Larson Building- 10 Story Tower

edsas · Post by **edsas** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 5:46 pm

Height restrictions for DT Lincoln theoretically allow room for a 25 story building. Â If what gets built on this site is anything less than 18 stories I will be deeply disappointed. The idea as stated by city officials was to make an impact on the skyline. Â Anything shorter than 200 feet isn't going to cut it.

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 6:11 pm

If I were Lincoln... I'd go with the Lincoln proposal.

Lincoln Synergy Group’s proposal showed what looked like a building about 20 stories high and another of about 10 stories.

edsas · Post by **edsas** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 6:23 pm

I'd go with that one, too.

I tried to google "Lincoln synergy group" to see if I could find some renderings, but nothing comes up. Would've been nice if the LJS had them in there for us. Â :?

Post by **Coyote** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 2:15 pm

City officials discuss downtown developments

Daily Nebraskan wrote:Since the demolition of the Starship 9 theater on 13th and Q streets - which had been popular among some University of Nebraska-Lincoln students for its low-priced movie screenings - city officials and community representatives have been laboring to implement the steps necessary to construct its replacement: something they've dubbed the "Catalyst One Project."

Last week, three groups submitted separate proposals documenting their visions for how four blocks of downtown Lincoln - and the city's burgeoning skyline - should look in the years to come. The specific details regarding each application are being kept under relatively tight wraps, but the identities of each submitter have been made public: Missouri hotel developer John Q. Hammons, Omaha development company Dial Realty Corp. and Lincoln Synergy Group LLC.

The design submitted by Dial Realty Corp. proposes an approximately 185-foot tower and 40-foot "liner building" that would complement the overall structure. Â Bob Welstead, the president of Dial Realty Corp., said the 13-story structure would house a seven-floor 600-stall parking garage, a sports bar, a food court, street-level retail, office space, some condominiums and a hotel.

Under Nebraska's Community Development Law, the first step needed to redevelop an area is a city declaration that an area is blighted, substandard and in need of redevelopment. The City Council declared the downtown area as blighted in 1984 and reaffirmed that finding in 1987. Since then, the city has seen the development of the Downtown Master Plan and groups such as the 2015 Vision Group - all designed to kick-start the redesign of the city. McGee said he saw the "Catalyst One Project" as an essential part to downtown's future.

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 8:55 pm

I'm not very impressed with this rendering or the heighth. Â It we can allow for a 275 foot building, then why the heck wouldn't we build it that tall?! Â I can't wait to see the other proposals, I hope they are a bit more impressive.

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Sat Mar 24, 2007 9:26 pm

I'm holding out for the Lincoln Synergy proposal.

edsas · Post by **edsas** » Sun Mar 25, 2007 1:03 pm

Stargazer wrote:I'm holding out for the Lincoln Synergy proposal.

Me, too.

Destroying the Starship for what's pictured above would be an absolute travesty. Bump the height up by 6 to 10 stories, then I can live with it.

edsas · Post by **edsas** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 2:50 am

Synergy's proposal is WOW!

http://journalstar.com/news/local/doc46 ... 422267.txt

Their plans call for two towers! Â First, a 22 story tower on the Starship site that would be close to Lincoln's 275-foot height limit. The second tower would be built across the street next to The Nebraska Bookstore and would replace the Wendy's that sits there. It would be a 14 story retirement complex for UNL faculty. Â Essentially a midrise full of old professors. Kind of cool. Â

The total cost of their proposal is around $175 million.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 7:04 am

What's the guarantee that retirees would want to live there? Why doesn't FNC build a twin across the street for all of it's retirees then?

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:57 am

See the trend emerging here? one proposal has -600- parking stalls... the Synergy one has an eye popping -1400- parking stalls.

These are all apparently nothing more than parking lots for football fans... disguised as residential/office buildings. :roll:

Whale Shark · Post by **Whale Shark** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 9:54 am

IF this becomes reality, then a huge congrats to Lincoln. Â Regardless if your from Omaha or Lincoln, the metro should be thrilled to see a project of this caliber proposed. Â With the Antelope Valley project, Lincoln just might be turning the corner in terms of progressive development and growth.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 10:47 am

The synergy project would be phenomenal for downtown Lincoln. Â I hope it happens!!!

And, edsa, the retirement tower would be 18 stories, not 14!!!! Â (maybe it was a typo), and thanks for posting the link.

Although, the "post a comment" feature that the LJS still employs reminded me of the uninformed, ignorant viewpoints that used to prevail at the OWH site when they had that feature.

CapitalGuy · Post by **CapitalGuy** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 11:14 am

What's the guarantee that retirees would want to live there? Why doesn't FNC build a twin across the street for all of it's retirees then?

Seriously, if this project was proposed in Omaha, you'd have wet your pants. Because is it in Lincoln you jump straight to the viability?

You must not have read the article, people want to retire near a university because it is a youthful environment that has a plethora of activities relating to sports and theater/music. Seriously, the FNC example. People retire to get away from work. Why would they want to go back to living near it? It isn't a difficult concept.

Also, and this will make you giddy in your petty insecurity regarding Lincoln, the project is very early in the proposal stage. Nothing has happened yet, hopefully it materializes but it may not.

Either way it is great for Lincoln and Eastern Nebraska in general.

edsas · Post by **edsas** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 12:32 pm

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:
And, edsa, the retirement tower would be 18 stories, not 14!!!! (maybe it was a typo), and thanks for posting the link.

You're right! Â I misread the article because it stated that there would be 14 floors of apartments. Apparently those floors will sit upon a 4-level parking garage.

22 story and 18 story towers would bulk up Lincoln's skyline nicely. Â

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 5:19 pm

CapitalGuy wrote:
What's the guarantee that retirees would want to live there? Why doesn't FNC build a twin across the street for all of it's retirees then?
Seriously, if this project was proposed in Omaha, you'd have wet your pants. Because is it in Lincoln you jump straight to the viability?

You must not have read the article, people want to retire near a university because it is a youthful environment that has a plethora of activities relating to sports and theater/music. Seriously, the FNC example. People retire to get away from work. Why would they want to go back to living near it? It isn't a difficult concept.

Also, and this will make you giddy in your petty insecurity regarding Lincoln, the project is very early in the proposal stage. Nothing has happened yet, hopefully it materializes but it may not.

Either way it is great for Lincoln and Eastern Nebraska in general.

I did read the whole article. If they wanted to build a retirement tower DT here I think it would be stupid too. Omaha is beyond having to have a catch to try to get something like that going. If this happens great for Lincoln but I think they are going about selling this to the public the wrong way. Look at the comments on the LJS site. I left one but apparently it didn't get approved.

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Thu Apr 05, 2007 8:04 pm

I can't wait to see the renderings for these two towers! Â This will dramatically change our little skyline.

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 1:31 am

Omaha is beyond having to have a catch to try to get something like that going.

OK. That is ridiculous. Omaha development has plenty of marketing to get projects going.
And, Omaha has plenty of senior-targeted facilities around the city. No, not downtown yet, but maybe that is because Omaha barely had any downtown residential until a couple of years ago and it is still in its incipient stage.

What's the guarantee that retirees would want to live there?

They do market studies for these things just as they did to answer if anyone wanted to live in downtown Omaha a few years ago!

Dfresh · Post by **Dfresh** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 11:06 am

The total cost of their proposal is around $175 million....This will happen....when pigs fly.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 4:48 pm

Finn wrote: . No, not downtown yet, but maybe that is because Omaha barely had any downtown residential until a couple of years ago and it is still in its incipient stage.

How can you say that? Omaha has always had a significant DT residential presence. Take the new residences in the last 2 years and compare the numbers that were around before that and it won't be close to what DT already had. That's a rather uninformed statement. DT living didn't just spring to life with Soma, Beebe & Runyan, or the Paxton.

CapitalGuy · Post by **CapitalGuy** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 5:56 pm

How can you say that? Omaha has always had a significant DT residential presence. Take the new residences in the last 2 years and compare the numbers that were around before that and it won't be close to what DT already had. That's a rather uninformed statement. DT living didn't just spring to life with Soma, Beebe & Runyan, or the Paxton.

Really, DT Omaha never had much of a residential presence, and if you'd like I can direct you to posts made on this very forum by staunch Omaha supporters who acknowledge this fact.

Again, if this was proposed in Omaha, you wouldn't give a damn about public perceptions, but because of your petty insecurity you are looking for any angle to scrutinize this project from. The comments on the website, I have a feeling, are driven by the dissappointment felt by many that the Starship theater had to close for this project. The Starship was a movie theater (yes, they can be found in the downtowns of cities as well as the suburbs) that was popular with college students and young people.

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 6:01 pm

Let's all lighten up... and celebrate exciting new development in downtown Lincoln.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 11:30 am

That was totally cheesy, Jeff, but I agree. Â :D

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 11:31 am

Actually I was serious.

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 4:40 pm

How can you say that? Omaha has always had a significant DT residential presence. Take the new residences in the last 2 years and compare the numbers that were around before that and it won't be close to what DT already had. That's a rather uninformed statement. DT living didn't just spring to life with Soma, Beebe & Runyan, or the Paxton.

Interesting, but I produced a report on downtown Omaha residency and the developers and lenders sure agreed with my uninformed decision.

This is great for Lincoln. A project Omaha would want. I hope it comes to fruition!

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Mon Apr 09, 2007 12:30 am

DTO Luv wrote:
Finn wrote: . No, not downtown yet, but maybe that is because Omaha barely had any downtown residential until a couple of years ago and it is still in its incipient stage.
Omaha has always had a significant DT residential presence. Take the new residences in the last 2 years and compare the numbers that were around before that and it won't be close to what DT already had. DT living didn't just spring to life with Soma, Beebe & Runyan, or the Paxton.

But as a general statement, DTO Luv is correct here..

And, so as to not throw lighter fluid on a (hopefully) doused fire, this is a great proposed project. One that I hope becomes a reality for Lincoln..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

CapitalGuy · Post by **CapitalGuy** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:09 am

Hammons won't build downtown, but committed to developing a hotel-convention center west of the Haymarket

Hammons, who was in Lincoln Thursday to talk with city officials and others involved with the West Haymarket project, said he has too much on his plate right now to develop a hotel on the downtown block bounded by P, Q, 13th and 14th streets.

Hammons said he remains committed to building a hotel and convention center in conjunction with the city’s proposed new arena.

Hammons said he thinks the project could come to fruition in as little as two to three years.

He said he envisions a 15- to 20-story hotel with 350 to 400 rooms and a “nice” convention center. He even has a name picked out, although he declined to say what it is.

Downtown Lincoln is on the move. In the next 5 years or so Lincoln could be seeing three high rises going up.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:22 pm

Stargazer wrote:Actually I was serious.

I know.

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 8:11 pm

I can't wait to see the renderings for this these new buildings! Â Even if you are from omaha or lincoln you have to be excited for the addition of these two new buildings to the someday metro between omaha and lincoln. Â Lincoln is long overdue for a dramatic change in its skyline, I think we can all agree with that. Â The thing that makes me even more happy about this is that Omaha is going to look at Lincoln trying to replicate what they have already achieved, and keep building kick |expletive| skyscrapers to further enhance the Omaha skyline!

CapitalGuy · Post by **CapitalGuy** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 10:29 pm

The really exciting part about the possible developments coming to DT Lincoln in the next 5-10 years is that these possible 3 towers have the possibility of being in the top 5 tallest buildings in Lincoln. Obviously, the Capitol will stay number 1 at 400 foot, but the 22 story Synergy tower will likely be between 250-275 ft. and the Hammonds hotel and the Synergy retirement tower will each likely be between 185-225 ft. So by 2015 the 5 tallest may be:

1. Capitol - 400ft.
2. Synergy Tower - 250-275 ft.
3. US Bank building 220 ft.
4. Hammonds Hotel 185-225ft.
5. Synergy Retirement Tower 185-225ft.

Not too many cities can say that 3 buildings jumped into their list of top 5 tallest over a 10 year time span.

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 10:37 pm

I can't wait to see some of these projects get underway!

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 10:56 pm

One thing I admire about Lincoln is they don't feel the need to hit an OH MY GOD with every single project.

Your perfect city would be a never-ending sea of 5 to 15 story mixed used buildings built specifically with the pedestrian in mind.

-Big E

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Apr 19, 2007 11:26 pm

Did I miss something? I thought only one building was being selected. How/where would all 3 get built?

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 1:04 am

Your perfect city would be a never-ending sea of 5 to 15 story mixed used buildings built specifically with the pedestrian in mind.

-Big E

Welcome to DC!

It's nice to hear someone say that a great city can be realized without having to build skyscrapers!

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 7:24 am

Or closer to home... Madison.

CapitalGuy · Post by **CapitalGuy** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 8:12 am

Did I miss something? I thought only one building was being selected. How/where would all 3 get built?

One for sure will get built on the block where the old Starship theater was (P,Q,13,14). If the Synergy proposal (22 story tower) is chosen for that location, they will likely also get the go ahead for their project (18 story tower) on the Q,R,13,14 block. And in the most recent LJS story posted in this thread Hammonds indicated that the arena and convention center west of the Haymarket is closer to reality than once thought, and Hammonds has indicated he already has a plan in mind to build a 15-20 story hotel abutting the a convention center that would be owned by him and the city arena. Of course, nothing is set in stone yet but Synergy is competing against only one other proposal (that lacked imagination in my opinion) so the odds are good there. The arena-convention center is a little farther in the distance given the rate of speed that city government moves at in Lincoln.

OmahaJaysCU · Post by **OmahaJaysCU** » Fri Apr 20, 2007 1:22 pm

CapitalGuy wrote: Not too many cities can say that 3 buildings jumped into their list of top 5 tallest over a 10 year time span.

No, but Omaha can! Â It would be great to see Lincoln do the same.

edsas · Post by **edsas** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 11:28 am

Synergy's two-tower plan gets the nod:

http://journalstar.com/articles/2007/04 ... 350820.txt

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 11:36 am

Fantastic!

Has Synergy not put forth some renderings of this project? Â I don't believe I've seen anything from their proposal.

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 11:44 am

Congrats to Lincoln!..

This looks to be a great development for downtown..

Ciao..

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Wed Apr 25, 2007 12:07 pm

Stargazer wrote:Fantastic!

Has Synergy not put forth some renderings of this project? I don't believe I've seen anything from their proposal.

I have not seen any renderings either. Â Although I cannot wait to see what these two buildings will look like!!!!