Park Avenue District

[Brad]

Park Avenue District

According to Tawanna Black, from Destination Midtown, a study is going to come out today about the "Park Avenue District". (Info from Grow Omaha)

Bound By:
I480 East
Harney North
33rd Street West
Woolworth South.

Sounds Exciting hope to see something soon!

[Big E]

Park Avenue District

According to Tawanna Black, from Destination Midtown, a study is going to come out today about the "Park Avenue District". (Info from Grow Omaha)

Bound By:
I480 East
Harney North
33rd Street West
Woolworth South.

Sounds Exciting hope to see something soon!

It should say nothing other than "Bring TIF and streetcars".

Study done. Send my check.

Actually, I'm very optimistic for the future of this area, especially if street cars and more dense housing factor into it. It's location is great for UNMC, UNO, MoO and downtown, without being horribly expensive. The most potential of the entire city, in my opinion.

-Big E

[DTO Luv]

Right on Park Ave. & Leavenworth there are some great, big brick apartment buildings that haven't been closed for too long. If the city can do something to get that area rolling, like streetcars down Farnam St. and Leavenworth St., than this area will really take off.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

I've loved this neighborhood for YEARS, and would be extatic if it started to see some development/renewal.

If some of you on here don't know, Park Avenue has some BEAUTIFUL, intact urban building stock, including some AMAZING rowhouses and apartment buildings.

[Brad]

Uffda Wrote in another thread:

If there is already a thread on this feel free to move it.

Development Plans for Rundown Neighborhood

http://www.wowt.com/news/headlines/7055452.html

The name sounds upscale, but Park Avenue in Omaha long has had a reputation for substandard living conditions. Quite a few buildings owned by landlord Jerry Bob have been condemned by city inspectors over the years. Bob faced numerous court actions in the past. Now there is new hope for the neighborhood located just off Leavenworth Street near Interstate 480.

The properties have been sold.

But an investment group headed by Home Smartz president Joe Frost will inject new life in these unlivable places.
"Yeah, we think this is a catalyst for change in this neighborhood," says Frost.

Monday morning, Frost's group called Omaha Social Capital purchased 13 vacant buildings and homes on Park Avenue and Leavenworth from Jerry Bob. The price is confidential but the plans are wide open.

"Turn into family units one two and three bedroom units and completely restored to original facades," says Frost.

He says his desire has been to make the area "the gateway" to downtown. He believes the new owners will make that happen. The investment group hopes renovated apartments will be ready for rent by next year. Some of the houses may be torn down for parking.

[DTO Luv]

"We're going to revitalize by tearing down homes for parking lots."

Ugh. Haven't people learned that this isn't the way to go about things?

[StreetsOfOmaha]

I agree.

Although I'm really happy those beautiful buildings are going to be restored and OCCUPIED!!!

[Historic Omaha]

Does anyone have the contact information for the new owner(s)?

In the recent past some of the properties were part of a Federal Tax Credit (for historic Rehabilitation) project that did not materialize.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

There was an article in the paper today. I know I'm repeating myself here, but oh well. I am SOOOO happy that the apartment buildings are getting saved and rehabed, but what the |expletive| with the parking lots!!! If they were tearing those houses down to do some awesome supplementary infill along with these apartment rehabs, that would be fantastic! But to tear down the houses to make parking lots??? Disgusting.

[nebport5]

ok I thought surely one of you camera happy lads would've put up pics of the this area by now.

[DTO Luv]

Would have but I'm off work for a week and trying to stay as far away from there as possible.

[ItsAllAboutMe]

I can't imagine more difficult task then turning this neighborhood around.

[Vince Furlong]

Looking at the World-Herald piece yesterday -

1. Rehabbing historic apartments: nice, we need the affordable housing and restored buildings
2. Land use: ugh! It appears that almost 50% of the land being used will be parking lots. Let's ask the
developers and Omaha's great minds to come up with alternate parking solutions. We need
infill in much of that 50% area. The houses that are in the proposed parking areas are probably
ready for removal.

Vince

[StreetsOfOmaha]

I completely agree with you, Vince.

I think the city should step in, with the backing of OmahaByDesign, and mandate that they develop muti-use structures on those sites with "internal" parking, potentially multi-level.

[Historic Omaha]

There isn't much that the city can do unless a building is local historic landmark or using local/federal funding. Otherwise the city really would need to revamp city codes & zoning.

[Big E]

or using local/federal funding.

What about TIF?

-Big E

[Historic Omaha]

I included TIF under local funding (sources)

[Big E]

I guess I assumed this project would be using TIF.

-Big E

[Historic Omaha]

Big E,

Do you know if the developer(s) and/or owner(s) have applied for TIF yet? In recent news they were hoping to begin demolition work in early May. They had better "get on move on"!

I had talked with the previous owner about previous attempts at nominating several properties as a National Register District. If they were on the National Register they could take advantage of the Federal Historic Tax Incentives for Rehabilitation and Nebraska's new Valuation Incentive Program (VIP). If the properties were locally landmarked (which is easier and faster) by the city they could at least take advantage of VIP. The only thing about TIF and VIP... a property owner/developer could only take advantage of one of the incentives. VIP is also great for private home owners as their property would not produce the sizable property taxes necessary for TIF.

http://nebraskahistory.org/histpres/vip/index.htm

[StreetsOfOmaha]

There isn't much that the city can do unless a building is local historic landmark or using local/federal funding. Otherwise the city really would need to revamp city codes & zoning.

Exactly. That's exactly what OmahaByDesign is supposed to do.

[Historic Omaha]

Partly...except Omaha by Design "suggests" but does not have the power / "teeth" to actually enforce them. Private property ownership rights are extremely important in the country and people respond better to money tied to suggestions rather than suggestions alone. When it comes right down to it, the planning department and the city council actually due the changing...the approve TIF funding. The majority of past historic warehouse to apartment rehabs were tied to Historic Tax Credits; and now many of those rehabs have turned into condos. All of those projects have to conform to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Historic Rehabilitation...not Lively's suggestions. In fact when there is a historic rehab project (building on the National Register) the city often defers comment to the Nebraska State Historical Society. If you ask any major developer, they will tell you that they respond to money - where are the incentives coming from (Low Income Housing , TIF, Federal Historic Tax Credits, etc.) The only teeth that Lively really has are the individuals who donate to its cause. They affluent corporations/ individuals who can swing their weight around. So... in order for Lively to work those people have to agree that a certain suggestion by Lively is worth fighting for; however, if that suggestion might conflict with their corporations goals or might impact their bottom line...the suggest might perish. If Lively had suggested the First national bank to retain the Medical Arts building (instead of demo for the new tower), I wonder if the Lauritzens would have sided with Lively or their company?

[cdub]

Since the OBD code changes have not been adopted its not really relevant yet. When property is zoned and platted there are few options. Even once OBD takes hold, this area would likely not be effected. OBD does not set rules for all property, only those in certain areas and certain overlay districts. As much as parking is not ideal don't expect to get density solely with structured parking. Even downtown proper has surface lots for crying out loud. This may be a huge step forward for the area, lets not |expletive| on it just yet. [/center]

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Even downtown proper has surface lots for crying out loud.

Haha, well that's not a "good thing," nor is it as it should be, so it's not really a great example.

Thanks for all that, HistoricOmaha, and I'm well aware. It just seems like the city's intent is to actually put some muscle behind OBD. I guess we'll see.

[DTO Luv]

I don't get why there would need to be the parking lots. What big draw is there that would warrant that much extra parking?

[Big E]

There's a big difference between parking and surface parking. We need to quit with the "raze and pave" mentality.

-Big E

[Stargazer]

I'm sure when multi-level parking structures are even somewhat close in cost to surface parking, it will happen. Until then... incentives please.

[Big E]

Until then... incentives please.

Of course. What is TIF?

And design guidelines (ie, ordinances).

And streetcars.

And toll roads.

And and and...

You'll need carrots AND sticks to bring to an end to the collective raze and pave mentality.

Glad we agree. ;)

-Big E

[Stargazer]

TIF's aren't going to fund multi-level parking garages... well, maybe if the developer's prospective customers were providing them 6 figure windfalls at closing like some other developments, such amenities might be financially feasible. Somehow, I don't think this area is going to draw the same 'throbbing' clientele.

[Coyote]

An infusion of funds boosts study of Park Avenue area

With a $30,000 boost from the Nebraska Affordable Housing Trust Fund, Destination Midtown will move forward with a development plan for the Park Avenue district. The plan will focus on the area from Interstate 480 west to 33rd Street and from Harney Street south to Woolworth Avenue.

The move would give Destination Midtown, neighbors and the city a chance to give their input on how to revitalize vacant properties and empty lots in the area along Park Avenue as well as other areas in the Leavenworth and Ford Birthsite neighborhoods.

[the1wags]

"The long-promised redevelopment of troubled Park Avenue southwest of downtown won a boost Wednesday and, as a result, students, couples and families could be moving into renovated apartments within nine months."

"The 28-unit Selma Terrace redevelopment along Park Avenue between St. Mary's Avenue and Leavenworth Street won approval for $376,000 in tax-increment financing from the Omaha Planning Board."

Link to the full Omaha World Herald article....

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2 ... d=10125109

[OmahaChef]

It is great to see work progressing on these buildings!!! I really hope it makes a difference for this neighborhood.

[Ben]

Another update from the Tackett folks I talked to tonight. There's lots of behind the scenes work going on to secure government funding for this project. Not only do they have TIF approved, but they're securing money because of its low income housing status, and also going for historic district renovation money. As there will be strict pricing controls on the units once finished, they've got to get all this funding in place to make it financially viable. They now expect to have everything lined up by early next year, with construction to start in the early spring.

[Stargazer]

With Turner Park as a strong new anchor... I would expect to see more developers starting to look north/south for project opportunities such as this one.

[Coyote]

Great potential, big challenges seen in Park Avenue area

A vision for a historic neighborhood near downtown Omaha suggests new housing, renovated older housing, more businesses, beautified streetscapes and some reconfigured streets. The study will be unveiled Thursday at an open house hosted by the Destination Midtown organization. The study area goes from Interstate 480 on the east to 33rd Street on the west, and stretches from Woolworth Avenue on the south to Harney Street on the north.

Highlights include improving the streetscape of high-visibility routes, including Leavenworth Street, notably at St. Mary's Avenue. The study suggests reconfiguring the intersection of those two streets so that St. Mary's goes straight into Leavenworth instead of entering it at an odd angle that eats up land and allows no eastbound turn. Streetscape changes aimed at making Leavenworth and Park Avenue more aesthetically pleasing and pedestrian-friendly could be among the first to be made, if money can be found, said Amy Haase, an RDG planner working on the project.

[Historic Omaha]

The State Historic Preservation Office has been working closely with Alley Poyner Macchietto regarding getting those buildings listed in the National Register of Historic Places and applying for the Federal Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credits.

[NDizona]

http://www.rpapc.com/Download/ParkAve11-28.pdf

http://www.rpapc.com/Download/Destinati ... own_sm.pdf (80 MB)

[Brad]

Park Avenue Redevelopment

http://www.wowt.com/home/headlines/39150967.html

Plans are underway to redevelop another area of midtown Omaha. The Park Avenue neighborhood has projects underway to better the area. The public is invited to attend an open meeting from 4:30 to 6:30 Thursday afternoon.

The meeting will be held at the St. John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church at 602 Park Ave. The goal of the forum is to educate the community on the upcoming projects and receive feedback.

Parking for the forum is available in the parking lot to the south of St. John's. Don't park in the Wash World parking lot.

[Devo]

Did anyone attend this meeting? I wasn't able to because of work. Just wanted to know if there was any updates as to work being done and the timeline. I did notice that the abandon houses up the street from me were being torn down this morning. Good to see some progress, that's for sure.

[Brad]

That old building they just remodeled on Leavenworth looks great!

[Vince Furlong]

I was able to attend the first 2/3 of this session. The audience was primarily potential developers and investors, politicians, real estate persons, Destination Midtown (DM) boosters, and the local homeowners/renters - a large and energetic group, too.

First, DM and a rep from RDG Planning and Design gave an overview of the project by identifying the major areas for development. For all the details go to :

http://www.destinationmidtown.org//lims ... 328490.pdf

The leaders of the session primarily highlighted the housing achievements and plans for the area which are apartments and condos. A mix of market-rate and affordable housing is being presented - which is good, because we need that mix.

Here are the opportunities for Park Ave - Leavenworth communities as presented by the session leaders and myself:

1. People need to acquire properties. At this session investors were offered the chance to see what the area might offer. Another approach is to form an organization in the area which can acquire property, such as a community development corporation (CDC). The CDC approach was first suggested back in 2003 when the DM plan was being developed, but nobody has followed through on this advice.

Further, the development project hopes to offer more commercial opportunities at Park/Woolworth, Park/Leavenworth, and St.Mary's/Leavenworth. It would be great if we could offer more rehabilitation assistance to owners of older commercial properties. This could invite new investment.

2. People need to see VISIBLE progress in the area prior to making their investment. True, but here the large project was emphasized by the session leaders.
Cities grow organically, bit-by-bit, property-by-property, and person-by-person. Small is beautiful, too. The artist studio, colorful planting, interesting business signage, clean and crisp property frontage, sandwich stand, cop walking the beat, historic marker, Arbor Day tree tour, and entrepreneur kickoff can all be VISIBLE.

Sometimes in Omaha we are looking too hard for the big magic bullet - one development - that will change the whole neighborhood. This only leaves room for the big developer, and the neighborhood guy receives little encouragement.

3. Park Avenue is a pedestrian area which needs better connections to downtown, the rest of Midtown, and the new Midtown Crossing.

First, we hope to see a streetcar line running on Farnam and/or Harney in the next three years. With the dense residential Park Ave. district only several blocks away from the line, the streetcar amenity would be a drawing card for local residents.

Secondly, the Midtown Crossing (MC) project offers an opportunity to develop a Midtown shuttle transportation option. MC is seeking Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for its project. One recommendation from LEED for a mixed-use project like MC is to offer shuttle services to nearby large employers and local destinations. If this shuttle service could be extended a bit to the Park Ave. area, another transportation amenity is available. And, I hear that there will be a shuttle service between MC and the Med Center.

Finally, the City and bike/walk enthusiasts need to work together to provide good connections via Park, 31st, and Turner Blvd. from the district to MC.

4. How do we create a positive, unique image for the Park Avenue district?

At the meeting I visited briefly with a real estate agent who was working with the Jamison Condos - a rehab project in the district. He extolled the kitchen, bath, and flooring in the redone areas, and it sounded great, maybe I would want to reside there. Then, I asked him how he presented the Park Avenue area to his potential buyers. He said, "Now, that is our problem."

So, let's work on the problem. Session leaders emphasized the history and "grandeur' of the neighborhood - so, we must accent that.

When you walk out of that condo, you need something interesting to see, to walk to, to take care of your daily need for exercise, to meet an errand need, to complete one-day or two-day food needs. to be educated, and to meet your friends/co-workers.
The commercial corners mentioned above offer us an opportunity to create that "main street" feel. WE NEED MORE THAN JUST HOUSING IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

For your spring schedule, please include the Park Avenue tour on May 9 presented by Landmarks, Inc.

Vince