD passenger growth has been 6% to put it on pace for ~4.7 million passengers for the year. 4.75 million is supposed to trigger a small terminal expansion with 5 million triggering a much larger one. If we continue this growth airport officials better have some funding ideas ready.

UrbanNebraska

12-08-2017, 07:50 AM

I think Omaha is addicited to announcing these mega projects that take forever to get off the ground or get cut in size before they do, but we dream big I guess. This one may be more likely to happen as proposed considering a major international player like Hines is behind it.

As mentioned before ConAgra pulled about 1000 jobs out of their campus in DT. Ever since they moved they have said it would be redeveloped since thy kept about 1200 employees and consolidated them to 3 of their 5 buildings. Today thehy announced their plans.

$500 Million of a decade starting in 2019.
http://www.omaha.com/money/million-proposal-to-transform-conagra-campus-includes-housing-offices-access/article_9cf15c24-db9f-11e7-9265-530c7d4fccaf.html

Conagra announced today that it selected Hines, a Houston-based global real estate firm, to lead the reboot of its sprawling riverfront home that lost its corporate flag last year to Chicago.

Envisioned as a 10-year project that breaks ground in 2019, the initiative would build nine new structures containing roughly 500,000 square feet of office space, more than 80,000 square feet of retail space, a boutique hotel with up to 200 rooms and about 900 new residences.

Main elements of the plan:

» The plaza extension of Harney Street leads to the lake. Visitors walking along the corridor could shop, eat or relax on a sloping green lawn whose zig-zag path winds to the dock area.

» Along the south side of the plaza would be a hotel with up to 200 rooms; a 300-unit apartment building and a low-rise residential structure with condominiums.

» On the north side of the corridor would be a 280-unit apartment complex with parking and about 50,000 square feet of restaurant-focused retail space. A 250,000-square-foot office building would rise, too.

» Farther south on the Conagra campus would rise another office building of about 250,000 square feet and a residential high-rise containing up to 250 units, either condos or apartments.

https://hips.htvapps.com/htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/images/conagra1-0600-1512733703.jpg
https://hips.htvapps.com/htv-prod-media.s3.amazonaws.com/images/conagra2-0600-1512734324.jpg

For some context an aerial view of the campus as it currently stands.
https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/af/6afa7ce6-dba4-11e7-9c5e-e3255f165aa9/5a29cb676468a.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C764

The office building on the right would be demoed for Phase 1.

Really long timeline here, but excited that nearly 3 decades after one of the largest single destruction of historic buildings in this country's history that we are finally getting an urban development on the incredibly suburban ConAgra land.

UrbanNebraska

03-06-2018, 10:45 AM

Big time announcement for the Iowa side of the Missouri River. Council Bluffs is getting two 15 story luxury condo/apartment towers with an amenity package that the Omaha metro has never seen before. For a little context CB is kind of the punchline city in the metro. Often called Counciltucky by the Omaha masses, really it is just a poorer more blue collar community compared to the cities on the Nebraska side of the river. To its credit though it is still the second largest city in our Metro and it has done a lot of work to redo its downtown and now riverfront.

https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/6/49/6494cce8-e896-5c9a-9665-908f083d6a9c/5a9b9298b995c.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C674
https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnews.com/omaha.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/c/64/c648b410-c893-5f01-bcc5-272da1d29eb2/5a9b96ce0b109.image.jpg?resize=1200%2C674

And here is an early marketing video, shows some renderings of the interiors and where it sits compared to DTO.
https://vimeo.com/252784919

It is a part of Iowa's riverfront that is a decade in the making. This pedestrian bridge opened in 2008 and was called a waste of money, a boondoggle, a bridge to nowhere.
http://www.publicartomaha.org/media/art/25/216-full.jpg

CB 10 years later has finally kick-started development at the foot of the bridge and its pretty impressive. Along with those two towers there are offices and low rise residential going in.

This was the concept and the general layout is pretty much the same, everything in this plan is u/c right now except for the two residential towers set to start in about a year.
http://www.eomahaforums.com/download/file.php?id=1402

The office building rendering:
http://noddlecompanies.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/RiversEdge.jpg
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/2x4a1856.jpg

Streetscape with dedicated bike path. The right side of these photos is the more traditional row house residential while the right is the 5 story apartment complex just beginning to rise.
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20171105sc8a7389.jpg
http://cranesandtrains.com/images/20171105sc8a7386.jpg

kevin lee

03-07-2018, 01:10 AM

Nice