The Breakers Apartments - Old Power Plant

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

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StreetsOfOmaha
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Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

Brad wrote:Here is a 2007 aerial map of the site(it has the police barn finished and the butternut is gone)

Image

EDIT: looks like 2 of were thinking MAP at the same time :D
OH. MY. GOD.  So much potential.  Where to begin?

You see, this is why we don't tear things down Downtown!
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:OH. MY. GOD.  So much potential.  Where to begin?
I am guessing 9 or 10 square blocks.
Ben
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Post by Ben »

Question for anyone in the know....  What of this must stay?  I know the actual power station isn't in in use, but I'd assume that electrical substation (or whatever the blue-green things are) is....  What about those tanks?  While its an awfully big site, I wonder how much of it might have to stay in place for utilities use.

I absolutely love the idea of a entertainment destination - comedy place, small movie theater, bars/restaurants. etc.  My only concern is traffic / parking, as its a sort of out of the way place to get to b/c of the 10th street overpass.  I'd hope they'd be able to work out a deal with ConAgra or whomever owns those lots to use them after business hours instead of putting a sea of parking lots down there.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Ben wrote:Question for anyone in the know....  What of this must stay?  I know the actual power station isn't in in use, but I'd assume that electrical substation (or whatever the blue-green things are) is....  What about those tanks?  While its an awfully big site, I wonder how much of it might have to stay in place for utilities use.
Here is what I am guessing has to stay and what can go.

I bet that the Green Must Stay
The Red can Go
The Purple must remain parking of some type, May be it can be converted in to mix use garage/retail or something.

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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Here is what I would do if I had some cash!

Brown = Redevelop parking in to garages with "raised" street level retail.  By raised like the sidewalk in front of Urban wine where it is above the street like an old dock.

Purple = Complete Redevelopment.  Rehab the cool buildings, bulldoze the junk!

Red = Extend the river walk all the way to Ricks.  May be another Ped Bridge to Harra's

Black = Not going anywhere, unfortunately.

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Big E
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Post by Big E »

The brown lots are ConAgra's.  I kind of doubt they are going to get into the property management game.  

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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Big E wrote:The brown lots are ConAgra's.  I kind of doubt they are going to get into the property management game.  
Which would probably make the power plant property worthless.  However you never know. Mutual got in to the game!
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S33
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Post by S33 »

Brad wrote:Here is what I would do if I had some cash!

Brown = Redevelop parking in to garages with "raised" street level retail.  By raised like the sidewalk in front of Urban wine where it is above the street like an old dock.

Purple = Complete Redevelopment.  Rehab the cool buildings, bulldoze the junk!

Red = Extend the river walk all the way to Ricks.  May be another Ped Bridge to Harra's

Black = Not going anywhere, unfortunately.

Image

I think those tanks in the black area could easily be removed. That was only oil storage as oil was the energy source for the old power plant.
The substation is nothing some trees and shrubs couldn't hide. So much potential for that area.
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Omababe
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Post by Omababe »

Possible stupid question here.

What are those two big turquoise machinery-looking things? I drove by there the other day and it almost looked like one of them had a window with a space in it.

Just curious. :)
ItsAllAboutMe
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Post by ItsAllAboutMe »

Those items are gas turbines.
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Post by Bomaha »

This is sort of referring to the Durham Museum. I have two questons: Who owns the vacant rail area with no tracks? and Is there a separate rail spur-thing going to the museum?

Because I was thinking about a train park (or something like that) ala Kenefick Park & Freedom Park, but have ones from around the world and it be a signature attraction for the museum or open to the public.

I know I have had some out-there ideas, but this I think could be a good one. Tell me what you think.
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Post by Ben »

Bomaha wrote:This is sort of referring to the Durham Museum. I have two questons: Who owns the vacant rail area with no tracks? and Is there a separate rail spur-thing going to the museum?

Because I was thinking about a train park (or something like that) ala Kenefick Park & Freedom Park, but have ones from around the world and it be a signature attraction for the museum or open to the public.

I know I have had some out-there ideas, but this I think could be a good one. Tell me what you think.
During Railroad days, they often park several special interest locomotives and railcars behind the Durham.  There is an exit from their lower level that easily facilitates this.   If this was a permanent exhibit, with routine access to the rails, I'm fairly sure UP would have issue with it, or at the very least, require fencing around whatever display area would be established.  Those UP tracks are very busy, and the last thing they'd want would be access / potential for an accident.
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Post by DTO Luv »

During the DT Master plan meetings last week this building came up a lot. I guess it's been bought by a developer that plans to do something with it. Good news. I bet the views up there would kick |expletive|.
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Post by windsor »

Brad wrote:Here is what I would do if I had some cash!

Brown = Redevelop parking in to garages with "raised" street level retail.  By raised like the sidewalk in front of Urban wine where it is above the street like an old dock.

Purple = Complete Redevelopment.  Rehab the cool buildings, bulldoze the junk!

Red = Extend the river walk all the way to Ricks.  May be another Ped Bridge to Harra's

Black = Not going anywhere, unfortunately.

Image
I never new the was so much under utilized space down there.  Its good to hear they are talking about this area in the master plan meetings!
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iamjacobm
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Post by iamjacobm »

There was a crane and a bunch of earth movers just south of the old power plant today.  I assume it is something to do with the sewer separation work, just caught my eye driving down 10th.
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mcarch
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Post by mcarch »

Has anyone ever been in Minneapolis and gone to the Mill City Museum next to the Guntheire Theater (spelling).  Across the street there are apartment buildings (whole Block).  The apartments are on the outside while in the interior is the parking garage.  On the first floors were Work/Commercial Spaces.  As you can see in this Photo.  This would be good for the Orange Areas as well as The areas by The Link and Stadium.

http://flic.kr/p/dRvQae
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Post by pseudoprometheus »

iamjacobm wrote:There was a crane and a bunch of earth movers just south of the old power plant today.  I assume it is something to do with the sewer separation work, just caught my eye driving down 10th.
I think you're right that it's related to the sewer separation project.  Most likely it's what they're calling the "South Interceptor Force Main Project", which was slated to start construction in 2012:  http://omahacso.com/projects/southinterceptor.html.  Unless they've finished already, a lift station/pump replacement is also taking place just south of there, past the railroad bridge:  http://omahacso.com/projects/leavenworthlsr.html.

We'll see more separation-related construction in that area again around 2020 since, according to the Executive Summary (http://omahacso.com/docs/OmahaLTCP_Exec ... ummary.pdf), two proposed drop shaft sites are pretty close to that area.  (For those who aren't aware, plans for the separation project include laying a deep tunnel along the riverfront to deposit sewage overflow in a temporary holding basin instead of into the river untreated.)  So don't get too excited when the heavy machinery starts showing up again around then.  :)
... wait, what?
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Coyote
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Post by Coyote »

Grow Omaha wrote:Redevelopment could be coming to one of downtown Omaha's last undeveloped parcels of Missouri Riverfront land. A former power plant at 505 Marcy Street is now offered for sale through a bid process in November. The eight-acre parcel is located immediately south/southeast of the ConAgra Foods, Inc. Campus and east of The Durham Museum. Potential buyers would most likely be interested in building a mixed-use project on the site.
LoopNet wrote:Description

Mixed-use redevelopment opportunity. Being sold via bid process. ALL BIDS DUE BY 3:00 PM CST ON NOVEMBER 22, 2013. Property to be sold to best value as determined soley by the seller. PUBLIC WALK-THROUGH ANYTIME BETWEEN 8:30 AM and 4:00 PM CST ON OCTOBER 18, 2013 OR BY APPOINTMENT.

Waterfront location in Downtown Omaha just south of Conagra Campus.
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iamjacobm
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Post by iamjacobm »

Such a cool property, would probably take a lot of money and a pretty ambitious developer to tackle it though.
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RNcyanide
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Post by RNcyanide »

From what I saw of it when I worked at Gavilon, the place seems to be in rough shape...
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

I just left the Barker Buding which was in super rough shape not very long ago and now it's beautiful...  All it takes is imagination and lots of money...
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Post by MadMartin8 »

Well, I don't know how much hope there is of anyone wanting to spend enough it would probably take...but at least it's something.
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ItsAllAboutMe
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Post by ItsAllAboutMe »

There is at least two interested parties
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iamjacobm
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Post by iamjacobm »

ItsAllAboutMe wrote:There is at least two interested parties
Good to hear.
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Post by MadMartin8 »

ItsAllAboutMe wrote:There is at least two interested parties
So there's some promise.
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Coyote
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Post by Coyote »

"Interested Parties" as in Developers?
I would think they would raze that building and develop the acreage from there.
Change the State laws and build a Casino...
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Coyote
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Post by Coyote »

After thinking about this location, traffic support is going to limit their development. How else couldn't you push traffic there?
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iamjacobm
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Post by iamjacobm »

Coyote wrote:After thinking about this location, traffic support is going to limit their development. How else couldn't you push traffic there?
Thats what makes me think residential and office are the only remote possibilities here.  Commercial space doesn't make any sense.  Even office would take a company looking for a very unique space, not sure there is a demand for that in Omaha.  Residential could sell looking over the river and the skyline while being a little ways a way from the busier part of downtown.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

In the past couple years, Rail Traffic on those tracks between the power plant and the river has really picked up.  Wonder if that would hurt development?

I still think someone with plenty of money and lots of patients could do a lot in this area.
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Post by ShawJ »

Looks prime for another arena.
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Coyote
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Post by Coyote »

Brad wrote:In the past couple years, Rail Traffic on those tracks between the power plant and the river has really picked up.  Wonder if that would hurt development?
Besides OWH, who else uses this spur?
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Coyote wrote:
Brad wrote:In the past couple years, Rail Traffic on those tracks between the power plant and the river has really picked up.  Wonder if that would hurt development?
Besides OWH, who else uses this spur?
Well all the "new" traffic is for right next door.  There is a new "trans-loading facility" just south of the UP at 5th and Pierce.  They store cars in the yard that is right in front of the old power plant building.  I think most of those cars are delivered by the BNSF, but I am not positive.

Other traffic that passes by is for both the Union Pacific Railroad and the Canadian National Railroad (former the Illinois Central).

UP serves OPPD, MUD, OWH,  that grain elevator in North Downtown, as well as several industries up north of carter lake.
CN serves several industries east of carter lake.  They own the old Swing Bridge which is currently out of service so they use the UP and BNSF tracks to reach their customers.  They serve the steel plant as well as stuff south of Eppley (lots of tank cars).  

I believe both the UP and CN locals are working 5-6 days a week up there.  The OPPD coal trains vary.
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Coyote
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Post by Coyote »

ALL BIDS DUE BY 3:00 PM CST ON NOVEMBER 22, 2013.
>6 hours to go. I wonder how long before we get info on who won the bid for this property.
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Re: Southern Riverfront - Old Power Plant

Post by SaveOmaha »

Omaha by Design

According to Omaha by Design, NuStyle is attempting to rehab the old power plant. Can't imagine another historic property on the riverfront. This rumor has some validity to it. The news is toward the end of the article.
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iamjacobm
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Re: Southern Riverfront - Old Power Plant

Post by iamjacobm »

OmahaJosh618 wrote:Omaha by Design

According to Omaha by Design, NuStyle is attempting to rehab the old power plant. Can't imagine another historic property on the riverfront. This rumor has some validity to it. The news is toward the end of the article.
Would love to see what they could do with this building!
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iamjacobm
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Re: Southern Riverfront - Old Power Plant

Post by iamjacobm »

Huge news!

http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/OPPD ... 21311.html
OPPD will sell a stretch of its property in downtown Omaha. The sale includes the utility's original generating facility - the Jones Street Station.

NuStyle Development Corporation will pay $100,000 for a 10-acre portion of property along 5th & Marcy.
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Brad
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Re: Southern Riverfront - Old Power Plant

Post by Brad »

Awesome! Just wish there was more info if OPPD was keeping the substation portion of if its all going...

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Re: Southern Riverfront - Old Power Plant

Post by Coyote »

Great to hear NUStyle is going to work on this.
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Brad
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Re: Southern Riverfront - Old Power Plant

Post by Brad »

Just looking at the GIS map, looks like the city built some sort of large storm structure in the lot???

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Ben
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Re: Southern Riverfront - Old Power Plant

Post by Ben »

Are those access points for the giant storm water tunnel they're building along the riverfront, as part of the sewer separation project?

If those are permanent, that further complicates an already crowded site plan. Rail tracks, an OPPD substation, now 2 access points for the storm sewer, never mind the concrete river levy system... Plus, some tough street access.
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