Sorenson Park Plaza

West Omaha, Sarpy and Nebraska metro counties.

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eomaha
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Sorenson Park Plaza

Post by eomaha »

Plans at former Vickers Plant become more clear...

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u ... id=1016130
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Post by sokkerdewd »

Nice to see some development along N 72nd.

On a related note, seeing as how I-680 on the north end of town is sparcely developed, yet closer to downtown and the Westroads area than many other areas of the city, I'm surprised it still is filling in so slowly. One would think that the areas around I-680 on the north end and near the I-680/29 interchange in Iowa would have some major developments underway as their accessibility is excellent for the interstate system. I guess it just strikes me as odd that the continued march Westward and Southward still goes on while areas North and East, but very close to downtown (less than 10 miles), sit undeveloped.
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I-680 Development

Post by guy4omaha »

I think at least part of it has to do with infrastructure development. In general, at least, the sewer and water lines, perhaps communication infrastructure too, is not in place on the city's north and northwest areas as it is on the south and southwest side.

In the past several years the sewer and water trunk lines have been extended more and more toward Gretna and this means developers can tap into this foundation.
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Post by eomaha »

Some of the housing developments in this part of town have floundered somewhat in past years... I suspect with the improved retail/restaurant amenities... we'll see residential development activity increase here as well.

An extension of I-680 south on the Iowa side of the river and back across a bridge running into the Storz Expressway (as proposed by the Metropolitan Area Planning Agency) will also go a long ways towards making downtown more accessible to north, northeast Omaha... increasing desirability of the north I-680 corridor.
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Post by Will »

I have always wondered why the state/city did not conect I680 with the north freeway? Would it not help the level of traffic on I80 if people who live in Nothwest Omaha could catch I680 directly instead of going south two miles and then north four miles to reach the maple street exit. Not to sound like Joe$, but there are times (after dark) that I would not drive along US75 north of Ames Ave. It does not seem as frighting driving though North O on the freeway, as it does driving down 30th street between the prkway and I680.
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Post by Admin »

From a travel time standpoint... it definitely would be of benefit to have the North Freeway connected to I-680. But I wouldn't worry too much about commuting north 30th. It's not bad at all... the area actually has a great mix of people... the metropolitan community campus... Florence to the north. I know alot of people who live in the area and never talk of feeling unsafe... just in need of some amenities we take for granted in the suburbs.
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Post by Coyote »

When the North Freeway was being considered the North Omaha community saw it as a way of cutting it in half. If I remember well it was heavily lobbied against by the African-American community and by Ernie Chambers. They felt there were too few overpasses.
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Post by eomaha »

I think they were right.
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?

Post by sokkerdewd »

Is there a map of the proposed north freeway extension somewhere Jeff?
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Post by eomaha »

It's not as much a North freeway extension... as an airport connector. Although it would be linked to the North freeway via the Storz expressway

Here's a link the the MAPA study (which was done quite some time ago).

http://www.mapacog.org/2025lrtp.pdf

Here's a piece of the study map, showing the connector.

Image

I suspect making that large swath of cornfields on the Iowa side of the river, so accessible to the airport... would probably instantly create a highly desirable tract for warehouses/light industrial development.
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Post by sokkerdewd »

I'd think that this project would be a win-win-win situation...and am surprised it's not being pushed. Iowa would win warehouse/shipping developments (so CB and IA would benefit,) not to mention having improved access to the busiest airport Iowa fliers use. Omaha & NE would benefit through easier accessibilitiy and better traffic flow - not to mention the increase in air traffic that would accompany the new shipping firms on the Iowa side of the river. Aesthetically and directionally this would be an improvement also for people coming into fly from Omaha from points north, east, and northwest. Think any CB/Omaha politicians or at least World-Herald writers read this forum?
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great map

Post by Brad »

If they connected like the map showed I GAURENTEE north 72nd street would boom. The sowernsen expressway is a very good road however there are a lot of prejudice people in this town who are scared to take this route after dark. WAKE UP PEOPLE THE ROAD IS SAFE.
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Post by eomaha »

" it is perfectly safe to drive to and from work on 30th Street "

Of course it is... and that reminds me... I need to get up there and take some pictures of downtown Florence.
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Sorenson Park Plaza

Post by eomaha »

Benson Park Plaza trying to throw roadblocks in front of a proposed retail/restaurant development on the old Vickers plant property.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_np=0&u ... id=1066982
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Re: Sorenson Park Plaza

Post by sokkerdewd »

Good grief...there'll be enough money for to fill everyone's pockets at both centers. That section of town is poised to grow with the widening of 72nd. Why delay the inevitable?
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Sorenson Park Plaza project

Post by eomaha »

Not surprised the Benson Park development is fighting this... given they basically have a monopoly on this part of town. This second retail center would no doubt further northwest Omaha's sprawl potential, which has lagged behind west Omaha (to borrow from the Democratic convention... "Lake Cunningham residents... 'hope' is on the way." :) )
Shopping center plan must start over

If a shopping center is to replace north-central Omaha's Vickers plant, the project must go back through the city approval process.


The old Vickers plant at 72nd Street and Crown Point Avenue

An existing development at 72nd Street and Ames Avenue sued to challenge plans for the 600,000-square-foot Sorensen Park Plaza project, which would replace the empty plant with a Target, a supermarket, restaurants and other stores.

Tuesday, Douglas County District Court Judge Joseph Troia sided with plaintiff Benson Park Plaza. Troia found problems with the city's public notices for meetings involving Sorensen Park Plaza, proposed for 72nd Street and Sorensen Parkway.

City Attorney Paul Kratz said it will be easy to correct the deficiencies. But the project probably will need to return to the Planning Board, followed by the City Council, Kratz said. "It will make us step back a little bit."

Benson Park Plaza had alleged other, more substantive problems with the project.

Representatives of Seldin Co., which built Benson Park Plaza, questioned whether it qualified for $8.5 million in tax-increment financing, a property tax incentive. They also said then-Mayor Hal Daub had assured them that the Vickers land would remain industrial, keeping it from becoming retail competition.

But in granting a judgment in Benson Park Plaza's favor, Troia stuck to procedural issues.

Woltemath-Otis Development of Omaha is developing the Sorensen Park Plaza project in a joint venture with Kimco Developers of Chicago. Representatives of Woltemath-Otis weren't available for comment.

Benson Park Plaza's lawyer, Jim Sherrets, said his clients were thrilled at the ruling.

In approving Sorensen Park Plaza, the city designated the Vickers land as blighted.

Sherrets said that is a stretch, considering the area's development. If the developers sought public financing again, he said, he was confident "there would ultimately be a finding that the project did not qualify."

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Post by Sodak »

The judge skipped over the substantive issues and purely ruled on a procedurally ground related to the notices, etc. regarding the city's approval of the TIF district. It remains to be seen how strong a substantive argument Seldin has...The Vickers site probably meets the criteria for tax increment financing because its industrial and will cost a lot of money to demolish and redevelop.
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Post by DMRyan »

I don't know how it is in Nebraska, but in Iowa, the criteria and requirements to set up a TIF district are pretty lax. We've got upscale suburbs using TIF dollars to build 6-lane boulevards for our new mall.

TIF should only be used in areas that fall under the 80% median income level, or seriously qualify as blighted...as in an industrial area or vacant district of downtown.
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Post by eomaha »

What geographic level are we using when looking at the median income? ZIP? County? City? I would guess this part of town probably falls within an 80% threshhold unless the comparison is done at the ZIP level. This is what I would characterize as the western fringe of the economically challenged north side.
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Post by DMRyan »

With large population center, it's usually broken down into zip code level.

I'm not voicing my opinion of TIF for this project, but the downfalls of less restricted TIF districts in general.
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Post by eomaha »

So what you are saying is... if a particular ZIP Code level geographic area falls below 80% of the median income of a conglomeration of surrounding ZIP Code's? They might qualify for TIF money?

In the case of those upscale suburbs... I assume underutilized/underperforming agricultural areas could be exploited to make a case for TIF qualification.
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Post by DMRyan »

In the case of those upscale suburbs... I assume underutilized/underperforming agricultural areas could be exploited to make a case for TIF qualification.
That is exactly what happened in the case of West Des Moines using TIF dollars to build 6 lane roads with brick accents and full landscaping for Jordan Creek. I would consider prime land that needs absolutely no incentive to be REDEVELOPED (what TIF was intended to do), a loophole in the system.

IMO, TIF should be relegated to previously developed brownfields and grayfields, not greenfields.
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Post by Sodak »

The TIF rules have been quite liberally interpreted here in Nebraska, as well, Ryan. It was controversial to authorize a TIF district west of 50th Street in Omaha. However, given the broad authority given to the City, I would be surprised if Seldin would win a challenge based upon an argument that the area does not meet the TIF standards as blighted and substandard.

I don't think it is necessarily a good thing, either, though.
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Sorenson Park Plaza approved... again.

Post by eomaha »

Planning Board again OKs 72nd St. shopping center

The shopping center proposed to replace the former Vickers plant is back on track, although not clear of the opposition that delayed it.

Plans for Sorensen Park Plaza - which proposes a Target store, supermarket, restaurants and other stores for north 72nd Street - won support of the Omaha Planning Board on Wednesday.

The project has been held up since February when an existing shopping center on 72nd Street sued. Last month, a judge sided with the plaintiff, Benson Park Plaza, finding technical problems with the city's initial approval.

Wednesday, Sorensen Park Plaza started over at the Planning Board.

"We believe this is a very important project for the city of Omaha," said Bernard in den Bosch, an assistant city attorney.

The Planning Board endorsed four items: changing Omaha's master development plan to accommodate the project; supporting the project's layout; rezoning the land; and declaring the Vickers area blighted. The blighted designation allows the project to request tax increment financing, a property tax incentive.

Those items now advance to the City Council.

But while the developers tout the project as a great addition to north-central Omaha, questions remain.

Neighbors in the Stillmeadows subdivision, located west of the plant, say a 60-foot landscape buffer would be too small to separate their homes from the buildings, lighting and delivery traffic.

"I don't want big stores up behind me," homeowner Toni Jones said.(typical NIMBYism... "I didn't mind the big Vickers Plant though." :)

Representatives of Benson Park Plaza, at 72nd Street and Ames Avenue, renewed their opposition.

Before building Benson Park Plaza, the developers say then-Mayor Hal Daub assured them the Vickers land would remain industry - an assurance city officials now say holds no weight.

Ted Boecker, a lawyer for Benson Park Plaza, said the Planning Board shouldn't have considered the plans Wednesday given the judge's order in the lawsuit. A city appeal of that decision is pending.

But Greg Scaglione, a lawyer for Sorensen Park Plaza, urged quick action. He said there is a "substantial" risk that stores committed to the project will leave with more delay.
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Sorenson Park Plaza close to getting a green light

Post by eomaha »

Omaha World Herald wrote: Project advances over neighbors' objections

The proposed Sorensen Park Plaza shopping center has nearly all the support it needs to gain approval of its development plans.

The old Vickers plant at 72nd Street and Crown Point Avenue

Yet the project remains a source of contention in the area around North 72nd Street.

The Omaha Planning Board endorsed two more parts of the controversial plan Wednesday for a 600,000-square-foot development, including a Target store, a supermarket and restaurants, to replace the empty Vickers plant.

The board unanimously supported the project's final layout and rezoning proposal and voted 6-1 for a redevelopment plan for the site, setting up the developers to receive an $8.5 million property tax incentive.

The City Council, which has supported the project before, will make a final decision in the coming weeks.

But homeowners in the neighboring Stillmeadows subdivision continue to raise concern about environmental contamination being stirred up during construction. Neighbors also say the proposed buffer between their homes and huge new buildings is insufficient.

Neighbor Steven Grasmick, whose property borders the former industrial property, said the developers aren't addressing the neighbors' concerns. Parts of the development keep getting approved with assurances that problems will be dealt with later, Grasmick said.

"I'm just afraid that's not going to happen," he said.

Lawyer Larry Jobeun, representing the project, said the developers have "softened" the project's impact on the neighborhood by adding a fence and more trees to the plans.

Mike Mostek, the environmental lawyer for the project, said the developers will hold a meeting for homeowners where Environmental Protection Agency officials will be present.

Mostek said the development will improve but not totally clean up the contamination. During construction, he said, equipment on the site and on workers will monitor any exposure to contaminants.

Representatives of the Seldin Co., which operates the existing Benson Park Plaza development at 72nd Street and Ames Avenue, also reiterated their opposition.

Seldin sued over the initial approval of Sorensen Park Plaza, forcing developers to start over. Lawyer Jim Sherrets said the $8.5 million in tax increment financing is an improper use of taxpayer money.
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Post by Uffda »

They have been taking apart the Vickers plant over the past month or so. It is getting close to being just the steel frame.

They also started ripping out the treeline along the westside of this property.

A new Village Inn opened in May across from this site.
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Post by Brad »

I have noticed it is starting to look very different up there, if I had a digital camers, I would take some pictures. I don't undewrstans the Village Inn there, the only thing I can think is that they are planning ahead.
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Post by eomaha »

Some heavy movers at work up at Sorenson Park Plaza

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Post by Brad »

I drove by this also last night on the way to CB. THey have also started grading on the north end of the property as well as started road work on the Sorenson Parkway to ad turn lanes on to the property.

Does anyone know what came up with the contaminated soil in the property and in the neighbor's yard?
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Post by Uffda »

They have been moving a lot of dirt on the north side along sorensen for the past couple of weeks. The turns lanes could be interesting as it is right along a curve and uphill/downhill part of sorensen.

Good photos. That area seems to be a plant's cement floor or the cement covering of the Vickers plant basement as there is an area just to the south of this that is below ground level.
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Retail Developments

Post by Brad »

Retail Developments

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/1764427.html
The "Sorensen Park Plaza" sits on 80 acres and Otis tells us the planned shopping center will bring in about 800 new jobs.
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Post by Brad »

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Post by eomaha »

Brad, you were a man possessed today!

Thanks for sharing all of these updates.
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Post by Brad »

Sunday 2/26/2006

Target is well on its way

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Other buildings

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Post by ladyred »

Brad,
Great pictures! I was going to take some of these Friday morning but my digital camera was having some kind of hissy fit and would not recognize the card. I ran out of time trying to get it to work before my eye appt at Immanuel that morning. :lol:
Does anyone know for sure if this is going to be a Super Target?
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Post by Uffda »

My understanding is that it won't be a SuperTarget. Looking at a site map for this -- I think the walls that are up to the south of the Target building are for Linens n' Things, Marshalls, Office Max and Factory card Outlet.

I havent seen them starting anything on the theatre site yet.

They are shutting off Crownpoint between 72nd and 78th starting this week to redo that stretch.

http://www.kimcorealty.com/propsearch/s ... evelopment
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Post by Greg S »

The Target at Sorenson does not seem to be matching up with the one at Crossroads as far as looks go.

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Post by MTO »

I think the crossroads location is going to be a special store.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Sunday 4/17/2006 building permits
• Ragains Enterprises LLC, 7440 Crown Point Ave., building, $2,664,883.
No Idea, but 2.66 million, could be a restaurant :lol: or another strip mall :evil:

I googled Ragains Enterprises, but nothing came up?
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Post by Uffda »

Well my photos would win any prizesbut here goes.

Sorensen Park Plaza from North end to south end. There is a gap between what i think is Sally Beauty and PetSmart.

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Last edited by Uffda on Tue May 30, 2006 5:17 am, edited 1 time in total.
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