mr. omaha wrote:This almost justifies the name of Townsend's failed condo tower.nebport5 wrote:Shall we rename this stretch of Dodge to First National "Wall Street"?
Oh yes, the tall wall that wasn't
Moderators: Coyote, nebugeater, Brad, Omaha Cowboy, BRoss
mr. omaha wrote:This almost justifies the name of Townsend's failed condo tower.nebport5 wrote:Shall we rename this stretch of Dodge to First National "Wall Street"?
MSizlack wrote:I haven't posted anything for a while as eomahaforum become such a opinionated and negative place to see what is happening in this city.
I'm absolutely dumbfounded about all the posts about HDRs new building. So many of you have been dreaming about development downtown and when it happens, the majority of those same posters are now bitching about it! This is the type of building where architecture and design has come to. I'm sure if this was a $500-$750M building they could do things to make it look like something in the UAE. Customers of firms like HDR are now needing to be environmentally friendly=good corporate citizens. LEED, energy efficiency, carbon footprint, are all overtaking dramatic design. And most of all, just like the projects that HDR builds for its clients, HDR has to work with in a budget. The cost to make a building meet things like energy efficiency and LEED are often more expensive. For those of you in this forum who don't like it, tough. 99% of the rest of Omaha and those who come to visit Omaha will see it for what it is and that's progress and growth that's leading to a more vibrant downtown. Whether or not they like or dislike the building, that's not going to stop them from going downtown or coming to Omaha.and certainly it's not going to keep them up at night like so many on this forum. So put away your rulers, stop whining about how it's not up to your architectural standards.
hey, mom. What time is dinner ready?MSizlack wrote:I haven't posted anything for a while as eomahaforum become such a opinionated and negative place to see what is happening in this city.
I'm absolutely dumbfounded about all the posts about HDRs new building. So many of you have been dreaming about development downtown and when it happens, the majority of those same posters are now bitching about it! This is the type of building where architecture and design has come to. I'm sure if this was a $500-$750M building they could do things to make it look like something in the UAE. Customers of firms like HDR are now needing to be environmentally friendly=good corporate citizens. LEED, energy efficiency, carbon footprint, are all overtaking dramatic design. And most of all, just like the projects that HDR builds for its clients, HDR has to work with in a budget. The cost to make a building meet things like energy efficiency and LEED are often more expensive. For those of you in this forum who don't like it, tough. 99% of the rest of Omaha and those who come to visit Omaha will see it for what it is and that's progress and growth that's leading to a more vibrant downtown. Whether or not they like or dislike the building, that's not going to stop them from going downtown or coming to Omaha.and certainly it's not going to keep them up at night like so many on this forum. So put away your rulers, stop whining about how it's not up to your architectural standards.
I'm as guilty as sin, but when it comes to all of us on this forum, we tend to have ... lofty ... standards when it comes to buildings. We see cool |expletive| being done on the coasts where they are ahead of us architecturally and urban-planningly speaking, and we expect to see it done here too. This city has a bit of a patchy history when it comes to urban planning and architectural design and has had some successes (FNB and 1200 Landmark are my favorites) and some horrific failures (ConAgra), so when we have a chance to make a statement, we expect nothing less than perfection. To be completely honest, this building could have been EXACTLY what we wanted (avant-garde design, ground level retail, the seven levels of parking on top, and 400' of offices above with a green roof, etc.) and we'd still find something to whine about.MSizlack wrote:I haven't posted anything for a while as eomahaforum become such a opinionated and negative place to see what is happening in this city.
I'm absolutely dumbfounded about all the posts about HDRs new building. So many of you have been dreaming about development downtown and when it happens, the majority of those same posters are now bitching about it! This is the type of building where architecture and design has come to. I'm sure if this was a $500-$750M building they could do things to make it look like something in the UAE. Customers of firms like HDR are now needing to be environmentally friendly=good corporate citizens. LEED, energy efficiency, carbon footprint, are all overtaking dramatic design. And most of all, just like the projects that HDR builds for its clients, HDR has to work with in a budget. The cost to make a building meet things like energy efficiency and LEED are often more expensive. For those of you in this forum who don't like it, tough. 99% of the rest of Omaha and those who come to visit Omaha will see it for what it is and that's progress and growth that's leading to a more vibrant downtown. Whether or not they like or dislike the building, that's not going to stop them from going downtown or coming to Omaha.and certainly it's not going to keep them up at night like so many on this forum. So put away your rulers, stop whining about how it's not up to your architectural standards.
I can't speak for everyone else, but personally I get tired of seeing Omaha with drab new developments. Obviously not all of them are drab, but anything that vaguely resembles the interior of our airport is bad for our image. It confirms the negative stereotype that Omaha is boring and not forward thinking. Some of these sentiments are in the forum as well. Regarding the HDR building some people said something to the effect of 'well, it's not TOO modern.' When is modern or innovative ever a bad thing for a city on the rise? I would love to see Omaha embrace something different and distinguish itself from other drab midwestern cities.MSizlack wrote:I haven't posted anything for a while as eomahaforum become such a opinionated and negative place to see what is happening in this city.
I'm absolutely dumbfounded about all the posts about HDRs new building. So many of you have been dreaming about development downtown and when it happens, the majority of those same posters are now bitching about it! This is the type of building where architecture and design has come to. I'm sure if this was a $500-$750M building they could do things to make it look like something in the UAE. Customers of firms like HDR are now needing to be environmentally friendly=good corporate citizens. LEED, energy efficiency, carbon footprint, are all overtaking dramatic design. And most of all, just like the projects that HDR builds for its clients, HDR has to work with in a budget. The cost to make a building meet things like energy efficiency and LEED are often more expensive. For those of you in this forum who don't like it, tough. 99% of the rest of Omaha and those who come to visit Omaha will see it for what it is and that's progress and growth that's leading to a more vibrant downtown. Whether or not they like or dislike the building, that's not going to stop them from going downtown or coming to Omaha.and certainly it's not going to keep them up at night like so many on this forum. So put away your rulers, stop whining about how it's not up to your architectural standards.
At least our airport is more interesting then Atlanta Intl.daveoma wrote: I can't speak for everyone else, but personally I get tired of seeing Omaha with drab new developments. Obviously not all of them are drab, but anything that vaguely resembles the interior of our airport is bad for our image.
Should I ask you how I should think about other topics as well, or are you going to proactively tell me what my opinions should be there too?MSizlack wrote:I haven't posted anything for a while as eomahaforum become such a opinionated and negative place to see what is happening in this city.
I'm absolutely dumbfounded about all the posts about HDRs new building. So many of you have been dreaming about development downtown and when it happens, the majority of those same posters are now bitching about it! This is the type of building where architecture and design has come to. I'm sure if this was a $500-$750M building they could do things to make it look like something in the UAE. Customers of firms like HDR are now needing to be environmentally friendly=good corporate citizens. LEED, energy efficiency, carbon footprint, are all overtaking dramatic design. And most of all, just like the projects that HDR builds for its clients, HDR has to work with in a budget. The cost to make a building meet things like energy efficiency and LEED are often more expensive. For those of you in this forum who don't like it, tough. 99% of the rest of Omaha and those who come to visit Omaha will see it for what it is and that's progress and growth that's leading to a more vibrant downtown. Whether or not they like or dislike the building, that's not going to stop them from going downtown or coming to Omaha.and certainly it's not going to keep them up at night like so many on this forum. So put away your rulers, stop whining about how it's not up to your architectural standards.
I think you and Midwestern hit the nail on the head regarding the reactions on the forum to this new HDR HQ design. I can understand the disappointment to a certain degree.. I mean, it won't be a "skyline defining" "shiver me timbers" high rise.. But that all taken into consideration, how cool is it to have another Omaha born company commit to downtown and move their world headquarters there.. More people, more lively, more foot traffic, more sustainability.. Omaha's downtown is stronger with this HQ move.. Regardless the design..TitosBuritoBarn wrote:The design is pretty standard for HDR. Judging from their portfolio, it isn't watered down compared to what they normally produce for clients.
That said, the hype was probably a little much. Or were we mostly hyping ourselves up?
all of that is great. Obviously it speaks volumes for HDR's commitment to Omaha to not only relocate its headquarters downtown, but to build a new mid-rise structure.Omaha Cowboy wrote:I think you and Midwestern hit the nail on the head regarding the reactions on the forum to this new HDR HQ design. I can understand the disappointment to a certain degree.. I mean, it won't be a "skyline defining" "shiver me timbers" high rise.. But that all taken into consideration, how cool is it to have another Omaha born company commit to downtown and move their world headquarters there.. More people, more lively, more foot traffic, more sustainability.. Omaha's downtown is stronger with this HQ move.. Regardless the design..TitosBuritoBarn wrote:The design is pretty standard for HDR. Judging from their portfolio, it isn't watered down compared to what they normally produce for clients.
That said, the hype was probably a little much. Or were we mostly hyping ourselves up?
And while I don't think, obviously, the design is "over the top", it will look much better once completed and placed within the skyline.. Than any rendering can do it justice..
In the end, I like it, I'll take it. And along with the Capitol District project, it will make Downtown more well rounded and complete..
It's not Shangra la folks, but honestly- what is? Well, maybe central Iowa.. But that's it, lol...
Ciao..LiO...Peace
I think Capitol will shift night life and pedestrian traffic to the north. It will be sort of the dividing line between north and south downtown. Not necessarily taking people away from the Old Market, bur rather, helping it spread farther north. Good thing for north downtown in my eyes.Coyote wrote: What sort of DT core district is being created that will change pedestrian traffic in Omaha...
Will Farnam street be considered the 'Core' street?
Is a 'core' designation the thoroughfare or the business district?
Will we consider the Capitol District in the likes of the new Blackstone, Dundee, Benson designations?
In Omaha, I think of the urban "core" as the area inside of I-480, which was kind of arbitrarily created by the routing of I-480. It is a real barrier separating areas to the west and north from the urban core. The Capitol District is simply a sub-district within the CBD, and badly needed infill to increase the density of the core... I think of UNMC/Blackstone/Midtown as a secondary urban core, but not necessarily part of the CBD. It's questionable whether "CBD" is really anything other than a zoning designation, especially when density is increasing in areas directly west of downtown. I don't think the Capitol District will "shift" pedestrian traffic from anywhere else, as much as simply adding to and expanding CBD ped. traffic. I should add that North downtown has the ability to be perceived as an extension of the urban core, since the raised portion I-480 is not a complete barrier, with all of the street connections between NDT and DT.Busguy2010 wrote:I think Capitol will shift night life and pedestrian traffic to the north. It will be sort of the dividing line between north and south downtown. Not necessarily taking people away from the Old Market, bur rather, helping it spread farther north. Good thing for north downtown in my eyes.Coyote wrote: What sort of DT core district is being created that will change pedestrian traffic in Omaha...
Will Farnam street be considered the 'Core' street?
Is a 'core' designation the thoroughfare or the business district?
Will we consider the Capitol District in the likes of the new Blackstone, Dundee, Benson designations?
Dodge street will always be a traffic oriented street and thus it is the "thoroughfare", at least for traffic. I think Farnam will become the core in a sense of "aliveness". I do think the streetcar will happen, and as of now, I do think most of Omaha's future urban infill attention will be centered around it. Farnam did used to be Main street.
Capitol District I think is something we will have to pin against Midtown Crossing, Aksarben Village, And Crossroads. Take a look at all these developments in 10-15 years and then compare to the older neighborhoods.
Thank you for the update. I'm glad they did their research. I'm glad I was wrong!Coyote wrote:I was told; the angled windows will allow a reflection of the sky and not other buildings, and that it would actually reduce the threat of falling icicles...mcarch wrote:Angled glass... nice place for freezing rain to accumulate and create ice sickles!.
The lower part of the angled glazing will also create shadows/shading on the upper part of the glazing below.mcarch wrote:Thank you for the update. I'm glad they did their research. I'm glad I was wrong!Coyote wrote:I was told; the angled windows will allow a reflection of the sky and not other buildings, and that it would actually reduce the threat of falling icicles...mcarch wrote:Angled glass... nice place for freezing rain to accumulate and create ice sickles!.
They expect to break ground in early summer.NEDodger wrote:I know they have a deadline move-in date, but when is construction supposed to start?
Haha!Hawkeye wrote:
S33 wrote:Haha!Hawkeye wrote:
Yeah. That was the running joke in "The Brady Bunch Movie" back in the 90s. In the original show it was made clear that Mike Brady, an architect by trade, designed the house that the newly-mixed family lived in. Of course, the house had like eleventy-four people living in it and only 1 bathroom or something. So it was kind of a post-Brady Bunch joke about how bad of an architect he must have been to design such a house.Spatial77 wrote:S33 wrote:Haha!Hawkeye wrote:
Isn't that the Brady Bunch house??
Very clever. I guess I"m too young to get the reference, haha.Hawkeye wrote:Spatial77 wrote:Yeah. That was the running joke in "The Brady Bunch Movie" back in the 90s. In the original show it was made clear that Mike Brady, an architect by trade, designed the house that the newly-mixed family lived in. Of course, the house had like eleventy-four people living in it and only 1 bathroom or something. So it was kind of a post-Brady Bunch joke about how bad of an architect he must have been to design such a house.S33 wrote: Isn't that the Brady Bunch house??
Anyway, in the 1990's movie, Mike and Carol owe back taxes on their house and are the only holdouts in the neighborhood vs. their neighbor who wants to sell off the entire 'hood to a developer. He needs to sell one of his architectural designs in order to pay the taxes and retain the family's home. And one by one his firm brings him clients to pitch to, and one by one every design is the same.....his house, but with a different sign over the top. Burger joint, cowboy restaurant, workout gym, etc.
So Ol' Hawkeye was just poking a little fun at HDR for their relatively lackluster design.
The movie came out when I was pretty young, and I remember watching the movie, just thinking it was a sequel to the original series.Seth wrote:Very clever. I guess I"m too young to get the reference, haha.Hawkeye wrote:Spatial77 wrote:Yeah. That was the running joke in "The Brady Bunch Movie" back in the 90s. In the original show it was made clear that Mike Brady, an architect by trade, designed the house that the newly-mixed family lived in. Of course, the house had like eleventy-four people living in it and only 1 bathroom or something. So it was kind of a post-Brady Bunch joke about how bad of an architect he must have been to design such a house.S33 wrote: Isn't that the Brady Bunch house??
Anyway, in the 1990's movie, Mike and Carol owe back taxes on their house and are the only holdouts in the neighborhood vs. their neighbor who wants to sell off the entire 'hood to a developer. He needs to sell one of his architectural designs in order to pay the taxes and retain the family's home. And one by one his firm brings him clients to pitch to, and one by one every design is the same.....his house, but with a different sign over the top. Burger joint, cowboy restaurant, workout gym, etc.
So Ol' Hawkeye was just poking a little fun at HDR for their relatively lackluster design.
Thanks for explaining the joke to me... very good! I never saw the movie. I wasn't a big fan of the Brady Bunch TV show, but the few times I saw it in reruns during college I always thought that the house they lived in didn't look anything like an "architect's house". Of course I was in architecture school at the time, and Mike Brady didn't remind me of any of my professors. Then I came to realize that Mike Brady probably was not a principal in his firm. He was probably the guy who wrote the building specifications... or maybe he designed suburban strip malls in the LA basin. Around that same time I realized I didn't have the talent to be a good architect and would probably be the guy who wrote the building specifications... or maybe design suburban strip malls. I changed majors to geography.S33 wrote:The movie came out when I was pretty young, and I remember watching the movie, just thinking it was a sequel to the original series.Seth wrote:Very clever. I guess I"m too young to get the reference, haha.Hawkeye wrote:Spatial77 wrote:Yeah. That was the running joke in "The Brady Bunch Movie" back in the 90s. In the original show it was made clear that Mike Brady, an architect by trade, designed the house that the newly-mixed family lived in. Of course, the house had like eleventy-four people living in it and only 1 bathroom or something. So it was kind of a post-Brady Bunch joke about how bad of an architect he must have been to design such a house.S33 wrote: Isn't that the Brady Bunch house??
Anyway, in the 1990's movie, Mike and Carol owe back taxes on their house and are the only holdouts in the neighborhood vs. their neighbor who wants to sell off the entire 'hood to a developer. He needs to sell one of his architectural designs in order to pay the taxes and retain the family's home. And one by one his firm brings him clients to pitch to, and one by one every design is the same.....his house, but with a different sign over the top. Burger joint, cowboy restaurant, workout gym, etc.
So Ol' Hawkeye was just poking a little fun at HDR for their relatively lackluster design.
It wasn't until years later, when I was older, that I rewatched the movie and all the references made sense. The movie is all sexual innuendo, playing on the innocence of the original Brady Bunch family.
If you're ever really bored (I mean really bored), you should watch the movie.