HDR Proposed Downtown Office

Proposed Development Projects that got Minarded.

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Hawkeye
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Re: HDR

Post by Hawkeye »

guest2016 wrote:
PotatoeEatsFish wrote:So does this mean their not going to build downtown at all?
Downtown isn't happening.
You got it all wrong, man. Downtown is totally happenin', in a far out and groovy way!
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Re: HDR

Post by Spatial77 »

iamjacobm wrote:The library would be shocking to me. Would they really be able to close, get the place empty(there is a lot more than just books there), get the place demoed and build their building in 2.5 years?

On a separate note. I absolutely want the library building to survive. I realize I am in the minority and it is not going to happen, but that is a building that represents a style and time period. We will lose another piece of our unique building stock when it goes. Historic buildings worth saving don't have to be 100 year old red bricks. In the future the cities that save and repurpose their brutalist buildings will be the ones people are impressed with. It's inevitable.

Agree. I have always loved the view from the below street level mall up to the slightly higher library, then stepping up to the CPP and topping it off with the Woodman in the back. I like the vignette the rising terrain and rising height of the buildings create.
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Re: HDR

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

Hawkeye wrote:
guest2016 wrote:
PotatoeEatsFish wrote:So does this mean their not going to build downtown at all?
Downtown isn't happening.
You got it all wrong, man. Downtown is totally happenin', in a far out and groovy way!
Image
I agree, lol.. And have a very "Brady" day :thumb: ...

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GetUrban
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Re: HDR

Post by GetUrban »

NEDodger wrote:
GetUrban wrote:If they have to tear down any existing buildings, please let it be the State Office Building. We shouldn't have to give up such a prime site at the head of the GLM just for HDR. I agree the library building is worth keeping as an example of the era it was built, whether it is re-purposed or stays a public library. Why not fill-in surface lot sites downtown first?
I 100% completely agree about the State Office Building. My hope was/is that that's an easier one to get done as Kiewit is pulling out of it so I assume it's now ~half empty. I just don't know how cooperative the state is on having its offices moved.

I'm not as taken with the downtown library. There's been chatter ever since Crossroads 2.0 was announced that it was going to get the boot. If it ends up being a cornerstone of the Civic site, so be it.

What surface lots are available for this? OPAS's is obviously out. 10th and Harney is apparently spoken for by some movers and shakers. 20th and Dodge I believe belongs to Central High School. 21st and Douglas?
Just for discussion....Here are some other possible surface lot or underutilized sites (highlighted red). Some are too small, unless they build up higher on top of their parking. Some are spoken for.
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Re: HDR

Post by MTO »

My dream would be the state building but I'd take the library before west o even if it changes the cliche shot. Heck move the state workers into the library they're federal employees they work whoever they're told to.
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Re: HDR

Post by Spatial77 »

As much as I dislike the SOB, at least it is an occupied building that is being used, and not a surface parking lot. I would rather see a surface parking lot developed. What strikes me most from GetUrban's photo is the amount of empty space in the Conagra campus, not only surface parking lots, but all the suburban type lawn space. This is where future development needs to happen. I hope the City of Omaha takes this opportunity to do something significant with this area.

Maybe City Hall can contract out a study on what to do in this area. I hear HDR is very good at these kind of things (sarcasm intended) :roll: !
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Re: HDR

Post by jomfa »

RNcyanide wrote:
Guest wrote:You haven't heard that Methodist wants the HDR land? That has to be one of the worst kept secrets in town. I hadn't heard that it would be a patient tower but that makes sense. They already own several parcels west of HDR on the south side of West Dodge Road between 84th and 90th.
I know they're interested in the office itself because they are short on administrative space, and their current medical office building is a dump, but I'm not sure they'd be willing to rent it from someone else. I think that's why Children's decided to build their offices on Cass.
Methodist isn't interested in the HDR office building
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Re: HDR

Post by Joe_Sovereign »

I don't think HDR is going to build there but maybe the two easiest blocks in Omaha to build on would be the lowrise city parking garage on 10th and Jackson. The city would clear the site and sell it to you for a $1 if you were to build something sizeable. The second one is the block with the Chamber of Commerce building on it, the City owned parking garage, and the weird statue. The City would have to replace the parking for the state office workers but the chamber has out grown their building and 1/4 of the block is literally a space holder for future development.
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Re: HDR

Post by daveoma »

Joe_Sovereign wrote:I don't think HDR is going to build there but maybe the two easiest blocks in Omaha to build on would be the lowrise city parking garage on 10th and Jackson. The city would clear the site and sell it to you for a $1 if you were to build something sizeable. The second one is the block with the Chamber of Commerce building on it, the City owned parking garage, and the weird statue. The City would have to replace the parking for the state office workers but the chamber has out grown their building and 1/4 of the block is literally a space holder for future development.
I think the chamber of commerce building would be a GREAT place for redevelopment. It's in the old market and close to Holland and the Orpheum.
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Re: HDR

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

For a company that supposedly has a strict and specific timeframe to be gone from their current location, it's curious to me that we've heard nothing in the past 30 days since HDR pulled the plug on their plan downtown on April 7th. I would have thought we'd have heard something by now. It could all be a BS corporate smoke screen..

It wouldn't be the first time the public was mislead. And wouldn't be the last...

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GetUrban
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Re: HDR

Post by GetUrban »

Omaha Cowboy wrote:For a company that supposedly has a strict and specific timeframe to be gone from their current location, it's curious to me that we've heard nothing in the past 30 days since HDR pulled the plug on their plan downtown on April 7th. I would have thought we'd have heard something by now. It could all be a BS corporate smoke screen..

It wouldn't be the first time the public was mislead. And wouldn't be the last...

Ciao..LiO...Peace
The pending expiration of their lease, while likely real, could be extended with paperwork and a few signatures. I believe the Durham estate still owns the buildings that HDR leases, so it seems an extension wouldn't be impossible, unless the buildings were already sold or leased out after 2019. It appears the strict deadline was just used as leverage to get what they wanted quickly.
He said "They are some big, ugly red brick buildings"
...and then they were gone.
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Re: HDR

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

GetUrban wrote:
Omaha Cowboy wrote:For a company that supposedly has a strict and specific timeframe to be gone from their current location, it's curious to me that we've heard nothing in the past 30 days since HDR pulled the plug on their plan downtown on April 7th. I would have thought we'd have heard something by now. It could all be a BS corporate smoke screen..

It wouldn't be the first time the public was mislead. And wouldn't be the last...

Ciao..LiO...Peace
The pending expiration of their lease, while likely real, could be extended with paperwork and a few signatures. I believe the Durham estate still owns the buildings that HDR leases, so it seems an extension wouldn't be impossible, unless the buildings were already sold or leased out after 2019. It appears the strict deadline was just used as leverage to get what they wanted quickly.
That could be a likely scenario.. And if so, we may not hear for months where HDR will locate their new "Omaha HQ's".. Thus far, through process of elimination, we know it won't be Boystown as many thought..

At present, I'll just kick back, keep popping popcorn, and be amused at the entire situation.. While keeping the faintest of hope that downtown might still be in their wheelhouse :;): ...

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Re: HDR

Post by choke »

Omaha Cowboy wrote:
GetUrban wrote:
Omaha Cowboy wrote:For a company that supposedly has a strict and specific timeframe to be gone from their current location, it's curious to me that we've heard nothing in the past 30 days since HDR pulled the plug on their plan downtown on April 7th. I would have thought we'd have heard something by now. It could all be a BS corporate smoke screen..

It wouldn't be the first time the public was mislead. And wouldn't be the last...

Ciao..LiO...Peace
The pending expiration of their lease, while likely real, could be extended with paperwork and a few signatures. I believe the Durham estate still owns the buildings that HDR leases, so it seems an extension wouldn't be impossible, unless the buildings were already sold or leased out after 2019. It appears the strict deadline was just used as leverage to get what they wanted quickly.
That could be a likely scenario.. And if so, we may not hear for months where HDR will locate their new "Omaha HQ's".. Thus far, through process of elimination, we know it won't be Boystown as many thought..

At present, I'll just kick back, keep popping popcorn, and be amused at the entire situation.. While keeping the faintest of hope that downtown might still be in their wheelhouse :;): ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace
There was great reaction when HDR announced it was no longer going to build off of Dodge. So much so that the CEO wrote a piece in the World-Herald explaining their decision. I wonder if HDR is taking a step back and reconsidering another site downtown because of the expressed disappointment by so many people regarding their initial decision?
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Re: HDR

Post by GetUrban »

As much as I want to see them relocate downtown, there is always a risk that they'll come in too heavy-handed and cause something worth keeping to be torn down or maybe they'll propose closing off more of the downtown street grid like they've done on past projects they've been involved with. I feel like Omaha tends to give away too much to lure firms downtown. But I'm still hopeful they'll go downtown and create something that will help rebuild the density and vitality downtown Omaha once had.
He said "They are some big, ugly red brick buildings"
...and then they were gone.
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Re: HDR

Post by Guest »

Not sure why it is concluded that the Applied Underwriters Boys Town property is out. The articles have clearly stated that the preliminary plans include room for TWO corporate campuses. One is presumably AU but the other could be HDR.

The shame of this fiasco is that the urbanistas cost Downtown Omaha a major, once in a couple of decade redevelopment opportunity. The whole reason Omaha could not have HDR downtown and a significant expansion of the OPAS was to save not even a building downtown but rather the front façade of a building downtown. All of the jobs and all of the spinoff development were lost over an exterior façade on one building. I only hope in a 100 years that GetUrban and his brethren care as much about the vinyl siding on the front of my house.
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Re: HDR

Post by Erik »

Guest wrote:Not sure why it is concluded that the Applied Underwriters Boys Town property is out. The articles have clearly stated that the preliminary plans include room for TWO corporate campuses. One is presumably AU but the other could be HDR.

The shame of this fiasco is that the urbanistas cost Downtown Omaha a major, once in a couple of decade redevelopment opportunity. The whole reason Omaha could not have HDR downtown and a significant expansion of the OPAS was to save not even a building downtown but rather the front façade of a building downtown. All of the jobs and all of the spinoff development were lost over an exterior façade on one building. I only hope in a 100 years that GetUrban and his brethren care as much about the vinyl siding on the front of my house.
A 14 story building is a once in a couple of decades opportunity?
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Re: HDR

Post by RNcyanide »

Erik wrote:
Guest wrote:Not sure why it is concluded that the Applied Underwriters Boys Town property is out. The articles have clearly stated that the preliminary plans include room for TWO corporate campuses. One is presumably AU but the other could be HDR.

The shame of this fiasco is that the urbanistas cost Downtown Omaha a major, once in a couple of decade redevelopment opportunity. The whole reason Omaha could not have HDR downtown and a significant expansion of the OPAS was to save not even a building downtown but rather the front façade of a building downtown. All of the jobs and all of the spinoff development were lost over an exterior façade on one building. I only hope in a 100 years that GetUrban and his brethren care as much about the vinyl siding on the front of my house.
A 14 story building is a once in a couple of decades opportunity?
Not only that but considering that what they wanted to replace said historic 'facade' with was a freaking parking garage with nothing else on street level, with a parking garage directly across the street. ConAgra's departure after the destruction of Jobber's Canyon added further salt to the wound. I'm happy the buildings were saved. There so many beautiful examples of historic buildings being incorporated into modern urban projects, and that was just too hard for HDR/OPAS.
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Re: HDR

Post by RNcyanide »

I had already lost faith in the project when they revealed the lack of intuitive parking integration anyway.
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Re: HDR

Post by Guest »

Given how much most forumers here still want HDR downtown, it must be a significant opportunity. My goodness, only on this forum could a 1,000+ very high paying jobs be viewed as "whatever". Most of you guys will look good in Des Moines's rearview mirror in 20 years after they surpass Omaha.
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Re: HDR

Post by omahahawk »

Gotta say I would be as shocked if anybody if they ended up going downtown. But don't you have to think at this point they would have simply pulled plan B from the drawer and gone public with it. We can only hope there are some sincere good faith negotiations going on from all sides for downtown. If this is the case I would much rather have everything kept off the public record and have it done right, hopefully with them ending up downtown or at least where their presence will do some good for the city core.
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Re: HDR

Post by RNcyanide »

Guest wrote:Given how much most forumers here still want HDR downtown, it must be a significant opportunity. My goodness, only on this forum could a 1,000+ very high paying jobs be viewed as "whatever". Most of you guys will look good in Des Moines's rearview mirror in 20 years after they surpass Omaha.
If you haven't been here long, I'll point out that people here, myself included, have rather lofty expectations of things. When it comes to urban design and planning, a lot of the things we'd like to see are a little much for the midwest in general. HDR's new digs was no exception from this criticism. 1,000 jobs downtown would have been beyond perfect, but they and OPAS and the city went about it in the most ham-fisted way possible. All three doomed themselves from the very beginning, and that's why people like myself had no faith in this project.
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Re: HDR

Post by BRoss »

Guest wrote:Given how much most forumers here still want HDR downtown, it must be a significant opportunity. My goodness, only on this forum could a 1,000+ very high paying jobs be viewed as "whatever". Most of you guys will look good in Des Moines's rearview mirror in 20 years after they surpass Omaha.
I don't get why people keep trying to compare Omaha with DSM. While they have a lot going on at the moment and are a pretty hip city in our region, they are not quite on the same level of us and would have to stick at their current pace for a couple hundred years to catch up. Yes their skyline is better, but as others have said that doesn't really mean much.
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Re: HDR

Post by daveoma »

Guest wrote:Not sure why it is concluded that the Applied Underwriters Boys Town property is out. The articles have clearly stated that the preliminary plans include room for TWO corporate campuses. One is presumably AU but the other could be HDR.

The shame of this fiasco is that the urbanistas cost Downtown Omaha a major, once in a couple of decade redevelopment opportunity. The whole reason Omaha could not have HDR downtown and a significant expansion of the OPAS was to save not even a building downtown but rather the front façade of a building downtown. All of the jobs and all of the spinoff development were lost over an exterior façade on one building. I only hope in a 100 years that GetUrban and his brethren care as much about the vinyl siding on the front of my house.
There were plenty of options discussed in this forum about utilizing the existing structures in a way that satisfied their parking needs without requiring their destruction. If OPAS did not consider any proposal to include buildings that are highly regarded by the community, then they have only themselves to blame. Furthermore, OPAS themselves said that the issue of the buildings became a distraction. Then (as we all know) it came out that the buildings weren't the issue after all, rather it was parking.

In addition, comparing an old rare building facade to the vinyl on the front of your house is like comparing a bristle cone pine to a common maple tree. It's an inaccurate and misleading comparison.
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Re: HDR

Post by Guest »

This most certainly looks like a once a couple decade opportunity for downtown. Who here thinks another HQ will be looking at moving there? With current options like MTC and AV, and the future development west of UNMC and at boystown, downtown becomes the higher cost option with the parking and commuting problems that come with it. It's funny how those on this blog who push for urban growth are the ones who have given this project "good riddance" when it's this type of project that advances their vision of what they want Omaha to be.
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Re: HDR

Post by RNcyanide »

Was it essentially what we wanted? You bet! But at the cost and the power play between the three parties, what we were getting for it wasn't worth it.
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Re: HDR

Post by guest2 »

HR Paperstacks wrote:
Guest wrote:Given how much most forumers here still want HDR downtown, it must be a significant opportunity. My goodness, only on this forum could a 1,000+ very high paying jobs be viewed as "whatever". Most of you guys will look good in Des Moines's rearview mirror in 20 years after they surpass Omaha.
I don't get why people keep trying to compare Omaha with DSM. While they have a lot going on at the moment and are a pretty hip city in our region, they are not quite on the same level of us and would have to stick at their current pace for a couple hundred years to catch up. Yes their skyline is better, but as others have said that doesn't really mean much.

I've seen plenty of good downtown Omaha skyline pictures but none of Des Moines. I have driven through Des Moines plenty of times but can't say I recall what downtown Des Moines looks like. Does anyone have the "money shot" pic of the downtown Des Moines skyline to compare? And yes, I think that would be accurate about Des Moines catching up to Omaha. Omaha is still growing at a pretty good clip itself and has a lot going for it.
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Re: HDR

Post by RNcyanide »

guest2 wrote:
HR Paperstacks wrote:
Guest wrote:Given how much most forumers here still want HDR downtown, it must be a significant opportunity. My goodness, only on this forum could a 1,000+ very high paying jobs be viewed as "whatever". Most of you guys will look good in Des Moines's rearview mirror in 20 years after they surpass Omaha.
I don't get why people keep trying to compare Omaha with DSM. While they have a lot going on at the moment and are a pretty hip city in our region, they are not quite on the same level of us and would have to stick at their current pace for a couple hundred years to catch up. Yes their skyline is better, but as others have said that doesn't really mean much.

I've seen plenty of good downtown Omaha skyline pictures but none of Des Moines. I have driven through Des Moines plenty of times but can't say I recall what downtown Des Moines looks like. Does anyone have the "money shot" pic of the downtown Des Moines skyline to compare? And yes, I think that would be accurate about Des Moines catching up to Omaha. Omaha is still growing at a pretty good clip itself and has a lot going for it.
If the parking perception problem and the caliber of projects proposed downtown don't pick up, they very well could pass us soon.
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Re: HDR

Post by MTO »

I'd think DSM surpassing Omaha downtown wise would be a good thing. I think it would light a fire under Omaha's |expletive|. Omaha doesn't really have a chip on its shoulder like DSM. Our bigger completion is KC and we know we can't play in that league so we shrug in complacency.
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Re: HDR

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

HR Paperstacks wrote:
Guest wrote:Given how much most forumers here still want HDR downtown, it must be a significant opportunity. My goodness, only on this forum could a 1,000+ very high paying jobs be viewed as "whatever". Most of you guys will look good in Des Moines's rearview mirror in 20 years after they surpass Omaha.
I don't get why people keep trying to compare Omaha with DSM. While they have a lot going on at the moment and are a pretty hip city in our region, they are not quite on the same level of us and would have to stick at their current pace for a couple hundred years to catch up. Yes their skyline is better, but as others have said that doesn't really mean much.
Your skyline point is very debatable, but on balance, I agree with the body of your post Paperstacks...

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Re: HDR

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

choke wrote:
Omaha Cowboy wrote:
GetUrban wrote:
Omaha Cowboy wrote:For a company that supposedly has a strict and specific timeframe to be gone from their current location, it's curious to me that we've heard nothing in the past 30 days since HDR pulled the plug on their plan downtown on April 7th. I would have thought we'd have heard something by now. It could all be a BS corporate smoke screen..

It wouldn't be the first time the public was mislead. And wouldn't be the last...

Ciao..LiO...Peace
The pending expiration of their lease, while likely real, could be extended with paperwork and a few signatures. I believe the Durham estate still owns the buildings that HDR leases, so it seems an extension wouldn't be impossible, unless the buildings were already sold or leased out after 2019. It appears the strict deadline was just used as leverage to get what they wanted quickly.
That could be a likely scenario.. And if so, we may not hear for months where HDR will locate their new "Omaha HQ's".. Thus far, through process of elimination, we know it won't be Boystown as many thought..

At present, I'll just kick back, keep popping popcorn, and be amused at the entire situation.. While keeping the faintest of hope that downtown might still be in their wheelhouse :;): ...

Ciao..LiO...Peace
There was great reaction when HDR announced it was no longer going to build off of Dodge. So much so that the CEO wrote a piece in the World-Herald explaining their decision. I wonder if HDR is taking a step back and reconsidering another site downtown because of the expressed disappointment by so many people regarding their initial decision?
Back to the topic of discussion-

I agree that I'd really like to see HDR keep downtown in play and locate there.. GetUrban's point about the city seeming to give up "too much" to attract HQ's downtown is well taken. In the end, it's about balance. Omaha preserving its core past, while sustaining and growing a vibrant urban core. HDR building downtown would contribute to that vibrancy, regardless of the type of HQ's building it becomes.. The vision has been for Omaha to create a sustainable, vibrant, walkable and "24 hour" downtown.. The combination of business and residential makes it possible. I've always subscribed to the belief that a stronger downtown core (business/residential/entertainment) makes for a stronger overall Omaha metro. HDR locating in a suburban office park setting out west while still great for Omaha, contributes less to the strength of the metro as a whole.. In my humble Cowboy opinion :) ...

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Re: HDR

Post by Globochem »

So the guy that thinks the vinyl siding on his house house tucked away in a suburban cul-de-sac has the same historic significance as a three story hand crafted 120 year old iron facade listed as a local landmark and sits on downtown Omaha's most trafficked thoroughfare are the same thing. Ok. Take it all down for "progress", right? City's gotta move "forward".
Yet somehow forgotten in this mess is the fact that the city was preparing a $15 million bond issue to tear down buildings ADJACENT to the proposed HDR headquarters so that OPAS (already a massively well endowed organization) could someday, somehow possibly add something. Who knows what. No plans. No drawings. No budget. Just something, we, the public stuck with the $15 million bond payback for a pile of bricks, are supposed to cheer. Ok. Take it all down for "progress", no matter what the costs. No matter the location.
Let's not forget the city was prepared to give $22 million in TIF to advance the project. No matter what.
And yet in the deal that HDR announced with OPAS never changed. A building with HDR as a 50 year tenant built for $100 million. The parking lot for $3 million. And George Little says that 100 parking stalls killed the deal. 100 parking stalls. How does that make sense?
So after the city was prepared to offer up to $35 million to encourage a $3 billion a year company to move into a 14 story building downtown, HDR balks. Why? 100 parking stalls? What other development offers $35 million in savings? Where? This whole deal stinks to high heaven even if don't get to extinguish more of our ever dwindling catalogue of historic places. But that's ok. We'll have plenty of 100 year old vinyl siding and plenty of parking.
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Re: HDR

Post by TitosBuritoBarn »

The argument that no other companies will want to move downtown because it's too expensive is similar to Yogi Berra's "nobody goes there anymore. Its too crowded." There's a reason why it's expensive. I am confident other companies will express interest downtown. Urban work spaces are trendy right now across the country.

Des Moines has the same problems we do; transit is so-so, though probably a little better, and people love their cars. They also lack a substantial after-5 district. They have a fair amount of work to do.
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Re: HDR

Post by Guest »

Globochem, forget about the vinyl siding. You're missing the point. A fantastic development opportunity fell through not because of a building where a historic event happened or because the building itself was historic (sorry, it is like many other old buildings of which some have come and gone) the only difference is the front exterior façade of this building was unique. That's it, nothing more. We bungled a 9 figure development that would have put a major employer with high paying jobs in the very vibrant core the hipsters claim they want to improve because the exterior façade of one building was too significant to lose. Talk about throwing the baby out with the bath water...

Forget DSM. Fill in any other peer city. It isn't a DSM-Omaha thing. They are just the closest to us. Frankly, Lincoln is as big of a threat. They already have Omaha beat on an arena entertainment district.
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Re: HDR

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

Guest wrote:Globochem, forget about the vinyl siding. You're missing the point. A fantastic development opportunity fell through not because of a building where a historic event happened or because the building itself was historic (sorry, it is like many other old buildings of which some have come and gone) the only difference is the front exterior façade of this building was unique. That's it, nothing more.

Forget DSM. Fill in any other peer city. It isn't a DSM-Omaha thing. They are just the closest to us. Frankly, Lincoln is as big of a threat. They already have Omaha beat on an arena entertainment district.
Lincoln a threat? That's an interesting perspective. As these 2 metros grow closer together, I'd say what is good for Lincoln is good for Omaha and vise versa.. Let's not forget the Capitol District project currently under construction DT and the slowly but surely growing scene of north downtown. Omaha is doing just fine in this regard- following the plan of adding sustainable residential/entertainment options into the mix to create a more vibrant downtown.. The missing link, is striking out on big local businesses who pledge to build downtown, then pull out for whatever reason. That component is critical in this triumvirate..

Like I've previously stated, I keep my hope alive that HDR is still keeping downtown Omaha in their wheelhouse for a DT HQ.. Time will tell...

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GetUrban
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Re: HDR

Post by GetUrban »

Wow, I leave town for a few hours and all h3ll breaks loose. Anyway, others have done a great job, probably better than I could have, advancing the cause for good urban design that embraces our past and takes it to new higher levels in the future. I don't think you can realistically say that a single facade of one historic building across the street is what kept a major architectural/engineering firm from finding a solution of how to build their new building on their selected site. The fight was to save not only the Specht, but the Alvine, and the Happy Hollow Coffee buildings and their little piece of history. Landmark designations in Omaha have not proven to be an effective means to prevent destruction. Public outcry is much more effective. (Not cry babies MTO :lol: ) Where are HDR's drawings showing it was impossible to provide adjacent expansion for the Holland, parking within a reasonable distance of the venue, functional amenities meeting the needs of HDR, OPAS, the public, and keeping the historic buildings remaining intact. Did they even try? The CEO said it came down to 100 valet parking stalls, added costs, and time constraints. HDR was in the driver seat, but ran the project into a ditch. I agree the ConAgra HQ departure earlier in the year rubbed salt and opened up the scar tissue covering the 1.7 million square foot Jobbers Canyon wound and activated the historic preservation community. Can you imagine if we still had those buildings? There would likely be 2000 people living and working in that historic district now....maybe with ConAgra HQ still in a few of them, or at least in a campus east of JC. We need to find solutions that let us keep our history intact and add to it.

As for guest's vinyl siding, I suggest it should be replaced with wood. Maybe the next hail storm will take care of it for you. In 100 years maybe someone will want to save it.
He said "They are some big, ugly red brick buildings"
...and then they were gone.
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Re: HDR

Post by Omaha Cowboy »

GetUrban wrote:The CEO said it came down to 100 valet parking stalls, added costs, and time constraints. HDR was in the driver seat, but ran the project into a ditch. I agree the ConAgra HQ departure earlier in the year rubbed salt and opened up the scar tissue covering the 1.7 million square foot Jobbers Canyon wound and activated the historic preservation community. Can you imagine if we still had those buildings? There would likely be 2000 people living and working in that historic district now....maybe with ConAgra HQ still in a few of them, or at least in a campus east of JC. We need to find solutions that let us keep our history intact and add to it.
Way to make me feel even worse. Talk about a cloud-bursting salt rain for about a month straight- directly into a long festering wound (Jobbers Canyon) with ConAgra bailing on Omaha for more "talent rich" Chicago, lol..

Kidding aside, I remember, vividly, as a 27 year old man in 1989- watching the demolishion of Jobbers Canyon in person..and how horrible it felt..and the pervasive feeling of what a HUGE mistake it was.. I was lucky to be old enough to walk the corridor of those amazing cluster of abandoned buildings in the 1980's and thinking what potential it had for awesome residential development. Bulldozing Jobbers Canyon, at least in my lifetime, was probably the biggest mistake ever made for Omaha's downtown core.. But like you stated in a previous post, the pervasive attitude at the time was out with the old, and give away as much as needed to keep ConAgra from moving.. Enron yanking their HQ's from Omaha to Houston had the city/state spooked.. And gave Mike Harper the leverage edge he needed to get whatever he wanted from the state of Nebraska.. Hence the now nearly half abandoned campus we see today..

Sigh..

Only the powers that be know the future of HDR's HQ plan. 100 parking stalls and 30 plus days later, we still don't know the real truths of that debacle.. Other than stubbornness, arrogance and bruised egos will ruin the best of the "best laid plans"...

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Re: HDR

Post by MTO »

If only those cry babies were there in 89 but thank god you saved that tiny store front.
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Re: HDR

Post by Guest »

guest2 wrote:
HR Paperstacks wrote:
Guest wrote:Given how much most forumers here still want HDR downtown, it must be a significant opportunity. My goodness, only on this forum could a 1,000+ very high paying jobs be viewed as "whatever". Most of you guys will look good in Des Moines's rearview mirror in 20 years after they surpass Omaha.
I don't get why people keep trying to compare Omaha with DSM. While they have a lot going on at the moment and are a pretty hip city in our region, they are not quite on the same level of us and would have to stick at their current pace for a couple hundred years to catch up. Yes their skyline is better, but as others have said that doesn't really mean much.

I've seen plenty of good downtown Omaha skyline pictures but none of Des Moines. I have driven through Des Moines plenty of times but can't say I recall what downtown Des Moines looks like. Does anyone have the "money shot" pic of the downtown Des Moines skyline to compare? And yes, I think that would be accurate about Des Moines catching up to Omaha. Omaha is still growing at a pretty good clip itself and has a lot going for it.
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GetUrban
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Re: HDR

Post by GetUrban »

MTO wrote:If only those cry babies were there in 89 but thank god you saved that tiny store front.
Oh, many of the same protesters were there. They were just steamrolled by the movers & shakers when they got in the way. On a positive note, now there is a new, even larger crop of like-minded people trying to save what little is left.

When you look at the Specht from a car traveling at 35mph or from an aerial photo it doesn't look like much. But when you're right next to it at street level, it really looks very substantial at a human scale. Definitely worth saving...
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Last edited by GetUrban on Sun May 08, 2016 6:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
He said "They are some big, ugly red brick buildings"
...and then they were gone.
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Re: HDR

Post by daveoma »

Guest wrote:Globochem, forget about the vinyl siding. You're missing the point. A fantastic development opportunity fell through not because of a building where a historic event happened or because the building itself was historic (sorry, it is like many other old buildings of which some have come and gone) the only difference is the front exterior façade of this building was unique. That's it, nothing more. We bungled a 9 figure development that would have put a major employer with high paying jobs in the very vibrant core the hipsters claim they want to improve because the exterior façade of one building was too significant to lose. Talk about throwing the baby out with the bath water...

Forget DSM. Fill in any other peer city. It isn't a DSM-Omaha thing. They are just the closest to us. Frankly, Lincoln is as big of a threat. They already have Omaha beat on an arena entertainment district.
I give up.
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