Another Cookie Cutter Neighborhood

[greenbuilder]

Looks like Celebrity Homes is taking over Omaha
http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us/departments/c ... /1168a.pdf

This is too nice of land to have boring biege houses and duplexes.
The duplexes that look like barricks you would find on a military base

[eomaha]

I wouldn't mind the density of the development if we were looking at something new urbanist in nature. But you're right... these are cookie cutter... two story, multi car garage homes... close enough to jump between windows.

Whispering Ridge out at 168th and Maple is another such development. The back ends of these homes are absolutely featureless.

[heineken]

greenbuilder and jhuston, I agree with you in these neighborhoods are bland with little character. I wonder what they are going to look like in 50 years. At the same token they are affordable and people seem to be buying them. I know there has to be a balance between what we are seeing in the picture and what a developer can do to create a neighborhood that brings value to the potential home builder/purchaser while keeping cost to a minimum. I guess I am asking, -what is a good example of a new urbanist development in Omaha (if one exists)? What ammeneties would you instill in your development if you were a developer?

[projectman]

IT's all about selling homes and what is affordable for the middle class. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ for the builders.

[DTO Luv]

Why is it that we don't see Dundee-esque or Midtown looking areas buing built? Is their a way to copy the look w/o it being so expensive?

[Zephyr]

What, don't you want to look like suburban Dallas?

[SBNathan]

I posted this link in another topic a couple weeks ago. It bears repeating. Check out this development going up in Lincoln. As you can see, the types and variety of housing is inspiring. It's nothing like the bland, repeating disease like most other Omaha new suburbs.

http://www.fallbrookusa.com/

Omaha builders could learn quite a few lessons from these folks. But if we really want to impose long-term changes, we need to update our building and development codes. The city has the power to do that. The will begins with a groundswell of support.

[Brad]

Zepher,
When I flew back from Las Vegas in July, we flew over NW Omaha, and it looks just like this picture!

[eomaha]

Is there an American city (outside of it's core anyway) this DOESN'T look like? (as it happens Brad... you were coming from the one American city which doesn't even really have a core! )

[Brad]

Yes, Vegas it the worst, you can even tell from the ground.

[eomaha]

In defense of Omaha... it has done a better than average job of aligning business/retail zoned areas along major street corridors (ie Maple, Dodge, Pacific, Center, etc) in such a way as to put businesses/services within a relatively short distance of residential areas. You take a look at a Phoenix... and you can find residential areas which literally run for miles and miles in every direction without so much as a hint of commercial space (aside from an occasional strip mall).

[Brad]

Yes Omaha does do a good job of mixing zones, I was just commenting on the cookie cutter neighborhoods, like most people on this site I am just very partial to old and historic neighborhoods, If I hit the lottery I would not be moving to the "best" and "newest" neighborhood out west, my money would stay in historic parts of town!