Jobbers Canyon Architectural Rendering

mr. omaha · Post by **mr. omaha** » Fri May 09, 2014 3:08 pm

Just imagine what could have been...

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Sat May 10, 2014 11:50 am

I wish it would have happened.

bigredmed · Post by **bigredmed** » Sat May 10, 2014 5:37 pm

Beautiful drawings. Glad it didn't happen. Would have cost us ConAgra and Gavilon. Would have cost a ton in public infrastructure spending to retrofit water, sewer, and electric for those buildings as they were grossly underserved to be converted easily. The guts were so heavily waxed and creosoted that they would have burned like candles. Sometimes change is necessary.

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 2:57 pm

Just came across this huge collection of Jobber's Canyon pics today. I don't know if this link has already been posted in another thread on Eomaha...a quick search didn't find it.

Sorry if it makes anybody sick. If there is one thing I could change in Omaha history, it would be saving Jobber's Canyon. I'll continue to disagree with anyone that says the area couldn't have been successfully redeveloped, even for Conagra, if not for one stubborn CEO and people willing to bow down. Downtown was gaining momentum already in the 1980's and would've survived without Conagra. They would have just moved to Lonergan Lake near 72nd & Bennington/McKinnley, but instead recreated a smaller version downtown.

http://landmark.cityofomaha.org/gallery ... ers-canyon

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 3:03 pm

Thanks for posting, GetUrban. How cool would this building be for a hotel:

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 3:21 pm

Light rail could have delivered people right to their hotel rooms from the airport:

These two are great pictures showing the density of Jobbers Canyon:

Post by **Brad** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 3:24 pm

Awesome! I saw a photo the other day where those rail lines looked almost new and they had a train on them!

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 3:35 pm

Brad wrote:Awesome! I saw a photo the other day where those rail lines looked almost new and they had a train on them!

That would be a find! I can't remember seeing a JC picture with anything on those lines...

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 3:41 pm

I love that photo of the rails dead-ending or passing under the building in the center. It kind of reminds me of the view of the Chicago Board of Trade building...a mini-version.

The Jobber's buildings were just full of interesting details on almost every building.

Garrett · Post by **Garrett** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 8:35 pm

Time for the semi-annual "|expletive| CONAGRA" moment.

Bob from Omaha · Post by **Bob from Omaha** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 9:47 pm

I'd love to find Marty Shukart's designs for the area. He had a plan to integrate Jobbers Canyon with a high rise office building, all for ConAgra. I remember it as an amazing idea and some phenomenal sketches. The renderings were in the OWH, if anyone wants to go through OWH archives from the mid 80s. Either that or contact Marty Shukart & see if he has any of them.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 10:00 pm

I was hoping this thread could be revived: 1973 and Prior Downtown Proposals-interesting stuff

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 11:41 pm

Garrett wrote:Time for the semi-annual "|expletive| CONAGRA" moment.

It should be a paid holiday.

I remember exploring the canyon back in the early 80's, but until today, I had only seen a handful of those 300+ photos and have to say I'm blown away again by the extent and density of that district. Omaha would have a much different big-city urban feel if it still remained today. So much so that it probably scared the heck out of those looking for more of a down-home small town feel. Maybe that was Harper's problem.

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Thu Jun 12, 2014 11:53 pm

Bob from Omaha wrote:I'd love to find Marty Shukart's designs for the area. He had a plan to integrate Jobbers Canyon with a high rise office building, all for ConAgra. I remember it as an amazing idea and some phenomenal sketches. The renderings were in the OWH, if anyone wants to go through OWH archives from the mid 80s. Either that or contact Marty Shukart & see if he has any of them.

I agree it would be great to see those drawings. They must be out there somewhere, if not in the OWH archives. I'll keep looking.

I did find a booklet with some conceptual drawings for rehabbing part of jobbers, a riverfront winter garden, and 16th street rehab created by UNL architecture students and area architects & planners in the mid 80's. I need to scan it and see if I can post them.

joshuafunk · Post by **joshuafunk** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 4:37 pm

Greetings.
My name is Josh Funk and I am a reporter for The Associated Press here in Omaha. I just stumbled across this forum today while covering ConAgra Foods' decision to move its headquarters to Chicago. We are working on a follow-up story about the decision to demolish Jobbers Canyon to build ConAgra's headquarters. Would any of you be willing to chat about the topic for a story? I can be reached by email at [email protected].

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 5:32 pm

joshuafunk wrote:Greetings.
My name is Josh Funk and I am a reporter for The Associated Press here in Omaha. I just stumbled across this forum today while covering ConAgra Foods' decision to move its headquarters to Chicago. We are working on a follow-up story about the decision to demolish Jobbers Canyon to build ConAgra's headquarters. Would any of you be willing to chat about the topic for a story? I can be reached by email at [email protected].

Thanks for reaching out to us, Josh. Enjoy your stay.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Thu Oct 01, 2015 8:39 pm

Welcome Josh, I hope you find what you need here!

freepressfreepeople · Fri Oct 02, 2015 10:39 pm

BUMP

Looks like ConAgra is packing up and moving out of town. Thanks for destroying what could have been an economically prosperous zone of Omaha that would have served natives instead of serving corporate welfare to processed food conglomerates. The citizens of Omaha lose time and time again.

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Sat Oct 03, 2015 7:42 am

Not always. We've welcomed big business before. UP didn't have their HQ here until 1999. And two of our losses, Enron and MCI (WorldCom) ended up embroiled in scandals that hurt a lot of people. We win, we lose, and sometimes we dodge bullets.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 3:26 pm

Yeah but on this one we got F'd in the A, very slowly F'd in the A with as of yet no goodbye kiss.

daveoma · Post by **daveoma** » Sun Oct 04, 2015 6:57 pm

MTO wrote:Yeah but on this one we got F'd in the A, very slowly F'd in the A with as of yet no goodbye kiss.

RockHarbor · Post by **RockHarbor** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 12:26 pm

Depressing!

Again, I know the Con Agra campus was a "double-edge sword" for Downtown Omaha. While taking out a swipe of those old buildings, it provided a nice lake, fountain, and park, and helped propel Downtown Omaha to what it is today. For that, I am thankful.

Still, I just don't understand why they even considered a suburban style campus downtown, though? That wouldn't even be approved nowadays (I would think), so why was it approved then? I mean, I was in 7th grade then, and even I knew it was a bit "off" to have that low-rise campus style put in downtown -- even though I didn't object to it then. I'm surprised adults created that, and approved that. But, I don't know the whole story...

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 8:43 pm

RockHarbor wrote:Depressing!

Again, I know the Con Agra campus was a "double-edge sword" for Downtown Omaha. While taking out a swipe of those old buildings, it provided a nice lake, fountain, and park, and helped propel Downtown Omaha to what it is today. For that, I am thankful.

Still, I just don't understand why they even considered a suburban style campus downtown, though? That wouldn't even be approved nowadays (I would think), so why was it approved then? I mean, I was in 7th grade then, and even I knew it was a bit "off" to have that low-rise campus style put in downtown -- even though I didn't object to it then. I'm surprised adults created that, and approved that. But, I don't know the whole story...

Have you seen these photos from the Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission?

http://landmark.cityofomaha.org/gallery ... ers-canyon

I had it linked earlier in this thread, but the link wasn't working. Fixed now.

The ConAgra Campus was the biggest mistake ever made in downtown Omaha....in my opinion. The photos speak for themselves. Charles M. "Mike" Harper, the CEO of Conagra was the cause. He had a vision of what he wanted, and it did not include Jobbers Canyon. He could not be swayed otherwise and Omaha wasn't about to risk upsetting him.

RockHarbor · Post by **RockHarbor** » Tue Apr 19, 2016 9:23 pm

GetUrban wrote:
Have you seen these photos from the Landmarks Heritage Preservation Commission?

http://landmark.cityofomaha.org/gallery ... ers-canyon

I had it linked earlier in this thread, but the link wasn't working. Fixed now.

The ConAgra Campus was the biggest mistake ever made in downtown Omaha....in my opinion. The photos speak for themselves. Charles M. "Mike" Harper, the CEO of Conagra was the cause. He had a vision of what he wanted, and it did not include Jobbers Canyon. He could not be swayed otherwise and Omaha wasn't about to risk upsetting him.

Oh wow! Thanks for that link. I've never seen that gallery before. It is bookmarked. It literally gave me goosebumps. Thanks again.

I'm surprised that C.M. Harper was so stubborn. Why couldn't he have compromised a bit? Did he just HAVE to have an office overlooking a lake with a huge park and a big fountain -- all in downtown Omaha? I don't get it. Then, now...they just move all their job force out of town, off to Chicago, with this "scar" left on our city.

Again, I'm thankful how Con Agra played a role in Omaha's economy and development of downtown. I really am. I knew somebody that worked for Con Agra in that campus, and I'm thankful for the jobs they did provide. But, still, all these good things could have happened with different choices made, making everybody happier in the long run.

What if we totally bulldozed the Con Agra campus, restored the grid, and rebuilt those buildings one by one -- as the economy permits?! We could do it. As much as they don't really "build 'em like they used to", we have the capability to examine each building that was there, and rebuilt it very much the same. That would be one of the strangest urban projects around, but one that would be sooooooo amazingly cool. I bet that would be national news, and talked about in urban circles for years! I can just picture book titles: "The City That Restored It's Lost Canyon." Or, "Suburban Scar Removed: The Restoration of Omaha's Jobber's Canyon." Or, "Urban Scar Be Gone! The Restoration of Omaha's Jobber's Canyon." Or, "Love Don't Live Here Anymore: Con Agra's Exit From Omaha, Their Campus Tear Down, And The Restoration of Jobber's Canyon." lol

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 8:30 am

Was the Butternut originally part of Jobbers?

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 10:56 am

MTO wrote:Was the Butternut originally part of Jobbers?

History-wise, yes. But Butternut wasn't included in the 1984 National Register of Historic Places nomination/designation for Jobber's. that covered 8th-10th-Jackson-Farnam. I think there was a later NRHP designation that picked-up the rest of the buildings south of Jackson out to 13th or so. Need to dig for that. Maybe it was the Rail & Commerce area NHRP.

The Mckesson-Robbin's aka Nash Block (Greenhouse) twin was demolished to make way for the GLM extension east of 10th street. A couple of months ago, I posted some photos in the "Old Photo's" thread that show the view down 9th street including that building. So the Canyon originally went from Capitol all the way south to Leavenworth with those huge brick warehouse buildings lining 9th street. I think the GLM and the earlier "Marina City" drawings really greased the skids for the Conagra campus to happen, making it more palatable to tear them down. Purists could argue that we'd be better off if GLM didn't happen, but that is arguable. Omaha would be a lot denser city if all of those building remained, that's for sure.

Edit: here's the photos I posted in the Old Photos thread.....view looking south on 9th.

View from Dodge. I believe the butternut building is the last one on the right...in the distance way down on Leavenworth at the end of the "canyon."

View from Douglas, with the twin Nash Block buildings on right...

RockHarbor · Post by **RockHarbor** » Wed Apr 20, 2016 11:43 am

MTO wrote:Was the Butternut originally part of Jobbers?

Thank you! Here, I struggle having any memories of Jobber's Canyon. I've always paid attention to Downtown Omaha, even as a child, but I just don't recall that canyon of buildings very well. But, I remember that "Butternut" building now. So good to be reminded of something that pulls old, dusty memories out of my mind.

RockHarbor · Post by **RockHarbor** » Mon Apr 25, 2016 3:14 pm

Cool. It is interesting. I used to have an old, faded (looking from the 70's) picture of railways running through Downtown Chicago, and it was pretty cool. (I'm still not into railroads that much, but funny how things can start to grab your interest, that didn't before. For example, years back, I didn't "get it" when people loved seeing gritty pictures of cities. Now, I totally, completely get it.)

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Thu Apr 28, 2016 10:05 am

Here's a view looking West on Farnam at 9th St. The McKesson Robbins building (Nash Block) is on the near right and the unpainted Burlington Building is just across 10th St. on the right. Look how many buildings are now gone....to make way for the GLM. Photo is from the Durham online collection.

You can see the 19-story Medical Arts Building under construction in the distance at the center of the photo. Later demo'd to make way for FNB tower.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Thu Apr 28, 2016 12:46 pm

I like GLM, but I wish we still had all those old buildings.

RockHarbor · Post by **RockHarbor** » Tue Feb 14, 2017 11:32 pm

Ugh, just makes me cringe... We could have had such wonderful, satisfying, urban textures & contrasts with those old buildings downtown, contrasting with the new. Now, we almost don't have enough old textures & contrasts down there. Instead, we have this suburban-type campus of low-rise, prairie style buildings. (As mentioned, it really boosted Downtown Omaha. For that, I'm thankful. I just wish Jobber's Canyon wasn't the price paid for that.)

To the south, KC has wonderful contrasts w/ all the old art deco towers mixed w/ their new towers. But, cities like Denver & Minneapolis don't really. Even Chicago is a bit "new tower heavy", compared to New York City -- which has many old, towering, stone skyscrapers. Denver & Dallas have no tall, stone, old buildings, and Minneapolis has only one major one that is in view (the other one is pretty hidden from view). In fact, the Wells Fargo Tower in Minneapolis, a notable skyscraper designed by Cesar Pelli, helps give some of that old texture to that city, although it is a new tower.

Preservation, preservation, preservation!

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Wed Feb 15, 2017 10:55 am

I'm with you on that brother! (or sister) I cringe when I think of all that has been lost in Omaha and not replaced with anything nearly as significant. I have been hopeful they won't find a new tenant for the old ConAgra HQ buildings so they can be dispensed with to re-extend the grid further east and allow a higher-density extension of the Old Market to be re-built. The economics of the situation probably won't let that happen and the buildings will become tied-up for another 20 years with a contented new suburban tenant.

RockHarbor · Post by **RockHarbor** » Wed Feb 15, 2017 11:11 am

GetUrban wrote:I'm with you on that brother! (or sister) I cringe when I think of all that has been lost in Omaha and not replaced with anything nearly as significant. I have been hopeful they won't find a new tenant for the old ConAgra HQ buildings so they can be dispensed with to re-extend the grid further east and allow a higher-density extension of the Old Market to be re-built. The economics of the situation probably won't let that happen and the buildings will become tied-up for another 20 years with a contented new suburban tenant.

I'm a boy.

(A man, to be more precise. Just clarifying...)

Ugh, cringing again...at what you suggested! That's what I'm afraid of, too, Geturban: Simply a new company logo just smacked on those suburban-style campus buildings. No bulldozer comin' around...

I actually like the Con Agra campus, of low-rise, rambling, modern Prairie Style (FLW) buildings. They are very nicely designed, and are nicely arranged around that lake, imo. It's a good architectural look for the Plains, imo. I just don't like them downtown, on our riverfront -- of course. Too bad they couldn't just move them out to the suburbs, like they can move a house. I would love seeing them instead on that land at 144th & Pacific. (See pic I attached). They would just fit there so much better, and create a nice look fitting snugly on those rolling hills with a lake & fountain.

And, I would love for that grid to be restored and an extension to the Old Market instead, like you mentioned. That Old Market is our hot spot, a true urban "gem" that helps makes our downtown special. Expanding it would be cool, imo.

buildomaha · Post by **buildomaha** » Sat Feb 18, 2017 12:06 am

GetUrban wrote:I'm with you on that brother! (or sister) I cringe when I think of all that has been lost in Omaha and not replaced with anything nearly as significant. I have been hopeful they won't find a new tenant for the old ConAgra HQ buildings so they can be dispensed with to re-extend the grid further east and allow a higher-density extension of the Old Market to be re-built. The economics of the situation probably won't let that happen and the buildings will become tied-up for another 20 years with a contented new suburban tenant.

You're 100% right. I say tear down those out of place suburban buildings and extend the old market. I can not wait to see ConAgra's plans, although i don't know whether to be excited or scared about them...

PotatoeEatsFish · Post by **PotatoeEatsFish** » Sat Feb 18, 2017 12:24 am

buildomaha wrote:
GetUrban wrote:I'm with you on that brother! (or sister) I cringe when I think of all that has been lost in Omaha and not replaced with anything nearly as significant. I have been hopeful they won't find a new tenant for the old ConAgra HQ buildings so they can be dispensed with to re-extend the grid further east and allow a higher-density extension of the Old Market to be re-built. The economics of the situation probably won't let that happen and the buildings will become tied-up for another 20 years with a contented new suburban tenant.
You're 100% right. I say tear down those out of place suburban buildings and extend the old market. I can not wait to see ConAgra's plans, although i don't know whether to be excited or scared about them...

They're not tearing down prime office space, that's just wasteful. They can just build around them. Besides with all these new developments it would take decades to fill up that whole space.

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Sat Feb 18, 2017 10:31 am

PotatoeEatsFish wrote:
buildomaha wrote:
GetUrban wrote:I'm with you on that brother! (or sister) I cringe when I think of all that has been lost in Omaha and not replaced with anything nearly as significant. I have been hopeful they won't find a new tenant for the old ConAgra HQ buildings so they can be dispensed with to re-extend the grid further east and allow a higher-density extension of the Old Market to be re-built. The economics of the situation probably won't let that happen and the buildings will become tied-up for another 20 years with a contented new suburban tenant.
You're 100% right. I say tear down those out of place suburban buildings and extend the old market. I can not wait to see ConAgra's plans, although i don't know whether to be excited or scared about them...

They're not tearing down prime office space, that's just wasteful. They can just build around them. Besides with all these new developments it would take decades to fill up that whole space.

In the big scheme of things, it would be what's best for downtown Omaha. "Prime" is in the eye of the beholder.

Wasteful? I'll tell you what was wasteful. Number 1 is the only building left...

RockHarbor · Post by **RockHarbor** » Mon Feb 20, 2017 9:36 pm

Ugh... Grrrr...

mr. omaha · Post by **mr. omaha** » Wed Mar 15, 2017 1:42 pm

Just to provide some perspective on how massive Jobber's Canyon was...

IMG_1301.JPG

TitosBuritoBarn · Post by **TitosBuritoBarn** » Wed Mar 15, 2017 2:05 pm

Jeez. It's like they said "find the highest concentration of old warehouses and that's where we'll locate our headquarters."

Part of me wants a developer to hire someone who designs period sets in Hollywood or for Disney theme parks and have them recreate these buildings where they used to stand.

Garrett · Post by **Garrett** » Wed Mar 15, 2017 2:34 pm

TitosBuritoBarn wrote:Jeez. It's like they said "find the highest concentration of old warehouses and that's where we'll locate our headquarters."

Part of me wants a developer to hire someone who designs period sets in Hollywood or for Disney theme parks and have them recreate these buildings where they used to stand.

It wouldn't be too hard to rebuild them since there is clearly a surplus of photos. A lot of historical sites in Europe had to be rebuilt after the world wars.