Blackstone Business Improvement District

Downtown, Midtown, and all parts east of 72nd.

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iamjacobm
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by iamjacobm »

I will have to take a picture soon to better describe it, but the Katleman project was awesomely executed and used the existing buildings incredibly well.

The used the entire top part of the old two story retail space as the yoga studio and the wine bar actually has another old building with a pitched roof that sat behind the two story retail space. That other back building contains a second bar and a pretty large patio. The second bar may have garage doors to open in warmer weather.

Sorry that isn't all that clear. Kind of tough to articulate, kudos to the developers here is what I am getting at.
frankt
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by frankt »

I hear from business owners nearby that the McFoster's building will be renovated by Dundee Bank.
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iamjacobm
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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iamjacobm wrote:Dundee Bank maybe?
Guessed right!
SaveOmaha
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by SaveOmaha »

Is Dundee Bank renovating the building for another branch?
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Seth
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by Seth »

SaveOmaha wrote:Is Dundee Bank renovating the building for another branch?
That is about the best use I could think of. I really love the architecture, and it's about the size for a branch bank, and has sufficient convenient parking too.

This is one of the few structures with street-fronted parking that I'd like to see stay the way it is. Some nice landscaping by the sidewalks would soften the parking lot, though.
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iamjacobm
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by iamjacobm »

Cool article about "Hotel Frank" a little slice of Omaha's music culture in the Blackstone.

http://omahamagazine.com/2015/02/a-fran ... l-frank-2/
Between adolescence and adulthood, is chaos. No single Omaha building embodies one’s formative years of 18 to 22 more than a dilapidated mansion on 38th and Farnam streets. Although you may not remember the party, you probably partied there. Farnam House, Jerkstore, Gunboat, Lifeboat, and Power Pad: all names affectionately affixed to this broke- down palace of music, art, and madness. All names precursors to the legend of a hotel known as Frank.

From 2006 to 2008, Hotel Frank was ground zero for myriad musical artists and performances. Capgun Coup, Bear Country, Conchance, Dim Light, FTL Drive all called Hotel Frank home. While they were far from the first bands the house on Farnam had seen (previous residents include Conor Oberst and The Faint), figuratively they made the most noise. With Capgun Coup concerts packing in upwards of 200 people, literally the house rocked.
frankt
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by frankt »

iamjacobm wrote:Cool article about "Hotel Frank" a little slice of Omaha's music culture in the Blackstone.

http://omahamagazine.com/2015/02/a-fran ... l-frank-2/
Between adolescence and adulthood, is chaos. No single Omaha building embodies one’s formative years of 18 to 22 more than a dilapidated mansion on 38th and Farnam streets. Although you may not remember the party, you probably partied there. Farnam House, Jerkstore, Gunboat, Lifeboat, and Power Pad: all names affectionately affixed to this broke- down palace of music, art, and madness. All names precursors to the legend of a hotel known as Frank.

From 2006 to 2008, Hotel Frank was ground zero for myriad musical artists and performances. Capgun Coup, Bear Country, Conchance, Dim Light, FTL Drive all called Hotel Frank home. While they were far from the first bands the house on Farnam had seen (previous residents include Conor Oberst and The Faint), figuratively they made the most noise. With Capgun Coup concerts packing in upwards of 200 people, literally the house rocked.
;)
Ben
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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SaveOmaha wrote:Is Dundee Bank renovating the building for another branch?
Yes, its Dundee, and its for another branch. Sorry I couldn't disclose more earlier, but as they haven't made an official announcement yet, I didn't want to spill the beans.

They're really excited about the project, from a bank expansion perspective, to renovation of a fun old building, to being the "neighborhood bank" for another growing neighborhood in the city. I believe that they'd already done the loans on several of the early renovations in the area, which turned them onto looking into the area for themselves.
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by SaveOmaha »

How cool would it be to have it named Blackstone Bank?? Dundee Bank is already a subsidiary of Security Nat'l, so it wouldn't be much of a stretch to want to see that.
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iamjacobm
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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SaveOmaha wrote:How cool would it be to have it named Blackstone Bank?? Dundee Bank is already a subsidiary of Security Nat'l, so it wouldn't be much of a stretch to want to see that.
Would be cool for them to pay nod to the new neighborhood. I expect they will keep the Dundee name though. Brand equity takes years and $$ to build.
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Uffda
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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N.Y.-style pizzeria coming to Omaha's Blackstone District

Noli’s Pizza will open in early spring.
“We want to bring an authentic New York-neighborhood experience to Omaha,” said owner Joel Marsh.

The restaurant, which will be at 4007 Farnam St., will serve thin-crust New York style pizza by the slice and whole pie as well as “Grandma Pie,” which Marsh described as a thin pan pizza that’s popular in Long Island and New Jersey.

http://www.omaha.com/go/n-y--style-pizz ... c4ff0.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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guitarguy
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by guitarguy »

This place will do great just like Baxter's does in Benson.
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Linkin5
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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guitarguy wrote:This place will do great just like Baxter's does in Benson.

Hopefully it's a heck of a lot better than Baxters.
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guitarguy
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by guitarguy »

While not a big fan of Grandma Pie's while living out on LI just them talking about it would hopefully mean they know what they're doing more than Baxter's.
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by redhotchili2333 »

On the radio the other day they were calling Blackstone, "Instant Benson". It's amazing how this how progressed!
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iamjacobm
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by iamjacobm »

The storefront long been talked about as Benson Brewery site 2.0 will be called District Deli.
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Coyote
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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iamjacobm wrote:The storefront long been talked about as Benson Brewery site 2.0 will be called District Deli.
So... It is not going to be a tasting room?
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iamjacobm
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by iamjacobm »

Coyote wrote:
iamjacobm wrote:The storefront long been talked about as Benson Brewery site 2.0 will be called District Deli.
So... It is not going to be a tasting room?
Looks like a deli.
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Seth
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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Ben wrote:
SaveOmaha wrote:Is Dundee Bank renovating the building for another branch?
Yes, its Dundee, and its for another branch.  Sorry I couldn't disclose more earlier, but as they haven't made an official announcement yet, I didn't want to spill the beans.

They're really excited about the project, from a bank expansion perspective, to renovation of a fun old building, to being the "neighborhood bank" for another growing neighborhood in the city.  I believe that they'd already done the loans on several of the early renovations in the area, which turned them onto looking into the area for themselves.
I just talked to someone who said they'd recently seen geotech borings going on in the old McFosters parking lot. That doesn't seem to be consistent with renovating the existing structure.
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Brad
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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Seth wrote:I just talked to someone who said they'd recently seen geotech borings going on in the old McFosters parking lot.  That doesn't seem to be consistent with renovating the existing structure.
While I would agree....

Lets hope they are being extra cautious with a new parking lot or thinking about Geothermal.
redhotchili2333
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by redhotchili2333 »

I bet they are putting on an addition of some sort. I imagine it would be tough to configure that space without some additional SF.
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Seth
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by Seth »

My wife and I went out for a couple beers at Scriptown last night, and were very pleased with the place. The ambiance is perfect for conversation, and the beers were good too (except they were out of stout, which made me very sad). The rustic early-industrial decor all goes together really well, and the old wood floors and dim Edison-style exposed bulbs give it a very warm, inviting feel. The music they were playing was great too (pretty much sounded like the campus station when I was in college 7 years ago). It felt a lot like Benson Brewery, only not so hipster, more casual and mature. We'll definitely be going there again.
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Seth
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by Seth »

iamjacobm wrote:
Coyote wrote:
iamjacobm wrote:The storefront long been talked about as Benson Brewery site 2.0 will be called District Deli.
So... It is not going to be a tasting room?
Looks like a deli.
This will be really good for the area. Some co-workers and I tried to go out in the Blackstone area for lunch this week, and were dissappointed when we struck out (Apparently Katie's Greek Restaurant has closed). Now that the area has a solid reputation, I think it could support some steady lunch traffic, since it's a lot closer for the UNMC folks than MTC.
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Dundeemaha
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by Dundeemaha »

I don't think Katie's has closed they just have weird hours. I've had lunch there 2x in the last couple of months and they just added a drive through.
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Brad
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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I heard Katie's kids are buying it and it will be closed about 2 week and then re-open. Wonder if it will re-open as Katie's or Feta's?
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Seth
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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Brad wrote:I heard Katie's kids are buying it and it will be closed about 2 week and then re-open.  Wonder if it will re-open as Katie's or Feta's?
There was a handwritten sign on the door that said "Closed until further notice - sorry for the inconvenience."
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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Uffda wrote:N.Y.-style pizzeria coming to Omaha's Blackstone District

Noli’s Pizza will open in early spring.
“We want to bring an authentic New York-neighborhood experience to Omaha,” said owner Joel Marsh.

The restaurant, which will be at 4007 Farnam St., will serve thin-crust New York style pizza by the slice and whole pie as well as “Grandma Pie,” which Marsh described as a thin pan pizza that’s popular in Long Island and New Jersey.

http://www.omaha.com/go/n-y--style-pizz ... c4ff0.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Liquor license before the CC.
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iamjacobm
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by iamjacobm »

Nite Owl is also requesting that their liquor license to expand to their outdoor patio. I am sure they will finish that up quickly.
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iamjacobm
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by iamjacobm »

Corkscrew posted some great pictures of the wine bar.

Image
Image
And here is the back area that I think looks like a ton of fun now that it is nice out.
Image
Image
daveoma
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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Wow! What a beautiful place!
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Coyote
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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iamjacobm wrote:Corkscrew opened the other day.  They had the head chef from Railcar Modern Kitchen consult on their food menu for the new location.
Please join us next Thursday March 19th from 4pm to 7pm to help us celebrate the opening of Corkscrew in Blackstone. The official ribbon cutting will take place at 5pm. We will have Wine, Beer and Food Specials!
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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Noli's Pizzeria is now open, 4007 Franam.
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iamjacobm
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by iamjacobm »

Blackstone is starting a Second Sunday event.

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iamjacobm
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by iamjacobm »

District Deli posted an interesting comment on their facebook.

"Basic layout for the deli - will there be a 150 person rooftop beer garden?"
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Brad
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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Benson Brewery posted a rendering and a floor plan on their Twitter Feed for the Deli.

I don't see any stairs to the roof on the floor plan, but that doesn't mean they aren't out back. Looks small on the inside.
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iamjacobm
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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Food vendor rig that will offer "Gourmet Waffle Sliders" is a few days away from their Kickstarter ending. I have seen the kitchen parked behind Scriptown for a while now.
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iamjacobm
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by iamjacobm »

Some solid Blackstone paintings are up on a couple buildings.

My favorite is "Welcome to West Omaha Circa 1915."

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nativeomahan
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by nativeomahan »

Katie's Greek restaurant is going to convert to become the third Feta's Greek restaurant. It will transition to another "fast casual" restaurant.
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

Post by RNcyanide »

The owner said they should be up and running within a month.
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Brad
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Re: Blackstone Business Improvement District

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nativeomahan wrote:Katie's Greek restaurant is going to convert to become the third Feta's Greek restaurant. It will transition to another "fast casual" restaurant.
I guess my info was a little off on the timeline. Feta's will be a great addition to the area.
Brad in March wrote:I heard Katie's kids are buying it and it will be closed about 2 week and then re-open. Wonder if it will re-open as Katie's or Feta's?
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