Pinnacle / Swanson Site (10th and Capitol)

Downtown, Midtown, and all parts east of 72nd.

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thenewguy
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Post by thenewguy »

i think that for the hotel they may put up here would look good if it were similar to this building in Chicago (although scaled down), more so than a modern looking building.
Image
I just wonder how much more expensive it would be to incorporate the details in the crown, spire, windows, etc, in this day and age.  It still just amazes me how being ornate and architecturally significant (down to the small details) was the norm way back when.  I was just down in Kansas City, and they've got a lot of old buildings still standing, and it reminded me of when i visited Chicago how amazing and common place those beautiful old buildings were.  Glass skyscrapers are clean looking, yes, but dang, you've got to love something historical...or historical looking.
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StreetsOfOmaha
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Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

"This building in Chicago"?  Haha.
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thenewguy
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Post by thenewguy »

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:"This building in Chicago"?  Haha.
Haha, yeah, i couldn't remember if i had put up the picture for the Wrigley Building or Tribune building (which is what it is, for those who weren't sure :P) and after i went back and looked, the battery died and i didn't get to go change it.  I'm almost ashamed, being a cubs fan and Chicago fan [ads have played for the Tribune forever on WGN, and it was one of the first buildings i took pictures of when we went there] and not putting that up to begin with :)
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ricko
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Post by ricko »

The Tribune Tower is my all-time favorite high rise.  It's the only skyscraper I know with gothic flying buttresses.  Sadly, there are very few master stone-cutters left in the U.S., so I doubt that we'll see any more high rises with that kind of detail.  I'm just glad I'm old enough to remember the old Woodman building (replaced by that soul-less glass box), the Medical Arts Building, the Fontenell Hotel, the old City Hall and Post Office buildings, and Jobber's Canyon, among others.
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Big E
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Post by Big E »

ricko wrote:I'm just glad I'm old enough to remember the old Woodman building (replaced by that soul-less glass box), the Medical Arts Building, the Fontenell Hotel, the old City Hall and Post Office buildings, and Jobber's Canyon, among others.
Careful with the public display of nostalgia.  Everything around here as old as you gets turned into a parking lot. :;):
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thenewguy
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Post by thenewguy »

yeah, many of the more conservative people aren't fans of "PDN".
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NovakOmaha
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Post by NovakOmaha »

Big E wrote:
ricko wrote:I'm just glad I'm old enough to remember the old Woodman building (replaced by that soul-less glass box), the Medical Arts Building, the Fontenell Hotel, the old City Hall and Post Office buildings, and Jobber's Canyon, among others.
Careful with the public display of nostalgia.  Everything around here as old as you gets turned into a parking lot. :;):
I liked the Omaha Theater and the Rialto.  I always thought that the Omaha could have been saved and the parking garage that was built in its place could have gone around it or incorporated it into the garage somehow.  Both the Omaha and the Rialto were downtown.  In the end you can't save every 1 screen theater downtown, I guess.
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Post by SaOmaha »

ricko wrote:I'm just glad I'm old enough to remember the old Woodman building (replaced by that soul-less glass box), the Medical Arts Building, the Fontenell Hotel, the old City Hall and Post Office buildings, and Jobber's Canyon, among others.
I agree with you in a way,  I would like to see some historical buildings saved.  At less the Top of
the Medical Arts Building is on display in the First National Center (tower) winter garden.

It would be nice if any motel built on the Pinnacle / Swanson Site has some historical reference in it.

-- -- -------------------
Here is demolition update:

View of Qwest Center Omaha Arena from 11th & Capital
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View from the Plaza on top of the Qwest Center Omaha Arena parking garage.
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Just east of Plaza S.W. Corner.
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View from Top of Steps leading from 10th street to the Qwest Center Omaha Parking garage Plaza
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Zoom in
Image
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

They really need to remove that cement wall along 10th street.  I am sure they will towards the end of demolition.
StreetsOfOmaha
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Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

Glad to see the construction site of Omaha's premier parking lot progressing.
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Post by the1wags »

Yeah it's a waste for now. The bright side is that they have to build a convention hotel there within what, 11 years? I know that seems like a long time but I'm thinking it will happen before then.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Without the Pinnacle building, you get a good shot of the Qwest Center:
Image

Looking North West:
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

More parking on the way for north downtown

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... d=10596134
CHRISTINE LAUE WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:The City of Omaha has paid $4.4 million for the final pieces of property planned for Qwest Center Omaha parking and, eventually, a full-service hotel.

Hauff Sporting Goods and Ferguson Enterprises, the businesses occupying the two buildings on the properties, plan to move by June 1 so that the city can begin demolition and construct parking lots, which were part of the negotiations to build the north downtown ballpark.

The Metropolitan Entertainment and Convention Authority, which runs the Qwest Center and will run the downtown ballpark, required that the city build replacement parking on the former Pinnacle Foods site at 10th Street and Capitol Avenue before MECA allowed Qwest Center parking lots to be used for the stadium.

City Planning Director Steve Jensen said the acquisition of the Hauff and Ferguson buildings west of the Pinnacle site, as well as a vacant lot used by Ferguson north of the buildings, is the second part of that agreement.
CHRISTINE LAUE WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:The city and MECA also have an agreement that MECA will develop the combined Hauff-Ferguson-Pinnacle site as a hotel by 2019. If that doesn't happen, the city will take over the site's development, Jensen said.

The acquisition of the final properties not only provides parking in the short term but also moves the city closer to its long-term goal of a hotel, he said.
CHRISTINE LAUE WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:The city needed to acquire three properties to create that unified parcel:

• 1120 Capitol Ave., the Hauff-owned building at the northeast corner of Capitol and 12th Street.

• 215 N. 12th St., a building owned by Frank Tierney and leased by Ferguson, situated north of Hauff.

• 1102 Davenport St., a vacant lot owned and used by Ferguson for outdoor storage, situated north of the Ferguson business.
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Post by the1wags »

Well in the short term, surface parking sucks. But long term, it's good they will have the whole site to market for development.
windsor
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Post by windsor »

Its great they set a date for the development.  I just wish the date was not a decade away.
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Post by windsor »

Yes, very primo.  However you know how MECA likes their parking.
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Vince Furlong
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Poll needed

Post by Vince Furlong »

Polls tend to be quite skewed on this site, but if a scientific poll was taken of the Omaha metro, how do you
think they would respond to-

What is the best use for this land?

1. Green space with skateboard park
2. Hotel
3. Housing only
4. Mixed-use development - retail and housing
5. Parking
6. Target store
7. Wal-Mart store

My bet is on........


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Post by windsor »

I think they could combine 2,4,5, and 6 plus more all in to one project.
where the corn meets the concrete
StreetsOfOmaha
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Post by StreetsOfOmaha »

If I didn't know any better, I'd say MECA is more concerned with their precious parking than they are with being able to attract major national conventions. Something about this seems SO crooked.

They have until 2019 to develop a |expletive| hotel? They should be putting out RFPs RIGHT NOW, concurrently with the parking lot construction. What's the hold up?

Plus, I think the city got raped on this deal. Wasn't the original plan to have the city take control of the property so that THEY could pick the right development that most suited Downtown and North Downtown's needs? Something mixed use and dense, providing diverse housing, retail, offices, hotel space, etc.

Now it's going to be a surface parking lot, possibly for another DECADE, before we get another shitty, squatty Hilton, with no other uses.

Yeah, this is not the right path.
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GetUrban
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Post by GetUrban »

I agree...the 10-year time line is way too generous and non-aggressive. The new Hotel/mixed use development should coincide with the start of the CWS downtown, or shortly thereafter.  I don't think MECA even needs to remain involved once the parking lots are gone and developed into something we need.
He said "They are some big, ugly red brick buildings"
...and then they were gone.
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thenewguy
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Post by thenewguy »

[quote="StreetsOfOmaha"]
They have until 2019 to develop a |expletive| hotel? They should be putting out RFPs RIGHT NOW, concurrently with the parking lot construction. What's the hold up?
quote]


You know how you have those times where you just feel like doing nothing?  Like, you've put in a string of tough days, and just wanna slow down to relax and catch your breath?  

Well that's what MECA's doing.  Only theirs isn't a day...it's years. :;):
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windsor
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Post by windsor »

Now is the time to build if you have money, but may be they will sit on it until the economy gets turned around.  It also might be smart if they wait until Cuming is fixed and the ballpark is done to allow better access to the north side before the start construction on the south side.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Hauff: Sporting goods firm to open at new spot

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... d=10640592
CHRISTINE LAUE WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Hauff Sporting Goods plans to open next Monday in its new location, one block north of 102nd and L Streets, said Dave Aden, the company's vice president and treasurer.

The business has been at its current location, northeast of 12th Street and Capitol Avenue, since 1977 and downtown for 70 years. It is moving so that the city can demolish the building and construct Qwest Center Omaha parking lots that were part of the negotiations to build the north downtown ballpark
CHRISTINE LAUE WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Don Hobscheidt, general manager of all three Omaha-area Ferguson's locations, said the plumbing wholesaler plans to move the downtown location later this summer to 2215 Leavenworth St.
CHRISTINE LAUE WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Chris Wayne, a city planner, said the city plans to demolish the Hauff and Ferguson buildings in July and complete the new parking lots by November or December. The stadium is scheduled to be completed in April 2011.
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Re: Poll needed

Post by Hawkeye »

Vince Furlong wrote:Polls tend to be quite skewed on this site, but if a scientific poll was taken of the Omaha metro, how do you
think they would respond to-

What is the best use for this land?

1. Green space with skateboard park
2. Hotel
3. Housing only
4. Mixed-use development - retail and housing
5. Parking
6. Target store
7. Wal-Mart store

My bet is on........


Vince
If that was the poll, and it was issued on the World Herald Website....#5 would win in an absolute landslide.  You know it, Hawkeye knows it, Bob Dole knows it, and the American people know it.
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thenewguy
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Re: Poll needed

Post by thenewguy »

Hawkeye wrote:
Vince Furlong wrote:Polls tend to be quite skewed on this site, but if a scientific poll was taken of the Omaha metro, how do you
think they would respond to-

What is the best use for this land?

1. Green space with skateboard park
2. Hotel
3. Housing only
4. Mixed-use development - retail and housing
5. Parking
6. Target store
7. Wal-Mart store

My bet is on........


Vince
If that was the poll, and it was issued on the World Herald Website....#5 would win in an absolute landslide.  You know it, Hawkeye knows it, Bob Dole knows it, and the American people know it.
Image

"If something happened along the route and you had to leave your children with Bob Dole or Bill Clinton, I think you would probably leave them with Bob Dole.
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windsor
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Post by windsor »

Brad wrote:Hauff: Sporting goods firm to open at new spot

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=1 ... d=10640592
CHRISTINE LAUE WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Hauff Sporting Goods plans to open next Monday in its new location, one block north of 102nd and L Streets, said Dave Aden, the company's vice president and treasurer.

The business has been at its current location, northeast of 12th Street and Capitol Avenue, since 1977 and downtown for 70 years. It is moving so that the city can demolish the building and construct Qwest Center Omaha parking lots that were part of the negotiations to build the north downtown ballpark
CHRISTINE LAUE WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Don Hobscheidt, general manager of all three Omaha-area Ferguson's locations, said the plumbing wholesaler plans to move the downtown location later this summer to 2215 Leavenworth St.
CHRISTINE LAUE WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Chris Wayne, a city planner, said the city plans to demolish the Hauff and Ferguson buildings in July and complete the new parking lots by November or December. The stadium is scheduled to be completed in April 2011.
That seems like a long time line for such a small project.
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Big E
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Post by Big E »

Thank goodness.

Seems like it has been literally months since we've torn down a building to make a parking lot in the middle of downtown.
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windsor
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Post by windsor »

Not exactly what I meant, but at least it will be something cool sometime in the next decade.
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Post by Admin »

Yes. Please! The Pinnacle site...
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Post by Harpoon »

That video that I referred to in the Downtown Plan post has a sketch on what is proposed at the Pinnacle site. Better than parking, that's for sure.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Hauff is coming down:
Image
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Post by Erik »

Big E wrote:Thank goodness.

Seems like it has been literally months since we've torn down a building to make a parking lot in the middle of downtown.
Nice  :lol:
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Post by windsor »

Brad wrote:Hauff is coming down:
Image

Looks like they had similar concrete columns to a lot of the buildings in downtown.  They must have added a new front in the 60's or 70's
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Post by S33 »

I really hope some new projects are announced sometime soon. Is it just me or is there only so much you can talk about with the same projects? It just seems very redundant is all.
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Post by ShawJ »

S33 wrote:I really hope some new projects are announced sometime soon. Is it just me or is there only so much you can talk about with the same projects? It just seems very redundant is all.
I think we were all a bit spoiled with Aksarben Village, WST, MTC, 80 Dodge, etc showing up. The downtown stadium and street cars were also popping up.

I'd be nice to have some new projects announced, but I think we're going to have to wait a bit longer.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

Just timing, I think the other one has a month or so left.
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Post by cdub »

I think they have about a week left actually, unless they have grovelled for more time.  They are moving to somewhere near 20th and Leavenworth.
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Post by MTO »

It is good to know that something is planned.  I'm not sure why such a long time line has been chosen but not much we can do to help.  
A hotel is a great idea, but lets keep it quite tall of course and that urban mall idea is a must.  Omaha has nothing like it and it would be a wonderful shopping destination for those visitors and residents to spend money at.
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Post by the1wags »

They have the pipe place all blocked off and are removing the parking lot/storage area to the north of the building.
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Brad
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Post by Brad »

The entire block is leveled now.  I shot a photo last night but ran out of time to post it.
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