Up to 1,000 unit housing development approved for CB

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eomaha
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Up to 1,000 unit housing development approved for CB

Post by eomaha »

Omaha World Herald wrote: Big Bluffs subdivision to break ground soon

COUNCIL BLUFFS - Construction probably will begin in March on the first phase of a new housing subdivision near the Council Bluffs Airport that when completed will rank as one of the city's largest.

The Council Bluffs City Council approved 4-1 Monday a final plat for the first of three planned phases for the Hills of Cedar Creek, proposed by developer Duggan Homes Inc.

The first phase of the development, east and north of State Orchard Road, will include 153 single-family homes and 154 town homes and duplexes. If completed as planned, the subdivision would total 1,000 housing units, including apartments, and a 12-acre commercial development.

City officials have estimated the taxable value of the completed development at about $70 million, enough to generate $1.1 million in property taxes for the city alone.

Mayor Tom Hanafan said the subdivision, when completed, would be the largest he knows of in the city and one of the largest one-piece subdivisions in the area.

The project will benefit the local economy in a number of ways, he said.

"For us, it's going to create a lot of jobs and eventually tax dollars," he said.

Councilman David Tobias praised the project but voted against it because of concerns about further extending city services when budgets are tight.

"Right now, I don't know if we can provide services that far out," he said.

In an unrelated matter, the council also authorized city staff to buy back the Playland Park property north of Interstate 480 that it sold to a developer in March 2003 for a condominium project.

The One Renaissance Center project, which would have built luxury condos along the Missouri River, did not go forward.

A clause in the city's agreement with the developers allowed the city to buy back the property for the original price of $570,000.

In December, the city was awarded a $715,000 grant from the casino-funded Iowa West Foundation to buy the land. The funds also will be used to revise riverfront plans and conduct a market analysis with an eye toward developing the property.

The council also gave first-round approval to an ordinance changing the zoning on the Frito-Lay Inc. property at 3919 West Broadway.

The company closed its 48-year-old factory late last year. The property is listed for sale with an Omaha real estate firm. The property now is zoned for industrial, agricultural and parks and low-density residential use.

The city's plans call for rezoning the property and developing it for low-density, multifamily residential use, matching much of the surrounding area.

However, Frito-Lay has protested the proposed change.
DMRyan
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Post by DMRyan »

Go Bluffs! I think major development will swing over to the Iowa side eventually. This sounds like a heck of a start.
eomaha
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Post by eomaha »

I think it will -spread- over. :)
DMRyan
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Post by DMRyan »

That's what I mean. I'm not saying the impetus of new growth will be centered in CB, but that the Iowa side will grow much more than it has typically.
eomaha
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Post by eomaha »

Not that I was taking any offense to your wording! I was actually just joking.
Finn
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Post by Finn »

They will be conducting a market study on the Frito-Lay site for new apartments to compliment the existing River Park Apartments. It is interesting that Frito-Lay opposes a zoning change. It is a better site for residential use than an industrial use as the interstate access merges quickly and the site is somewhat isolated and partially surrounded by a golf course.

Officials will also be seeking a study on the Playland Park site where One Renaissance failed. They will use the study to market the site to developers. The city is excited about the potential of the site with the riverfront bridge. There should be something happening in the spring/summer in reference to this site but probably not as large/dense as the One Renaissance proposal.
icejammer
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Post by icejammer »

Daily Nonpareil wrote:Plat approval paves way for Hills of Cedar Creek

Let the construction begin.

The Council Bluffs City Council Monday night approved final plat plans for the first phase of the Hills of Cedar Creek housing subdivision.

It's the largest that Mayor Tom Hanafan said he's ever seen.

The project, being developed by Duggan Homes Inc., is located on 104 acres extending east and north from State Orchard Road, one-quarter mile north of Greenview Road.

The council's action will allow the construction of 153 single-family homes and 154 town homes in this phase, with construction starting around March 1.

The price range for the town homes will be $104,000 to $150,000. Smaller single-family homes in the subdivision will sell for $165,000 while larger homes will sell between $225,000 to $275,000.

This is the first of three construction phases planned for the Hills of Cedar Creek subdivision. When the project is completed, there will be about 485 single-family homes on 176 acres, 169 individually owned town homes on 19 acres and more than 350 apartment units.

A commercial center is also planned.

The council's vote was 4 to 1, with Councilman Dave Tobias in opposition. Though he praised the project, Tobias said he didn't know if the city could supply services that far out.

In other business, the council approved the first reading of an ordinance that would add several streets to the city's snow emergency routes and remove several from the current list.

The new additions to the snow emergency routes are Harry Langdon Boulevard from 16th Avenue to Iowa Highway 92, South Seventh Street from 16th to 28th avenues, 28th Avenue from South Seventh to 11th streets, Harrison Street from Kanesville Boulevard to Morgan Street and South First Street from Broadway to Madison Avenue.

South Eighth Street will have a shorter snow emergency route from West Broadway. Under the proposal, its route will be shortened from 28th Avenue to 16th Avenue.

Highway 375 from 16th Avenue to Highway 275 will be deleted under the proposal to reflect Highway 375's name change to Harry Langdon Boulevard.

When a snow emergency is declared, parking is prohibited on those routes until the emergency expires.

The council also approved the first reading of an ordinance that would rezone the entire Frito Lay Co. property, 3919 W. Broadway, to R-3/Low Density Residential. The company is closing its facility in the near future.

Most of the property is R-3 already, Hanafan said, but some portions are zoned for parks and agriculture and others for industrial.
Just as an aside, I don't think Councilman Dave Tobias has ever seen a development that he liked enough to vote for.
OmahaDevelopmentMan
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Post by OmahaDevelopmentMan »

Wow good news, quite a good day for the Council Bluffs side of the river don't ya think? I hope the momentum spread to our side of the river
projectman
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Post by projectman »

Well CB definitely needs something to get it growing. It seems all of this development and the population never changes. I think it's been in the mid 50K range since about 1812. :lol:
OmahaDevelopmentMan
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Post by OmahaDevelopmentMan »

It would be great if Council Bluffs grew to 100k. Maybe then they could start to have their own little skyline, and also it would make the twin cities thing sound more realistic, since it is barely a city by defenition.
icejammer
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Post by icejammer »

projectman wrote:Well CB definitely needs something to get it growing. It seems all of this development and the population never changes. I think it's been in the mid 50K range since about 1812. :lol:
Pop. is currently on the cusp of 60k. You have to remember that a lot of growth occurred in the past few decades outside the corporate limits and isn't included in the "true" population of the city.
icejammer
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Post by icejammer »

Well, it's only taken 8 years, but the next phase is finally on track to go ahead, still a long ways from the original projection of housing units:

Developer: New housing project is perfect timing
Plans to build 56 homes in a major subdivision in eastern Council Bluffs is “perfect timing,” a local developer said. . .

The City Council this week approved the preliminary plans for the two-phase project, with the first phase involving 23 lots. The final plat is coming and construction will start soon, said attorney John Duggan, representing HCC Investments LLC of Overland Park, Kan.

“We expect to start construction in mid- to late August,” Duggan said. “Hopefully, it will be finished by the first of November.”

The project covers almost 22 acres and the lots will be built on a southerly extension of Abercorn Drive in the eastern section of the development. The plans also show the extensions of Providence Road and South Larchmont Drive to serve the lots.

The single-family homes to be built should be similar to others in that subdivision – upscale homes – with two-story models in the $200,000 to $350,000 range, Duggan said. The developer is responsible for the installation of infrastructure, he added. . .
"Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved."

--William Jennings Bryan
NovakOmaha
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Post by NovakOmaha »

I had no idea that the population of the county is over 90k.
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