Omaha based FirstComp will relocate it's 105 employees from their current offices at 212 S 74th. The reportedly intend to grow to 175 in the next few years. Key was the new parking in the former Parkfair space.
Thomas said about half the company's employees are excited to be headed downtown, and half would have preferred a west Omaha location. Among the key considerations, he said, were the overall economics of the deal, the amount of parking available and the room to grow in the future.
He said company officials also appreciate the access to the airport and downtown hotels because of the employees and vendors it brings to town.
As reported earlier, there will also be renovations to the Central Park Plaza courtyard forthcoming.
Occupancy of the building is now at 50%... recovering from vacancies by First National and Union Pacific.
Yay! Nice to see a business head east, not west. When I worked for First National, I was in the Central Park Towers, and not only did 1st National, and UP move out, but a law firm left that building for the new First National Tower too. They need to fill space, as The Army Corp of Engineers is in there right now, and they will move back into their building on Capital when it is finished.
I was glad to hear this. These buildings are one of the three (Central Park 1&2 and 2223 Dodge), that need to land some new businesses. Hopefully this well be just one more step to lowering our DT vacancy rate. I actually think it would be cool if they made one of the towers residential nad the other commercial. It would give us some nice mixed use towers and also lower the vacancy rate, quite a bit actually, but I guess they didn't ask me...
I've thought about that also OmahaDevelopmentMan. I worked in the South Tower, and sitting in boring meetings, I'd stare out the window and think about the great views of the Mall, the Old Market, the Missouri, etc. My department actually was in the back side facing west, and the views of the The Omaha Building, Farnam 1600, The Brandeis Building, and even the new !st National tower were great. Plus the courtyard area in front would be great for people in the building. I always liked sitting out there. And condo owners or apartment renters might lure tenants on the first floor.
I have to say that I'm definitely excited that the ground level courtyard is going to get some attention. It has so much potential, but has always been kind of ugly and underused.
Actually, the unattractive first floor isn't getting an overhaul. Starbucks is going into the former space of First National's former employment recruiting company, and FirstComp is taking office space on an upper floor.
Good news for my "favorite" buildings. Would those even be usable as residential? I've never been in there, but just going by the office building I work in I can't see it being all that attractive to live in. Even with a new interior.
DTO, I returned to town and read saturdays papers and wondered how mad you would be that your two favorite buildings are starting to fill up and would not be torne down.
So will FirstComp be the next F500 company in Omaha?
Key was the new parking in the former Parkfair space.
That is almost a laughable position, considering the skywalk to Omaha Park One puts parking there just as close as the Parkfair space, and there's no shortage of stalls there that could have been leased (you can still see the stains on the walls where the various leased spaces used to be for former tenants of Central Park Plaza).
IF you click on COMPANY on this site it looks like this Sullivan's must be a part of the Lone Star Steakhouse & Saloon company.
I have eaten at the Sullivan's in Baton Rouge LA. Been there a grand total of 1 time. Nice place for atmosphere. The food was good from what I remember but nothing that jumps out as being very memorable. Rather on the pricy site too.
It would fit in nicely DT though and I think they would be a success.
nebugeater wrote:
It would fit in nicely DT though and I think they would be a success.
-How are they going to succeed at that location though? There is NO parking and it is near NOTHING that is open in the evening.
Granted, I am happy to see something move into those buildings (hopefully, they will begin to fix them up more). However, restaurant is one of the last things I would expect to succeed there.
nebugeater wrote:
It would fit in nicely DT though and I think they would be a success.
-How are they going to succeed at that location though? There is NO parking and it is near NOTHING that is open in the evening.
Granted, I am happy to see something move into those buildings (hopefully, they will begin to fix them up more). However, restaurant is one of the last things I would expect to succeed there.
I agree, there is nothing around there, as of now. There are things moving in that direction (paxton, jazz, etc..) but I dont think there will be many people walking in that area at night. Its too cut off from high traffic areas, especially the GL mall.
nebugeater wrote:
It would fit in nicely DT though and I think they would be a success.
-How are they going to succeed at that location though? There is NO parking and it is near NOTHING that is open in the evening.
Granted, I am happy to see something move into those buildings (hopefully, they will begin to fix them up more). However, restaurant is one of the last things I would expect to succeed there.
Jazz is right over there along with residents in the Paxton that can WALK there along with coming residents at the Wallstreet Tower thats only a few blocks away. The residents probably wouldn't be enough to justify the location alone, but with the workers getting off work could benefit from this. Parking maybe a problem as joe mentioned, the only parking is on the street and various parking garages that may require a few minutes walk. I know it's stupid, but some people will drive by and see no parking and go somewhere else. Darn suburbanites, but it really just because they aren't used to the parking situation DT. I think Sullivan's will do fine in this location, Jazz has the same situation and seems to be doing great everytime I've been there.
Looks like me and stylee had the same idea. I always take forever righting my replies.
Brandeis is going to start having occupants in about 4 months. Besides, a place like Sullivan's is a destination, not a "hmm...let's try this place" joint. Also, it's two blocks from where Wallstreet Tower will be. And GASP!!! Some people might actually walk from there to the Holland or Orpheum (both within four blocks).
It will survive the same way the Flatiron has/will. Tiem to unlearn your drive-to-the-front-door-of-everything suburbia mentality, my friend.
Let's not forget it is a mere couple blocks away from the headquarters of UP, ConAgra, First National and numerous major accounting and law firms. There will be plenty of business lunches at this restaurant.
While walking by the front of the Central Park towers this morning I was shocked to see that they had just cut down all of the mature trees located in the courtyard. In addition they are tearing up all th e concrete. I remember reading they were going to redo the courtyard but I had no idea they would take out all of the trees.
I hope the new court yard is outstanding to justify the destruction of so many good trees. I think the new court yard will have more seating, probably new trees. It may have to do with the announced new steak house on the lower lever of the tower opposite Starbucks.
Also,
I heard that fox 42 news may be moving into the lower level of the towers.
Click on the World Herald article link from that post (August 23, 2005) and you get the expected "Story Not Found" page. I tried to find it with their search - but it is gone.
Well, that sucks! In my former life, I worked in those "towers" and I really liked the feel of that courtyard area. It was like a mini-park in the city. They would plant lots of annuals in the tree planters, and bring out concrete planters, and fill those as well. I'm not sure how a sterile, treeless courtyard is an improvement?!
Always a business-oriented city hungry for growth and focused on development with laser intensity, Omaha aimed high, reached for momentum and found critical mass.
No. I am also Swift! Given the fact that Lively Omaha is planting indigenous plants in the GL Mall, I would hope that this project is connected with that.
There is a rendering of the new plaza in the lobby of the towers that will be built in front of the towers. It includes an outdoor seating area surrounded by planters and small trees for StarBucks and a similar arrangement on the other side for the previously announced Steak house. In the middle of the courtyard will be a large round planter with a few trees and a built in bench that surrounds the entire planter.
I think it will look nice but I was expecting more considering the extremely loss of shade.
Coyote wrote:Click on the World Herald article link from that post (August 23, 2005) and you get the expected "Story Not Found" page. I tried to find it with their search - but it is gone.
This is one facet of the W-H online site that I hope gets a makeover..It seems that if the piece is beyond their '21 day archive', it's hit and miss to find the article you're looking for..And one from a year ago?..Forget it..
The replacement of these trees probably makes sense. Just think how 'shocking' it would be to find a little starling |expletive| floating in your frappacchino alfresco. ;)
Took a little side trip past there this morning, wow, they've really gone to town, so to speak, on that courtyard. Personally, I think the new look as described will be better, I thought the trees that were in there were getting a little overgrown for the area.
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."
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