Lumberyard District (Downtown Millard)

West Omaha, Sarpy and Nebraska metro counties.

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joeglow
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Lumberyard District (Downtown Millard)

Post by joeglow »

With Millard Lumber moving sometime in the near future, is this going to come up again, or is it dead?
eomaha
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Post by eomaha »

A few months later...

"Millard Lumber plans move to I Street site"

World Herald story: http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=46&u_sid=2255955
Millard Lumber this week closed on a transaction that will enable it to move next spring to a site just north of the Wal-Mart at 132nd and L Streets.
the company has stood on its present spot in the heart of Millard's main business area since 1948, when the proprietor's father was a partner in Millard Lumber and Grain... a portion of the site has been a lumberyard since 1883.
...two of the buildings on his current property are for sale.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Big plans for Millard stall

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2 ... id=2375964
The Millard area seemed giddy five years ago when a concept called the Millard Town Center was unveiled, but as it so often does, giddiness tumbled into reality and became uncertainty.

"I continue to visit with various developers about ideas for the Millard property but have no firm direction at this time," Rick Russell, Millard Lumber's president, said through an e-mail message. "I continue to share the ideas generated by the Millard Town Center project with those that I visit with."

Millard Lumber is expected to move to the old Western Electric campus north of 132nd and L Streets sometime this year. The company's departure will leave a gaping vacancy in the guts of old Millard. At the same time, a change in the configuration of 144th Street southwest of downtown Millard is expected to diminish to some degree the traffic flow on Millard Avenue.

The City of Omaha is rebuilding an awkward intersection at 144th Street and Stony Brook Boulevard so drivers won't have to make a short jog onto Stony Brook to stay on 144th. That change is expected to make 144th Street the major north-south route for west Omaha. Millard Avenue now is the main street of southwest Omaha.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

A little talk of this on Grow Omaha Saturday:

http://www.growomaha.com/archivedshows/show214.mp3

Apparently there are people interested in the land but no one wants to buy.

Also the rail line through Millard will be abandoned.
SRT84WD
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Post by SRT84WD »

That's interesting, because it seems like the meat plant just south of Q uses that rail line as well.  I always see rail cars back there.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

SRT84WD wrote:That's interesting, because it seems like the meat plant just south of Q uses that rail line as well.  I always see rail cars back there.
As far as I have known, they have not used it in about 2 years.  They have been discussion it on the Omaha Council Bluffs Railfans, Yahoo Users Group.
Bluebird
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Right of way Harry Anderson Q to Harrison

Post by Bluebird »

Anyone know what plans are for the RR right of way along Harry Anderson from Q to Harrison? I see the grounds crew from the country club across the street pulling carts of yard waste over there to dump on the creek bank. Seems like it would make a good addition to the trail system if cleaned up.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

I was being kept in place in case any new industrial developments sprang up in that area.  However it looks more and more like the railroad will be abandoned south of Millard Ave.
Bluebird
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Post by Bluebird »

South of Millard Ave? You mean South of Q?
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Bluebird wrote:South of Millard Ave? You mean South of Q?
No, Millard Lumber moved so they are going to abandoned it south of Millard Ave.
huskerJay
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Post by huskerJay »

The word on the street is they are going to turn this area into a mini old market! That's what I heard from a lady that rents out a house in that area.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

That was the plan that came out years ago, but then nothing ever happened.
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Omababe
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Post by Omababe »

huskerJay wrote:The word on the street is they are going to turn this area into a mini old market! That's what I heard from a lady that rents out a house in that area.
I've heard this too, over and over for a few years now. I haven't heard anything definitive at all, however. Millard has the basis of a good business district in there, if they just build a bit on what they have!
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

There use to be all kinds of renderings of the thing, here is the only one I can find now:

Image

Stargazer might have a rendering?
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Coyote
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Post by Coyote »

Image

Image

Image
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Greg S
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Post by Greg S »

I think this is a dream that died....
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TitosBuritoBarn
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Post by TitosBuritoBarn »

I wasn't sure where else to put this, but if I remember correctly, one of Millard Town Square's major proponents was a church that sat adjacent to it. I assume it was St. Paul Lutheran Church on Millard Ave. Well, recently they had been doing some work on that church, what looked to be some exterior maintenance...but when I drove by it today on my way to check out the Ped Bridge, I noticed that it is now largely demolished. There has been an Alley Poyner sign in front for a while so I went and checked out their web-site. Apparently there is a need for a new Family Life Center, so the 1929 built sactuary had to be removed. I thought that was a very nice sanctuary, certainly a bright spot among the |expletive| that lines Millard Ave. Whatever... this is what is supposed to replace it...

Image

lame...
lilblondie4586
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Post by lilblondie4586 »

Speaking of Millard Ave.. Has anyone noticed the newly painted BRIGHT yellow building next to the glass repair shop.. Any thoughts on what business is going in there now?
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

lilblondie4586 wrote:Speaking of Millard Ave.. Has anyone noticed the newly painted BRIGHT yellow building next to the glass repair shop.. Any thoughts on what business is going in there now?
Where at, I am not sure where the glass place is?  The walmart end?  By Millard Lumber?  By Q street?  By the Pizza Machine?
cdub
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Post by cdub »

I'm too lazy to look but has Walgreens been identified as a likely builder on the NW corner of 135th and Q?
lilblondie4586
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Post by lilblondie4586 »

The glass repair shop is on the same side of the street and is by Millard Roadhouse and the Church that is undergoing renovations..
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Coyote
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Post by Coyote »

Welcome to eOmahaForums lilblondie.

Are you talking about the shop just to the south of the glass repair place? 13311 Millard Ave?
That is still Kandlelite Occasions I believe - a cafe for women and boutique. Unless they have closed in the past few months.
lilblondie4586
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Post by lilblondie4586 »

Thanks for the welcome! Yes that is the building I am talking about and I am pretty sure that they closed within the past month.. because I had seen for lease signs in the window not too long ago.. and they just painted that building this week..
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Coyote
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Post by Coyote »

Drove past the place this evening. Looks like they are doing major renovations inside. I hope they don't leave it that yellow.
I have to wonder whether the owner of the building is doing the renovations or a new tenant.

I was surprised at how much traffic still goes down Millard Ave. I know that shop owners would like less traffic so that this stretch would be more like the Benson or Dundee area. That Antique store didn't last very long.

Also - going down 135th St was like going through a ghost town.
lilblondie4586
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Post by lilblondie4586 »

So I drove past the yellow building on Millard Ave. this afternoon.. and there was a vibrant yellow van parked in the lot with Dr. Jacks (Tattoo and Piercings) on it.. so I believe that is what is going in the building. Just a guess tho.. they currently have a location not to far from there on 137th ish & Millard Ave. in a strip mall.
cdub
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Post by cdub »

The aforementioned Walgreens has come up with a plan showing on street parking on 135th with their entrance oriented that direction and the building pulled up to the street.  Its not exactly urban but its a pretty good start on the redevelopment of that street and should help with future sites.
lilblondie4586
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Post by lilblondie4586 »

lilblondie4586 wrote:So I drove past the yellow building on Millard Ave. this afternoon.. and there was a vibrant yellow van parked in the lot with Dr. Jacks (Tattoo and Piercings) on it.. so I believe that is what is going in the building. Just a guess tho.. they currently have a location not to far from there on 137th ish & Millard Ave. in a strip mall.
Dr. Jacks is now officially open in its new location on Millard Ave.
windsor
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Post by windsor »

cdub wrote:The aforementioned Walgreens has come up with a plan showing on street parking on 135th with their entrance oriented that direction and the building pulled up to the street.  Its not exactly urban but its a pretty good start on the redevelopment of that street and should help with future sites.
Where exactly?  Are you talking about the CarQuest building that was hit by the tornado?
where the corn meets the concrete
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Post by cdub »

I have no idea where carquest is (or was) but the Walgreen's site is the NW corner of Q and 135th.  Thats  about as specific as it gets.
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RockHarbor
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Post by RockHarbor »

I'm trying to figure out:  Did they demolish that big brick old church along Millard Ave?  Seems like I didn't notice it, last time I drove through old town Millard.  However, I may just have not been paying attention...
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Coyote
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Post by Coyote »

If you are referring to St. Paul's Lutheran (I think that is what it is called) that is still there and a few blocks away from where the town square is going to be - if it will ever happen.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

They did demolish the old part of the Church and the foundation is in and the steel is going up on the new church.

Also there is demolition going on on Q street for the new Walgreen's.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Sad Day for Rail Fans....

The old Millard line that was once part of the transcontinental railroad is now gone.  The Rails were pulled up this week from Old "L" Street to Giles Road.

The line was in place from May 10, 1869 to May 10, 2009, 140 years of Rail History now gone... (The southern Section of the line from Bellevue to Millard was removed in the 90's)
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Big E
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Post by Big E »

Move on...

Nothing to see here...

Don't live in the past...

It's over so quit complaining...

(Sorry, Brad... I simply could not help myself.)
Stable genius.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

True, However one would argue this is more like Jobbers Canyon than a Mayoral race.

Second, I posted facts with one little line of commentary.
joeglow
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Post by joeglow »

The tracks on Millard Ave., Q Street and all the roads between the 2 are still there.

Personally, I am glad they did it in hopes of finally doing something with all that land.
windsor
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Post by windsor »

Its another now abandoned line that could have been used as light rail.

I hope something spectacular is done with this land.  You large tracts of land don't come available in an established area very often.
where the corn meets the concrete
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TitosBuritoBarn
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Post by TitosBuritoBarn »

I noticed they've also started to deconstruct the old Millard Lumber property. Perhaps there is something planned here..
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Post by almighty_tuna »

(it's just a model)
huskerJay
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Post by huskerJay »

Looks like they are making room for something :yes:
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