Official: Saddle Creek 'Slowdown'/Bluestone /Film Streams

[almighty_tuna]

Dude, are we in Europe or what?

Bad Czechs?

[Coyote]

Depends which Pole you are taking.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Ha!  Do you take bad cheques?

Dude, are we in Europe or what?

No, just Englishland.

[OmahaChef]

If you look at the last photot of Brads (see above) you can somewhat makeout the plastic covered scaffolding across the left side of the back of the building.  As of today, it now goes the whole way across the back, and wraps around the north side.  Looks like the exterior brick work will start soon.

I really like the way this building uses touches like the overhangs or awnings, supported by angled steel bracketed to the wall, just like some of the warehouses in the Old Market area (the Skinner and O'Keefe buildings come to mind.  Even the apartment/retail building has some being attached now.

[DTO Luv]

This will be cool to see when it's done this summer.

[OmahaChef]

Jason (what's his name) from Saddle Creek Records was the guest speaker at todays Downtown Rotary Club meeting.  I was not there, but our Sales Director is a member and she booked it and introduced Jason, so I got all the dirt from her.  He told the group the first concert is scheduled for June.  When asked about the retail space on the first floor of the apartment building, he said the restaurant space was still under negotiation, and that there was a coffee shop (my Health Department Inspector told me a long time ago it was Blue Moon), and a "national retailer".  Really narrows it down, doesn't it?

[Bobcat]

Thanks for the update OmahaChef!  Great to hear the place will be open this summer!  Any idea how much space (sq. ft) is available to the "national retailer"?  Any guesses?  I'll go out on a limb and guess Urban Outfitters.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

I'll go out on a limb and guess Urban Outfitters.

Oh my god, that would be the SH*T!!!!!!  I mean, I'm not counting on it, but that would be really cool, and TOTALLY appropriate, for the development, for the neighborhood, for downtown, and for the city.

Very exciting.

[Stargazer]

Maybe Dollar Tree has plans to relocate from their Long School Marketplace location.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Haha.  Or maybe Paycheck Advance, you know, somethin' classy.

[Asten]

Haha.  Or maybe Paycheck Advance, you know, somethin' classy.

I'm voting for one of those nasty looking things that were recently torn down around 50th & Dodge.

[Swift]

$20 says it's either an Urban Outfitter or American Apparel. All of Saddle Creek's shirts are printed on American Apparel. I also wouldn't rule out Diesel, as I heard that Diesel in New York let's anyone related to Saddle Creek have any thing they want for free.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Any one of those three would be THE SH*T!!!! And they would totally attract more retail downtown.  

And if it's not any of those, I'll be happy to take your $20, Bob. (well, not happy, but you know)

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Some renderings I found from the Alley-Poyner Architecture site:

[Stargazer]

I've got an idea for the big ugly steam plant across the street from Slowdown.  If we can't tear it down (along with the out of place UP daycare facility)... put up some enormous digital billboards on the sides of it.

[Ben]

quick update:  They've started adding the brick exterior cladding to the building.  From what little I can see that pokes out the side of the scaffolding/plastic wrap, it looks quite nice....

[OmahaChef]

If you go around to the back of the building, there is a whole section of wall where the brickwork is finished and the scaffolding is down now.  The brick itself, is a nice old looking color, somewhat reminiscent of the brick on parts of the Tip-Top.  And there has been an attempt to put some surface detailing in the brickwork.  It is not just a plain flat wall.  It doesn't have the complexity of a turn-of-the-century building, but it is definitely nice to see the nod to brick warehouse structures of the past.  It gets my vote of approval.

[OmahaChef]

The brickwork on the Slowdown building is about finished.  They are topping the brick walls with tan cast material caps, in a definite nod to turn of the century warehouse brickwork.  The windows are now being installed and they have a definite warehouse feel also, aka, the Tip-Top, Skinner Macaroni, 1101 Jackson, etc.  Brickwork has now started on the apartment/retail building.

[Brad]

Some Update photos of the Slowdown in Downtown Omaha:

[Big E]

I was over there this afternoon as well.  While the architecture isn't exactly groundbreaking, it's nice to see the brickwork already has the "weathered" look.  Give it a couple of years and you won't be able to tell the difference between this block and the rehabbed 9/10th and Dodge area.  I hope we (read: Omaha) keeps this approach for all of the as-yet-unplanned plans for the area.

Kudos.

-Big E

[Coyote]

A few different views:

[Ben]

Check out this article from the OWH

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... id=2356375

It gives plenty of detail on the timelines of stuff for Slowdown and the various pieces of the project.  No confirmation of Urban Outfitters yet, but Blue Line coffee has committed to a spot in the north building, and it'll be a coffeehouse/bar.

Other things of note timeline wise:
Slowdown Music Venue - to open in Late May (a bit earlier than I expected!)
Filmstreams - open in July
Blue Line coffee- open in August

[StreetsOfOmaha]

$20 says it's either an Urban Outfitter or American Apparel.

Or both...

Now, I don't usually pay a whole lot of attention to the ads on the OWH website, but two large, prominent adds for American Apparel were flanking the main Metro page.  Then I started to pay attention to all the other ads I was seeing on the site.  The vast majority of them were ads for local companies, or those with a local presence.

Does anyone know anything about how the OWH sells the advertising spots on its website?  In other words, would American Apparel specifically have had to buy the advertising, or would it have been part of some bulk advertising company or the random work of AA's ad agency?

[Brad]

Glass is in:

[Finn]

While the architecture isn't exactly groundbreaking

Come on, if it was 50 years old you would claim it as a key part of Omaha's history and soul.

[Big E]

While the architecture isn't exactly groundbreaking

Come on, if it was 50 years old you would claim it as a key part of Omaha's history and soul.

Because it would be!  :D  (Well, maybe not at 50... if it were 50 years old it would be a three acre parking lot with a gas station in the middle.)

-Big E

[Omaha Cowboy]

Thanks for the pic progress update Brad!..

[Ben]

Per today's OWH http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2 ... id=2362901 , Filmstreams' theater will be named Sokolof Theater in honor of a donation made in the memory of Ruth Sokolof.

As for the discussions on design aesthetics, keep in mind this is a movie theater!  Instead of a big, white stucco covered box, we've got this.  I'd take it over just about any other movie theater out there (except maybe an old playhouse conversion).

Also, it sounds like the delays earlier in the project may have been fund raising related, as Filmstreams' fund raising goals have risen from $1.2 mil to $2.0 mil because of increased costs and addition of options at opening, instead of at a later date.  Anyway, I'm awfully excited about what we're getting.  Instead of the occasional artsy film at Oak Brook or Dundee, we'll actually have a state of the art, dedicated film house.....

[Swift]

Per today's OWH http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2 ... id=2362901 , Filmstreams' theater will be named Sokolof Theater in honor of a donation made in the memory of Ruth Sokolof.

Filmstreams it is!  :;):

As for their selection of movies...well Rachel Jacobson was quoted as saying they wouldn't be playing anything else playing in Omaha, or anything already on DVD.

Well that would be fine if they were just competing with the Dundee...but AMC's new AMC Select program dedicated up to six screens for independent or underground movies. As someone who closely follows current releases, I'm concerned about what they're going to play. There aren't typically 8 good indie or underground movies out at all times.

Good thing they're showing repertoire movies as well.

[psl25201]

It is official - Chalk one up for the rumor mill.

Urban Outfitters will open a store this fall in the Saddle Creek Records complex at 14th and Cuming Streets, marking the first time in two decades that a major national clothing retailer will operate in Omaha's downtown area.

The Philadelphia-based company - known for selling hip clothes, shoes, accessories, gifts and home décor in college towns and major cities - will occupy an 8,500-square-foot, two-story space between the locally owned Blue Line Coffee and an unleased restaurant space in the independent record label's north building.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... id=2364758

[DTO Luv]

Awesome. The best part is how the said other retailers are considering moving to the area. Having a big name place like Urban Outfitters will be a big magnet for people and other retailers to come DT.

[Big E]

Slowdown has a website with a countdown and forum:

http://www.theslowdown.com

Be sure to vote on the thread about whether Slowdown should be smoke free.  You smokers are getting it handed to you right now: 11-1 in favor of non-smoking.  ;)

-Big E

[StreetsOfOmaha]

I was just there.  It was 7 to 3 in favor of smoke free.

Anyway, if anyone goes to the website, check out the project photos.  The place is going to be absolutely phenomenal!  I can't wait.

[Big E]

Not sure what thread you were reading, but the one i saw reflected:

comment section: 21 in favor of smoke free, 1 in favor of smoking, 1 indifferent

votes: 16 non-smoking, 4 smoking

Conclusion?  Smokers can't type.  ;)

America has voted...

-Big E

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Clever...

Anyway, moving on from the assholery back to the discussion at hand...

[Big E]

Anyway, moving on from the assholery

Wow... I even put the smiley up there to deflect the hate.  heck hath no fury like a smoker in a restaurant without Keno, I guess.

-Big E

[StreetsOfOmaha]

I didn't mean for any hate to come across.

I just wanted to use the word "assholery" and it seemed like an appropriate time.

[Ben]

well, on a more positive note.....

It looks like things must be progressing along on track for the Slowdown bar/music venue, as in this week's Reader, the first job posting listed was looking for bar tending and wait staff for a new venue with an @theslowdown.com contact address.

[MTO]

Glass is in:

how fast where you going when you took this picture brad?

[UNOstudent]

Looks like American Apparel is opening...in uptown, Minneapolis, but its getting closer to here.

about american apparel

American Apparel has garnered widespread publicity for its edgy clothing and progressive business practices. The privately held company, which has about 150 stores worldwide, pays wages averaging $12.50 an hour and provides healthcare coverage for all its workers. The company manufacturers all of its clothing at its factory in downtown Los Angeles.

Though a national chain, American Apparel tries to infuse each store with local flavor. In some markets, local artists have been brought in to paint murals in the stores; and local rock bands have performed live concerts.

http://www.startribune.com/535/story/1192358.html

would be an awesome addition to urban outfitters