A new apartment project geared toward 20-somethings won preliminary approval from the Omaha Planning Board on Wednesday.
The nearly $3.9 million complex at 13th and Webster Streets in north downtown will be unlike anything in Omaha right now, said Christian Christensen of Bluestone Development. It's being designed with Generation Y in mind, which means that the 22 lofts can be used in many different ways and that shared spaces will take on a distinctly informal feel.
The complex would be three stories high, with retail space on the bottom floor.
The lofts would be between 600 and 800 square feet and rent for around $800 a month.
I wish it were a couple stories taller, but other than that, it's everything I wanted and expected for that site.
And it looks like they plan to get moving right away, with construction only taking about a year.
"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
Uffda wrote:So what stops it from turning into a Creighton dorm like I heard that the Tip Top did? If that happens the 20 somethings would be squeezed out.
corduroy and flannel are  kryptonite to Creighton Students.
That's awesome! Â It's like a white trash Swiss Family Robinson.
"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
Finally! Â The start of a beautiful thing. Â I definitely think it could be bigger too, taller would be nice, but 22 lofts is rather small and I'd settle for wider, longer, whatever. Â The problem with it becoming another Creighton dorm is the potential inhibition of developing an artist's community. Â Yes, the college atmosphere can co-exist and integrate with an arts community but the two environments can be very different. Â Hopefully this is just a litmus test for Bluestone and we'll see larger residential developments from them in the future.
They said that the retail space will not be for the "larger" retailers like UO or AA. Â It seems to me that we need to figure out what we want this area to be. Â Do we want it to be a shopping district or an artsy district?
Great project though, I just wish it were a bit larger.
It already IS both! Â And it's going to continue to develop and become more and more diverse and lively.
I'm also hoping for something similar to this to be developed on the other "triangle" of that block, fronting 13th and Cuming streets. Â Do we know, is that parcel owned by the same people that own the Slowdown/Filmstreams/UA/AA development? Â Or is it separate and able to be sold or bought separately?
"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
StreetsOfOmaha wrote:It already IS both! And it's going to continue to develop and become more and more diverse and lively.
I'm also hoping for something similar to this to be developed on the other "triangle" of that block, fronting 13th and Cuming streets. Do we know, is that parcel owned by the same people that own the Slowdown/Filmstreams/UA/AA development? Or is it separate and able to be sold or bought separately?
StreetsOfOmaha wrote:It already IS both! And it's going to continue to develop and become more and more diverse and lively.
I'm also hoping for something similar to this to be developed on the other "triangle" of that block, fronting 13th and Cuming streets. Do we know, is that parcel owned by the same people that own the Slowdown/Filmstreams/UA/AA development? Or is it separate and able to be sold or bought separately?
Does anybody know if they are going to be moving the OWH rail line. I seem to remember it remaining in the HDR Downtown stadium drawings. Also how often is this used. It would be nice to use some of the existing rail lines for streetcars or whatever. I do realize that in general you cannot run cars on the same track as cargo transport but it could help offset the cost and the position of the line is perfect. IMO
1. Â You can use the same rails. Â If it were a busy line that railroads would not let you. Â In the case of streetcars, you would have to add power
2. Â They are not going to move it, however the subject came up during one of the public forums and that line is not to bused except from 2 am to 6 am. Â apparently the rule was not being followed.
These loft apartments are amazing! I am very interested in one of them, but I cant find any info other than what was in the World Herald. I want to contact someone to learn more about them and to reserve one!
Does anyone have any idea where I can get more info about these?
Work officially started on this project last week. Â The foundation was dug out and it is now being replaced by new soil, which is being compacted.
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.
CHRISTINE LAUE WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Construction recently started on a north downtown apartment building geared toward people in their 20s.
Excavation work started Aug. 11 for the 22 Floors project at 13th and Webster Streets, just east of the Saddle Creek Records complex.
The three-story building, whose first floor is devoted to retail tenants, originally was called Blue Lofts. The developer changed the name as part of its marketing campaign, which has not been unveiled, said Alison Hult of Bluestone Development.
The nearly $3.9 million project should be completed by May 1, 2009, Hult said.
An informal lobby with a flat-screen television, an Xbox video game system, pool table and laundry facilities is intended to encourage residents to socialize.
Bluestone's Christian Christensen has touted nearby facilities as a selling point. The Slowdown bar and concert venue and Film Streams movie theater should attract young, artistic residents who want to live in a downtown environment.
Haha, I have to say I don't like the name change (and frankly don't see the relevance...even if there are 22 apartments or whatever), because it is DECEIVING!!! Â I also nearly blacked out D'Shawn. Â :)
This project is moving along nicely! Â Footers were poured this week.
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.
The first and second floor framing look complete! Â God, I feel like I blinked and this thing is two stories tall.
It's amazing how this project "fills out" that block, and it creates an awesome continuous "urban wall" along the north side of Webster street between 13th and 14th.
Speaking of that block. Â There seems to be a lot of earth moving and materials on site on the northeast/undeveloped portion of the block (SE corner of 13th and Cuming). Â Anyone know what's going on?????
StreetsOfOmaha wrote:
Speaking of that block. There seems to be a lot of earth moving and materials on site on the northeast/undeveloped portion of the block (SE corner of 13th and Cuming). Anyone know what's going on?????
Don't get too excited.... Â I'm fairly sure that's just a staging ground for the crews doing the road widening on 13th and 14th streets.
I find something very comical about the area though. Â So here you got it being geared to all these scenesters and hipsters and there is one thing I know for sure about them. Â They HATE the CWS crowds! Â Maybe I should market some rental properties over here in Dundee for those two weeks of the year.
First, from the 22 floors website http://www.22floors.com, it appears as if we've got a Jimmy Johns signed up for one of the retail bays in thsi project. Â Surprising that they'd put a second location so close to the downtown one, but I'm happy with it. Â It'll help create traffic at all hours of the day/night and is exactly the sort of option this area needs.
Secondly, there was an interesting article in today's OWH http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... d=10556581 that discusses giving one of the other retail bays rent free for a month to six different applicants as a way to spur creativity and startups. Â An interesting idea, and it'll be neat to see what they choose.
Wow. Â Great web site. Â I'm excited to hear about Jimmy John's. I think it makes perfect sense having one Downtown and one in North Downtown. Â I don't think the Downtown JJ's really tapped into the Creighton population as much as it could have, but it's perfect for Downtown workers and residents.
I saw these the other day, and while I no doubt they will be cool, those places will have a |expletive| view with that Airlite Plastics barren wall to the south.
