Benson

mr. omaha · Post by **mr. omaha** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 11:45 am

I just read an older post on Historic Country Club Omaha's Facebook (from April) that said Jake's is closing and the Waiting Room is moving... is there any truth to this??? I hope not!!!

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:35 pm

mr. omaha wrote:I just read an older post on Historic Country Club Omaha's Facebook (from April) that said Jake's is closing and the Waiting Room is moving... is there any truth to this??? I hope not!!!

I don't think that is even close to happening. Â Waiting Room is less than a year into their new renovations and the owners of Jake's have invested in other bars in Benson as well.

Post by **Coyote** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 6:04 pm

I don't know if this has been posted before:

Benson First Friday wrote:Hi FRIENDS,

BENSON FIRST FRIDAY will occur every first friday, monthly, year-round, amidst the galleries/studios/restaurants/bars/venues/alleyways/streets along and around Maple street. Our FIRST first Friday is projected for June 1st! Be there or be square. Call me sometime.

Love,
Your BFF

Benson First Friday

Post by **BRoss** » Mon Nov 19, 2012 12:26 pm

Benson Business Organizations Reach Out to Mayor to Remove Highway Designation of Maple Street

http://www.bensonnebraska.com/2012/11/1 ... le-street/

BensonNebraska.com wrote:The Benson Business Improvement District (BID) and the Benson Business Association (BBA) are forming a coalition to encourage Omaha Mayor Suttle’s administration and the Public Works Department to request the Nebraska Department of Roads to reroute Highway 64 through downtown Benson and declassify the highway designation. Â There are several reasons for this request.
First, Benson has become a premier destination neighborhood in Omaha. Â In order to expand ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT opportunities, the organizations agree that Benson cannot have a highway running through its downtown.

Second, is LOCAL CONTROL. Â The BID would like opportunities to work with the city to improve traffic and pedestrian flow – but, because of the state highway designation standards, this is not possible.

Finally – and perhaps most importantly – is SAFETY. Â Downtown Benson experiences a higher-than-average number of motor vehicles travelling at a high rate of speed, often running lights. There have been several crashes on Maple Street recently. This current situation is not preferable for pedestrians.
By removing the designation of “highway” through Downtown Benson, the BID and BBA hope to gain the ability to work directly with the City of Omaha Public Works and find solutions to these issues. Â They have the final say and we respect their decision making.

So one question I have is - how should the Highway 64 route change? As many of you probably know, highways must start/end at another highway. So they can't just end the designation through downtown Benson.

Here's a few possibilities:

They could end the designation at 90th Street (Highway 133). In this case, L-28K would either have to be completely discontinued or extended to the North Freeway (Highway 75).
Highway 64 could be rerouted north from Maple onto 72nd Street to Military Ave and then east from there.
Highway 64 could be rerouted south from Maple onto 72nd Street and end at Dodge St (Highway 6). This possibility would also have the same problem with L-28K as the first one I listed.

What does everyone else think?

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Mon Nov 19, 2012 12:30 pm

I would say your second option makes sense.

Post by **Brad** » Mon Nov 19, 2012 12:37 pm

Wow, I guess I never thought of it as a highway. Â I agree, at 72nd Street, go north to Military if it needs to connect anywhere. Â If not, just end it at 72nd Street.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Thu Dec 13, 2012 6:48 pm

OBD gave an update on the small rain garden that used to be a part of 58th Street.

http://www.omahabydesign.org/2012/12/te ... s-planted/

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Sun Dec 16, 2012 6:57 pm

402 Arts Collective is doing work in this building on Maple Street. Â Looks like a non profit music and arts space, http://402artscollective.org/

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Sat Dec 22, 2012 6:30 pm

Benson Park master plans have been released.

http://content.mindmixer.com/Live/Proje ... 6672770000

Nothing too drastic. Looks like more trees, picnic areas, new playground and generally sprucing the place up.

Post by **Brad** » Sat Dec 22, 2012 10:10 pm

Sorry if this is already covered, I am not good with these very generic threads such as "Benson". Â We were at Krug Park tonight and it looked like they are building a bar in the building to the East.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Mon Feb 04, 2013 5:56 pm

Benson Library is going to become a "Seed Library" as well. Â According to Benson's fb it will be the first in Omaha and 13th in the country. Â The article they linked said you "rent" a pack of seeds then return the new seeds from your harvest in the fall.

Post by **Brad** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 7:50 am

Benson Parking Problems

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/Bens ... 86891.html

wowt wrote:A popular night spot in Omaha is getting almost too popular. While downtown Benson is flourishing, parking in the area can be scarce at peak times. But Omaha city leaders have a plan to help.

Benson has become one of Omaha's premier night spots. Nearly every store front is filled along Maple street in downtown Benson. And many of those businesses are bars and restaurants. But where do you put all those cars that show up on Friday and Saturday nights?

jessep28 · Post by **jessep28** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 4:33 pm

Build a parking garage.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 5:38 pm

jessep28 wrote:Build a parking garage.

I would rather take out the middle lane and put in diagonal parking.

MadMartin8 · Post by **MadMartin8** » Wed Feb 27, 2013 10:42 pm

jessep28 wrote:Build a parking garage.

Nonono, that's not the Omaha way. We need to find the most historic building in the area and turn it into surface parking.

OmahaJaysCU · Post by **OmahaJaysCU** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 5:44 pm

You can't have angled parking on a US Highway. Â At least that's what I've been told is the problem.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 5:48 pm

OmahaJaysCU wrote:You can't have angled parking on a US Highway. At least that's what I've been told is the problem.

Yeah, there was a push to change that designation a month or two ago. Â I never saw what happened with it.

omahusker · Post by **omahusker** » Thu Feb 28, 2013 6:17 pm

maple and n.w. radial are both state highways, though...

cdub · Post by **cdub** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 9:13 am

Being a state highway doesn't help, but more importantly, it doesn't fit. Â

I think there will need to be quite a few more things going on in Benson before a parking structure will make sense.

Post by **Brad** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 9:17 am

cdub wrote:but more importantly, it doesn't fit.

The Right-of-Way isn't wide enough, correct?

cdub · Post by **cdub** » Fri Mar 01, 2013 9:19 am

Brad wrote:
cdub wrote:but more importantly, it doesn't fit.
The Right-of-Way isn't wide enough, correct?

Thats my understanding, yes.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 7:44 pm

http://www.omaha.com/article/20130326/G ... ail-lounge

Beercade — a blend of video arcade and craft beer bar in Benson — is moving next door, in part to make way for Benson's first dedicated craft cocktail lounge.

The new, larger space will allow for more seatings and more games. Larkin said he expected the new Beercade to house around 40 video games and 10 pinball machines, up from 15 arcade games and five pinball machines at the current location. He said he expected to add a few new beer taps, too.

Once Beercade moves, Larkin and Roskelley are planning to open a craft cocktail lounge in the space currently occupied by Beercade. The yet-to-be-named lounge will feature cocktails along the lines of those served at the Boiler Room, Larkin said. Customers will be seated as if they were at a restaurant, and occupancy will be limited to the number of seats.

guitarguy · Post by **guitarguy** » Tue Mar 26, 2013 8:30 pm

It's so hard to believe that just 5-10 years ago the Benson strip was a bunch of nick nack shops with nothing even close to nightlife. Now it has been completely transformed into a thriving nightlife beacon that is only getting better. I know for 20 somethings this is the place to be...never thought I would be planning on meeting up with people in Benson! I have been a slave to the Old Market for years if I wanted a night out but no more! I love the way Benson is going and will probably end up buying a house near here.

-adam

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Sun May 26, 2013 3:45 pm

Looks like the old Louie's grocery store will be replaced by a gas station before long.

Post by **Coyote** » Mon May 27, 2013 8:30 pm

I hope they can fight this:

Gas station plan for old Louis Market site riles Bensonhurst residents

Omababe · Post by **Omababe** » Tue May 28, 2013 11:01 am

Bensonhurst

Is this something new?

First time I've ever heard that name referring to a section of Omaha.

I am very familiar with the original Bensonhurst, however, which is nothing like anywhere in the Benson area in Omaha.

S33 · Post by **S33** » Tue May 28, 2013 11:07 am

Citing some of the neighborhood's major concerns, I'm not sure why they think a Trader Joes would be any different than a bucky's. In fact, a Trader Joes would draw more traffic than a Bucky's.

Garrett · Post by **Garrett** » Tue May 28, 2013 12:50 pm

S33 wrote:Citing some of the neighborhood's major concerns, I'm not sure why they think a Trader Joes would be any different than a bucky's. In fact, a Trader Joes would draw more traffic than a Bucky's.

Hmmm... well, it would be better than a gas station, considering they currently lack grocery options. And it would just be better in general for the neighborhood as a whole.

S33 · Post by **S33** » Tue May 28, 2013 1:10 pm

Axel wrote:
S33 wrote:Citing some of the neighborhood's major concerns, I'm not sure why they think a Trader Joes would be any different than a bucky's. In fact, a Trader Joes would draw more traffic than a Bucky's.
Hmmm... well, it would be better than a gas station, considering they currently lack grocery options. And it would just be better in general for the neighborhood as a whole.

One chain for another chain. Only one sells hotdogs and gas.

jessep28 · Post by **jessep28** » Tue May 28, 2013 1:45 pm

$.01 an ounce fountain refills.

Omababe · Post by **Omababe** » Tue May 28, 2013 1:55 pm

S33 wrote:I'm not sure why they think a Trader Joes would be any different than a bucky's. In fact, a Trader Joes would draw more traffic than a Bucky's.

I would sure think that the people of Benson would welcome something like Trader Joe. It's waaaaayyyy above Bucky's on the food chain. They have a niche that things like Baker's and Hy Vee don't have and they have a reputation of treating their employees well.

S33 · Post by **S33** » Tue May 28, 2013 2:28 pm

Omababe wrote:
S33 wrote:I'm not sure why they think a Trader Joes would be any different than a bucky's. In fact, a Trader Joes would draw more traffic than a Bucky's.
I would sure think that the people of Benson would welcome something like Trader Joe. It's waaaaayyyy above Bucky's on the food chain. They have a niche that things like Baker's and Hy Vee don't have and they have a reputation of treating their employees well.

Well, their concerns were light, noise, and traffic, none of which are alleviated with a Trader Joes. Sure, I would much prefer a Trader Joes, too, but it just doesn't address their concerns. So, again, here we are in a position where we might have a group of people telling businesses where they can, and cannot, do business.

TitosBuritoBarn · Post by **TitosBuritoBarn** » Tue May 28, 2013 4:21 pm

Traffic's a scapegoat. People use that as a substitute for the real reason they don't want something developed. In this case they were holding out for a Trader Joe's and got a gas station.

bigredmed · Post by **bigredmed** » Tue May 28, 2013 4:47 pm

Omababe wrote:
S33 wrote:I'm not sure why they think a Trader Joes would be any different than a bucky's. In fact, a Trader Joes would draw more traffic than a Bucky's.
I would sure think that the people of Benson would welcome something like Trader Joe. It's waaaaayyyy above Bucky's on the food chain. They have a niche that things like Baker's and Hy Vee don't have and they have a reputation of treating their employees well.

And they are owned by Aldi's. Â (Seriously)

Can't wait for some Yuppie to walk into a Trader Joes and have to deposit a quarter to borrow a shopping cart.

Benson would be better off with a big Aldi's than a Trader Joe's considering the average income from the neighborhoods to the north and east of that location. Â WIC and SNAP just don't seem to go as far at a place like Whole Foods or Trader Joes.

S33 · Post by **S33** » Tue May 28, 2013 5:09 pm

TitosBuritoBarn wrote:Traffic's a scapegoat. People use that as a substitute for the real reason they don't want something developed. In this case they were holding out for a Trader Joe's and got a gas station.

"Fumes" was the best excuse. As if you can even smell the fuel past 6 feet from the pump.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Tue May 28, 2013 5:17 pm

bigredmed wrote:
Omababe wrote:
S33 wrote:I'm not sure why they think a Trader Joes would be any different than a bucky's. In fact, a Trader Joes would draw more traffic than a Bucky's.
I would sure think that the people of Benson would welcome something like Trader Joe. It's waaaaayyyy above Bucky's on the food chain. They have a niche that things like Baker's and Hy Vee don't have and they have a reputation of treating their employees well.
And they are owned by Aldi's. (Seriously)

Can't wait for some Yuppie to walk into a Trader Joes and have to deposit a quarter to borrow a shopping cart.

Benson would be better off with a big Aldi's than a Trader Joe's considering the average income from the neighborhoods to the north and east of that location. WIC and SNAP just don't seem to go as far at a place like Whole Foods or Trader Joes.

I think the idea behind a Trader Joe's is to enhance the area, make it more attractive for people with a higher income. Â A Bucky's or big Aldi's doesn't do much to attract a different resident to the area.

Anyways, I always thought that would be a good spot for an apartment building. Â Gas station is a bummer.

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Tue May 28, 2013 5:24 pm

iamjacobm wrote:
bigredmed wrote:
Omababe wrote:
S33 wrote:I'm not sure why they think a Trader Joes would be any different than a bucky's. In fact, a Trader Joes would draw more traffic than a Bucky's.
I would sure think that the people of Benson would welcome something like Trader Joe. It's waaaaayyyy above Bucky's on the food chain. They have a niche that things like Baker's and Hy Vee don't have and they have a reputation of treating their employees well.
And they are owned by Aldi's. (Seriously)

Can't wait for some Yuppie to walk into a Trader Joes and have to deposit a quarter to borrow a shopping cart.

Benson would be better off with a big Aldi's than a Trader Joe's considering the average income from the neighborhoods to the north and east of that location. WIC and SNAP just don't seem to go as far at a place like Whole Foods or Trader Joes.
I think the idea behind a Trader Joe's is to enhance the area, make it more attractive for people with a higher income. A Bucky's or big Aldi's doesn't do much to attract a different resident to the area.

Anyways, I always thought that would be a good spot for an apartment building. Gas station is a bummer.

Or an arena Â :mrgreen:

jessep28 · Post by **jessep28** » Tue May 28, 2013 6:32 pm

I kind of want to see Walmart seriously consider the site for a Neighborhood Market store, just to see their reaction.

S33 · Post by **S33** » Tue May 28, 2013 6:39 pm

jessep28 wrote:I kind of want to see Walmart seriously consider the site for a Neighborhood Market store, just to see their reaction.

I've never been in one of those "market stores", but they're probably pretty nice. The super centers, if you can get past the screaming children, rude crowds and weird people, always have fresh produce, great meat selection, and just generally, a great grocery section.

But, because the signage reads "WalMart" on it...

jessep28 · Post by **jessep28** » Tue May 28, 2013 7:39 pm

I've been to the one on 132nd and Maple. It's a refreshing experience compared to your standard Supercenter.

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