Back to the real development. The World-Herald put out an article this Sunday highlighting the billion dollars put into North Downtown and the Riverfront in the past 12 years.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20120506/NEWS01/705069929#billion-dollar-transformation-gets-attention-of-berkshire-crowd]

Satellite imaging from 1999, a huge scrap yard sits north of downtown and on the riverfront.
http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/2548/nodo1999.png

Satellite imaging from 2011, a growing area with work left to do.
http://img269.imageshack.us/img269/4825/nodo2011.png

Some of the major projects of the area.

» Hot Shops Art Center, former mattress factory home to studios and galleries, 2001
http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_full_width/hash/77/0d/770df6d09214011ec0f255955a192a29.jpg
» The CenturyLink Center (then called the Qwest Center), $291 million, completed in 2003
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I9AnwlfLsMo/TWXA8WcSf7I/AAAAAAAAKRQ/9yEHmP4a8gQ/s1600/4.1.1.2-QwestCenter1.jpg
» Lewis & Clark Landing, a riverfront festival grounds replacing a lead refinery, $20 million, 2003
http://omaha.net/sites/omaha.net/files/images/lewis-clark-boardwalk.layoutbig.jpg
» Gallup campus, built in 2003, expanded in 2009, $108 million
http://necoyote.com/images/random/GC1.jpg
» Hilton Omaha hotel, 2004, expanded in 2011, $107 million
http://tucsongrowup.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/omaha-hilton.jpg
» National Park Service's Midwest Regional Headquarters, $13 million, 2004
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Ixc1xIxRABU/SsXzAHZ1dLI/AAAAAAAAC4k/7ChQe6ssK0w/s400/CurtisParkServiceRiverfront23Sep2009_02.jpg
» Saddle Creek Records, including Slowdown music venue, Film Streams' Ruth Sokolof Theater, apartments and retail and restaurant bays, more than $10 million, 2006
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lRuiVdtkJlo/TDp01rUx_aI/AAAAAAAAAaI/8GcQsjf8pDs/s1600/Slowdown+Sign+Daylight.jpg
https://s3.amazonaws.com/criterion_images/current/current_rothsokolof.jpg
http://necoyote.com/images/random/UO2.jpg
» Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, $22 million, 2008
http://icons-ak.wunderground.com/data/wximagenew/l/LarryD/48.jpg
» Riverfront Place, two riverfront condominium towers, $68 million, 2006 and 2011
Sorry I can't find a good picture of the finished product of both towers. They are done and being lived in though.
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs056.ash2/36158_1637365612093_1175316312_31797983_2560993_n. jpg
» 22 Floors, retail, restaurant and loft apartments, $3.9 million, 2009
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_lRuiVdtkJlo/TKU0vgMEq_I/AAAAAAAAAcE/-B6P4NvtHko/s1600/Goodnights+Corner.jpg
» T.D. Ameritrade Park baseball stadium, home of the College World Series and Creighton University baseball, $131 million, 2011
http://cdn.architecturelab.net/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/06_TD-Ameritrade-Park_ArchitectureLab.jpg

One of the most pleasant cities I have visited is Omaha.
From the Big Boy Locomotive in Kenefick Park, the Mormon Cemetery from the "Winter Quarters" days, to the Devil's Slide, it is quite interesting.
Nice below street park right downtown as well. Well preserved old areas.

Omaha by Design is a group set up a decade ago to promote smart growth for the city. Their first 5 years of existence was a series of studies, consultations, meetings and neighborhood association input. They drafted a set of design standards over that time and reported to the city which accepted their report and made the standards law throughout the entire city in 2007. They claimed Omaha to be the biggest city with these sweeping design standards in the country. I honestly don't know if it's true or not.

For instance sidewalks are mandatory in the city. Something I take for granted in Omaha, a lot of cities seem to struggle with this concept.

The problem usually isn't making them mandatory in new developments, but rather addressing the areas built from 1960-2000 when sidewalks probably weren't mandatory. OKC, which also has mandatory sidewalks, still has most neighborhoods without proper pedestrian infrastructure. You can't go back and make an HOA (many areas exist without HOA) retroactively add them because there is no enforcement mechanism.


X amount of parking stalls demand a certain amount of landscaping. I don't know exact figures off the top of my head. There are building material standards that must be met. Everything from a fast food restaurant, big box store, suburb development or urban development are bound by these equal standards.

These are good things, I would ignore Kerry's (or JTF's) criticism. He means well. No such thing as bad landscaping, as IMO bad site plans will still be even worse site plans without a landscaping mechanism in city code.


Beyond the technical work they also work with neighborhood associations to revitalize neighborhoods. From as little as establishing community gardens to fundraising and lobbying the city for improved streetscapes in key districts across the city to master planning less established areas.

Yeah, from looking at their website, it looks like they do a bang-up job of focusing new revitalization efforts on the south side of Omaha which could use some work.


I spend a lot more time at my neighborhood's little vibrant corners than I do in the skyscraper or condo projects downtown. Although, I do love those projects and will continue to brag about them :cool:.

Well, most urbanists do prefer quality development over tall development. I think most of us on here would trade 1,000 units of residential infill for another skyscraper in our downtown (although we could use some "skyline infill" as of now). All in all looks like a very good movement in Omaha.

This one in particular will cause folks on here to be extra jealous:
http://necoyote.com/images/random/UO2.jpgg

Right, but then those are hardly your shareholder's convention attendees. Look, I think it's stupid for the 1/99 argument to rear its head here, but it is what it is.

By the way, I just saw this, which is VERY cool. UN, what is this website?
http://www.omahabydesign.org/

that may not be a "normal" shareholder convention attendee ... but from experience that is a very very large part of the BRK shareholders meeting

Can somebody please explain to me why the city of Omaha doesn't qualify for an NBA team?

Can somebody please explain to me why the city of Omaha doesn't qualify for an NBA team?

Omaha is smaller than Tulsa, but slightly larger if you factor in Lincoln (which forms a CMSA around 1.1 million, although the distance is comparable to OKC-Stillwater). They used to have a team that they split with KC during the old CBA days. KC even wouldn't qualify for a team though, due to the influence of KU/KSU bball up there, in addition to the fact that KC doesn't even support the pro teams it already has (Royals).

But keep in mind that OKC was always on the outside looking in until we got an opportunity to put ourselves at the top of the relocation list. There are a LOT of cities wanting an NBA team right now (some of it may be attributable to the concept we like to call "OKC envy") such as Louisville, Las Vegas, Omaha, Kansas City, Seattle, Pittsburgh being the leading choices, but also don't rule out Paris as they keep trying to convince the NBA to go trans-Atlantic.

One of the most pleasant cities I have visited is Omaha.
From the Big Boy Locomotive in Kenefick Park, the Mormon Cemetery from the "Winter Quarters" days, to the Devil's Slide, it is quite interesting.
Nice below street park right downtown as well. Well preserved old areas.

We love our train history here. Cool that you got up to the Mormon Cemetery, that is usually overlooked like much of North Omaha.

Omaha is smaller than Tulsa, but slightly larger if you factor in Lincoln (which forms a CMSA around 1.1 million, although the distance is comparable to OKC-Stillwater). They used to have a team that they split with KC during the old CBA days. KC even wouldn't qualify for a team though, due to the influence of KU/KSU bball up there, in addition to the fact that KC doesn't even support the pro teams it already has (Royals).

But keep in mind that OKC was always on the outside looking in until we got an opportunity to put ourselves at the top of the relocation list. There are a LOT of cities wanting an NBA team right now (some of it may be attributable to the concept we like to call "OKC envy") such as Louisville, Las Vegas, Omaha, Kansas City, Seattle, Pittsburgh being the leading choices, but also don't rule out Paris as they keep trying to convince the NBA to go trans-Atlantic.

You also need someone like Bennett like OKC has. Someone needs to pony up the cash and the one Omaha family that has shown any interest in owning professional sports bought the Cubs a few years ago.

Can somebody please explain to me why the city of Omaha doesn't qualify for an NBA team?

who said it doesn't??

We love our train history here. Cool that you got up to the Mormon Cemetery, that is usually overlooked like much of North Omaha.

The Mormon Cemetery is quite beautiful, and as soon as you arrive they send a docent out to greet you and show you around. They are quite knowledgeable and pleasant, and they do not try to convert you to any religion. They are just proud of their history, as well they should be.

The museums in Omaha are all very well done. People forget what a great railroad city Omaha is/was. I think anyone would be surprised to visit there. Even went out to Father Flanagan's Boy's Town. The people are easy to know and talk with everywhere. Hint: talk football.

Trains are of interest to me and actually reaching out and touching a 1,200,000-lb. Big Boy, was quite a treat.

Though not of interest to everyone, my friends showed me several of their cemeteries there and it was jaw-dropping the amount of huge personal mausoleums there. And, we also went to a utterly wonderfully-conceived and constructed charming "potter's field" where the indigent were buried, it was heart-warming and beautiful.

It is a unique city. You won't forget it, and Lincoln is another whole story as well.

You also need someone like Bennett like OKC has. Someone needs to pony up the cash and the one Omaha family that has shown any interest in owning professional sports bought the Cubs a few years ago.

True, although the Thunder are owned by a community partnership that was contingent on the public passing a penny sales tax funding some massive arena improvements, and then on the business side Clay Bennett is a small part of the LLC itself, he just happens to be the public leader due to his past history owning the Spurs. The real money behind the Thunder is Clay's wife (the Gaylord inheritance) and especially Aubrey McClendon, who has been making news again lately LOL.

It most likely wouldn't be a single owner in any case. Also, some owners would prefer to retain ownership throughout a move, such as George Shinn (who has now been banished from the NBA as a horrible owner) who moved the Hornets to New Orleans from Charlotte, and attempted a move to OKC pre-Thunder. It's a lot harder for the NBA to find a way to essentially replace one team with another from scratch (a la Thunder) so I'm not sure if future NBA relocations will engender as much community support and involvement as our situation did.

Warren Buffet should buy a team and place them in Omaha, his home.

Perhaps the Wizards, after all, he is the "Wizard of Omaha"

The problem is that is probably down lower than a new car on the list of new purchases for Buffett...

The problem is that is probably down lower than a new car on the list of new purchases for Buffett...

If a man does not honor and respect his hometown, what good is he?
Or say others should pay more taxes while he looks for ways to cheat on his.

Well that's Buffett's problem, he's too entrenched as an icon for frugality. Granted, he did call for raising taxes on his own tax bracket.

Well that's Buffett's problem, he's too entrenched as an icon for frugality. Granted, he did call for raising taxes on his own tax bracket.

Yeah, he isn't going to spend a couple hundred million on a basketball team. It just isn't in his personality.

Warren actually isn't among our cities biggest donors either, most of his donations end up in Bill Gates' foundation. The Scott's, Holland's, Durham's, Kiewit's and a few more are our cities big funders. No new arenas, performing arts centers, med center towers this decade without those big families.

Yeah, from looking at their website, it looks like they do a bang-up job of focusing new revitalization efforts on the south side of Omaha which could use some work.

Yep! Their eyes are firmly on Vinton St. right now I can't wait to see this street in a few years.
http://www.omahabydesign.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/vsp14.jpg

One big time tenant is already moving in on that street, I think you may find them interesting as well Spartan. http://emergingterrain.org/ Yet another noprofit looking to make Omaha better.

Their biggest project to date is probably my favorite art installation in the whole city. Repurposing old grain elevators near I-80 into massive canvases.
http://emergingterrain.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/StoredPotenLandUse1.jpg

Their new collection goes up later this month and is all about transportation.

They are also installing this on the 24th of this month.
http://emergingterrain.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/StoredPotenTrug1.jpg

I love the idea of separate murals on each silo. Doesn't look as cool with one mural covering an entire silo..

This incredible exposure for OKC in the pregame got me thinking about Omaha's big 2.5 weeks up coming this summer. To bad Sir Charles wont be coming :D.

We will be getting 14-17 broadcasts on ESPN or ESPN2 during the CWS, most of which are prime time:
http://collegebaseball360.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Game-1-Pano.jpg

And 8 straight nights of prime time coverage on NBC for the U.S. Olympic Swim Trials, here is the current state of the pool:
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/525079_10150866373862104_1212901668_n.jpg

And what the finished product looked like in 2008 when we hosted before Beijing:
http://www.swimfortlauderdale.com/fgflac/UserFiles/Image/6517mc8fcb6fa-a8a0-4ffb-ae66-faa8eabc8455.jpg

All of these will be between June 15th-July 2nd. It's going to be a seriously awesome 18 day stretch for the city.

An article in the local paper caught my attention today. It said when the two current hotels u/c and the announced Marriot finish in 2014 downtown Omaha will have seen a 75% increase in rooms since '07. The ending total will be 3,054. Sitting at 2393 now with 311 u/c right now and 350 announced.

I bring this up because I remember reading in one or your guys other threads that the NBA is looking for 6,000 hotel rooms for an all star game host site. I don't know where you guys are sitting right now, but I cannot even imagine another 3000 rooms downtown here. Hotels would be on every corner! Maybe it is just my small city mind set.

I don't know if it's 6,000, but I read where Stern would consider us if we get 1,000 more hotel rooms, and we have 3 new downtown hotels under construction, not including the CC hotel that the City is about to hit us up for...ugh

A convention hotel pretty much then.

Right, sorry for our hot button abbreviation.. whenever you see CC on here someone is referring to the convention cluster.

I am kinna jealous of some of the developments in Omaha.
They have some REALLY cool things going on!

I am kinna jealous of some of the developments in Omaha.
They have some REALLY cool things going on!

There is some cool stuff going on. Omaha seems to either go huge mega projects or rather small infill. I think we are really missing on the midsize projects, one of the reasons I have become rather enamored with Deep Deuce in OKC. If I could pick one OKC recent project for Omaha, save Devon for obvious reasons, I wish I could clone LEVEL on plop it right in the "dead" area between downtown and midtown here in Omaha. I am probably just really impatient, just seeing the pace of development in Deep Deuce is incredible. So many different projects by different developers all at one time. I just wish people here had the guts to build a 250 unit apartment complex and some brownstones in a concentrated area right now.

Not to downplay the small infill, I think it is often understated, but it wont grab the attention of larger projects.

BTW: Congrats on the great season, fell a little short, but no reason to not expect them to be right back there at the end for the next half decade at least. Maybe longer. Also I think OKC is quickly going to be the plains states "home" team, I have never seen so many NBA shirts at the CWS than I have this year. Dozens of people have been rocking Thunder gear at the series this year.

The NBA 'requires' 30,000 hotel rooms to host an All-Star weekend.

I was in Omaha yesterday and took a few pics. I loved the Old Market and the visible new development, but I was frankly surprised at how desolate the area between there and 75 looks. So much potential though.

I was in Omaha yesterday and took a few pics. I loved the Old Market and the visible new development, but I was frankly surprised at how desolate the area between there and 75 looks. So much potential though.

Cool hope you enjoyed the visit!

I haven't really highlighted the deficiencies on here. Still a long long ways to go in terms of connecting downtown and midtown. Finally starting a bit though. This building I am sure you saw is being converted to 194 apartment units. Fun fact the tower used to be Enron's HQ for a year before they bailed for Houston and started breaking the law.
http://www.emporis.com/images/show/227089-Large.jpg

There is a master plan in place and the developer funding a neighborhood study right now, but none of that means a whole lot. If I could play sim city here I think Deep Deuce would be a darn near perfect template for the swaths of parking lots in the area. Sure hoping someone makes a move on new construction as the very last of the vacant buildings downtown should be apartment conversions over the next 18 months. We will see, I don't think anything substantial will happen unless the streetcar eventually happens, but I am a pessimist about that part of the city.

Although you can get some great authentic Central African food in the area, for it's one mild saving grace.

I didn't feel Deep Deuce in that area (keep in mind DD is primarily a residential hotspot) - I think it could however develop along the lines of our Midtown. Midtown actually looked very similar to that area just 10 years ago, and yeah I did see a handful of old buildings being restored here and there along Leavenworth I think? As for copying an area in OKC, put in some traffic circles and give it a try. ;)

I loved the tacky pawn shop across 75 on Leavenworth, I hope it can stay bc it has some great character (kind of in a Brown's Bakery way....lol), but I didn't see it up close. I was admittedly in a bit of a hurry because my girlfriend and I were trying to make Sioux City in time for some drinks, and wanted to get dinner in the Old Market, which we did.

I'll post pics when I'm back in town, but it will be a while. After Saturday in the Park (Wilco!!) I'm going to do Chicago, some camping in Michigan's UP, sign for a new apartment in Cleveland, and then spend a day in STL on the way back home.

The few steep hills that Omaha has are its best asset, btw. My OKCer perspective is that you can build structures and districts, but can't do anything about topography...unless you're Aubrey

http://emergingterrain.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/StoredPotenTrug1.jpg

I did see these, and loved them. I was actually really surprised how run-down the area with these was - hopefully this fosters some organic momentum. For some reason I just assumed this was totally gentrified, but there are actually still a lot of opportunities left in Omaha, which is exciting.

Went to Saturday in the Park for Grace Potter last year and really wanted to go this year, but need to save money for Pitchfork, Maha, 80/35 and a Minnesota music festival/camping trip. Wilco will have to wait. And I know its free, but a guy has to work to afford the other ones!

On the pawn shop I bet it sticks around. Omaha really likes to think of itself as "quirky" or "hipster" as some friends from Dallas and San Diego dub it. Not sure if you got enough time to dig through the Old Market, but there are tons on antique shops and some hidden ones only us locals know about :D. There is even an "upscale" Goodwill in the Old Market that sells high priced donated goods. As far as I know it is one of a kind.

The Trugs are cool, but it was pretty much accepted on the Omaha forum that they would of had a much much larger impact nearer the Old Market. I suppose something needs to be said for trying to improve other parts of the city. And there are a few decent business along the street, I bought my latest bicycle from a new shop on Leavenworth. The 11worth Cafe has the best breakfast in the city, and this apartment building that looks like it belongs 1500 miles away in Miami is just north of Leavenworth.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/IMG_9443.jpg

And it is the gay bar central in the city with places like The Omaha Mining Company.
http://www.icebowlinvitational.org/uploads/7/3/5/3/7353888/_694525.gif

Being right next to the jail will always hamper development though.

Hey Spartan, did you get a chance to swing by Midtown Crossing?

Sadly, I did not. I knew exactly where it was in my bearings, but we were hungry and I wasn't confident in Midtown's restaurant offerings over Old Market's.

In Cleveland now, so I'm close to getting back and putting up pics. I have to warn you though, my KC pics were amazing, Sioux City pics were pretty good, and comparatively my Omaha pics are meh - but there are a few artistic shots I'm kinda excited about around SoMa and some new modern dev/historic contrast further south.

Here's a preview from my instagram:
http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/166001_10151232402347656_1483102713_n.jpg

Nice! I absolutely love KC, heading down there in a few hours to watch a few home runs in fact.

I doubt you'll be seeing many of those in KC :rolleyes:

Article on the apartment market since '09. It mostly highlights a local development company that is starting it's 3rd 100+ unit renovation in the past 3 years, but it lists the number of apartments to hit the market since 2009. I didn't even realize the numbers. They kind of catch you by surprise listed all in a row like that.

http://www.omaha.com/article/20120731/MONEY/707319996/1697

412 completed. 331 u/c. 507 announced.

I'll show the 3 NuStyle projects since those were the main ones talked about.

The Bank completed 106 units.
http://propimages.apartments.com/100/5505/2752741_64.jpg

The Highline u/c 194 units.
http://bethanybauman.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/HL_building.png

Yet to be named project announced 110 units.
Currently.
http://douglasne.mapping-online.com/assessdoc/Photos/07/R25538010000001896.JPG

Aug 2013 completion date.
http://content.omaha.com/media/maps/ps/2012/july/nustyle2.jpg

Love the last two mid-century buildings. Mid-century mod is so hot right now.

Love the last two mid-century buildings. Mid-century mod is so hot right now.

Yeah, you're right! They look like they could be right out of Mad Men.

Not really development, but something awesome happened today that makes me just love this city.

Jack White who is playing to a full house tonight in Omaha played a 6 song set in a movie theater in a candy shop/antique store in the Old Market.
http://rockcandy.omaha.com/wp-content/blogs.dir/13/files/2012/08/jackwhite-2-300x224.jpg

Biggest name secret/surprise performance since Lady Gaga last spring.

Omaha is one of a few cities I like to analyze and root for in regards to economic development. Hoping they get a new office tower downtown soon...TD Ameritrade would have been the perfect candidate for new office tower downtown, don't know why they settled for suburban office park, with 12 story tower, kinda ticked me off, and then the WallStreet Tower fiasco...ughhhh...

Omaha is one of a few cities I like to analyze and root for in regards to economic development. Hoping they get a new office tower downtown soon...TD Ameritrade would have been the perfect candidate for new office tower downtown, don't know why they settled for suburban office park, with 12 story tower, kinda ticked me off, and then the WallStreet Tower fiasco...ughhhh...

TD should of gone downtown, easily could of built a 350 maybe 400 foot tower with a smaller footprint than where they decided to build. The one saving grace they did is that it should end up being the 8th largest LEED Platinum building in the country when all is said and done. Downtown is actually probably going to get another 4 floor HQ building that covers and entire city block :mad:. I enjoy the infill, but stuff like that is always going to leave you wanting more. There are some slight mention of some spec office space downtown a little down the road. DTO's vacant office space is under 8% last I heard, that is a tiny number that may actually prohibit some new DT businesses if they can't find good leasable space.

G.Walker, Omaha has gotten some HUGE news about our mixed use development called Aksarben Village between Sunday and Today.

A/V currently is about 65% developed and is located on land that used to hold Omaha's horse racing track and arena both dated back to 1923 and were torn down in the 90's. The surrounding neighborhood dates back about 80 years, but is practically all single family homes. The development includs corporate offices, movie theater, fitness club, neighborhood grocery store, restaurants ect. But the official announcements for the next phase just came out and I am rather excited. Here is what already exists.

BCBS Nebraska
http://behance.vo.llnwd.net/profiles7/463651/projects/2853159/3f49baa6baf01430be4f5065265305c7.jpg

Office above w/ retail below. The retail includes Jones Bros Cupcakes which has won on the show Cupcake Wars, if that means anything. They are quite good.
http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/journalstar.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/2/c9/2c9f7164-db39-54b8-aa1b-1fa398e275a9/4d15214ab7aac.image.jpg

Aksarben Cinema 10 screen movie theater with fitness center in shared building.
http://prairiemech.com/projects/19/817211549.jpg
http://prairiemech.com/projects/22/674016379.jpg

DLR Group
http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/s720x720/398276_452499874776423_1134831468_n.jpg

Courtyard Marriott
http://www.orbitz.com/hotelimages/501/282501/2631759-Courtyard-by-Marriott-Omaha-Aksarben-Village-Hotel-Exterior-1.jpg

~500 Apartments are completed with another ~200 u/c right now
http://roberthancockco.com/wp-content/themes/whatcheer/gallery/photos/full/pinhook-flats-at-aksarben-village/2.jpg
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/11538_192574252385_378763_n.jpg

Stinson Park
http://www.omahabydesign.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/NE-acoustic-environment.bmp

B-Cycle Omaha is centered around this development. Only 5 stations right now, but there are rumors of 100 new bikes and 20 stations across the city next year. We will see though, I am not exactly confident on that one.
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/254459_156088801128235_3534201_n.jpg

University Nebraska-Omaha has their secondary campus right next door as well.

Mammel Hall UNO College of Business.
http://www.formandlightphoto.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/UNO-Mammel-Hall.jpg

Scott Court dorms.
http://www.hba1.com/projects/housing/uno_scott_court/Scott-Court-01_lg.jpg

The announcements the past few days say the entire development should be finished by 2015. They include:

Gordmans department stores are HQed in Omaha and they will move their offices to a new building w/ ground floor retail.
http://bradwilliamsphotography.com/non_web_upload/GORDMANS.jpg

21 Live/Work condo units.
http://www.noddlecompanies.com/_new/aksarben-riv/img/townhomes2.jpg
http://www.noddlecompanies.com/_new/aksarben-riv/img/r1.jpg

Apartments
http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=OW&Date=20120808&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=708089924&Ref=AR&Profile=1685&maxw=598&maxh=400

And then announced buildings w/o major tenants, but have said to have "high interest" from other local companies looking for new office space/retail space. A 119-room Marriott Residence Inn, next door to the Marriott Courtyard already in the development. More than 230 new residential units, ranging from apartments to town houses to luxury condos. A 60,000-square-foot retail building that could hold about 10 shops and restaurants. A 150,000-square-foot office building, which will include 40,000 square feet of retail space on the ground level.

Here is a current map.
http://www.aksarbenvillage.com/images/map-village-2012.png

Gordmans is going in the skinny green space by P2. The new hotel will go where the N^ sign is. The 60,000 sq foot retail building should go in the green space by 6. And I assume the 150,000 sq ft office and more apartments will be where the large A/V symbol is.

An incredible development for Omaha especially considering it isn't really associated with an historically "urban" area, although it is far from a suburban area. I do have some beef with the surface lots, but they are still necessary evils in a city like Omaha and were handled decently well hiding them from the street and putting some parking garages in. Perhaps in say 2020 demand will be so high they develop those as well ;).

And I apologize for the size of the post and info dump. The news this week has just got me really excited. $100+ million news can do that to a guy!

We should look at this for C2S...

Is Buffet behind any of this?

Is Buffet behind any of this?

Buffett isn't really in the real estate development game and he has actually spoken out against a street car in Omaha. I don't have hard evidence to back this up, but have heard there are 100+ hundred millionaires in Omaha that can trace their fortune directly back to their investment in Buffet's company in it's early days. When Buffett first started his company many in Omaha invested in Class A stock that was selling under $200 a share. That same share is worth over $93,000 today. It is those investors with a lot of expendable income that are behind a lot of the development. Not Buffett directly.

Some love from the KC paper. http://www.kansascity.com/2012/08/20/3770887/omaha-embraces-tif-for-downtown.html


Unfortunately, at least with some people around here, tax incentives are a dirty word. That knee-jerk negativism is making it more difficult to get things done when it comes to pursuing important public policy goals.

It’s not that way in Omaha.

And please, this is not intended to put Kansas City down. It’s only to puncture the parochialism and complacency that sometimes undermine our progress here.

Over the past four years, almost 900 apartments have been built or redeveloped in downtown Omaha with the help of — gasp — tax increment financing.


Like their Kansas City counterparts, Omaha developers say that while downtown living is popular, the rents people are willing to pay aren’t enough to cover the cost of new construction. That’s why incentives are critical.

Dominic Vaccaro said his firm has opened two new apartment projects totaling 124 units over the past couple of years. If they had been purely free market projects, he would have had to charge $1.55 per square foot for rent. That’s $1,550 for a 1,000-square-foot unit. But the top rent that people are willing to pay is $1.30, 16 percent less.

A landmark came down today.

http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/521894_489304111081436_212220090_n.jpg

Lerner building to get 3 floors added for 40 apartments.

http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQrJWTL3JsJ0yGgOXOMXglbzo0fwRt63 niNunJhV1oe_rghtqt9

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8430/7802182384_da7de587f1_c.jpg

And pretty big news Gavilon is building a new HQ downtown. Too bad it wont be changing the skyline.

http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=OW&Date=20120905&Category=MONEY&ArtNo=709059904&Ref=AR&Profile=1685&maxw=598&maxh=400

On the positive side though it is a growing company making a very large investment in downtown Omaha. It is also good news for the State of Oklahoma. Gavilon does a lot of business there and is even working with Chesapeake Energy and SemGroup on a pipeline project right now. OKC, Omaha and Tulsa companies working together :cool:.

In case anyone doesn't know, Aksarben is........ Nebraska spelled backwards. (as in post #106)

In case anyone doesn't know, Aksarben is........ Nebraska spelled backwards. (as in post #106)

I thought is was an alternative spelling of the prison in Harry Potter; or is it the same thing? :)

Lots of good stuff going on in Omaha. It seems the New Urbanism is taking hold in lots of places.

UrbanNebraska, I love your city. My mother's side of the family are all from the upper plains and most of them from the Omaha area. We always love visiting your city and Old Market is charming.

The Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is highly respected and the folks in Omaha should be very proud of their zoo. I spent an entire month observing the cat complex and breeding facilities and learned so much from some of the best in the country.

Totally random but just wondering, is FNBO the tallest building in Omaha? How tall is it? Trying to compare to some other buildings I know, including our own Devon Tower.

It is 634 feet and yes it is the tallest, hard to believe it is a decade old already. The skyline is going to stay the same in Omaha for a while. I mean it is hard to believe that this is going to be the first new downtown office construction downtown since UP finished their 314 footer in 2004. A 5 floor building covering an entire 1.4 acre city block with no retail bays.
http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=OW&Date=20120905&Category=MONEY&ArtNo=709059904&Ref=AR&Profile=1685&maxw=598&maxh=400

I appreciate the investment in downtown, would of been pissed if they left for the burbs or left the city entirely. I think it just shows us locals that we aren't ready to take that next step yet as a city.

A 5 floor building covering an entire 1.4 acre city block with no retail bays

That is unfortunate. That is a big-time miss on someone's part.

Even though they might not be getting a high rise anytime soon, I think the Shamrock Mixed-Use Development will be a game changer for downtown Omaha, and will only fuel more development in that area. Would love to have something like that done here!

Even though they might not be getting a high rise anytime soon, I think the Shamrock Mixed-Use Development will be a game changer for downtown Omaha, and will only fuel more development in that area. Would love to have something like that done here!

Totally agree. That type of development is next level stuff for a downtown like Omaha. What I am worried about is we are almost a year from announcement with not much recent news on the issue. We have been getting burned the past few years on major scale development. A lot of nice announcements($250 million mall renovation, $100 million outlet mall, Shamrock development, Wallstreet Tower.) None of which have seen so much as a turned shovel yet.

I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Does anyone know what happened to EOmaha forums?I have it on my favorites but the link has been dead for a while now!

Does anyone know what happened to EOmaha forums?I have it on my favorites but the link has been dead for a while now!

I post there almost every day. You may have to clear your cookies, that is one of the cardinal rules of the forum. It seems to get temperamental for random members at random times. I had the same issue sometime this past winter and that fixed it.

^^Thanks

This has ben the biggest week for private downtown development since before the recession IMO. Lots of projects starting, making progress, coming online, announced, and being continued after a delay.

Gavilon(19th largest privately held company in the country per Forbes) broke ground this week on their new DT HQ. A mere two and a half weeks after it's announcement.
http://www.omaha.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=OW&Date=20120905&Category=MONEY&ArtNo=709059904&Ref=AR&Profile=1685&maxw=598&maxh=400

159 room Hyatt Place Old Market is moving ahead after a two week delay. Three construction workers were injured when a sub floor gave way and nothing had happened on site until late this last week. Assuming for insurance, OSHA and inspection type things.

The accident:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FaarJUyoiPI/UEi1pJ4pNnI/AAAAAAAADBE/nEOWakgg9h0/s1600/IMAG0242+copy.jpg

New progress:
http://i46.tinypic.com/2yun9mu.jpg

Official announcement about the building getting 3 floors added for 40 apartments. Calling it "The District Urban Lofts." Construction supposed to start this fall.
http://omaha.com/assets/images/OW7949922.PNG

Barker Building is well underway for demo and exterior restoration. This is a shot of them just beginning cleaning the brick really cool seeing them cut through the grime. It is nearly done now and it POPS.
http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/527926_430117280363825_461401581_n.jpg

The Barker will have some of the coolest spaces in the city. These are from inside during demo/cleaning. There was really bad wear and tear because the former owner never bothered to close the windows for multiple years!
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/IMG_0979.jpg

A little better:
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/IMG_1731.jpg

And finally a clear view of what will most likely be one of the most desirable rental properties in the city.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/IMG_98812.jpg

And the view of Gene Leahy Mall(Central Park) from the top floor.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/IMG_9876.jpg

Green roof is in on the lower portion of "The Highline" 194 unit office to apartment project. Finishing up in the early spring.
http://i.imgur.com/Pv72a.jpg
Not the best view on earth in this picture. It does overlook our art museum though.

Internal demo is well underway at this 108 unit office to apartment project. You can see the crane pulling stuff off the roof in the picture above ^^.
http://content.omaha.com/media/maps/ps/2012/july/nustyle2.jpg

And lastly L14 Flats opened for tenants. I have a friend that is living there, noting spectacular IMO but obviously a very welcome addition to the scene. Here is a time lapse of the construction.
Dicon Project Video - L14 Flats - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQT5o0Fu1YM&feature=channel&list=UL)

Really exciting news happening right outside my front door. Omaha passed a new 3% cigarette tax to help fund a new $370 million 695,000 square foot cancer research/treatment facility. UNMC themselves have put $120 million forward, the state gave $50 million, the city is giving $35 million from the new tax, the country is giving $5 million and this still will be the largest fundraising project in state history donation wise. Studies have reported this facility will add 1200 jobs to the city, pump $100 million into the local economy every year and spur $383 million in private development in the surrounding area(where I live :)). This will also give UNMC it's 4th 200+ foot tower on campus. UNMC has made it abundantly clear than a hotel will be built in conjunction with this and that they expect it to anchor a larger development, not just stand alone.

UNMC as it currently exists. I live between the campus and the cathedral in the background.
http://www.bradwilliamsphotography.com/images/UNMC_1_BJW.jpg

New cancer center will fall directly to the right of the pair of towers, the smaller parking garage and a small building will give way to this:
http://nufoundation.org/image/Research340.jpg
http://www.unmc.edu/cancercenter/images/croppedcancercampusrendering.jpg

And a huge part of this project that is being touted as "transformational" for midtown Omaha is the relocation and flood control additions to Saddle Creek Road(yes Saddle Creek Records is named after a road over a buried creek.) These plans are being brought up to change this pedestrian nightmare:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Saddle_Creek_Underpass.jpg/640px-Saddle_Creek_Underpass.jpg

Into an urban prairie with reclaimed waterways, native grasses and trees. With bike paths and a much more attractive appearance. These enhancements are considered important for future private development.
http://bradwilliamsphotography.com/non_web_upload/UNMC_02.jpg
http://bradwilliamsphotography.com/non_web_upload/UNMC_01.jpg

I am pretty damn pumped to see what comes of this incredible opportunity. Omaha gets to solidify it's name on the national medical research scene and the economic impact is staggering.


After a little research I see we took a page out of OU's book in passing a tobacco tax to fund a cancer center. Very cool.