A new downtown plaza will sprout on property owned by the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, and the people behind the project hope the area will become a popular community gathering space.
The chamber will spend $755,000 to improve roughly one-quarter of a square block at 13th and Howard Streets.
The centerpiece will be a 10-foot-wide LED screen that will showcase chamber events, images of the city and even Husker football games. The plaza also will feature free wifi, a small fountain, the chamber’s O! sculpture, a kiosk for use during events and native Nebraska plants.
“It really is going to dress up what arguably is one of the ugliest corners in town,” said David Brown, the chamber’s president and CEO.
Currently, the parking lot behind the chamber office marks something of a stopping point for the Old Market. But Brown said he hopes the plaza becomes a new gateway marker for the Old Market and even helps stretch foot traffic up Howard Street.
Last edited by Brad on Tue Oct 27, 2009 3:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Nice little project accept for the husker football game thing. Â Let's turn it to the science channel during football so those philistines who watch huskers get educated for once.
MTO wrote:Nice little project accept for the husker football game thing. Let's turn it to the science channel during football so those philistines who watch huskers get educated for once.
Looks like someone isn't watching enough science channel. ;)
I really like this project, though. Much better than what's there now.
Excellent news! I didn't realize the chamber owned that land... Kind of disappointing something like this didn't come along sooner.
The screen is an AWESOME idea. Husker football games, though??? I'm not opposed to that, but why not play up Creighton basketball, CWS, Maverick's hockey, or US Olympic swimming... you know events that take place IN OMAHA... HELLO.
"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
Its kind of cool that it will be all done by October. It will surely help to draw pedestrian traffic out of the old market. However, this now creates an awkwardly shaped parking lot behind it that would be difficult to develop.
Also, there is no way that this is the ugliest corner in town...not even downtown IMO.
Reeeer little pissy there Mr. Williams? Â We can go on for pages complaining about road signs about grammar about how tall a building is. Â But one negative post about your precious huskers and you start menstruating all over yourself. Â Why don't you let it go Brad!
TitosBuritoBarn wrote:Also, there is no way that this is the ugliest corner in town...not even downtown IMO.
Oh, ABSOLUTELY. Totally agree.
And you're right, GetUrban, it's a pretty plain design, and I wish it made use of the whole area of that lot. But I do think some L shaped infill could potentially happen someday.
"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:Excellent news! I didn't realize the chamber owned that land... Kind of disappointing something like this didn't come along sooner.
The screen is an AWESOME idea. Husker football games, though??? I'm not opposed to that, but why not play up Creighton basketball, CWS, Maverick's hockey, or US Olympic swimming... you know events that take place IN OMAHA... HELLO.
They never said thats all they'll show though, they could show any numebr of things, its what the city decides.
Ok, they have started on this but I'm not happy that they cut down the large locust trees that hid the ugly parking garage. Â I can't believe they had to do this.
Those trees had probably served their purpose though, they maybe had 5 years left in them. And if you look at the base of the trees the parking lot pavement was basically right up to the edge of the trunk.
Here's my take. Â I know you were all holding your breath.
Fail. Â
We just took a prime piece of property that should be a very natural extension of the Old Market and eventual connection to whatever happens on 16th Street, and put another developmental black hole in the way, further enforcing the notion that no one should ever venture west of 13th Street once they dare come east of 72nd.
Yeah, a video screen is neato and everything that's not a landfill beats a surface parking lot, but once the economic recovery starts (not if, but when) that quarter-block is now and essentially forever off the list of viable corners to build.
Big E wrote:Here's my take. I know you were all holding your breath.
Fail.
We just took a prime piece of property that should be a very natural extension of the Old Market and eventual connection to whatever happens on 16th Street, and put another developmental black hole in the way, further enforcing the notion that no one should ever venture west of 13th Street once they dare come east of 72nd.
Yeah, a video screen is neato and everything that's not a landfill beats a surface parking lot, but once the economic recovery starts (not if, but when) that quarter-block is now and essentially forever off the list of viable corners to build.
Who funds the CoC? Members or the city?
Totally see your point, Big E, but seriously, this is not THAT permanent. I think of it as being like the OWH block... Temporary until something GREAT comes along.
"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:Totally see your point, Big E, but seriously, this is not THAT permanent. I think of it as being like the OWH block... Temporary until something GREAT comes along.
Fair enough, but three-quarters of a million is a lot for a small city's CoC to spend on a disposable park. Â I think they could have more wisely spent that money on trying to attract someone to actually build there.
StreetsOfOmaha wrote:Totally see your point, Big E, but seriously, this is not THAT permanent. I think of it as being like the OWH block... Temporary until something GREAT comes along.
Fair enough, but three-quarters of a million is a lot for a small city's CoC to spend on a disposable park. Â I think they could have more wisely spent that money on trying to attract someone to actually build there.
Totally agree.
"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
This park will be a great addition to that corner. Â Hopefully some day once downtown gets really developed they will tear out the park, parking lot, garage, and chamber building for a big development.
Brad wrote:The chamber does a great job for the city. We have one of the strongest chambers in the city.
Do you mean in the state? In the country? In the WORLD? Obviously our CoC is the best in the city. ;)
"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
