Omaha Forums

Looks like the city is pushing for development of Lot B. It's been a good month for Omaha, eh?

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/meca-ho ... b27d6.html

Roseann Moring, OWH wrote: The major parking lot at the CenturyLink Center, which has been envisioned as a potential centerpiece for north downtown's growth, could be on its way toward development.
The Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority currently controls the site and leases it from the City of Omaha, which owns the property. MECA officials hope to find a plan to replaces the 850 parking stalls in that lot within a year, Board Chairman Dana Bradford said at the board meeting Thursday.
The site is bounded by Mike Fahey Street to the north, Cass Street to the south, 10th Street to the east and 12th Street to the west.

MECA wouldn't want a tall building to obstruct TDA's view of the Omaha skyline... Sure, let's just put more suburban hotels and bars that will only be used for 2 weeks out of the year.

There is so much that could fit on that land in 5 story buildings that wouldn't obstruct anything.

RNcyanide wrote:MECA wouldn't want a tall building to obstruct TDA's view of the Omaha skyline... Sure, let's just put more suburban hotels and bars that will only be used for 2 weeks out of the year.

I doubt the city would want another hotel. I'm seeing residences, a nice rooftop deck/bar with views of the stadium.

I can't for the life of me find the rendering that was in one of the master plans that showed a potential plan for Lot B. It had a parking garage with an area on the top floor that included Wrigley-esque seating.

Found a tiny one.

Here is another:

The future could be very, very bright. Seems like finally getting Shamrock going was a tipping point.

With HDR and Shamrock happening at the same time, this is the most "large" construction we have witnessed at the same time in Omaha in my lifetime. In the early 2000's we had First National and UP, but hopefully this time the momentum can keep going.

http://www.cityofomaha.org/planning/urb ... 30_web.pdf

Pages 132-134 detail plans for Lot B. Apparently the city wanted another hotel, and a Power and Light style entertainment district along with 3 parking garages with ground level retail.

I doubt 3 garages ends up being what happens. They would have to be city built if that were the case. You could easily get the ~1000 stalls they would probably need in two garages or in structures with housing involved.

Garrett wrote:

RNcyanide wrote:MECA wouldn't want a tall building to obstruct TDA's view of the Omaha skyline... Sure, let's just put more suburban hotels and bars that will only be used for 2 weeks out of the year.

I doubt the city would want another hotel. I'm seeing residences, a nice rooftop deck/bar with views of the stadium.

I'm thinking residences would be a better idea as well. That way you could have people paying premium prices for the valuable amenities and they would be there year round to support businesses like the Slowdown and the Sokolof theater.

With all these hotel rooms coming online MECA may as well start the convention center expansion.

MTO wrote:With all these hotel rooms coming online MECA may as well start the convention center expansion.

There was an article today saying that Omaha needs more incentive tools to compete for conventions.

iamjacobm wrote:

MTO wrote:With all these hotel rooms coming online MECA may as well start the convention center expansion.

There was an article today saying that Omaha needs more incentive tools to compete for conventions.

Here is a link

http://www.omaha.com/news/metro/omaha-s ... 73426.html

At least from that rendering those taller buildings would block the new Marriott/CLink roof more and not the bulk of the skyline.

skinzfan23 wrote:With HDR and Shamrock happening at the same time, this is the most "large" construction we have witnessed at the same time in Omaha in my lifetime. In the early 2000's we had First National and UP, but hopefully this time the momentum can keep going.

We also had CenturyLink Center, the 1st National Tech Center, Morrison Stadium (and many other CU projects), and then followed by the Holland Center and Riverfront Place. Things were really rolling then.

Greg

Very true but let's hope this momentum isn't met with a recession but just continues.

Greg S wrote:

skinzfan23 wrote:With HDR and Shamrock happening at the same time, this is the most "large" construction we have witnessed at the same time in Omaha in my lifetime. In the early 2000's we had First National and UP, but hopefully this time the momentum can keep going.

We also had CenturyLink Center, the 1st National Tech Center, Morrison Stadium (and many other CU projects), and then followed by the Holland Center and Riverfront Place. Things were really rolling then.

Greg

Plus the Bob Kerrey Bridge, Lewis & Cark Landing, Gallup HQ, OWH Press building, Paxton, and many other warehouse-to-condo conversions nearby, like 1101 Jackson, Ford Warehouse, and also SOMA, Keneko, and many others. It's been pretty steady since the mid 90s, with somewhat of a slow-down 2008-2011.

Haha and we only built a 25k seat stadium during the "slowdown".

Oh yeah...forgot about that stadium thing...and I was just there last Friday. Wallstreet Tower is probably the biggest void from the 2008-2011 period that didn't happen.

It is very exciting something might actually happen in the Lot B area. You have to think MECA is feeling some pressure to keep up with Lincoln's Pinnacle & KC's Power & Light.

I'm not sure about pressure, but I'm sure they've heard feedback. The area's directly outside those arenas are so much better than the Clink. Between Shamrock and Lot B, the gap will be narrowed significantly.

Greg

Pressure = Competition.

Just to show how big this lot is. These are more or less the same sized area.

And doing it last gives us the chance to beat them both.

MTO wrote:And doing it last gives us the chance to beat them both.

Agreed! I would love to see Omaha best KC and build something better.

Ideally I think they should build parking garages with ground floor retail in a way where it would be cheap and easy to convert the parking garage floors to apartments some day. Obviously apartments with ground floor retail right off the bat would be more ideal but the parking garage into future apartments idea is probably more realistic.

Assuming the Tetrad site goes forth with the grocery store, the best use of this property would be to get the "services" needed to REALLY kickstart additional residential growth in the area:

- A multi-story "general goods" dealer like Target
- A gas station/convenience store, similar to the Cubby's in the Old Market

With the Tetrad grocer and the above two, you've got just about everything available downtown. Let the surrounding North Downtown properties like The Yard turn into residential areas - with a big block of city-owned property such as Lot B, you include the necessary businesses that would allow people to really live/work/play downtown.

Oh wow, an urban Target would be an amazing get. If I could only have one of either an urban Target or a 300 foot tower be built next year, I'd choose the Target. You're right, that is really what is key to kickstarting more residential growth.

Well one of the bids should be a good one from the sound of it. Timeline was better than I had assumed too.

iamjacobm wrote:Well one of the bids should be a good one from the sound of it. Timeline was better than I had assumed too.

Any timeline on releasing information on each bid?

They haven't even sent out an RFP yet. Still a while until we see anything.

iamjacobm wrote:Well one of the bids should be a good one from the sound of it. Timeline was better than I had assumed too.

Do tell do tell....

Garrett wrote:

iamjacobm wrote:Well one of the bids should be a good one from the sound of it. Timeline was better than I had assumed too.

Do tell do tell....

Can't.

iamjacobm wrote:

Garrett wrote:

iamjacobm wrote:Well one of the bids should be a good one from the sound of it. Timeline was better than I had assumed too.

Do tell do tell....

Can't.

Do it anyway!

Will it adhere to "our" standards?

The parking garage should be in the center, like in Aksarben Village or like this from Minneapolis.

It would only take one large parking garage to more than replace all of the parking in lot B. If you rebuilt the street grid but left the streets as pedestrian only it would create a really unique public space. Ground level restaurants and bars with patios opening up on to the pedestrian walkway would create a exciting atmosphere during events like concerts, or conventions and of course the CWS. I have seen pedestrian spaces like this that have bar and restaurant patios as islands in the middle of the pedestrian only street.

Joe_Sovereign wrote:It would only take one large parking garage to more than replace all of the parking in lot B. If you rebuilt the street grid but left the streets as pedestrian only it would create a really unique public space. Ground level restaurants and bars with patios opening up on to the pedestrian walkway would create a exciting atmosphere during events like concerts, or conventions and of course the CWS. I have seen pedestrian spaces like this that have bar and restaurant patios as islands in the middle of the pedestrian only street.

East Fourth in Cleveland is a good example, but with historic buildings.

The garage behind PacLife in Aksarben has roughly the same amount of stalls as Lot B currently does just to show the scale of garage minimum needed.

Just build a massive garage along the backside and stop wasting space.. Who's in charge of these things..

iamjacobm wrote:

Joe_Sovereign wrote:It would only take one large parking garage to more than replace all of the parking in lot B. If you rebuilt the street grid but left the streets as pedestrian only it would create a really unique public space. Ground level restaurants and bars with patios opening up on to the pedestrian walkway would create a exciting atmosphere during events like concerts, or conventions and of course the CWS. I have seen pedestrian spaces like this that have bar and restaurant patios as islands in the middle of the pedestrian only street.

East Fourth in Cleveland is a good example, but with historic buildings.

The garage behind PacLife in Aksarben has roughly the same amount of stalls as Lot B currently does just to show the scale of garage minimum needed.

I was thinking something along the lines of the Iowa City Pedestrian Mall. 1 block would be a parking garage with ground level retail and a private green space on top for corporate events, weddings, etc. The other three blocks would be broken up into individual parcels where individual developers would build individual buildings. Definitely not each block as a single uniform building. Ground level retail and 3 floor minimum for each building.