Omaha Development Update

[UrbanNebraska]

Less than a month out from a really important business week for Omaha. Two unrelated annual events are scheduled for early May.

The first is the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder's Meeting. Thousands of very wealthy people pack the arena for the event. It also brings in a ton of economic activity for the city in a single weekend. The fun thing people always like to say is for that weekend it is cheeper to fly from NYC to Paris than from NYC to Omaha.

Here is the meeting last year. Not your average meeting space.


The next much smaller yet IMO nearly equally important event is the following weekend. "Big Omaha" hosted by Silicon Prairie News is the much respected tech and entrepreneur conference held in the Old Market. One of my favorite events in Omaha every year. http://www.bigomaha.com/

Some pub after last year's conference. http://thenextweb.com/media/2011/05/...ever-attended/

I’m well aware that the claim of “most important conference” is a big one. If I didn’t feel that was true, though, I’d have never said it. Big Omaha is, in a few words, what would happen if TED were in the business of technology conferences. Big thoughts, huge calls to action and absolutely zero crap. In a world of bubble rumors, huge egos and even bigger failures, Omaha, Nebraska holds the conference that is the antithesis to all of these things.

And what one of last year's speaker's had to say.


And the promo video.
http://vimeo.com/37327105

[UrbanNebraska]

Who needs the NBA when you can have the Lingerie Football League

http://www.wowt.com/sports/headlines...148179845.html

Omaha marks the first venture of the Las Vegas-based LFL into the 'Heartland of America' with previous expansion markets being awarded in major media markets primarily located on both coasts.

"Omaha is perhaps the most under-rated sports market in the country. The fanaticism around the support of local teams coupled with an incredible state-of-the-art facility, made for a compelling story to bring LFL Football to Football Town USA", said Mitchell S. Mortaza, Founder & Chairman, Lingerie Football League, LLC.

The league is expected to name at least one more 2013 expansion market in advance of the league's shift in its regular season schedule from a fall/winter format to a spring/summer schedule.

Omaha will host an LFL Football Combine in early May to allow prospective athletes the opportunity to 'lace 'em up' and compete for the coveted Lingerie Bowl Title. A date for the open tryout is expected to be announced in the coming days. The league is currently in the process of interviewing coaching candidates and has not indicated a timetable for a hiring decision.

This is just one of the funniest news I have heard in a while.

[BoulderSooner]

Less than a month out from a really important business week for Omaha. Two unrelated annual events are scheduled for early May.

The first is the Berkshire Hathaway Annual Shareholder's Meeting. Thousands of very wealthy people pack the arena for the event. It also brings in a ton of economic activity for the city in a single weekend. The fun thing people always like to say is for that weekend it is cheeper to fly from NYC to Paris than from NYC to Omaha.
]

lots of normal people go to the BH shareholders meeting ... because lots of normal people own stock

[Spartan]

Berkshire Hathaway stock?

[UrbanNebraska]

I didn't mean to insinuate all 20K people in the arena and the 40K total in the city were all immensely wealthy. Although your average investor isn't making this trip every year.

Just a huge weekend for the city. Every hotel room booked out to the suburbs, the business world has their eyes on Omaha for a few days, lots of people feel driven to spend that weekend.

[BoulderSooner]

Berkshire Hathaway stock?

yes .. 80.40 a share .. BRK-b .. stock

[Spartan]

yes .. 80.40 a share .. BRK-b .. stock

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/

[UrbanNebraska]

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

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.
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.

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.

It really is enhancing the quality of life in Omaha. While I would love more skyscrapers and such I experience my city in the communities, not the clouds.

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 .

[Just the facts]

Omaha by Design is a group set up a decade ago to promote smart growth for the city.

...

X amount of parking stalls demand a certain amount of landscaping.

Surface parking lots should be discouraged everywhere and landscaping often restricts the free flow of pedestrian traffic because the developer usually rings their property in retention ponds, hedge rows, and flower beds that force pedestrians and bicyclist to use the same traffic patterns as automobiles. Just for fun, find a row of fast-food establishments and try to walk from one to the other. For even more action-packed fun let a 10 year old try it unassisted.

[UrbanNebraska]

Surface parking lots should be discouraged everywhere and landscaping often restricts the free flow of pedestrian traffic because the developer usually rings their property in retention ponds, hedge rows, and flower beds that force pedestrians and bicyclist to use the same traffic patterns as automobiles. Just for fun, find a row of fast-food establishments and try to walk from one to the other. For even more action-packed fun let a 10 year old try it unassisted.

Surface lots simply aren't going to go away in the suburbs. I don't like it, but it is a fact I accept thats why I don't live in the suburbs . I am glad they just aren't allowed to throw out a big asphalt square with out a 2nd thought and the companies bottom barrel designs like they used to allow.

There are even large surface lots in uber liberal bike friendly Fort Collins. I was blown away at their efforts to minimize the ugly affect parking lots and signage often have on cities. Glad to see Omaha on that train of thought.

Also for example as I mentioned sidewalks are mandatory everywhere in the city so I could just take that over to the next fast food joint.

[UrbanNebraska]

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/2012050...erkshire-crowd]

Satellite imaging from 1999, a huge scrap yard sits north of downtown and on the riverfront.


Satellite imaging from 2011, a growing area with work left to do.


Some of the major projects of the area.

» Hot Shops Art Center, former mattress factory home to studios and galleries, 2001

» The CenturyLink Center (then called the Qwest Center), $291 million, completed in 2003

» Lewis & Clark Landing, a riverfront festival grounds replacing a lead refinery, $20 million, 2003

» Gallup campus, built in 2003, expanded in 2009, $108 million

» Hilton Omaha hotel, 2004, expanded in 2011, $107 million

» National Park Service's Midwest Regional Headquarters, $13 million, 2004

» Saddle Creek Records, including Slowdown music venue, Film Streams' Ruth Sokolof Theater, apartments and retail and restaurant bays, more than $10 million, 2006



» Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, $22 million, 2008

» 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.

» 22 Floors, retail, restaurant and loft apartments, $3.9 million, 2009

» T.D. Ameritrade Park baseball stadium, home of the College World Series and Creighton University baseball, $131 million, 2011

[Sheetkeecker]

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.

[Spartan]

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 .

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:

[BoulderSooner]

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

[SoonerBoy18]

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

[Spartan]

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.

[UrbanNebraska]

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.

[UrbanNebraska]

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.

[BoulderSooner]

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

who said it doesn't??

[Sheetkeecker]

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.

[Spartan]

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.

[Sheetkeecker]

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

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

[Spartan]

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

[Sheetkeecker]

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.

[Spartan]

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.