Midtown 2050

Downtown, Midtown, and all parts east of 72nd.

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eomaha
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Midtown 2050

Post by eomaha »

New panel to shepherd midtown overhaul
 
After nearly a year and a half of work, the Destination Midtown steering committee has disbanded.

In its place is a new board that will oversee the implementation of the new Destination Midtown master plan, which was unveiled in May.

The midtown area's major employers will have five seats on the 14-member board. Neighborhoods will have three, and small businesses will have two. The Midtown Business Association, City of Omaha, City Council and Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce will have one representative each.

An executive committee will run day-to-day operations, said Bob Bartee, executive assistant to the chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

The new board, Bartee said, has two immediate tasks: deciding on its structure and hiring a manager by the end of the month.

The manager will work with the board to advocate for and coordinate development and redevelopment efforts in midtown, Bartee said.

John McClelland, who led the steering committee, also will serve on the new board. He noted that the new city budget includes money for feasibility studies for several Destination Midtown transportation initiatives, as well as an additional code inspector.

"Now we want to continue the momentum," he said.

Board members are:

Representing major employers: John McClelland, Mutual of Omaha; Fred Salzinger, Creighton University; Mike Faust, Kiewit Construction Co.; Marty Carmody, Nebraska Health System; Bob Bartee, UNMC.

Small business: Roger Christianson, OPPD; Pam Zbylut, Security National Bank.

City of Omaha: Pete Festersen, Mayor's Office.

Midtown Business Association: Jim Champion.

Neighborhoods: Jim Farho, Blackstone; Tim Holland, Field Club; Margie Magnuson, Joslyn Castle.

Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce: David Brown, president and chief executive officer.
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Midtown development

Post by Coyote »

Hopefully there is more to come:
Professionals investing in midtown Omaha

For more than a year, Aaron Bilyeu and his 30-something buddies have been capping the workweek with cocktails and conversation.

They enjoyed hanging out so much that 12 of them pooled their resources, formed a limited liability company and began looking for commercial investment properties for lease.

They found two commercial buildings in midtown Omaha to renovate and lease out, and that has Bob Bartee cheering.

Bartee heads the Destination Midtown board, which is overseeing the implementation of a master plan for revitalization.

"This is exactly the kind of interest and energy we hoped this study would generate," said Bartee, who is executive assistant to the chancellor of the University of Nebraska Medical Center. "We are particularly elated to learn of younger professionals who are interested in helping us move forward."

The Destination Midtown master plan encompasses an area bounded by Cuming and Center Streets, between 24th Street and Saddle Creek Road.

The study came up in Friday afternoon conversations at Pacific Kitchen & Bar, 10317 Pacific St.

When Bilyeu spotted a building for sale last spring at 3916 Farnam St., he and his friends decided to go for it. The cost: $92,000.

When the old Beaton Pharmacy, a couple of doors to the west, went on the market a few months later, six of the original 12 investors plus two new ones bought it for $464,000.

Jason Fisher, who has invested in both buildings, is convinced of the area's potential. "That (Farnam-Harney) corridor is just ripe for development," he said.

Bilyeu, an architect, is vice president of development with the Lund Co. Fisher is director of sales and leasing at Lund.

The other partners work in the engineering, construction, technical services, life insurance and financial planning fields. Four are partners in a title company.

Those skills come in handy when buying, cleaning up and leasing properties, especially old buildings like the Farnam Street properties, Bilyeu said.

Both were built at the turn of the 20th century when Farnam was a major streetcar line. Their brick facades are intact, but inside there was a lot of work to do.

At 3916 Farnam St., they pulled down the crumbling ceiling and tore lath and plaster off walls to expose the bricks underneath, Bilyeu said.

"Talk about sweat equity," he said. "Man, did we sweat."
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Destination Midtown

Post by Coyote »

WOWT.com wrote: Destination Midtown

40th & Cuming neighborhood targeted


Image


Plans continue to evolve for renovating the 40th and Cuming neighborhood with an eye toward providing an option to the expansion in west Omaha.

A study group is still evaluating what's needed for the area but they do have some improvement ideas in mind.

Lisa Schembri, owner of the Radial Café, looks forward to the future in the area.

Long before Lisa took over, the café was doing business dating back to the late 1800s.

"The people are still the same," Ms. Schembri says. "It's still the best area in Omaha, I think."

But Lisa still welcomes the idea of change to the corner of 40th and Cuming and that's already started, with members of the study group going door to door, "asking us questions how to improve our business, how to improve parking," Schembri says. "It seems to be everyone's willing to help us and that's good."

Cuming Street is seeing more traffic these days and that's another motivator for people like longtime resident and study group member Nancy Taylor to look at revitalization.

She says, "People are tired of living in the suburbs. They're tired of the sameness, they're tired of the traffic. They're looking for other options and we want to be ready for that."

The group is trying to get homeowners involved, asking them to keep up their property. And organizers are trying to cultivate business that will best fit the area.

After 16 years, Mercer Management is looking to fill three buildings, fitting to 40th and Cuming.

Mercer's Nicholas Bonham-Carter says, "This is certainly a traditional neighborhood, nothing fancy but certainly comfy, like a worn out old sofa."

With planned renovations just up the block at St. Cecilia's Cathedral, 40th and Cuming will follow suit down the road keeping pace with the historic homes that serve as its boundary.

The study group hopes to pull in people from all parts of the neighborhood, getting input from homeowners and business owners. In the long run, they'll look to the city for help and then start the search for funding.

Along with the work at 40th and Cuming, study groups are also looking at 40th and Hamilton and 33rd and California to sketch out possible road maps to the future.
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UNOstudent
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Post by UNOstudent »

isnt it going to be hard to attract new businesses when household incomes around 40th and cuming are probably lower than anywhere out west. also i'm assuming crime is higher down there. i dont have any exact stats but those are my assumptions.
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Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

Actually, UNOstudent, you might be wrong about household income. The area is quite diverse, ranging from ultra-rich families with "old money", to middle and low-income houses.
"The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle is actually the right to destroy the city."
Lewis Mumford, The Highway and the City, 1963
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Post by DTO Luv »

What's with all the fear of that area. I used to live on 42nd and Dodge and it was fine. Just because people in this neighborhood might not have as much money as people out west it doesn't meen that they won't be able to support a restaurant. That is completely ignorrant.
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Post by jsheets »

Well said! I really love these areas myself, as they have so much more character than many of the new subdivisions in the West and South.

And about the robberies... I see nearly equal coverage on the news. Just the other day, the story was about an old lady out west who got her lawn decorations stolen. And before that it was about a burgler out west who preyed on families that were gone during the day. Like jhuston said, it all really averages out in the end as far as random violence, and as long as you're not looking for trouble you will avoid it.
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Post by FatGuy »

I love socially diverse historic neighborhoods as well, but I am speaking from my experiences living in both east and west omaha. During my two years of living in the Cathedral area, my car was broken into, my lawnmower was stolen from my porch, and my grill was taken from the back patio.

Several times, people rang my doorbell asking for money because they ran out of gas. One time I escorted the guy to his truck and low and behold the truck had half a tank. Stragglers would approach me for money at least once a month. I usually gave them a buck or two knowing they were gong to blow it on booze.

I also know that I was not out looking for trouble or affiliated with gangs.

I find it ironic that many of the people using statistics to promote these wonderfully diverse areas with a "same proportion of crime" choose to locate themselves and their families in borring treeless white suburbia.

Until someone answers this, I will take my chances with the cellphone talking soccer mom.
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Hey i have been living in the hanscom park neighborhood

Post by Bomaha »

I have been living in the Hanscom Park Neighborhood all of my life. And in my fifteen years, I can only think of two major incidents within three blocks of my house.

Yes, I agree parts of east, west, south, and north omaha all have problems. The people who live in that little area not half of the city make the problems.
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Post by eomaha »

Well, gee, if we're going to include petty theft, undesirable visitors to the door ... I guess that's something to consider. Certainly given a significantly higher number of cars are sitting parked in the streets and outside of the confines of garages is going to compound the situation as well. That a few people are short sighted enough to leave their mower on the porch may undermine the situation further. :) I certainly have had a car broken into, some tools stolen from my overnight left open garage (yeah, I do some stupid things to), vandalism, etc while living in west Omaha (more on that later). And I'm pretty sure I wouldn't find folks coming to my door asking for money any worse than the parade of soliciters I have to contend with (at least in the former case... they're getting straight to the point). You're citing nuisances... is there a higher rate of incidence in east Omaha of these kinds of things? Sure... and probably even more so depending on what part of east Omaha you're in. Just as you'll find proportionately varying degrees of these kinds of situations from a 'blue collar' west Omaha neighborhood to a golf course community.

By the way... when I first began looking for homes in my early 20's... I decided that I wanted the newest, most 'modern' home I could find. That led me to the suburbs. Since then, we've had kids... developed relationships with friends... our kids with their own friends... become used to schools, etc. Only in the past several years as I have truly gotten to know the city I've lived in all my life... have I fallen in love with some of it's oldest neighborhoods. My wife is a former AF brat who always said how frustrating it was to have to move and make new friends/learn new schools/etc. While it is both our intention to move to the inner city... we decided we would only do so after our kids have left the house, so as to not uproot their own familiar relationships which have developed over the years. As it happens... we're apparently not alone... as the downtown condominium boom and continued interest in older neighborhoods is largely being attributed to empty nesters. Make fun of me all you want, as an outsider now. In time my wife and I will be there.
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Post by FatGuy »

My intent was not to make fun, I apologize if you took it as that. And I hope you do move to the neighborhood. The area needs more people who care and have a desire to improve the community.

But living in a neighborhood opens one's eyes to its problems. I am sure you are aware that just this summer a body was found in an alley just north of 37th and Dodge, another was pulled out of the Travel Inn, and another was found in Hanscom Park.

What you call "petty theft," in this situation fulfills the legal elements to qualify as robbery or possibly burglary. We can quable about definitions all we want, but those actions are always annoying.

My point is the neighborhood is not as peachy as it is at a first blush drive through. I find it difficult to close my eyes and just accept bodies in alleys, robbery, drug deals, and rampant prostition. You can look at statistics all you want, but when these things happen in your back yard, the effects hit home harder and linger with you longer. I am not sure I could be as strong as you and raise a family/support a wife in the neighborhood and feel comfortable, that is, knowing I could live somewhere else.

As for my lawnmower, I had it locked with a bike lock and the porch was enclosed. I did not have the luxury of a garage to store it. So outside of keeping it next to my kitchen table, I was out of options if I wanted to keep a kept yard,
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Destination Midtown forum

Post by Coyote »

OWH wrote: Destination Midtown forum draws dozens, ideas

More than 50 people turned out Tuesday night to hear what Destination Midtown leaders have in mind for their neighborhoods, and to express what's on their own minds.

In the first of three community forums, the leaders and the public talked about such transportation ideas as changing Harney and Farnam Streets from one-way routes to two-ways. They talked about what kind of businesses - such as movie theaters, upscale restaurants and grocery stores - the area wants. They discussed what could make residential neighborhoods more livable, such as the proposed Turner Park Trail west of downtown, and stricter housing code enforcement.

Such items are all on the table for Destination Midtown, a combined effort of businesses, institutions, residents and city government. It regards the area of older homes and major employers between Center and Cuming Streets, from 24th Street to Saddle Creek Road. The Omaha City Council adopted a master plan for the area last year.

Board members and Tawanna Black, manager of the revitalization effort, are presenting their "2005 Action Plan" at the forums. Black said it represents "what needs to happen first" from a list of 101 goals that emerged from previous Destination Midtown meetings.

Regarding transportation, the conversion of Farnam and Harney is one of the issues a city-hired traffic consultant will study, said John McClelland of Mutual of Omaha and a Destination Midtown board member. It could make the area more pedestrian-friendly and amenable to commercial development, he said. Also included: the Dodge Street/Saddle Creek Road interchange, and the Dodge Street-to-Douglas Street "S" curve near 30th Street.

Destination Midtown is creating "a sense of excitement, opportunity and promise," said Bob Bartee, chairman of the board and executive assistant to the University of Nebraska Medical Center chancellor. He said the forums are part of ensuring the revitalization is done strategically, in a way compatible with the area's quality of life, affordable and mutually beneficial for employers and residents.

Long-time Joslyn Castle homeowner John Thomas said he believed the effort is on such a path. He said he's ready to sign up to help with code enforcement.
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Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

I'm not able to make any of these, but I want to know what the heck is taking so long. The master plan has been finalized for nearly a year, and we haven't seen any physical development. I understand that "these things take time", but I think they missed a great opportunity to get a key first project done right off the bat, to show that they actually mean business.
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Post by eomaha »

Money.... Mooooney... who's got the money???

:)

These proposals (at least where retooling of -existing- streets/infrastructure are concerned) are going to take many years to implement... due to the sheer cost alone. On the other hand... we should start holding developers to the proposed standards for -new- development as soon as possible.
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Post by nativeomahan »

jhuston wrote:Money.... Mooooney... who's got the money???

:)

These proposals (at least where retooling of -existing- streets/infrastructure are concerned) are going to take many years to implement... due to the sheer cost alone. On the other hand... we should start holding developers to the proposed standards for -new- development as soon as possible.
Absolutely! Putting pressure on developers seems to be working, both in Sarpy Co. as well as in NW Omaha and now in mid town. Rome wasn't (re)built in a day, but the sooner developers get the word the sooner better things will be happening for our city.
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Post by Brad »

I get the feeling that developers in this town either want to build new stuff out west or turn old building in to condos down town, what about everything between 20th street and 156th st, no one wants to "risk" their money there. I would like to thank companies like Walgreens, HyVee, and Panara Bread to name a few that are building in midtown.
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Observations on Destination Midtown

Post by DTO Luv »

On a slow day at work I went over the Destination Midtown Plan. I read the whole thing and it's a very good read. I suggest you all going over it sometime. Here are just some things I'd like to point out.

-THIS IS NOT TO BE A RUMOR. IT'S JUST LOOKING AT WHAT CAN BE DONE. The plan hints that Mutual could possibly develop it's western lots, as well as the eastern ones already in the works. The DMTP says that an 'urban grocery' store would be most feasible on Farnam in the area around Mutual. This also makes me wonder if the eastern lot development will have some sort of large grocer (in the 35,000 sq ft. area the DMTP deems necessary) as part of the over all project. Mutual does have the open spaces the plan said would be required and is already at the center of a neighborhood without a large grocer. ( All though that's not entirely true. There is that store right on 480, but the plan doesn't really mention it as being a necessity.)

- Projects on the plan were given 3 differant priorities: High, Medium, and Low. Most were in the High to Medium range. The only projects making a low recommendation, are the ones that would be the most beneficial. Looking at plans for future LRT/streetcars and having better schools in the neighborhood. That floored me. In another section of the DMTP it said having a private/public school, with high academic standards that offered programs no other school had, would be a good way to attract people with money to Midtown to send there kids into this future district. A terrific idea but somehow it falls behind making a nice median on Dodge street. Also it seems it's more important to have plants at intersections than a LRT/streetcar in Midtown.

- The DMTP gave examples of what other US cities with successful urban redevelopments have done. One development I liked was the Pearl District in Portland. Although it doesn't pertain to Midtown, I think this should be North DT's guide. The Pearl District seems equivalent to the OM with North DT attatched. The PD in Portland is less then 10 years old (Omaha's OM had Portland beat on that. ;) ) and was originally going to be 3M sq ft of suburban style office space with surface parking. Just like what they want part of North DT to be with 1M sq ft of an office park with surface parking, instead of turning it into to a new urban area, in look and feel. Here's a link to the Pearl District site. http://www.shopthepearl.com/index.shtml
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Post by Zephyr »

Good observations, DTO. I had similar thoughts, especially in regards to the streetcar concept. But from what I heard, the consultants were lucky to just have it in the plan, which I am very grateful for.
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Post by DTO Luv »

The other thing given a low priority was educating people in other parts of the City about what Midtown has to offer. How do you have a whole section of the plan dedicated on ideas to bring people into the area, but not feel the need to tell anyone about it?
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Post by reddomaha »

Maybe this is to far south, but I think they did have a milestone for improved area education.

http://reddomaha.com/2005/10/01/cristo- ... scool-okd/
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Post by Brad »

Hopefully we will start to see more soon.

HyVee

Image

Panara

Image

Then you have your landmarks

Image
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DESTINATION MIDTOWN/MUTUAL

Post by SPICE GIRL »

Any new developments with the proposed Mutual project between 31st and 33rd?
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Post by Vince Furlong »

I think we will be looking at Mutual releasing its feasibility study on the 31/33 Sts area this spring.

We are continuing to work on the 40th and Cuming area. Some recent developments:

1. a consortium of business nodes(40th and Cuming, 40th and Farnam), Cathedral, three neighborhood groups( Joslyn, Walnut Hill, Bemis), and the Friends of Joslyn Castle are looking at 40th streetscape improvments

2. a recent consumer survey of 350 users of the Radial Cafe, Ideal Hardware, and Sweet Magnolias all near 40th and Cuming found the biggest income demographic at the corner was over the $70K/HH income

3. Diversity Print, Liberty Tax (how about those wild street barkers), and a scientific instrument engineer group have moved into empty spaces

4. a historic walking tour brochure along 40th Street has been completed

5. a new owner of the 40th and California retail space is seeking a first-floor retail biz (forum entrepreneurs take note! - contact me if you want the results of the survey above which showed consumer retail wants)

6. 40th Street - a premier Omaha street (wake up, Omaha - we do not have a mixed-use, ceremonial, pedestrian-friendly, great institution, attractive street in the city!!)

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Post by Vince Furlong »

RE: the HyVee and Panera pix earlier in this thread...

Think how much better those buildings would look with the parking lots and cars hidden.....

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Post by omahahawk »

6. 40th Street - a premier Omaha street (wake up, Omaha - we do not have a mixed-use, ceremonial, pedestrian-friendly, great institution, attractive street in the city!!)
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Do you know by chance what the status of the Cathedral plaza is? I was under the impression they were going to start working on it in 07 as part of their centenial. Thanks.
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Post by Vince Furlong »

Do you know by chance what the status of the Cathedral plaza is? I was under the impression they were going to start working on it in 07 as part of their centenial. Thanks.[quote]

Cathedral is still seeking $$ to fulfill its total plan for the plaza, but I understand there will be some kind of groundbreaking on a part of the plan in May.

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Post by SPICE GIRL »

Looks like Midtown/Mutual redevelopment is just around the corner according to the OWH today. It will be great to see this unfold.

After Brite Ideas moves out of the old Franks Antiques, what about a grocery store in that building - large space with parking and close to residential downtown and midtown?
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Post by Big E »

link for this article?

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Post by eomaha »

They must have had some big development insert in the paper... Destination Midtown is just one of many topics covered...

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=528 ... &u_pid=987

Regarding Destination Midtown...
In addition to the Leavenworth garden, lighted Identity Gardens will be designed to mark each of the 11 midtown Omaha neighborhoods through a grant from the Peter Kiewit Foundation. Another four gardens at each corner of the area will define the area as midtown Omaha.
A gem in the new tapestry - Mutual of Omaha's residential and retail development from 31st to 33rd Streets and Dodge to Farnam Streets - will begin construction in late summer or early fall. The target for completion is 2008.
One of the first steps in that change this year will be the implementation of a transportation study, which will focus on making the dominant Dodge Street thoroughfare friendlier to pedestrians.
Plans call for changing Farnam and Harney Streets from one-way to two-way, realigning a turn on Dodge Street near Turner Park and improving the intersection of Dodge Street and Saddle Creek Road.

Two studies will focus on recruiting specific retail, service, entertainment and restaurant businesses to midtown Omaha to replace such losses as a Target swtore, which is relocating west of the area.
A grant from Nebraska Micro-Enterprise will fund a program to educate midtown Omaha residents on homeownership and to help employers encourage workers to buy homes in the area.
Robert Bartlee, UNMC wrote:"Even when you have a master plan, developers and investors want you to . . . focus on specific projects," Bartee said. "That's why we have identified specific intersections like 33rd and California, 40th and Cuming, 40th and Dodge, Park Avenue and Leavenworth and 42nd and Leavenworth for improvements."
Jim Farho, a three-year resident of the Blackstone neighborhood and in his second year as president of the Midtown Neighborhood Alliance, sees Destination Midtown moving faster than he expected.
Jim Champion, Charlie Graham Auto Body wrote:Destination Midtown is no long a matter of "I hope it will happen," he said. Now it's "I know it is going to happen."
Nice aerial of the Mutual development site from the World Herald article:

Image
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Destination Midtown News

Post by MTO »

Transportation Study Recommendations
To Be Shared With Community



Wednesday, March 29, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Creighton University Medical Center - 601 N. 30th Street,
Morrison Seminar Room, Lobby Level, Room 2124

OR

Thursday, March 30, 6:30 - 8 p.m.
Field Club of Omaha, 3615 Woolworth Ave.

You are invited to attend a community forum where HWS, the engineering firm that conducted the study, will share their recommendations for proposed transportation improvements from the Destination Midtown Plan. The improvements studied were:

Conversion of Dodge Street from I-480 to 69th Street from five lanes to six lanes with a raised median.
Alternatives to improve traffic flow at the intersection of Dodge Street and Saddle Creek Road
Reconfigure and relocate the Turner Boulevard and Dodge Street “S” curve
Convert Farnam and Harney Streets to two way traffic between 42nd Street and 10th Street.

Note: There are two forum options for your convenience. The same information will be shared at each forum.

For more information visit http://www.omahachamber.org, or call (402) 346-5000.
Last edited by MTO on Fri Mar 17, 2006 11:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by MTO »

Home Ownership Education Series

Join us for a free 12-hour education series to learn how to make home ownership your destination.

When: April 1, 8 and 22 from 8 a.m. - 12 noon
Where: Creighton University Medical Center, Dining Room D, 601 N. 30th Street

Learn about
Housing choices in Midtown
Credit status and how it affects mortgages
Budgeting and managing money
Lender calculations vs. your budget
Available lending programs
The real estate process
Financial options

Registration is required. Contact Glenisha at 346-5000 or e-mail events@destinationmidtown.org.

Courses will be taught by certified Family Housing Advisory Service instructors.

This program is funded in part by a grant from State Farm Insurance and Security National Bank.

15-17, 26, 32
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Post by MTO »

News

What's Happening in Midtown?


We're starting a new column called "What's Happening in Midtown?" And we need your help!




California Tacos restores building's old feel
The Omaha World Herald reports on new changes to Midtown's California Tacos & More.




Midtowners Can Enjoy Extended Library Hours
Join the Omaha Public Library for an open house to celebrate the new offerings at the A.V. Sorenson Branch Library and Recreation Center.




Think Twice Before Tossing Those Valuable Household Items
Do you have a remodeling or demolition project on the backburner? If so, think twice before you discard old light fixtures or ornate staircase trim.




Destination Midtown Working to Attract New Home Owners
Destination Midtown wants Omahan's to choose to live in Midtown, and they're offering a program to help them.











Destination Midtown Transportation Study Forum
Thursday, March 30 | 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Destination Midtown Transportation Study Forum

You are invited to attend a community forum where HWS, the engineering firm that conducted the study, will share their recommendations for proposed transportation improvements from the Destination Midtown Plan. The improvements studied were:

Conversion of Dodge Street from I-480 to 69th Street from five lanes to six lanes with a raised median.
Alternatives to improve traffic flow at the intersection of Dodge Street and Saddle Creek Road
Reconfigure and relocate the Turner Boulevard and Dodge Street ??curve
Convert Farnam and Harney Streets to two way traffic between 42nd Street and 10th Street.

Note: There are two forum options for your convenience. The same information will be shared at each forum.







Destination Midtown Transportation Study Forum
Wednesday, March 29 | 6:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Destination Midtown Transportation Study Forum

You are invited to attend a community forum where HWS, the engineering firm that conducted the study, will share their recommendations for proposed transportation improvements from the Destination Midtown Plan. The improvements studied were:

Conversion of Dodge Street from I-480 to 69th Street from five lanes to six lanes with a raised median.
Alternatives to improve traffic flow at the intersection of Dodge Street and Saddle Creek Road
Reconfigure and relocate the Turner Boulevard and Dodge Street ??curve
Convert Farnam and Harney Streets to two way traffic between 42nd Street and 10th Street.

Note: There are two forum options for your convenience. The same information will be shared at each forum.








Destination Midtown Home Ownership Course
Saturday, April 1 - Saturday, April 22 | 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Destination Midtown Home Ownership Course

This 12 hour course is being offered to individuals who are interested in learning the basics of home ownership, and who desire to purchase a home in Destination Midtown.

The class is free, but you must pre-register by e-mailing events@destinationmidtown.org or calling Glenisha at 346-5000.

The class will cover the following and more:

*Housing choices in Midtown
*Budgeting and Available lending
*Midtown managing money programs
*Credit status and how Lender calculations affect mortgages
*Financial options

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Brad
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Wider Dodge idea draws opposition

Post by Brad »

Wider Dodge idea draws opposition

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=2142536
Options for widening Dodge Street drew concerns Wednesday at a forum on a traffic study of midtown and central Omaha.

The study concluded that Dodge should remain five lanes but that those lanes should be rebuilt and widened.

Destination Midtown had proposed widening Dodge to six lanes as part of its plan to revitalize commercial and residential areas west of downtown.

The traffic study looked at widening Dodge between I-480 and 69th Street.
eomaha
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Post by eomaha »

I like the idea of a tree lined median with turning lanes, but I'm also a little curious what all properties would be affected by widening to 6 lanes. With the recommendation being against 6 lanes... and now local opposition... I'd say this has little chance of happening.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

I hope when they go through dundee they move buildings and not tare stuff down. however from 49th Street to UNMC, BULLDOZE IT ALL!!!
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Swift
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Post by Swift »

I like the five lane, middle lane switcharoo set up. It gives Omaha and Dodge street a lot of character. I'd much rather have character and uniqueness than convenience.

They should just build a subway beneath Dodge to help with traffic!
DTO Luv
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Post by DTO Luv »

Swift wrote:I like the five lane, middle lane switcharoo set up. It gives Omaha and Dodge street a lot of character. I'd much rather have character and uniqueness than convenience.
:lol: I swear. You are the epitomy of irrationality. :)
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Swift
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Post by Swift »

DTO Luv wrote:
Swift wrote:I like the five lane, middle lane switcharoo set up. It gives Omaha and Dodge street a lot of character. I'd much rather have character and uniqueness than convenience.
:lol: I swear. You are the epitomy of irrationality. :)
Say what you want, but people wanting convenience over character is what gave rise to the suburbs in the first place.

A culture in which everything is convenient is a culture that is shallow and insipid.


The fact that Dodge and Farnam Streets change direction depending on the hour of day is very unique to Omaha. I've never seen this on a major arterial roadway in any other city I've been to.
MTO
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Post by MTO »

Swift wrote:I like the five lane, middle lane switcharoo set up. It gives Omaha and Dodge street a lot of character. I'd much rather have character and uniqueness than convenience.

They should just build a subway beneath Dodge to help with traffic!
Price also dictates structure, so you think the NDoR is going to bring in a TBM and tear through MTO (ouch)? I am in all favor for the new dodge it would help development, beautify the city and do wonders for drivers. It would also coincide with the mutual corridor, I’m sure they would be apposed to that. But I don’t know what I would do if they took away some of my favorite places such as the theater and Mojos my home away from home.
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Finn
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Post by Finn »

The fact that Dodge and Farnam Streets change direction depending on the hour of day is very unique to Omaha. I've never seen this on a major arterial roadway in any other city I've been to.
It is not that unique! I have seen it several cities and drive on one every day - 16th Street in Washington DC.
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