Omaha Forums

Its still adequate. Probably close to what it was in the 20's. It seems like all you need to spiff up a neighborhood in this city is good parking.

Any photos or other updates on the progress? I moved away but am curious to see how it looks now.

I have been meaning to take a picture of this area including the Limelight (Lerner shops building). As far as 16th st. They are currently finishing up on the southern half of the block between Harney and Farnam. The trees on this section were removed and replaced with some planters. The road is still just 2 lanes wide but the sides have diagonal parking (I think) in front of the Limelight, King Fong and Doozy's. Overall it looks cleaner, but I am sure going to miss all those trees down there, especially when they were all lit up for Christmas.

I will have to try to take a picture sometime soon.

I'm not thrilled with the brick they used. Not enough contrast between the color of the concrete and the bricks.

After looking at the parking again. I think it is parallel parking not diagonal.

skinzfan23 wrote:After looking at the parking again.  I think it is parallel parking not diagonal.

I thought t looked like reverse diagonal.

iamjacobm wrote:

skinzfan23 wrote:After looking at the parking again.  I think it is parallel parking not diagonal.

I thought t looked like reverse diagonal.

After going by again today, you are right. They had the lines painted and were installing lighting. The parking is reverse diagonal. There are about 6-7 spaces on each side of the street.

The south half of this block is done. 16th is back open to traffic today.

skinzfan23 wrote:The south half of this block is done.  16th is back open to traffic today.

And so many people still can't handle back in reverse parking. Always makes me shake my head seeing cars parked nose first in these stalls.

iamjacobm wrote:

skinzfan23 wrote:The south half of this block is done.  16th is back open to traffic today.

And so many people still can't handle back in reverse parking.  Always makes me shake my head seeing cars parked nose first in these stalls.

I agree, they are totally defeating the purpose of back in angled parking. At least now they have signs posted, but I doubt that many people will still follow them.

Personally, I've been honked and verbally abused twice for parking correctly in reverse angle parking in front of Patrick's. In both cases I used my turned signals when approaching the parking space but, when I wanted to back on reverse, the car behind me stopped too close from me to maneuver in the parking spot.

People who do not visit DT regularly they have no idea what reverse parking is. And many drivers do not bother in reading the signs posted.

mistergutierrez wrote:Personally, I've been honked and verbally abused twice for parking correctly in reverse angle parking in front of Patrick's. In both cases I used my turned signals when approaching the parking space but, when I wanted to back on reverse, the car behind me stopped too close from me to maneuver in the parking spot.

People who do not visit DT regularly they have no idea what reverse parking is. And many drivers do not bother in reading the signs posted.

I used to live at the art deco on park ave which has reverse diagonal parking. At least once a week I would upset off an oblivious driver. But I really that style of parking. Better to back in to a parking spot than to back out of one.

All the trees in front of the OPPD and the Orpheum theater were removed this afternoon. I believe this block (Harney to Howard) will feature parallel parking instead of backin parking. 16th street from Dodge st to King Fong will not start until next year.

I'm predicting 16th gets rehabbed again in 10 to 15 years. Not a fan of how all this is beig done.

iamjacobm wrote:I'm predicting 16th gets rehabbed again in 10 to 15 years.  Not a fan of how all this is beig done.

You are probably right. If they could get some businesses to relocate into the vacant space in buildings on either side of King Fong, I think that would help. The bookstore to the north recently closed.

What about the plan seems destined to fail even more quickly than the half-assed ped mall concept? Aside from any design specifics, they are returning the street to a downtown retail street with ample sidewalks, two lanes of traffic and ample on-street parking. Theres not much thats untested here. Even the back in parking can simply be reversed if it is simply too unpopular (I think it will be fine too, however).

I hope back-in parking becomes the standard for angle parking. It's just so much more logical than pull-in parking. It's really a case of delayed-gratification applied to parking: an slightly-increased effort at the beginning for a much greater payoff at the end.

They are going to replace all the trees correct? I thought I read that they were just replacing the old ones because they were past their useful life.

cdub, if the plan fails, it will fail for one reason, instead of listening to the residents and property owners who live and work on 16th St. on a daily basis and know what works and what doesn't on that street, the city shut them out of the design process. The new sidewalks took away significant seating from one of the few successful businesses on 16th (Doozys') and reverse diagonal parking works in places where it is the norm, and unfortunately that is not Omaha.

The city is playing with fire by asking the property owners along 16th St. to pay around $500/each (at least for the condo owners) for another "special" assessment district to cover the cost of the improvements when the city should have budgeted for some improvements since the streets and sidewalks were in terrible disrepair for at least 10 yrs. before the updates.

I no longer live in Omaha, but when I was living in Omaha in the Regis from 2004 until 2010, I was very involved in the downtown community and became very disenfranchised with how disconnected the city leadership was with the people who were the "urban pioneers" by investing in property in an area that was in shambles, hoping that someday the city would realize the gem that is 16th St. There were a lot of great people who wanted to be involved, but were basically shut out of the process.

I travel back to Omaha annually with my family and hope that one day, my kids will be able to see a 16th St. that is full of retail and happy pedestrians and residents.

Welcome back to eOmahaForums RegisResident!

I think the owners of the buildings on 16th street should do what the old market and Benson did: give cheap rent to artists. They are some of the first to bring new life to run down neighborhoods.

The single best thing they could do to this area is increase lighting at night. It was kind of eerie walking down this section at night; those sodium bulbs don't light worth a damn in that dark of an area with all the darker colored brick on the sidewalks.

RNcyanide wrote:The single best thing they could do to this area is increase lighting at night. It was kind of eerie walking down this section at night; those sodium bulbs don't light worth a darn in that dark of an area with all the darker colored brick on the sidewalks.

Used to live in Orpheum tower. This is true. Too dark. Next they need a store that is open after 5 and to get the old FNB and Brandeis buildings up to speed with something open at night.

skinzfan23 wrote:You are probably right.  If they could get some businesses to relocate into the vacant space in buildings on either side of King Fong, I think that would help.  The bookstore to the north recently closed.

The bookstore apparently move to 42nd and Decatur. Still an empty storefront, but it has great character.

Photos from 16th Street between Harney and Howard taken on May 27.
By May 30 the workers had finished taking up all concrete.

I was wondering if they are going to replant any trees on the block north of this that they completed last summer. It looks good overall but there are planters with no trees or flowers in the them along the sidewalks.

Wow! It looks like there's a thin stripper of sidewalk for the pedestrians. I'm glad the Orpheum didn't have to close for the construction. How long did it take for them to remove the old pavement?

Trees were planted late last week in both the Harney to Farnam section, as well as the new FNB section between Dodge and Douglas. They are 5-6 feet tall and have one or two branches on each.

I would beg the city to consider different benches, if they are planned for the Orpheum block. In almost every city in the US, the benches with dividers to create individual sections are now used. Not here! There are people sleeping on the benches, getting drunk on the benches, passed out on the benches. The half block in front of the Limelight can be downright creepy walking to work at 4:45 in the morning. I doubt that is going to attract a lot of new business.

Glad to hear they planted trees.

Anyone here have any information about the BID that the city is proposing for 16th Street? Property owners got a letter in late June/early July stating that the city is trying to create a BID for 16th St. from Dodge to Howard Streets. I heard a rumor that the city is looking for a way to assess the property owners on 16th Street for the streetscape improvements, I'm guessing this is the method. Also, any chance someone could post photos of the completed street? I'm really want to see how it looks and it doesn't look like we are going to make it back this summer.

Obviously we don't have near the downtown as Denver, but I am currently staying in a condo smack dab in the middle of 16th street. So cool to walk out the front door and see tons of people and lots of retail options and free transit all mixing together.

A conversion of the Double Tree or old First National building in the next 20-30 years could make that happen.

iamjacobm wrote:Obviously we don't have near the downtown as Denver, but I am currently staying in a condo smack dab in the middle of 16th street. So cool to walk out the front door and see tons of people and lots of retail options and free transit all mixing together.

Of all the places in downtown Omaha, I think architecturally 16th looks the most like a big city.

There's a 2 bed, 2 bath, 1000 sq ft unit in Farnam 1600, top floor, 2 parking spaces for $185,000.

I daydream about that building.

I always thought that building would have made a wonderful hotel

The planter on the NW corner of 16th and Farnam that people waiting for the bus would sit on has been extended upward. No more free sitting.

Coyote wrote:Omaha leaders talk of tearing down or tunneling under Doubletree Hotel, reconnecting 16th Street

I understand the reasoning as to why, believe me I do.. and that artery between north Omaha into dowtown through to what used to be called the "near south side" of downtown should have NEVER been a consideration to choke off back in the late 60's.. Hindsight is always 20/20..

That said, the thought of tearing down, completely, a perfectly fine highrise structure like the Doubletree..makes me shudder in my shoes.. My initial thought of tunneling under seems like the better idea..

I need to marinate on this one a bit ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace