W. Dale Clark Library

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Coyote
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W. Dale Clark Library

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Stothert eyes turning page on W. Dale Clark Library, says now is 'perfect time' to look at sale, replacement
Roseann Moring / World-Herald staff writer wrote:The city’s Downtown Master Plan, updated in 2009, lists the site as one of the best downtown locations for potential office towers.

The plan recommends that the city sell the downtown library and use the money for a “new high-tech, right-sized main branch library in a new, more strategic location.”

More recently, city officials showed the site to HDR Inc. as a possible spot for its new headquarters. The company didn’t choose that spot, though it has reopened the search after backing out of its first choice.

...Stothert, on the other hand, sees the Civic’s site at 18th Street and Capitol Avenue as prime for a downtown library.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by Coyote »

What if Stothert told HDR to screw OPAS, I'll get you the Library's spot instead, just give me 90 days.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by Brad »

HDR at the end of the mall! That would change the Cliche Shot!
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

I keep saying- there is still a pulse for HDR to locate their HQ's downtown..

This news, potentially, is a PRIME reason...

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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by skinzfan23 »

He is a picture of the library from 1975 when it was under construction. Notice the WOW building in the top right of the photo. (later replaced by the state building that so many of us love)

Image
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by Spatial77 »

And the World Theater in the lower left corner of the photo (Save the World).
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by Brad »

Here us a generic 14 story building where the library is now...

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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by skinzfan23 »

I know that was quick photoshop edit but hopefully if an office tower were built there, they could make the design a little more interesting and allow the Central Park Plaza buildings to still be seen.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by jessep28 »

How much influence would the library board have over such a move? Considering that the board bickers with the mayor's office over the library's budget every year, getting a deal like a site swap for an HDR tower done may be a challenge. It was stated in the article that the board wants the main branch to stay at its current location.
Last edited by jessep28 on Fri May 27, 2016 11:22 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by GetUrban »

Need something taller and skinnier that would go more on the north half of the library site and line-up between the Woodmen and FNB Tower.
He said "They are some big, ugly red brick buildings"
...and then they were gone.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by Brad »

I just picked a building similar in size to what HDR proposed on 11th street.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

Brad wrote:I just picked a building similar in size to what HDR proposed on 11th street.
For a quick photoshop, it was a cool rendering to provide a potential perspective..

Nice work :thumb: ...

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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by Spatial77 »

I guess the required parking garage faces 15th Street and CPP. Nice reflection in the lagoon of the GLM,
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by GetUrban »

I was just trying to get him to do another! The first attempt was appreciated though. I miss the days when buildings often would only take up a quarter block or less and go higher if they needed more space....like the old WOW building.
He said "They are some big, ugly red brick buildings"
...and then they were gone.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by Spatial77 »

GetUrban wrote:I was just trying to get him to do another! The first attempt was appreciated though. I miss the days when buildings often would only take up a quarter block or less and go higher if they needed more space....like the old WOW building.
Or like many of the buildings on 16th Street.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by choke »

I wonder why HDR rejected this location. Parking maybe? It seems like it would be a prominent spot in downtown Omaha.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by skinzfan23 »

choke wrote:I wonder why HDR rejected this location. Parking maybe? It seems like it would be a prominent spot in downtown Omaha.
My guess is parking and the timeframe since the site is nowhere near shovel ready.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by MTO »

Yeah but apparently time is not of the essence And the city sounds like it may be making it shovel ready. I suppose since there's been no announcement yet there's a sliver of hope for HDR here.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by skinzfan23 »

MTO wrote:Yeah but apparently time is not of the essence And the city sounds like it may be making it shovel ready. I suppose since there's been no announcement yet there's a sliver of hope for HDR here.
That is what I am hoping for. Maybe HDR can get a lease extension at their current space and then make this one work.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by RNcyanide »

It's an interesting though, but I'm really not banking on this at all. I would happily eat my hat if I were to be wrong.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by Midwestern »

If HDR cares about visibility at all, it doesn't get much more visible than this location. They'd be in the center of the most common skyline photo of Omaha. They could put their logo really big on the top of their building.

I like the idea of the main library branch moving to the Civic site.

While they're at it, why not move the Firefighter headquarters to the civic site as well as the state office building workers to the civic site, and open up those two lots for development as well?

Oh yeah, and move the Omaha Chamber of Commerce people to the Civic site as well. Another lot opened up.

If HDR doesn't land on the Library lot, it would be a good place for a downtown Hy-Vee to go. That's about as central as you can get between the CBD and Old Market.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by choke »

skinzfan23 wrote:He is a picture of the library from 1975 when it was under construction. Notice the WOW building in the top right of the photo. (later replaced by the state building that so many of us love)

Image

So when was Central Park Mall built?
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by choke »

Midwestern wrote:If HDR cares about visibility at all, it doesn't get much more visible than this location. They'd be in the center of the most common skyline photo of Omaha. They could put their logo really big on the top of their building.

I like the idea of the main library branch moving to the Civic site.

While they're at it, why not move the Firefighter headquarters to the civic site as well as the state office building workers to the civic site, and open up those two lots for development as well?

Oh yeah, and move the Omaha Chamber of Commerce people to the Civic site as well. Another lot opened up.

If HDR doesn't land on the Library lot, it would be a good place for a downtown Hy-Vee to go. That's about as central as you can get between the CBD and Old Market.
The downtown library should remain where it is currently. I like the idea of the library occupying the first few floors of an office tower. It's good for everyone to have the library located at one of the most prominent downtown areas.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by MTO »

Actually I'm going to agree with you choke, for only one reason, added height. And if they kept it there they'll need a bigger parking ramp so they'd have to add floors. A 16 story building there will be great visibility from the mall but do practically nothing for the skyline from afar. May as well make it >20 floors to stand out and rise above the mid rise cluster around it.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by choke »

MTO wrote:Actually I'm going to agree with you choke, for only one reason, added height. And if they kept it there they'll need a bigger parking ramp so they'd have to add floors. A 16 story building there will be great visibility from the mall but do practically nothing for the skyline from afar. May as well make it >20 floors to stand out and rise above the mid rise cluster around it.

I didn't think about the height. It definitely would add to a building. I just imaging what an office tower with a "DoSpace" on the lower level would be like. Omaha really needs to get the public to embrace the library and turn it into a learning center again instead of a homeless shelter.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

choke wrote:
skinzfan23 wrote:He is a picture of the library from 1975 when it was under construction. Notice the WOW building in the top right of the photo. (later replaced by the state building that so many of us love)

Image

So when was Central Park Mall built?
They started landscape construction of it after bulldozing buildings around 1977. It was completed in 1982...

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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by choke »

Omaha Cowboy wrote:
choke wrote:
skinzfan23 wrote:He is a picture of the library from 1975 when it was under construction. Notice the WOW building in the top right of the photo. (later replaced by the state building that so many of us love)

Image

So when was Central Park Mall built?
They started landscape construction of it after bulldozing buildings around 1977. It was completed in 1982...

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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by PotatoeEatsFish »

If HDR doesn't put their HQ there it would be a great place for a fountain or statue.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by NEDodger »

PotatoeEatsFish wrote:If HDR doesn't put their HQ there it would be a great place for a fountain or statue.
That'd be better off as part of one of the parks.

If HDR doesn't put their HQ there, I have the feeling the library remains there.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by MTO »

Maybe but there seams to be some desire to get it into the civic redevelopment even before the HDR fiasco.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by daveoma »

NEDodger wrote:
PotatoeEatsFish wrote:If HDR doesn't put their HQ there it would be a great place for a fountain or statue.
That'd be better off as part of one of the parks.

If HDR doesn't put their HQ there, I have the feeling the library remains there.
I LOVE the idea of a fountain! Maybe related in some way to the FNBO sculpture park.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by MTO »

If you guys are talking about expanding the mall, count me in. We can always build a tower somewhere else like that lot just east of the holland.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by guest2017 »

skinzfan23 wrote:
MTO wrote:Yeah but apparently time is not of the essence And the city sounds like it may be making it shovel ready. I suppose since there's been no announcement yet there's a sliver of hope for HDR here.
That is what I am hoping for. Maybe HDR can get a lease extension at their current space and then make this one work.
They have one.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by iamjacobm »

So a hypothetical DT timeline in a utopian Omaha.

The library moves to the state building for a temp home before the end of 2016.
Demo begins on the library early 2017, ground breaks on HDR's new HQ in summer 2017 on that site to be finished in 2020.
Demo finishes at the Civic in late 2016 with an early 2017 ground breaking. That project finishes in late 2018 with the library taking the civic component.
Demo begins on the state building in early 2019 with a new potential tower breaking ground late 2019.

Lots of potential on big time sites downtown. We be an interesting to see how these next 5 years play out.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by PotatoeEatsFish »

iamjacobm wrote:So a hypothetical DT timeline in a utopian Omaha.

The library moves to the state building for a temp home before the end of 2016.
Demo begins on the library early 2017, ground breaks on HDR's new HQ in summer 2017 on that site to be finished in 2020.
Demo finishes at the Civic in late 2016 with an early 2017 ground breaking. That project finishes in late 2018 with the library taking the civic component.
Demo begins on the state building in early 2019 with a new potential tower breaking ground late 2019.

Lots of potential on big time sites downtown. We be an interesting to see how these next 5 years play out.
Have they even sold the old Union Pacific lot yet?
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by guy4omaha »

Omaha Cowboy wrote:
choke wrote:

So when was Central Park Mall built?
They started landscape construction of it after bulldozing buildings around 1977. It was completed in 1982...

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Not to nitpick because I think you're technically correct. But just to add a detail, I think the first (westernmost block) of GLM was completed in 1980 or at least before I graduated high school in 1981. My junior or senior year we took a research field trip to the library and we all took a break outside in that first completed block of the mall and marveled at it. For you younger folks, it was easier to marvel because our point of reference is what was in those blocks before the mall.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

guy4omaha wrote:
Omaha Cowboy wrote:
choke wrote:

So when was Central Park Mall built?
They started landscape construction of it after bulldozing buildings around 1977. It was completed in 1982...

Ciao..LiO...Peace
Not to nitpick because I think you're technically correct. But just to add a detail, I think the first (westernmost block) of GLM was completed in 1980 or at least before I graduated high school in 1981. My junior or senior year we took a research field trip to the library and we all took a break outside in that first completed block of the mall and marveled at it. For you younger folks, it was easier to marvel because our point of reference is what was in those blocks before the mall.
Naw it's all good. Your memory is correct. They completed the first phase (or block) of the mall in late 80 early 81. Both phases were completed and GLM was presented as a completed urban park project in spring of 1982.. I was 20 years old. My how things have changed :thumb: ...

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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by yard salad »

I'm glad that this building is on the chopping block. It's like a castle with a literal moat and seems purpose-built to keep people and its surroundings at arm's length. I remember walking through a public library in Montreal - it had a 24/7 accessible hallway that pedestrians could use to cut across the city block through the building. It was like a real community gathering spot.
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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

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yard salad wrote:I'm glad that this building is on the chopping block. It's like a castle with a literal moat and seems purpose-built to keep people and its surroundings at arm's length. I remember walking through a public library in Montreal - it had a 24/7 accessible hallway that pedestrians could use to cut across the city block through the building. It was like a real community gathering spot.

Did it have any issues with homeless living there? Thinking about some of the issues with Omaha's library and if it went 24 X7 could make it worse.

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Re: W. Dale Clark Library

Post by Brad »

GetUrban wrote:I was just trying to get him to do another! The first attempt was appreciated though.
I'l see what I can do :;):
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