Omaha Forums

Just a quick comment on the would have been WST.  Sitting in our third base line seats last night at TD really underscored how glad I am that the scaled down WST never got built.  That view really is better without it.  I was originally hoping they would at least put something there but now I am glad the compromise never worked out.  I hope the city waits for something worthy of that space.

if this is ever going to get filled and made into a park, now would be the time.  It would be ideal if this could at the very least get filled, if not opened as  parkland by the CWS.  

While on the topic of big holes in the ground, I'm wondering why there hasn't been the same sort of uproar about the hole at 12th and Jackson, where that hotel was supposed to go.  That one is even more of an eyesore, as its right in the old market, where there's tons of pedestrian traffic.  

It would be nice if the city could grow some cojones, issue code violations, and make the owners/developers of these sites clean their acts up.  If you're not going to build something, at least don't make it look like a dump.

I propose new CVS pharmacies at both those locations. There are never enough CVS pharmacies. Preferably with a whole bunch of surface parking. I hate having to drive around looking for a place to park.

Fromaha wrote:I propose new CVS pharmacies at both those locations. There are never enough CVS pharmacies. Preferably with a whole bunch of surface parking. I hate having to drive around looking for a place to park.

There would have to be an existing landmark for CVS to tear down.

nebport5 wrote:

Fromaha wrote:I propose new CVS pharmacies at both those locations. There are never enough CVS pharmacies. Preferably with a whole bunch of surface parking. I hate having to drive around looking for a place to park.

There would have to be an existing landmark for CVS to tear down.

Yeah.  Like the "landmarks" big bad Creighton tore down on Cuming.

joeglow wrote:

nebport5 wrote:

Fromaha wrote:I propose new CVS pharmacies at both those locations. There are never enough CVS pharmacies. Preferably with a whole bunch of surface parking. I hate having to drive around looking for a place to park.

There would have to be an existing landmark for CVS to tear down.

Yeah.  Like the "landmarks" big bad Creighton tore down on Cuming.

The Aero Rooms was the future home of my brothel, thank you very much.
Now what am I supposed to do with my life?

justnick wrote:The Aero Rooms was the future home of my brothel, thank you very much.
Now what am I supposed to do with my life?

You and I may have completely different tastes, but I do like some of your business ideas.  :)

justnick wrote:

joeglow wrote:

nebport5 wrote:

Fromaha wrote:I propose new CVS pharmacies at both those locations. There are never enough CVS pharmacies. Preferably with a whole bunch of surface parking. I hate having to drive around looking for a place to park.

There would have to be an existing landmark for CVS to tear down.

Yeah.  Like the "landmarks" big bad Creighton tore down on Cuming.

The Aero Rooms was the future home of my brothel, thank you very much.
Now what am I supposed to do with my life?

You could always make a new thread for it in the projects never built.

Finally!

http://www.omaha.com/article/20110521/N ... get-filled

OWH Jeffrey Robb wrote:According to the City of Omaha, the work is due to finish by June 15. The series starts June 18 and runs through June 28 or 29.
Jason Townsend of Kansas City developer Townsend Inc. said the work has been delayed by rainy weather. After the site dries enough for workers to start, the work will take two weeks to finish, he said.

Good, now they con focus their attention to FIXING THE LIGHTS ON THE PED BRIDGE!

Oooo, I know!  How about putting up a pretty fence around the lawn as a place holder until there's a market for development.  On second thought there's already nowhere to park downtown, so maybe they should just pave over it instead.

Am actually surprised its not a parking lot to help pay for the removal of the old UP.

The first dump trucks just showed up to fill the hole.

I'm amazed Townsend is putting this kind of money into filling a hole when they have drastically cut back on the development plans for the site.  

http://omaha.com/article/20110521/NEWS01/705219842

Since there filling it in now I wonder if they will eventually build he tower or if the city is just going try and take the land back for another devoloper article was rather vague as to what Townsend is going to do with the site once it is filled in

I've got to think it will sit vacant for at least a couple more years.

What a bummer but I guess the vacant grass lot is better then another surface parking lot along Capital

UrbanPlanner wrote:I've got to think it will sit vacant for at least a couple more years.

Judging by the article you cited above, it doesn't indicate Townsend even has a vision for the property anymore, much less the capital to move forward with anything. The city appears to be doing its diligence for the process of getting the land back - however they need to.

FYI, they started filling the hole yesterday.  Several dump truck loads of fill were brought in before the rain started.

UrbanPlanner wrote:The first dump trucks just showed up to fill the hole.

I'm amazed Townsend is putting this kind of money into filling a hole when they have drastically cut back on the development plans for the site.  

http://omaha.com/article/20110521/NEWS01/705219842

They have no choice. What Townsend currently has is an eyesore and a hazard.  If Townsend didn't do it, then the city would do it and file liens on the property.

The hole is being filled nicely. I know this picture doesn't provide too much perspective, but I would estimate the site needs 1-3 more feet of dirt throughout.

They probably could have left it empty and it would have filled next week with ground water and we would have had another lake downtown

That is nice and all but I want to know who is driving the red truck that is parked on the yellow line!

barricades / fencing are down.  Grading is up to street level.  Still a dirt top though.  I'd assume they'll be showing up with sod in the next couple of days.

Ben wrote:barricades / fencing are down.  Grading is up to street level.  Still a dirt top though.  I'd assume they'll be showing up with sod in the next couple of days.

You would be wrong.  Hay and seed.

HskrFanMike wrote:

Ben wrote:barricades / fencing are down.  Grading is up to street level.  Still a dirt top though.  I'd assume they'll be showing up with sod in the next couple of days.

You would be wrong.  Hay and seed.

Guess I was wrong....  Not sure how they're getting away with this though, as I'm fairly sure that the mandate from the city was "park-like" conditions by the CWS (not sure where I read this, but I remember seeing it somewhere), and unless they've got some crazy miracle-grow working, its certainly not going to look park-like by Friday.

And after closer inspection yesterday, I realized I don't see any seed.  Just hay.

That lot is still incredibly embarrassing for the city.

iamjacobm wrote:That lot is still incredibly embarrassing for the city.

Yeah, but luckily not as embarrassing for visitors who don't know the entire tortured story.

On a sidebar, Chicago is getting their credit-crunch projects cleaned up: http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com ... tower.html

The "Chicago Spire" is still the "Chicago Hole" though.  I wonder what will ever happen to it.

Looked up a lot of the "Townsend Team" on LinkedIn last night.  One of them says he's out of work, a few more don't list Townsend as their employer, and a couple others list Townsend but their page seems to be dated.

I hadn't been down by this eyesore in a while. I guess the whole "park like" expectation has gone by the wayside. It appears that the city has given up on that idea. I couldn't believe how terrible it looked. Just a muddy weed covered mess. About the only thing it would be good for at this point would be a tractor pull. Woo hoo!

I don't think the city has given up...the problem is that the property is owned by Townsend and they have rights as well.  That being said, there probably are some basic maintenance issues that are violations of city ordinance that the city could likely go after them with.  No sidewalks, some weeks now getting high, plus the erosion onto city streets whenever it rains.

This property is in direct view of a lot of important people, so I really doubt that the city has given up, even if Townsend seems to have.

Two "For Sale" signs were just installed by NP Dodge on the former UP property.

HskrFanMike wrote:Two "For Sale" signs were just installed by NP Dodge on the former UP property.

I wonder how many people buy entire city blocks that they learn about from a sign on location?

WallStreet Tower site for sale

http://www.omaha.com/article/20111019/N ... e-for-sale

The best part of the story - "The developer owns the property free and clear and now can sell it as it sees fit. The city's development agreement with Townsend lacked any provision reverting ownership back to the city if the development didn't happen."

At least the article said there was a local group interested.

iamjacobm wrote:

HskrFanMike wrote:Two "For Sale" signs were just installed by NP Dodge on the former UP property.

I wonder how many people buy entire city blocks that they learn about from a sign on location?

Steve Minard has recognized this as a challenge and has accepted.

Fromaha wrote:WallStreet Tower site for sale

http://www.omaha.com/article/20111019/N ... e-for-sale

The best part of the story - "The developer owns the property free and clear and now can sell it as it sees fit. The city's development agreement with Townsend lacked any provision reverting ownership back to the city if the development didn't happen."

Brilliant. Don't think for one second Townsend didn't have an acquisition expert working this deal from the start. Well played.

Townsend - 1
City of Omaha - 0

What exactly does it mean for a partner developer?  Does this mean the same project or a new one would be drawn up?

Maybe Two towers....? Either that or a new combined tower is what I could see.

city11 wrote:What exactly does it mean for a partner developer?

$$$$$