Gene Leahy Mall Remodel

[Taco]

Unfortunately, those ugly orange light fixtures are being refurbished and will surround the pond, you can see them in the video posted above. During the early public engagement meetings those were one of the items some people thought should be kept. They are ugly and require only one of the bulbs being burnout to look trashy.

During our tour 3 weeks ago we were told they aren’t coming back. All lighting has been upgraded. I specifically asked that question.

Excellent news!!!! That's not what they told me a year ago when I asked. I'm guessing it was not worth trying to refurbish them.
This makes me happy.

The Pond is going to be great. They are going to have videos projected on the Green House Apartment building and then the stairs lead up to the Mercantile Building. It will be a very engaging area.

Thanks for sharing the information you gained during the tour. It seems like a lot was detailed that they haven't necessarily publicized. Is there anything else that you heard that you're excited about?

Honestly it was somewhat overwhelming and the level of detail is insane. The amount of A/V that is going into this will blow everyone’s expectations out of the water. No additional parking is being put in because they want it to connect all of downtown and get people moving all around.

It will be exciting to see how much national publicity this gets during the ‘22 College World Series.

A/V as in audio/visual? Give us the deets!!!

The subcontractor hired to do a lot of the A/V stuff also does a lot of the work for Superbowl halftime shows(or so I'm told). The subcontractor for the water fixtures came out of Florida and does a lot of theme park work. They entire west side of the Burlington building should be lit up too by projectors.

Yes it will. Plus lots of screens under the bridge.

This will be an iconic point of destination for people to visit when they come to Omaha..

Akin to “The Arch” in St Louis.. And I don’t think this is an exaggeration at all..


Thanks everyone whose contributed the additional intel …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

Let's slow our roll a little here. Yes, this park will be cool, however it will likely not become a national icon synonymous with our city name.

[Omaha Cowboy]

Unfortunately, those ugly orange light fixtures are being refurbished and will surround the pond, you can see them in the video posted above. During the early public engagement meetings those were one of the items some people thought should be kept. They are ugly and require only one of the bulbs being burnout to look trashy.

During our tour 3 weeks ago we were told they aren’t coming back. All lighting has been upgraded. I specifically asked that question.

Excellent news!!!! That's not what they told me a year ago when I asked. I'm guessing it was not worth trying to refurbish them.
This makes me happy.

The Pond is going to be great. They are going to have videos projected on the Green House Apartment building and then the stairs lead up to the Mercantile Building. It will be a very engaging area.

Thanks for sharing the information you gained during the tour. It seems like a lot was detailed that they haven't necessarily publicized. Is there anything else that you heard that you're excited about?

Honestly it was somewhat overwhelming and the level of detail is insane. The amount of A/V that is going into this will blow everyone’s expectations out of the water. No additional parking is being put in because they want it to connect all of downtown and get people moving all around.

It will be exciting to see how much national publicity this gets during the ‘22 College World Series.

A/V as in audio/visual? Give us the deets!!!

The subcontractor hired to do a lot of the A/V stuff also does a lot of the work for Superbowl halftime shows(or so I'm told). The subcontractor for the water fixtures came out of Florida and does a lot of theme park work. They entire west side of the Burlington building should be lit up too by projectors.

Yes it will. Plus lots of screens under the bridge.

This will be an iconic point of destination for people to visit when they come to Omaha..

Akin to “The Arch” in St Louis.. And I don’t think this is an exaggeration at all..


Thanks everyone whose contributed the additional intel …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

Yes, this park will be cool, however it will likely not become a national icon synonymous with our city name.

There is no reason it won’t either..

I have no issue with tooting our horn regarding a Riverfront Redevelopment that will shape the way our downtown will look and become for the next several decades…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[Vitruvius]

One thing that might make for a truly remarkable world-class riverfront would be to resurrect and build the proposed Isamu Noguchi sculpture/fountain that was planned during the Bicentennial in the 1970's but abandoned due to cost. Does anyone remember this? Here's some info.
Isamu Noguchi is one of the most important American artists of the 20th century.

https://www.noguchi.org/artworks/collec ... -fountain/

[JDJase]

The Riverfront posted new current/renderings mixed flyover today. Post on FB noted the pond will be as long as the Woodmen is tall.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

One thing that might make for a truly remarkable world-class riverfront would be to resurrect and build the proposed Isamu Noguchi sculpture/fountain that was planned during the Bicentennial in the 1970's but abandoned due to cost. Does anyone remember this? Here's some info.
Isamu Noguchi is one of the most important American artists of the 20th century.

https://www.noguchi.org/artworks/collec ... -fountain/

Certainly a solid artist...

...but that fountain looks like a cell tower.

[NEDodger]

Yeah, I'm fine if we pass on that.....

[Vitruvius]

The old "my kid could do that" excuse.

[NEDodger]

The old "my kid could do that" excuse.

No. There's "simple" that allures people (The Bean, in Chicago).

Then there's.....well, that thing.

[Stan]

It's like the bones for the Eye of Sauron tower.

[Brad]

Aerial Photo Update:

[Omaha Cowboy]

Aerial Photo Update:

Great aerial update photos Brad. This project is phenomenal in size and scope..and these photos show that very well …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[ItsAllAboutMe]

https://burlingtoncapital.com/live/
Lights have been added to the trees near the slides. Hmm

[skinzfan23]

Any idea what all the black stuff at the base of the slides is? I don't think that was there the other day.

[ItsAllAboutMe]

Any idea what all the black stuff at the base of the slides is? I don't think that was there the other day.

The black stuff is a liner that was placed over a crushed limestone base. This will eventually be covered withe the same clay colored sand/gravel walkways you see next to the concrete sidewalks and numerous areas around the park.

[Garrett]

Nice little video update

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFriyrRKsCU[/youtube]

[Omaha Cowboy]

Nice little video update

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFriyrRKsCU[/youtube]

Nice drone video update Garrett..

It shows the progress thus far and also how expansive this Riverfront Redevelopment project truly is …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[Night Train]

Got a couple of close-ups of the slides this morning. It’ll be fun to see the roller-slide in action when completed! Also added the 10th St view for fun.

[GetUrban]

Great video! Thanks for posting Garrett. I love how they dealt with the grade changes and reworked the extension of the lagoon under the 10th street bridge. The park will now extend almost all the way to the river which has been a goal ever since the "Back To The River" and "Marina City" proposals from the 70's. The new "Money Shot" of the Omaha skyline will have to move further east closer to the river to catch the extended park and to make sure it captures the top of new 700' building at the west end of the mall, if that's where it ends up going. If it does go on the Dale Clark site, the new high-rise should go on the north half of the block to still maintain a straight-on view of the Woodman Tower in the background. I think the footprint of the new tower will be similar to the FNB tower footprint and not need to use the whole block, or necessarily be centered on the block. Some extra space around the base of the high-rise on south side of the block will likely be available for other things to be built, maybe even a new main branch library or other mixed uses!

[Garrett]

Great video! Thanks for posting Garrett. I love how they dealt with the grade changes and reworked the extension of the lagoon under the 10th street bridge. The park will now extend almost all the way to the river which has been a goal ever since the "Back To The River" and "Marina City" proposals from the 70's. The new "Money Shot" of the Omaha skyline will have to move further east closer to the river to catch the extended park and to make sure it captures the top of new 700' building at the west end of the mall, if that's where it ends up going. If it does go on the Dale Clark site, the new high-rise should go on the north half of the block to still maintain a straight-on view of the Woodman Tower in the background. I think the footprint of the new tower will be similar to the FNB tower footprint and not need to use the whole block, or necessarily be centered on the block. Some extra space around the base of the high-rise on south side of the block will likely be available for other things to be built, maybe even a new main branch library or other mixed uses!

Keeping it on the northern half will also hopefully preserve evening sunlight. I’m curious what sort of shadows these new towers would end up projecting.

[Coyote]

Nice little video update

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFriyrRKsCU[/youtube]

Nice drone video update Garrett..

It shows the progress thus far and also how expansive this Riverfront Redevelopment project truly is …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

You have to watch this a thousand times to see the real updates. I love these videos!

[blackrock]

I've been lurking on these forums for years but never posted, so please forgive the random reply from some random guy. I love these forums and reading all the discussions, so hello to everyone! Also, I've lived in Omaha off and on for 15 years and I love it here, so I both laugh and cringe at the "60-90 day" and "minarded" references.

Anyway, I was just downtown walking around with family in tow and took them on a tour of the city (all over). They were visiting from the Gulf Coast/New Orleans area for only the second time and had never been to Omaha proper. They were impressed with all the construction and new development, and how big the city actually is (his reaction when we drove by UNMC was priceless). I'm impressed at the changes downtown just since my wife and I lived there a couple years ago. I can't wait to see all this when it's done. It can't get done soon enough though, we like to go downtown sometimes just to walk around the Mall and Riverfront every few weeks. Thanks for the video update!

[nativeomahan]

Thank you for jumping into the water with your first posts!

[blackrock]

Thanks for the warm welcome!

[Omaha Cowboy]

I've been lurking on these forums for years but never posted, so please forgive the random reply from some random guy. I love these forums and reading all the discussions, so hello to everyone! Also, I've lived in Omaha off and on for 15 years and I love it here, so I both laugh and cringe at the "60-90 day" and "minarded" references.

Anyway, I was just downtown walking around with family in tow and took them on a tour of the city (all over). They were visiting from the Gulf Coast/New Orleans area for only the second time and had never been to Omaha proper. They were impressed with all the construction and new development, and how big the city actually is (his reaction when we drove by UNMC was priceless). I'm impressed at the changes downtown just since my wife and I lived there a couple years ago. I can't wait to see all this when it's done. It can't get done soon enough though, we like to go downtown sometimes just to walk around the Mall and Riverfront every few weeks. Thanks for the video update!

Wow. Nice first post and your family impressions of Omaha are much appreciated..

Welcome to the forum …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[guy4omaha]

Echo all the comments above, Blackrock. Welcome.

[blackrock]

Thank you all!

[Coyote]

[youtube]https://youtu.be/XGBcJny1vZQ[/youtube]

[Omaha Cowboy]

From the new Monthly Riverfront newsletter-

“Progress towards the vision.

The winter months can certainly complicate a large outdoor project. However, Kiewit's use of innovative construction technologies is helping to ensure that the team stays on track - despite the inevitable snow and cold looming in December's forecast.

With the use of heaters, and a device called Giatec SmartRock, Kiewit will be able to pour concrete throughout the winter. Giatec SmartRock is a small device that is placed about three feet in the ground and is used to gather data such as temperature and concrete strength. A measurement is recorded every 15 minutes on an app, tracking any potential trends or issues happening on site. With the appropriate data in hand, Kiewit is able to make informed decisions about the best time to execute concrete pours - ensuring its quality meets The RiverFront's highest standards.

Along with concrete installation this winter, Kiewit will employ technology to extend their dirt work schedule by utilizing ground thaws to warm the soil.

Technology is also important for the effective tracking and documentation of project progress. Kiewit utilizes Propeller, a drone device that photographs the job site at least once a month. The pictures are used to survey the area, monitor for problems, and stay on track throughout the construction process.

Initial efforts on the Farnam Pier will launch in the coming weeks while the Missouri River is at lower water levels. The construction team will have access to install the drill shaft, column, and caps that allow for this iconic piece to securely extend out and over the river.

In both Heartland of America Park and Lewis & Clark Landing, installation of critical infrastructure will be ongoing this winter, creating solid foundations for prompt amenity installation in 2022.

Along with these numerous tasks, the cold winter months give the team more time to plan, schedule, and coordinate for the coming year. Thanks to technology and the most modern construction practices, The RiverFront team is strategic in its final push towards the reopening of each park.”…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[BRoss]

With the use of heaters, and a device called Giatec SmartRock, Kiewit will be able to pour concrete throughout the winter. Giatec SmartRock is a small device that is placed about three feet in the ground and is used to gather data such as temperature and concrete strength. A measurement is recorded every 15 minutes on an app, tracking any potential trends or issues happening on site. With the appropriate data in hand, Kiewit is able to make informed decisions about the best time to execute concrete pours - ensuring its quality meets The RiverFront's highest standards.

Along with concrete installation this winter, Kiewit will employ technology to extend their dirt work schedule by utilizing ground thaws to warm the soil.

It's interesting to see how technology is changing how things are done. Less downtime over the winter and better quality controls.

[Omaha Cowboy]

With the use of heaters, and a device called Giatec SmartRock, Kiewit will be able to pour concrete throughout the winter. Giatec SmartRock is a small device that is placed about three feet in the ground and is used to gather data such as temperature and concrete strength. A measurement is recorded every 15 minutes on an app, tracking any potential trends or issues happening on site. With the appropriate data in hand, Kiewit is able to make informed decisions about the best time to execute concrete pours - ensuring its quality meets The RiverFront's highest standards.

Along with concrete installation this winter, Kiewit will employ technology to extend their dirt work schedule by utilizing ground thaws to warm the soil.

It's interesting to see how technology is changing how things are done. Less downtime over the winter and better quality controls.

Completely agree!…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[Big E]

I both laugh and cringe at the "60-90 day" and "minarded" references.

YOU'RE WELCOME

[GetUrban]

With all of these great videos floating around lately, it made me wonder if the old data center in the northeast 2/3 of the Landmark Center along the south side of GLM is becoming more valuable for mixed-use commercial/residential in that prime location. One can hope that data equipment will soon be obsolete and the blank wall can be opened up to create some fantastic views into the newly-renovated GLM. Sorry, I’m just dreaming, don’t mean to get your hopes up too much, with all of the other pieces of the future development puzzle to ponder.

[Coyote]

[youtube]https://youtu.be/47PDWKKRBhY[/youtube]

[Coyote]

[youtube]https://youtu.be/1cowrK4yFMA[/youtube]

[ItsAllAboutMe]

Sod is being installed today, that’s a milestone.!

[oldschool]

Had an interesting vantage point to take some pictures from yesterday….

[WorldStreet]

Had an interesting vantage point to take some pictures from yesterday….

Are they taken from the First National tower?

[Omaha Cowboy]

Had an interesting vantage point to take some pictures from yesterday….

Great pics and welcome to the forum …

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[MadMartin8]

I love seeing this perspective, you get a perfect view of just how large of a scale this project and the other down closer to the river are. 5 years from now it's going to be just so mind bogglingly different down there, and I am curious to see what comes next.

[Omaha Cowboy]

I love seeing this perspective, you get a perfect view of just how large of a scale this project and the other down closer to the river are. 5 years from now it's going to be just so mind bogglingly different down there, and I am curious to see what comes next.

Absolutely true..

If potential rumored developments come to fruition, it’s a game changer for downtown. I said this earlier and I’ll still hold to it- the GLM and entire Riverfront Redevelopment plan will create an iconic point of destination for Omaha..not unlike what The Arch contributes to St Louis…

Ciao..LiO…Peace