Riverfront Place (721 Riverfront Drive)

omahastylee459 · Post by **omahastylee459** » Sun May 15, 2005 4:57 pm

i think the fusion of lincoln and omaha is happening now. They are already widening lanes on I-80 to accomodate more traffic. There have been bills in the legislature this season to attract more businesses between the two cities. There may be a new attraction/nightlife area near mahoney, and more and more people are commuting between them.

OmahaDevelopmentMan · Post by **OmahaDevelopmentMan** » Sun May 15, 2005 5:18 pm

Yea, it is starting to be more common to see people work in Omaha and live in Lincoln. Look at Gallup, they have a bus for their lincoln employees who work in Omaha. I think it will be more and more common the see people commute between the cities. By 2012, omaha and lincoln will be 1 metro (my prediction)

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Mon May 16, 2005 11:40 pm

Also having not lived in Omaha for the last few months lots and lots of people drive from places further than Lincoln to work in Omaha. Not that there part of the metro but being on the outside looking in puts it in perspective.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Tue May 17, 2005 2:09 am

I really don't think it's that far fetched. If people want to begin promoting the Omaha/Lincoln/Fremont metro, more power to em'. Maybe we can get everyone thinking that way then the three cities can become a little more cohesive and little less competitive. We won't know until 2013 when the metro areas are realigned again. As I see it there is only 30 miles between Gretna and East Lincoln with Ashland, Greenwood, Louisville, Mahoney State Park in between and more development on the way or in progress. The I-80 corridor will continue to grow and prosper.

Here's to the Omaha/Lincoln/Fremont/Council Bluffs metro.

Think big folks.

OmahaDevelopmentMan · Post by **OmahaDevelopmentMan** » Tue May 17, 2005 2:23 am

Why is Bellevue not normally included when people say that stat? Is it because it basically is the same place pretty much?

loyalomahan · Post by **loyalomahan** » Tue May 24, 2005 2:21 pm

Maybe this is old news... there is a trailer on site at Riverfront Place.

Blazepaw · Post by **Blazepaw** » Wed May 25, 2005 2:33 pm

It is fun to include Lincoln in our metro area. This is a fun forum so what's the harm?

The official metro population is set in Washington not here. Seems both sides of this win.

As for my opinions about what is and isn't part of the M. Pop. -

I personally think you have to bend the established criteria for what is inside a "real" metro. area too much to include Lincoln.

If you are counting cities because of economic ties you will need to add Nebraska City, Grand Island, Norfolk and all the little towns surrounding us for some distance on both sides of the river.

Red Oak IA is tied to us just as strongly yet I personally can't see it as part of the Omaha Metropolitan Area. This is more of an argument for who is the regional powerhouse.

That is Omaha and in this way we may have already passed up KC. Even with their larger Metro Population. Influence isn't tied to population necessarily.

I don't know if OmahaDevelopmentMan is aware that the shuttle to Gallop is there only because the company moved its Lincoln offices to Omaha. Not because Gallop workers are choosing to locate there. Just not relocate to Omaha.

We have needed a light rail or even a regular public shuttle between Omaha and Lincoln for some time. I know someday we will. To me that will be the true start of the two cities becoming one metro.

Building that amusement park will push it along in a big way too.

DMRyan · Post by **DMRyan** » Wed May 25, 2005 3:08 pm

That is Omaha and in this way we may have already passed up KC. Even with their larger Metro Population. Influence isn't tied to population necessarily.

What do you mean? KC has it's own sphere of influence as a more dominant regional city.

OmahaDevelopmentMan · Post by **OmahaDevelopmentMan** » Wed May 25, 2005 3:54 pm

I don't know if OmahaDevelopmentMan is aware that the shuttle to Gallop is there only because the company moved its Lincoln offices to Omaha. Not because Gallop workers are choosing to locate there. Just not relocate to Omaha.

Yes, I do know that actually. But even if they are still commuting from Lincoln to work in Omaha. Thats part of what happens in a metro city. People live in places like Gretna and Elkhorn and Bellevue, but a majority of them work in Omaha. Eventually, Omaha and Lincoln will have enough people living in lincoln and working in omaha or the other way around.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Wed May 25, 2005 10:23 pm

Blazepaw wrote:It is fun to include Lincoln in our metro area. This is a fun forum so what's the harm?.

Exactly. So let me have my picture back.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Thu May 26, 2005 5:03 am

I drove by this evening and noticed that there is a construction portable on site. They must be close to a groundbreaking!

Blazepaw · Post by **Blazepaw** » Thu May 26, 2005 2:35 pm

OmahaDevelopmentMan wrote:
I don't know if OmahaDevelopmentMan is aware that the shuttle to Gallop is there only because the company moved its Lincoln offices to Omaha. Not because Gallop workers are choosing to locate there. Just not relocate to Omaha.
Yes, I do know that actually. But even if they are still commuting from Lincoln to work in Omaha. Thats part of what happens in a metro city. People live in places like Gretna and Elkhorn and Bellevue, but a majority of them work in Omaha. Eventually, Omaha and Lincoln will have enough people living in lincoln and working in omaha or the other way around.

If I misunderstood your original statement in anyway I apologize. It sounded like it was part of a case for including Lincoln's population in the Omaha Metropolitan Area numbers. I was just pointing out information that had some bearing in that way.

A number of Gallup's top executives shuttle by air between Omaha and Washington DC and I don't see how that would effect how we tally our Met. Pop.

I understand the concept of commuters. I didn't imply that there isn't traffic between the two cities. I in fact stated that I thought there has been a long standing need for a shuttle or light rail between Omaha and Lincoln. So I really do agree with you. I used to commute to and from Lincoln myself.

Blazepaw · Post by **Blazepaw** » Thu May 26, 2005 3:00 pm

DMRyan wrote:
That is Omaha and in this way we may have already passed up KC. Even with their larger Metro Population. Influence isn't tied to population necessarily.
What do you mean? KC has it's own sphere of influence as a more dominant regional city.

I just meant that population isn't everything and that is what we were discussing.

KC has a larger Metropolitan Population, but for example we have more fortune five hundred companies and that has a national effect. Our music scene is also nationally influential. As a regional center our medical community far surpasses KC.

I can guarantee that the other members here can point out other examples.

I'm not bashing KC. I love KC. I just was personally saying that for me numbers are less important than quality. Newark NJ is big but I love it here.

MrTwister · Post by **MrTwister** » Thu May 26, 2005 9:21 pm

Our music scene is also nationally influential. HUH?????????

Over Kansas City????????? I guess....if you discount the whole blues and jazz thing.

If there is one thing that Omaha seems to have in spades over KC or any other city in the midwest its pride.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Thu May 26, 2005 9:59 pm

Jazz and Blues are just a SMALL! part of the current music scene.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Sat May 28, 2005 12:01 pm

The groundbreaking is Wednesday, June 1. I know the guy who is doing the catering for the event.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sat May 28, 2005 12:17 pm

At last... back on topic!

Welcome to the forum Chef... and thanks for the scoop.

adam186 · Post by **adam186** » Sun May 29, 2005 5:14 am

That is awesome!! A little late, but still awesome. I'm diggin' it. (pun intended)

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 5:43 pm

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=1425402

26 of 38 sold in the first tower, 12 of 18 townhouses sold.

-Big E

Post by **Brad** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:54 pm

There is also a story on the wowt 5 pm news, so you can watch the replay all night on news on one.

Post by **Brad** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:31 pm

Condos help keep Omaha moving

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=1425704

The pictures of the twin towers and modern architecture were just fancy drawings against blue sky until Wednesday.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 1:22 am

I'd say all things considered the downtown condo market is far from being in the glut the naysayers are suggesting exists. Once some of these projects come on line (heck, maybe even after the Urban Tour this weekend)... I think the demand will grow that much more.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 2:45 am

I absolutely agree Jeff! Riverfront Place is the most expensive condo project downtwon, yet 2/3rds of the units are sold and the ground was just broken today. The Rows At SOMA are now selling phase III yet, phase I is still in construction, with a long way to go. Less pricey buildings like Brandeis, Paxton, Beebe-Runyan, etc. are signing contracts also.

Historically, the downtown market has been apartments. This is great, and I sure hope there is sufficient numbers of apartments downtown in the future. But not everyone wants to spend a thousand dollars or more on rent, when they can own. I still believe that there is a definite pent up demand for purchased condominium units downtown, and so far the sales are evidence of that. As even more affordable projects like the Barker, Lerners, Union Plaza, etc. come on line, I think we'll continue to see buildings sell out.

I recall a OWH article recently that compared downtown condo units vs. population in KC and Omaha. If memory serves me correctly, it stated that KC had 8,000 condos downtown with another 2,000 coming online in the next two years. Thier comparison to Omaha suggested that Omaha could support 4,000 units. We'll see if that premise holds true, but it sure could mean a lot of construction from Mutual eastward.

As an aside, I was transferred here from Baltimore via London, England in 1994. I lived through the transformation of Baltimore in the 1980's, and what a spectacle it was. A dozen new office towers in 10 years, the explosion of condomania from the Inner Harbor to the "Gold Coast" towards Fells Point, and the complete re-invention of Federal Hill, Otterbien, Fells Point, Barre Circle, Bolton Hill and other close to downtown neighboorhoods. But quite frankly, I have never seen a city transform itself the way Omaha has in the last 6-8 years. Every time I drive out 10th Street to Cuming, I remind myself of what it looked like just 5 years ago. The changes to downtown, the exciting announcements we're seeing the last month or two in areas like Mutual and Aksarben. I knew it was time to move forward in my career and I planned to move away from here, and interviewed at a number of out-of-state places, but I ended up deciding on an edgy job in the newest area of downtown. I believe the best is yet to come, and I want to be here to see it and participate in it.

DMRyan · Post by **DMRyan** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 3:54 pm

Good for you OmahaChef! That's the attitude that I wish everybody had about their community. Instead of complaining, they actually are enthusiastic about, or even active in making their city a better place.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 4:01 pm

OmahaChef:

If you want to have a heart attack about condo-mania in Baltimore, picture this:

New construction in Locust Point is STARTING at $633K right now. That's for 2000 sqft and a two car garage.

-Big E

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 6:53 pm

"This is world class," Fahey said.

Oh, Fahey......

Fantastic news, though!

I can't wait to come home. I get back tomorrow!

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:23 pm

In Locust Point? 633K and up? Oh my gawd! See, another point for Omaha, it's less expensive to live here.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 12:09 am

Pilings have been being driven this week. Some excavation has also been started. Several trailers have made it their home. Pictures coming tonight/tomorrow morning.

How about a sticky to keep updates & pics easy to find?

Post by **Brad** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 1:15 am

Just in time. After the FNB photo shoot Jeff, Coyote, DTO, and myself were talking about this project.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Sun Jun 19, 2005 10:08 pm

I'm glad it's actually starting now. Their was a big ad for it in the Reader a few weeks ago.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 12:49 am

Post by **Omaha Cowboy** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 1:00 am

Thank you for the site pic updates tuna..

..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

OmahaDevelopmentMan · Post by **OmahaDevelopmentMan** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 3:04 am

YAY cranes!

Post by **Brad** » Mon Jun 20, 2005 4:49 pm

Thats funny, we were just talking on saturday at the photo shoot that nothing has really happened down there yet.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Wed Jun 22, 2005 5:15 am

sweet

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 2:29 am

Not much new to report on the site this week. More piledriving has occurred, and perhaps a trailer or two has been added.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Fri Jul 01, 2005 10:57 am

I noticed last night that the piledriver crane is gone, and lots of dirt is being moved around. Hopefully, we'll see some real action on this site soon!

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Sat Jul 02, 2005 6:59 am

Driving by tonight on the way to work I saw that not only is the piledriver crane gone but it also appears that they are preparing to pour concrete. Wooden frames surrounded areas where they have driven down. I'll do some more checking this weekend to see if they're supporting a rebar cage.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sun Jul 03, 2005 12:07 am

One would assume a tower crane will be coming on the scene eventually.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Wed Jul 13, 2005 10:49 pm

After taking off last weekend for a monster bike ride I drove by Riverfront Place yesterday on my way to work and they were pumping concrete. No camera on me, so no pics, but maybe I can turn out some this weekend.