Couple pics: SoMa and Butternut clean up

the1wags · Post by **the1wags** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 3:42 am

I had some free time today during lunch and took some pics around downtown today. Here are the first couple pics, the first is a shot of the SoMa rowhouse project and the second sadly is the remains of the butternut building being carted off.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 4:27 am

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 4:32 am

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 5:59 am

Or like this.

Seriously though I hope they don't screw this up. The Butternut was great but they can really outdo themselves and set a new standard for what DT living can look like.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 6:46 am

Thanks for the update. Eomaha is more up to date than http://www.rowsatsoma.com!

For reference, go to http://www.rowsatsoma.com and check under the floor plans section, then Site Plan at the top right. (Good site, but some confusing navigation.) The first, further along group is - I THINK - the grop of four in Phase I numbered 4, 5, 6, and 7 (C&B units). I assume the ones just getting started are 1, 2, and 3. I believe one of the C units (5 or 6) is going to be the model when it is finished. Don't quote me on any of this, but I'm 90% certain.

I'll be in town Sunday and hope to get down there and check out the progress before heading out again on Thursday. Hopefully I can get some shots while I'm there, although I don't see much changing between now and next week.

Anyone have any updates on how much of Phase II is sold?

-Big E

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 3:28 pm

Phase II is sold out. I believe that they will start selling Phase III in the spring. Also, on the web page hit the small "See the Progress" tab just above the bullet points. There are 12 progress pictures with the newest from 2/10/05. A new picture gets posted every 10-12 days.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 5:29 pm

Yes Streets any of those would be awesome in that spot.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 8:01 pm

So are all the Soma rowhouses sold? Then they can get started on the midirse buildings at that site.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 8:05 pm

Yeah, what's the story on these midrises? Are there renderings?

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 8:09 pm

There aren't any renderings yet but when Soma was first announced their were plans for 2 midrise towers plan for ( I think) the west end of the site. I think the towers were supposed to be apartments.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 8:20 pm

The two condos are still shown on the site plan on the website. Granted, it's just an overhead outline of where they would go in the development (southeast and southwest edges), but they've never been removed.

I was under the impression that there was space left for them, and if the rest of the development was a success (which it seems like it is, and then some) they would proceed.

Don't know how the demise of the Butternut affects this, but it would be great to see the developments tied together in some way.

-Big E

AZCorey · Post by **AZCorey** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 7:32 am

Streets,

I would love nothing more than to see a highrise go up in the Butternut spot (R.I.P.), but I must admit that I would probably laugh my |expletive| off thinking of your response if they announced that a parking garage or a 3 story condoplex was going there!!

I'm very PRO hi-rise, so I'm hoping they do something impressive, actually, the Butternut was an unfortunate thing, however, just as in most cities, the mix of old warehouses and buildings with new creations is important and interesting....I'm excited that it happened this way and there's now and opportunity to build something new and modern. (fingers crossed)

AZCorey · Post by **AZCorey** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 7:36 am

....oh and by the way, if you ever want to see a horrible skyline in a major city, then check out the wretched skyline I have to look at everyday in Phoenix.....the FNC knocks the socks off of any of the tall buildings here.....

Our skyline is atrocious.....especially for the 5th largest city in the country!! I'm embarrassed when people from LA or San Fran or Chicago come to visit me....they're like, 'this is your downtown?'

DTO feels much more urban and vibrant than Phoenix...which is nothing more than a HUGE suburb!

AZCorey · Post by **AZCorey** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 7:46 am

Here, I'll show you what I mean...hope this goes through....I don't ever want to hear anyone complain about skyscrapers in DTO or the lack thereof again....you all have a much more interesting DT than we do....

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 7:47 am

The Phoenix skyline would look a little more impressive if it were joined with Uptown.

AZCorey · Post by **AZCorey** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 7:54 am

Possibly Jeff, maybe in 'bulk', but the buildings themselves are mostly 80's victims of very uninteresting architecture....

Phoenix is very interesting in that in 1950 there were only 150,000 people here, (Lincoln was bigger then, I think)....yesterday on the news they ran a story about the ribbon cutting ceremony for our lightrail system that is going in....and now, our metro pop is just under 3million, and the studies they announced on the news said that in 20 years, we are projected to have another 2.5 million in population, putting us well over 5 million. I can't wait to move away from here to Southern California, and it seems everyone else can't wait to move here....maybe in 20 years this city will learn how to be a city....cuz now it's still just a big resort, golf and retirement haven. GET ME OUTTA HERE!!!! Hopefully this summer I'm off to LA....(fingers crossed)

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 8:12 am

Consider Phoenix ADDED over 1 million people (that magic number we are anxiously awaiting to hit) in just the 90's !

Funny too how they decided to build the hockey arena and football stadium way out in Glendale. There's 70's thinking for you.

zedmib · Post by **zedmib** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 2:28 pm

Phoenix shouldn't feel left out on tall buildings. Per Skyscrapers.com eleven of the twenty largest cities by population in the US don't have a building as tall as FNC. Phoenix, San Antonio, San Jose, Jacksonville, Columbus, Louisville, Austin (one is proposed), Memphis, Baltimore, and Milwaukee. Of course smaller cities than Omaha have taller buildings. Minneapolis, and Miami are examples.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 2:48 pm

Of course the Miami and Minneapolis -MSA- populations are much larger than Omaha's... and some of those other cities, while not having a tower the height of FNC... nonetheless have nice looking skylines.

nebport5 · Post by **nebport5** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 10:20 pm

Phoenix is the 5th largest city now?

bigger then Philedelphia?

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 12:45 am

Phoenix's populatoin will drastically decrease in the next few years as all of the retirees die.

AZCorey · Post by **AZCorey** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:17 am

Yes...in I believe 2003 Phoenix passed Phillie to become the 5th largest city...also in the same year, Mesa (suburb of Phx) passed up Atlanta in population. Maricopa County is still the fastest or second fastest growing county in the US.....

A recent study says by 2020 we will have gained another 2.5 million in population. This study was recently reported on the news because of our new light rail that is going in......at that projected population, we will easily be 4th maybe 3rd largest by then.

Other than the weather, I cannot understand why so many want to live here...I can't wait to move...I guess I liked it here when I first left Omaha, but for the size, Phoenix is NOT at all progressive or cosmopolitan.

here is a quote from the AZ Republic:

The Arizona Republic
July 10, 2003
Judy Nichols

Phoenix may be only months from becoming the nation's fifth-largest city, muscling out Philadelphia.

Mesa is bigger than Atlanta.

And Gilbert is the fastest-growing town in America.

Population estimates released today by the Census Bureau continue to show unchecked growth in Arizona's cities and those in other Western states. Valley officials and growth experts aren't surprised. But Philadelphians are confronting their imminent fall from the top five with Rocky-like groans of "Yo, Adrian."

Phoenix's population grew 3.8 percent since 2000, faster than any other top 10 city, to a new estimated total of 1.37 million, census data showed.

That's a mere 120,271 people behind Philadelphia, the nation's fifth-largest city for decades.

But not for much longer.

A University of Pennsylvania demographer did some figuring and decided that Phoenix will actually knock Philly out of the No. 5 slot by next May.

"It must really hurt," Mayor Skip Rimsza said. "I hope they don't blame me personally, being the father of triplets. But the bottom line is their people are moving here."

Faced with falling to the No. 6 spot, Philadelphians (well, at least one newspaper columnist) turned downright ugly and called Phoenix "a loose accumulation of crummy vinyl-sided houses occupied by sun-burned retirees."

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 4:45 am

A friend of mine moved down to Phoenix because of his wife's job and he can't stand the place either. My cousin has a friend who works for the city of Phoenix and she was telling us how spread out evrything is spread out and how their is no real sense of something making the city uniquely Phoenix.

AZCorey · Post by **AZCorey** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 5:19 am

I'm not just saying this because I'm from Nebraska and lived in Omaha for seven years before moving here....but in '98 when I moved to Phoenix...I came back to Omaha to visit my parents 6 months later, it was 4th of July, and I was jogging in DTO....I could not believe how much more urban DTO felt than DTP...because of the mix of old/new and of course the warehouse area, DTO has a much more established urban feeling to it. And this was before all the new construction you've had.....

I appreciate Omaha much more now....and I can't tell you guys how excited I am to see all that has and is happening in the big 'O'. I know we all want more, more, more....but you should all really take a step back and appreciate all that is new in DTO....I am from Nebraska, and lived on 16th St in DTO for 7 years, and barely recognize DTO when I fly in now...it is absolutely amazing how much has changed in only 7 years. Imagine the next 7 at this pace......it can only increase because the momentum is already going.