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Not bad for where the city is at. At least it wasn't just more apartments and hotel. Plus it frees up the primo downtown library spot for development. What kind of grocery store? Mom and Pop's grocery or a major player in the business????iamjacobm wrote:Still not a lot of details to be found, but it sounds like the library is the plan along with residential, office and retail including a grocery store.
The current library is a homeless shelter. Our downtown library should be more like DoSpace, IMO. And moving it closer to schools, Creighton and Central, is not a terrible idea. Someone will nab the empty space (Kiewit) at the head of the mall, no doubt.GetUrban wrote:Well, it's certainly not maxing-out the full potential for the four-block site, density-wise, but the building designs look pretty good.
I'm still not convinced there's really a need to move the library, unless you show me some really substantial replacement going into the old site.
I think the homeless will find the new library too. That's really more of a question of what can be done to help solve the homeless problem, more than where they'll go. There's nothing so unique about DoSpace that could not be retrofitted into the old library. It seems like Omaha just keeps moving things around rather than adding to what we already have, and somehow ending up with less variety of things going on downtown in the process. Central and Creighton each already have libraries focused toward their own curriculum, although it would be a good alternate place for students to go study, I agree.choke wrote:The current library is a homeless shelter. Our downtown library should be more like DoSpace, IMO. And moving it closer to schools, Creighton and Central, is not a terrible idea. Someone will nab the empty space (Kiewit) at the head of the mall, no doubt.GetUrban wrote:Well, it's certainly not maxing-out the full potential for the four-block site, density-wise, but the building designs look pretty good.
I'm still not convinced there's really a need to move the library, unless you show me some really substantial replacement going into the old site.
Unfortunately, what would solve the homeless problem is if us way too nice Midwesterners would quit enabling them. It also wouldn't hurt if other states like Wisconsin wouldn't direct there homeless to come here (and yes, that is happening). There's a point when trying to modify the past to fit the future, e.g.,Rosenblatt and Civic Auditorium, is beyond fruitful. I see nothing wrong with a new library; it's due. Plus, the library can be in a more dense setting where you might attract a little more traffic. It is currently on an island; no way to build around it. This is Omaha, not Seatlle; we are going to shuffle things around. Amazon isn't putting there HQ here anytime soon.GetUrban wrote:I think the homeless will find the new library too. That's really more of a question of what can be done to help solve the homeless problem, more than where they'll go. There's nothing so unique about DoSpace that could not be retrofitted into the old library. It seems like Omaha just keeps moving things around rather than adding to what we already have, and somehow ending up with less variety of things going on downtown in the process. Central and Creighton each already have libraries focused toward their own curriculum, although it would be a good alternate place for students to go study, I agree.choke wrote:The current library is a homeless shelter. Our downtown library should be more like DoSpace, IMO. And moving it closer to schools, Creighton and Central, is not a terrible idea. Someone will nab the empty space (Kiewit) at the head of the mall, no doubt.GetUrban wrote:Well, it's certainly not maxing-out the full potential for the four-block site, density-wise, but the building designs look pretty good.
I'm still not convinced there's really a need to move the library, unless you show me some really substantial replacement going into the old site.
The Paxton which has condos ranging from 300K to over 800K is directly across the street from the current library.jlincoln wrote:I don't see people investing in luxury living across from a public library, known for attracting the lost and homeless.
OK, your risk not mine.iamjacobm wrote:The Paxton which has condos ranging from 300K to over 800K is directly across the street from the current library.jlincoln wrote:I don't see people investing in luxury living across from a public library, known for attracting the lost and homeless.
Doesn't seem to be holding any other city back...jlincoln wrote:OK, your risk not mine.iamjacobm wrote:The Paxton which has condos ranging from 300K to over 800K is directly across the street from the current library.jlincoln wrote:I don't see people investing in luxury living across from a public library, known for attracting the lost and homeless.
Most homeless people are mentally ill. It seems to me like free mental health care would remove homeless people from the street and make them into productive tax paying citizens. Just sayin'.choke wrote:Unfortunately, what would solve the homeless problem is if us way too nice Midwesterners would quit enabling them. It also wouldn't hurt if other states like Wisconsin wouldn't direct there homeless to come here (and yes, that is happening). There's a point when trying to modify the past to fit the future, e.g.,Rosenblatt and Civic Auditorium, is beyond fruitful. I see nothing wrong with a new library; it's due. Plus, the library can be in a more dense setting where you might attract a little more traffic. It is currently on an island; no way to build around it. This is Omaha, not Seatlle; we are going to shuffle things around. Amazon isn't putting there HQ here anytime soon.GetUrban wrote:I think the homeless will find the new library too. That's really more of a question of what can be done to help solve the homeless problem, more than where they'll go. There's nothing so unique about DoSpace that could not be retrofitted into the old library. It seems like Omaha just keeps moving things around rather than adding to what we already have, and somehow ending up with less variety of things going on downtown in the process. Central and Creighton each already have libraries focused toward their own curriculum, although it would be a good alternate place for students to go study, I agree.choke wrote:The current library is a homeless shelter. Our downtown library should be more like DoSpace, IMO. And moving it closer to schools, Creighton and Central, is not a terrible idea. Someone will nab the empty space (Kiewit) at the head of the mall, no doubt.GetUrban wrote:Well, it's certainly not maxing-out the full potential for the four-block site, density-wise, but the building designs look pretty good.
I'm still not convinced there's really a need to move the library, unless you show me some really substantial replacement going into the old site.
I would say the skywalk is crossing 17th street to Park 6.almighty_tuna wrote:In Coyote's second rendering, anyone else curious as to where that skywalk is going?
Underwhelming indeed.. But I agree with your sentiment...zedmib wrote:I would say the skywalk is crossing 17th street to Park 6.almighty_tuna wrote:In Coyote's second rendering, anyone else curious as to where that skywalk is going?
I agree the plan is a touch underwhelming but we all dream big and that's never a bad thing.
You must have some pretty fat pockets. Let me know when you have your first cookout.makeogreatagain wrote:Nope, those are plans for my new home.
Completely agree..NEDodger wrote:Uninspiring, but there are three potential wins here:
1.) A grocery store comes to downtown
2.) The main library comes to this site and opens the current library site for development
3.) The NE State Offices move here and opens the brick monstrosity to development on the south side of Leahy Mall.
I really agree with you on all 3 points.NEDodger wrote:Uninspiring, but there are three potential wins here:
1.) A grocery store comes to downtown
2.) The main library comes to this site and opens the current library site for development
3.) The NE State Offices move here and opens the brick monstrosity to development on the south side of Leahy Mall.
If it maintains the curvature of the new plan, I wouldn't say it is entirely uninspiring - we don't really have a lot of curved buildings or layouts like that DT. However, as far as redevelopment of the NESOB and Library goes, well... I mean there was a reason there isn't a 40 story office tower on this site anymore and Lanoha/TACK's proposal is still only a proposal. We're going to be waiting quite a while, barring Kiewit relocating downtown or an outside player.NEDodger wrote:Uninspiring, but there are three potential wins here:
1.) A grocery store comes to downtown
2.) The main library comes to this site and opens the current library site for development
3.) The NE State Offices move here and opens the brick monstrosity to development on the south side of Leahy Mall.
The current Kiewit tower in midtown would make a really good condo/apartment building.RNcyanide wrote:We're going to be waiting quite a while, barring Kiewit relocating downtown or an outside player.
Omaha Planning Board wrote: APPROVAL 7-0.
Approval of the Preliminary Plat, subject to the following conditions:
1) Proposed nodes and on-street parking improvements will be subject to the Public Works Department public improvement process.
2) The proposed conversion of Chicago Street will require concurrence from Public Works - a traffic study will need to be submitted for review.
3) Coordinate with Public Works on the following: (a) A pavement assessment and the potential resurfacing of Chicago Street. (b) The placement of meters at all on-street parking stalls. (c) Potential improvements at 19th Street and Capitol Avenue which may allow for on-street parking to be added along the west side of the development.
4) Consider improvements to provide additional internal connectivity for the development.
5) Dedicate right-of-way as needed to ensure required sidewalks fall within the right-of-way.
6) Receive a right-of-way lease from the city for any elevated connection across 17th Street.
7) Provide sidewalks along all street frontages.
8.) Compliance with all applicable stormwater management ordinances and policies.
The zoning code effectively prohibits any sort of small-scale, incremental development for a huge portion of downtown. Instead, these zones are reserved for the exclusive use of large developers willing to invest in massive, all-or-nothing projects like the Legacy Tower or the Excellus Blue Cross Blue Shield offices, both of which sit empty outside of work hours.
Rochester should learn from the failure of local titans of industry (Xerox, Bausch & Lomb, Kodak) and realize that a downtown of grand or monumental scale is hardly a prerequisite of success and vitality. In fact many places with considerably more active downtowns exhibit a far more humble appearance than Rochester (e.g. Princeton, New Jersey; Summit, New Jersey; Easton, Pennsylvania; Ithaca, New York). It’s time for planners to permit a more granular approach to downtown development and eliminate nonsensical mandates of high floor counts and monumental scales.
If Rochester truly wants the quality of its street life to match that of its skyline, it’s time to think beyond the form to the function of its buildings and how they connect with their surroundings. Fortunately, recent efforts on behalf of the city and private developers alike have moved towards fixing the planning failures of the past, and downtown is slowly but surely heading in the right direction. But to address the root of the issue, planners must work towards continuing to relax a zoning code fixated on some twentieth century vision of a downtown built for cars and commuters.
Codes should allow developers every opportunity to incrementally build downtown as a true place to live again. Until then, the gap between the grandeur of the skyline and the health of the streets will remain.
It shows four buildings with apartments, offices, stores and possibly a new downtown public library at the site at 18th Street and Capitol Avenue.
That's smaller, but roughly along the lines of what the developer, Tetrad Property Group, and Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert have talked about since she chose the developer in 2014.
The developers envision a grocery and other retail, a fitness center and civic buildings.
The four buildings combined would have a total of about 740,000 square feet. The development could cost $200 million, the mayor’s press release said.
I agree with the wasted space. They could have added so much more mixed space. Every tower that has been proposed included one or two uses and have ultimately failed. Where are our office, retail, hotel, and residential buildings in one?MadMartin8 wrote:Well, we may get that "urban" Hyvee or whatever like everyone wanted. The more I look at the plan, the more I just see a lot of wasted space, but it'll serve its purpose if it actually includes the items they are hoping to include.
If they move the state offices there, doesn't that free up the land that is pretty centralized and currently taken up by that weird red brick building? Good news there.