Tip Top - Barley's - Alley Poyner

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Brad
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Architects leaving Market for TipTop

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Architects leaving Market for TipTop

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... d=10310867
CHRISTINE LAUE WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, known for its work on historic downtown buildings such as the Bull Durham and Ford Warehouse, is moving from 1213 Jones Street to the first level of the TipTop building at 1502 Cuming Street.

"With a new ballpark, there's going to be ton of activity up that way, and it's going to be fun to be around areas that are developing, as opposed to already done," said Perry Poyner, one of the firm's principals.

The principals not only liked the idea of being in the heart of an emerging hot spot but also being in and near projects close to their hearts.

The company worked on the TipTop building, where Model T Fords and hair products once were manufactured, as it was converted into apartments, conference rooms, a restaurant and bar and an arcade that opened in 2005.

The architects also designed the newly constructed Saddle Creek Records complex, which includes the nonprofit Film Streams theater, retail spaces and the independent record label's headquarters, warehouse and Slowdown bar.

The refurbished TipTop and the new Saddle Creek complex are some of the pioneer projects in the north downtown area, which also includes the Qwest Center Omaha and a planned ballpark that would sit just southeast of the TipTop across Cuming.
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Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

While I don't like their categorization of the Old Market as being "already done," I think this is a great move for them.

Hopefully, with their eye for preservation and adaptive re-use, they'll be a sort of watchdog and advocate for the old jewels in North Downtown from their new perch.
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Post by Uffda »

The architects on Friday signed a lease on about 10,000 square feet in the TipTop building, with the option to buy if the building makes the transition to condos, Poyner said.
So was the condos the plan from the beginning but they went apts or is it because the condos would be less hassle, since I have heard it has kind of been like dormlife at the tiptop.
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First floor of appartments or where In-Play is?

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I lived at the TipTop in 2005/2006 on the first floor(APT #217), which was directly above the sports bar. Does this mean the firm is moving onto that floor and taking over the apartments or are they're moving into where INPLAY was? I LOVED my apartment but living at the TIPTOP was like living in a dorm. The build was overflowing with 18 year old rich kids trashing the hallways and throwing giant parties on the roof that resulted in broken windows, trash everywhere, and puke smelling elevators. I don't like being a stick in the mud but this happened every weekend. I can't imagine that an architecture firm would want their business in that environment.
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Re: First floor of appartments or where In-Play is?

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Devo wrote:I lived at the TipTop in 2005/2006 on the first floor(APT #217), which was directly above the sports bar. Does this mean the firm is moving onto that floor and taking over the apartments or are they're moving into where INPLAY was? I LOVED my apartment but living at the TIPTOP was like living in a dorm. The build was overflowing with 18 year old rich kids trashing the hallways and throwing giant parties on the roof that resulted in broken windows, trash everywhere, and puke smelling elevators. I don't like being a stick in the mud but this happened every weekend. I can't imagine that an architecture firm would want their business in that environment.
Man I bet the developers who invested tens of millions of dollars in restoring that historic structure love seeing that.  I hope the Blue Lofts don't turn out like this.
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Post by cdub »

I wonder what happens to the building they bought, or were buying at about 25th and Harney?  That one would have been a good candidate for some improvement.
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Post by Brad »

cdub wrote:I wonder what happens to the building they bought, or were buying at about 25th and Harney?  That one would have been a good candidate for some improvement.
CHRISTINE LAUE WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Poyner said the firm likely will lease the 2564 Harney St. building and definitely will lease the 1213 Jones St. building.
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Post by Coyote »

I have heard from a reliable source that the Forte Banquet and Conference Center catering is now under the supervision of Joe Thallas. Joe runs Brandeis catering on 144th and W Center as well as the Stockyard building and another place I can't remember right away. If he can match what he has done in those places this will be a great place. I believe they are going to change the name to Tip Top Banquet.
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Post by Uffda »

I saw a little blurb in the OWH that mentioned this awhile back about this but couldn't find it online. So is OmahaChef not there any more?
Last edited by Uffda on Tue Jun 17, 2008 11:42 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by Big E »

FYI: The Alley Poyner building on Jones between 12th and 13th has a for lease sign up now.
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Post by Coyote »

Found it:

Brandeis Catering adds Tip Top clients
Brandeis Catering said Monday it now manages catering for the historic Tip Top Building, 1502 Cuming St. The former manufacturing building, renovated and expanded for conferences, includes a ballroom that holds 700 sit-down dinner guests and a smaller ballroom for up to 120 people.

Brandeis general manager Joe Thallas said the facility, renamed the Tip Top Downtown Ballroom, has 14,050 square feet of space for meetings, weddings, parties, expositions, conventions and other events. Brandeis Catering also serves the Georgetowne Club, the Thompson Alumni Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the Livestock Exchange Building.
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Post by OmahaChef »

Yeah, I am still there.   :(
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Post by OmahaChef »

No, I am not involved in any way with The Tip-Top Downtown Ballroom, run by Brandeis Catering.  I am still the chef at the Stadium Sportsbar & Grill until it is sold to a new owner, and converted to a new concept.  It is definitely on the decline so I wouldn't recommend going there.  inPlay is officially gone, the games have been packed up and put in storage, and there will be no replacements.

The initial estimates for the conversion of the game floor to the offices of Alley Poyner came in way to high, so the design had to be reworked.  Construction is underway, but they are now saying it could be as late as December till they move in.  Work is going on in the former Atrium area to divide all the businesses into seperate spaces.  It is going pretty slow!
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Will someone give this Great Chef a job....
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what I HEARD is going to happen to inplay...

Post by thenewguy »

I'm going to make a preemptive disclaimer: i have not personally verified this with those who would own and operate the new place, this is just what i heard.  It could be a different location for that matter, but the source i heard it from specifically said "in play".  

Anyway, while my wife and i were on our honeymoon, i got a text from a friend of mine saying that the owners of a bar in council bluffs are planning to buy in play.  They sold one of their bars in council bluffs recently, and would take the name of that bar to in play.  At their old bar, they had EXCELLENT pizza (though i never had it sober---it could have tasted like |expletive|, and never known the difference).  I don't know if they would do anything else as far as gaming and what-not, but they had the standard bar type games (golden tee, buck hunter, darts, gambling, etc).  It'd be good for in-play if it does pan out, they seem to be savvy business owners (i don't know them THAT well) and they put out a good product.  Plus, they're not the type that would invest to have only a couple good years right off the bat, so it could have a better shot of surviving.
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Post by Brad »

It seems logical.  That place is just going to be a GOLDMINE in 2011... for 10 days a year.
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Post by OmahaChef »

It's true, it's true.  I believe Matt takes over the old Stadium Bar & Grill on October 1.  Not sure if he plans any changes to the space.  We stopped serving food at Stadium on Friday, and the owner of the building has asked us to keep the bar open for one more week, so next weekend is the end.
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Post by Coyote »

Chef,

Does that mean you will be out of a job soon?
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Post by OmahaChef »

Ah thanks Brad!  

Stadium Bar & Grill stopped serving food on Friday.  The building owner requested we keep the bar open one more week, so next weekend is the end of that era.  The new renter of the space takes over on October 1, officially.  He is a partner in an Omaha bar, and owns a place called Barleys (I think) in CB.  I hear it is a nice place and popular since he remodeled it.  I belive he plans the same concept for this space.
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Post by thenewguy »

It'd be interesting.  Matt is a nice guy and like i said, does a good job (at least as far as i can tell) running Barley's in CB.  They serve pretty good food there, though it's nothing super fancy.  Maybe he'd be thinking of doing something other than just typical bar food?  I think it'd be cool to see him run a bar, and serve restaurant quality food too.  I hope something comes up so that you can stay employed!
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Post by OmahaChef »

Matt told management he wanted to offer everyone jobs, but to my knowledge he only talked to one line cook.  I have seen the guy, but never got to talk to him.  Technically this past weekend was it for me, however we have two catering events on Friday, so I will be doing them and then I am done.  I go to file for unemployment tomorrow so that I can add to the statistics of the economic downturn.

I am not sure what will work in that location.  inPlay had two choices for where to locate near downtown, and definitely chose the wrong one.  Bad investor management and lack of investment hurt, but putting a multi-million dollar facility in a neighborhood that has no neighbors is a bit strange.  I am not really sure how well a new restaurant will work there.  Everyone keeps saying "someday that place will be a goldmine".  Really?  What day is that?  Stop by Blue Line Coffee and see how crowded (or lack thereof) it is.  Businesses can't hold on for 3-5 years until the area grows.  And the Holiday Inn will have a sportsbar themed restaurant with pizza and barbeque.  Two of the same type across a driveway from each other?  At least the Holiday Inn will have a built in customer base with hotel guests.  I hope he can make it work.....
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Post by Anonymus »

I heard that they were talking to the owner of DJ's dugout about opening a bar there.
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Post by thenewguy »

i haven't heard that, anonymous, but i was told they are (for sure) opening a bar at inplay...
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Post by OmahaChef »

The lease is signed, the liquor license has been applied for, and Matt hopes to open the first week of November.  I think he is using the same name as his CB establishment, Barley's.  I happened to run into him yesterday.
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Post by Brad »

Barley's coming soon

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=3 ... d=10467602
NICHOLE AKSAMIT WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:The bar and grill space inside the former Inplay should be in play again soon.

Matt and Jill Johnson, owners of Barley's bar and grill in Council Bluffs, plan to open a second Barley's location in the former Stadium Grill and Bar, which closed in mid-September.

Stadium was one of three venues within Inplay, on the main level of the TipTop apartment building at 1502 Cuming St. The other two were an arcade (replaced by new Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture offices) and Forte Banquet Center (now operated as the TipTop Downtown Ballroom by Brandeis Catering).

Matt Johnson said the new Barley's should open in early November and will be similar to the current one - with a casual, neighborhood bar and grill feel and an approachable menu with a few unique twists.

"One of our most popular sandwiches is the Club Burger, which is a triple-decker club sandwich substituting burger for ham and turkey," he said. "Lately, we have been sampling some interesting appetizers such as the homemade Reuben Rolls - all the ingredients of a classic Reuben sandwich stuffed into an egg roll and fried."

Matt Johnson said his current location is in a historic Council Bluffs building and the TipTop has a similar appeal.

"We are also looking forward to connecting the two locations with the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge," he said. "We are planning on a 'Barley's to Barley's' bike ride once a week starting next spring."
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Post by DTO Luv »

I hope they can make a go of that place.
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Post by cdub »

Barleys is now open!
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Post by windsor »

Has anyone been in Barley's yet?  I am wondering how big is, how it looks, and most importantly how its doing?
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Post by thenewguy »

the bar is nice, and is certainly bigger than i thought it would be.  It seems, though, that they have some finishing up to do, mainly in the pool table room, where some of the games are, and most importantly, when you first walk in.  There is an area that i think would be suited well with some tables and maybe dart boards, because it's a nice sized area that's not being used.  I'm anxious to see more development and foot traffic go in, because it's a good addition to north downtown.  One big change I'd make would be to put a neon sign up in the front to draw more attention to it--right now they have just a banner up and you almost don't know it's even there (i only found it because i recognized my friends' cars).
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Post by Coyote »

I met Perry Poyner at a meeting today. He says that they will be moving in within a few weeks time. Says that they are going to miss the Anheuser-Busch Beer Depot (1887) but the new layout at Tip Top is better for them. He also said that Barley's is a great place to eat - friendly people.
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Post by OmahaChef »

Alley Poyner take over the office space on Monday the 29th.

Barley's runs shuttles to all Qwest Events, btw.  Free parking!
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Post by Brad »

Review: Roadwork may not fully explain dearth of diners at Barley's

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=3 ... d=10634402
NICHOLE AKSAMIT WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:The closure of Cuming Street near Creighton University since late March undoubtedly has affected Barley's, the new bar-centered restaurant in the historic Tip op building, in part of what once was InPlay.

Despite near-full front and rear parking lots, Barley's was so dead on weekday lunch visits in early April that I'm a little surprised it's still open.

The food also was so average-Joe on those visits and two busier evenings that I'm reluctant to blame the dearth of diners entirely on road construction.

Yet the service was so friendly - imperfect but personable and clearly trying - that I'm willing to give the six-month-old Omaha version of the Council Bluffs original the benefit of the doubt.

One happy surprise worth going back for: the house-made potato chips.
NICHOLE AKSAMIT WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Servers were quick to welcome newcomers and recognize returning faces. They kept drinks full and checked back often enough to find out what they'd forgotten. And they all seemed genuinely grateful for the business: thanking us for coming in, apologizing for the road construction and inviting us back for another try.

I suspect a few more diners - and a little more practice - are all they need.

Here's hoping they get enough of both to keep things rolling until late November or mid-December, when Cuming Street is expected to reopen.
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Post by TitosBuritoBarn »

I didn't even know there was a bar there...do they not have a sign or am I blind?
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Post by thenewguy »

they do have a sign, but it was (the last time i was there) a temporary sign.  The owner said they were going to get an electronic sign that you can see from further away but i don't think it's been installed yet.  They are also going to work on getting all the old games back up and going, which are fun (the lanes all work---just that no one bowls because the doors aren't typically open).  I have been there on week nights, and it's slow, and weekends, when it gets decently busy.  I hope it works out for them too.
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Post by windsor »

I guess that sums up my question from a few months ago.  I hope they can get things worked out.
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Post by davereid »

Had a chance to see the TipTop apartments as we had a friend that moved in not too long ago. The apartments are very nice, but they are very "industrial" which has its own unique appeal (read: not to me). It was a Saturday night and we (group of 6) had dinner at Barley's. There was a wedding reception going on in the TipTop ballroom next door, but Barleys was very dead. Only one other table of two and that was it. The food was good, but nothing extraordinary. I suspect one this is easier to get to they will pick up a bit more.
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Post by nebport5 »

there's currently a giant crane over the building (taller extension then even anything being used for the ballpark).  Anybody know what's up with this?
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Post by OmahaChef »

They are putting the balconies back up on the building.  They were placed there originally and then after two years they were ordered to take them off because they used historic tax credits or some such thing.  The five year limit ran out June 1st, so back up they go.
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Barleys at the Tip Top...closing soon (if not already closed

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Barleys at the Tip Top...closing soon (if not already closed).
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Re: Barleys at the Tip Top...closing soon (if not already cl

Post by cdub »

nativeomahan wrote:Barleys at the Tip Top...closing soon (if not already closed).
I think they were hoping from a CWS bump and did not get it.  The crowds just were not on that side of the stadium.
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