CHRISTINE LAUE WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:Dig this: The new owners of an old Dundee building at 49th and Dodge Streets plan to jack it up, dig out the basement and add about 20 parking stalls underground.
And in a separate project across the street, developers are working with the city to create about 20 parking spaces where only parallel street parking exists now.
Like many older urban neighborhoods, parking is at a premium in Dundee, where even expensive homes sometimes don't have enough spaces for the family automobiles. At least two developers are addressing the issue in creative ways.
"To consider a project in the Dundee area, I think developers will have to come up with unique ways to address the parking or lack of parking," said Joe Frost, a developer converting the Ambassador apartments near 49th Avenue and Dodge into condominiums.
Frost said the Ambassador, a 1928 building with 22 apartments, has one dedicated off-street parking space. Tenants can use parallel parking in front of the building on 49th Avenue or rent space in a lot that a service station owns across from the 20-apartment Elwood, a 1919 building southeast of 49th Avenue and Dodge Street also owned by Frost's group.
Last edited by Brad on Wed Jun 23, 2010 7:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
I never knew such a beautiful building was hiding behind that boring siding!
Very cool.
"The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle is actually the right to destroy the city."
Lewis Mumford, The Highway and the City, 1963
I can't recall what building it was... but coming up 13th south of downtown (ie Bohemian Cafe, etc)... I noticed that it appeared another building was seeing restoration of it's original facade.
Shoot for the Moon... if you miss, you'll land among the stars.
I was looking at pictures of this building in one of those books of old Omaha photos you can find in bookstores. I'm happy they're giving it back some of its beauty and elegance.
I really wish the city would turn Dodge street into a tunnel from Memorial Park to Saddle Creek or even Turner Blvd. Then they could take the current Dodge Street and narrow it back to two lanes and give all these businesses back their sidewalks. Walking on the sidewalk in front of the Dundee Theatre or the 49'r is so precarious because the sidewalk is only two and a half feet wide and right on the busiest street in the whole state.
It would make these neighborhoods exponentially more pedestrian friendly.
While there won't be any Omaha big dig, the city does hope to improve the pedestrian nature of the area with the ACI (Areas of Civic Importance). There will always be a ton of traffic but wider sidewalks and a more consistent on street parking presence would do a lot to improve the corridor.
Wait a sec...what about the piano store on the opposite corner? Would it go there? Maybe the rumors are wrong and they mean the other corner? Possibly.
This is off topic, and I'm sure there's a thread about this somewhere. But what ever happened to restoring the piano store across the street back to it's original exterior?
It's pretty depressing how many beautiful old buildings have had their facades "updated" or covered over. I don't see how that era of architecture could be deemed unattractive and in need of "modernizing" (aka, covering over the upper windows with bricks or putting wood shingle awnings in places that cover up large swaths of its architectural detail (my two least favorite "updates"))
No kidding. I think Cuming street was full of those back in the day. I noticed Benson has a lot of that too. There is still hope to get Benson fixed up.
I think the parking under on this project got removed due to the cost v. number of stalls gained and the amount of surface space needed to provide access.
This is planned to be a historic rehabilitation tax credit project, but I think the owners are still trying to figure out how to make the numbers work.
Piano Store renovation still in the works. Many office tenants ready to go and one restaurant on the corner. Parking will need to be added to the rear.
I have to wonder how the developers here feel about the CVS across the street. To me, the appeal of this building wouldn't be the same without a street-fronted building in the 49er lot.
The plan for this building is pretty much a model for what CVS should be building.
"The right to have access to every building in the city by private motorcar in an age when everyone possesses such a vehicle is actually the right to destroy the city."
Lewis Mumford, The Highway and the City, 1963
If the Piano owner is still planning on doing a historic tax credit project (which, last time I checked he was) - then the chances of them tearing down a building (or buildings since there are twin apartment buildings) that contributes to the historic district are very slim. Program regulations do not allow the tearing down of one "contributing" property in order to benefit a project at another "contributing" property. Maybe he should work out a parking arrangement with CVS?
No, the CVS isnt past CC but the plan is to build at the corner. The parking CVS is providing is far in excess of the requirements but meets their internal standards.
I don't know about the historic credits on the Piano building but the plan there is most definitely to demo the apartment immediately north of the building.
cdub wrote:No, the CVS isnt past CC but the plan is to build at the corner. The parking CVS is providing is far in excess of the requirements but meets their internal standards.
Situating the building at the corner does not a corner store make. Going off of the rendering from the OWH, 49th and Dodge would actually be the back of the store.
cdub wrote:No, the CVS isnt past CC but the plan is to build at the corner. The parking CVS is providing is far in excess of the requirements but meets their internal standards.
Situating the building at the corner does not a corner store make. Going off of the rendering from the OWH, 49th and Dodge would actually be the back of the store.
The alternative is that they are behind the parking field, at least in this instance. The entrance is on Dodge, which is an acceptable solution. Many might want the entrance right at the corner but that will continue to be a tough sell for any new building.
JEFFREY ROBB
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER wrote:The plans for the so-called “Piano Building,” drafted by Omaha's Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, call for taking down the painted plywood that covers the outside and returning to a brick, Tudor-style exterior. Storefronts with window awnings would operate at street level.
Five businesses have signed onto the project, including a new Varsity Sports Cafe & Roman Coin Pizza. Other businesses include offices for Prudential Real Estate, DRI Title and chiropractor John Bartholet.
Matt Dougherty, the lead developer and a State Farm Insurance agent in Dundee, said he wants to renovate the property so that it has a lasting, positive effect on the neighborhood.
My wife and I just drove past there last night. They have all the ugly covering off the original facade. It looks better already, despite the 50 years of grime covering it.
KETV wrote:Dougherty said the building is not coming down and, in fact, is putting it on the National Register of Historic Buildings. He said they are bringing the structure back to life.
Dougherty said once the work is finished, the building will be home to a Roman Coin Pizza Shop, State Farm Insurance agency, Prudential Real Estate office and Body in Motion chiropractor.
I just didn't want to make a comment on one and not the other. I like how there are plenty of day time businesses moving in and another place to go at night! Looking forward to the end product.
