Spice Johnson
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Brad wrote: ↑Mon Nov 28, 2022 3:21 pm
ita wrote: ↑Mon Nov 28, 2022 3:04 pm Thinking about it more, AIA did award the Mercantile project for an innovative (for Omaha) office design. I posted about it last week on this thread: https://eomahaforums.com/viewtopic.php? ... &start=560

Anyway, NPdodger's comment about expanded office makes sense. The rendering provided in the MBJ is a couple more stories than the previous T3 rendering. Anyway, I am holding out some hope there is some truth to this rumor. It seems like an odd time to move forward with a project as described in Omaha at this time with inflated everything and still high interest rates. Local outlook, from what I have heard from real estate and development folks, is wait and see for the next year or two. But Hines is a developer on another level, so who knows.
Thanks for the link. This is what I was referring to in my post above.

CONAGRA-01.jpg
So would the $1 billion investment be for a complete reworking of the entire current Merchantile plan or just this connected 3 building structure?
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Spice Johnson wrote: ↑Tue Nov 29, 2022 11:21 pm
Brad wrote: ↑Mon Nov 28, 2022 3:21 pm
ita wrote: ↑Mon Nov 28, 2022 3:04 pm Thinking about it more, AIA did award the Mercantile project for an innovative (for Omaha) office design. I posted about it last week on this thread: https://eomahaforums.com/viewtopic.php? ... &start=560

Anyway, NPdodger's comment about expanded office makes sense. The rendering provided in the MBJ is a couple more stories than the previous T3 rendering. Anyway, I am holding out some hope there is some truth to this rumor. It seems like an odd time to move forward with a project as described in Omaha at this time with inflated everything and still high interest rates. Local outlook, from what I have heard from real estate and development folks, is wait and see for the next year or two. But Hines is a developer on another level, so who knows.
Thanks for the link. This is what I was referring to in my post above.

CONAGRA-01.jpg
So would the $1 billion investment be for a complete reworking of the entire current Merchantile plan or just this connected 3 building structure?
I don’t think anyone knows at this point.. But if his sources pan out, we should hear an announcement before the end of the year; and have those questions answered…

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Npdodger12 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 27, 2022 2:15 pm Announcement is likely to come before the end of the year. Billion+ investment.
Garrett wrote: ↑Sun Nov 27, 2022 7:58 pm Well at least with this we only have a month to wait. Probably less assuming they wouldn't announce in the Christmas-new year week
What do we think the odds are that this announcement happens before the end of the year? Maybe, like the Mutual Tower, the announcement will happen in January.
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Doctor Fate wrote: ↑Wed Dec 14, 2022 3:37 pm
Npdodger12 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 27, 2022 2:15 pm Announcement is likely to come before the end of the year. Billion+ investment.
Garrett wrote: ↑Sun Nov 27, 2022 7:58 pm Well at least with this we only have a month to wait. Probably less assuming they wouldn't announce in the Christmas-new year week
What do we think the odds are that this announcement happens before the end of the year? Maybe, like the Mutual Tower, the announcement will happen in January.
Perhaps they were waiting for the final streetcar approval? I suppose we have a few more days to see.
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Garrett wrote: ↑Wed Dec 14, 2022 5:31 pm
Doctor Fate wrote: ↑Wed Dec 14, 2022 3:37 pm
Npdodger12 wrote: ↑Sun Nov 27, 2022 2:15 pm Announcement is likely to come before the end of the year. Billion+ investment.
Garrett wrote: ↑Sun Nov 27, 2022 7:58 pm Well at least with this we only have a month to wait. Probably less assuming they wouldn't announce in the Christmas-new year week
What do we think the odds are that this announcement happens before the end of the year? Maybe, like the Mutual Tower, the announcement will happen in January.
Perhaps they were waiting for the final streetcar approval? I suppose we have a few more days to see.
Just here to fan the flames. Noddle is such a tease.

https://omaha.com/news/local/omaha-city ... -top-story
Jay Noddle, a local developer and president of the Omaha Streetcar Authority, said the development brought by Mutual of Omaha is just one example of upcoming projects along the streetcar route.

“There are many more development projects already considered and approved that don’t get talked about,” Noddle said. “I think we’ll see a lot of cranes in 2023.”
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ita wrote: ↑Wed Dec 14, 2022 7:00 pm
“...Noddle said. “I think we’ll see a lot of cranes in 2023.”
Planning a trip to Grand Island next year Jay? You should hop up to De Soto Bend too. Not as many cranes but lots of geese.
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Npdodger12
Announcement won’t be coming until end of January, but will be worth the wait. A very, very large, online retailer will have a significant presence as part of this project. There will be four cranes, not three.
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Hmmm 🤔…

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Amazon HQ3!! Bank it!! LOL
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Npdodger12 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 15, 2022 5:09 pm Announcement won’t be coming until end of January, but will be worth the wait. A very, very large, online retailer will have a significant presence as part of this project. There will be four cranes, not three.
Interesting, so four cranes now instead of three means that there will be four buildings instead of the three previously mentioned?
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And color me even more skeptical than before.
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This one is so buttoned up, even the Cryptic Rumor Department doesn’t have a bead on it..

As always, we’ll see…

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Npdodger12 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 15, 2022 5:09 pm Announcement won’t be coming until end of January, but will be worth the wait. A very, very large, online retailer will have a significant presence as part of this project. There will be four cranes, not three.
Will this "very, very large, online retailer" have an office presence or a retail/storefront presence?

Also, I'm curious. -- Are you working on The Mercantile in any way? What's your relationship to the development project?
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MadJack wrote: ↑Fri Dec 16, 2022 3:37 am
Npdodger12 wrote: ↑Thu Dec 15, 2022 5:09 pm Announcement won’t be coming until end of January, but will be worth the wait. A very, very large, online retailer will have a significant presence as part of this project. There will be four cranes, not three.
Will this "very, very large, online retailer" have an office presence or a retail/storefront presence?

Also, I'm curious. -- Are you working on The Mercantile in any way? What's your relationship to the development project?
They said the online retailer would have a "significant presence", that feels like an office presence if true.

They also said they had a source who was "very reliable".
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Hayneedle?
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Linkin5 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 16, 2022 2:07 pmHayneedle?
Hasn't Hayneedle made some large worker cuts over the past few years? Doubt they'd be looking to increase space.
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Amazon Fresh Market would be my guess… it checks a lot of boxes: large online retailer, large presence, tight-lipped secrecy, supports additional downtown residential development.
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Linkin5 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 16, 2022 2:07 pmHayneedle?
Now that;s funny right there I don't care who you are
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Get ready to be excited folks.

Here comes Wayfair Tower Omaha!!

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Hawkeye wrote: ↑Fri Dec 16, 2022 6:08 pm Get ready to be excited folks.

Here comes Wayfair Tower Omaha!!

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As always old friend, you’ve outdone yourself. I think ‘ol Hawkeye is on to something..

I like it :;): …

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Hawkeye wrote: ↑Fri Dec 16, 2022 6:08 pm Get ready to be excited folks.

Here comes Wayfair Tower Omaha!!

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Took me a little too long to decide why I didn't like that new building.
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Not everyone's a mission style skyscraper kinda person.
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almighty_tuna wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 5:21 pm Not everyone's a mission style skyscraper kinda person.
That and I'm a bit concerned that it doesn't have a reflection in the water. Vampire Mission Style? Vampire Gangnam Mission Style? What the H E L L is going on here?
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Bob from Omaha wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 6:29 pm
almighty_tuna wrote: ↑Wed Dec 21, 2022 5:21 pm Not everyone's a mission style skyscraper kinda person.
That and I'm a bit concerned that it doesn't have a reflection in the water. What the H E L L is going on here?
We’ll find out..

60-90 days :;): …

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Npdodger12
I have some new info to pass on. The very, very, large online retailer will have an even more significant presence in a mixed use location west of downtown which will have four towers and utilize existing parking. An announcement will be made later this year. Construction won’t start until 2026 though.
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So that's a significant presence in the Conagra development area, then additional significant presence essentially in the old MoO space by Midtown Crossing once they've moved to their new tower....if the tea leaves are to be read correctly here regarding "utilizing existing parking" west of downtown. Well, here's hoping I guess. Still a long ways off if this does actually pan out.

It's a bold rumor, Cotton, let's see how this plays out.
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The amount of spice in this rumor is making me more and more doubtful.
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Louie wrote: ↑Tue Jan 03, 2023 6:52 pm The amount of spice in this rumor is making me more and more doubtful.
Yes, I agree. This online retailer will have a significant presence in the Mercantile with a construction completion estimate of spring 2025, and then it will have a very significant presence in four mixed use towers in Midtown? Very spicy.

If this does pan out, who could this online retailer be? eBay? Etsy? Wayfair?
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Doctor Fate wrote: ↑Tue Jan 03, 2023 7:01 pm
Louie wrote: ↑Tue Jan 03, 2023 6:52 pm The amount of spice in this rumor is making me more and more doubtful.
Yes, I agree. This online retailer will have a significant presence in the Mercantile with a construction completion estimate of spring 2025, and then it will have a very significant presence in four mixed use towers in Midtown? Very spicy.

If this does pan out, who could this online retailer be? eBay? Etsy? Wayfair?
To clear things up, the online retailer will not have a significant presence in FOUR mixed use towers in Midtown. In Midtown, there will be two office towers and two residential towers with ground floor retail space. The online retailer will only be occupying ONE of the Midtown office towers. It will be a more significant presence because it’s Midtown tower will be several floors taller than their eastern location.
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So then will the original alleged announcement still happen as planned later this month or are we moving goalposts again?
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Garrett wrote: ↑Tue Jan 03, 2023 10:10 pm So then will the original alleged announcement still happen as planned later this month or are we moving goalposts again?
moving them 60-90 yards
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Hmmm…makes me think a significant local office or HQ presence in Midtown and a brick and mortar store configured for an urban mixed-use site that would have little direct competition for a long while. There are a few possible companies that I can see making that happen, and that would benefit from that. This is interesting….
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I stopped believing this a while ago. I think there is obviously going to be further Conagra land development but I don’t think this person has any real knowledge.
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Nothing about this rumor has any logic to it. Some giant online retailer suddenly has a need for space here, in Omaha, at a time when everyone is downsizing or maintaining office space? And the construction timetable went from ending in 2025 (for three buildings!) to starting in 2026? Hypothetically, if he’s not full of |expletive| part of it will fall through as described because the ambition is moronic given the market conditions and timeline.
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TitosBuritoBarn wrote: ↑Wed Jan 04, 2023 12:26 am Nothing about this rumor has any logic to it. Some giant online retailer suddenly has a need for space here, in Omaha, at a time when everyone is downsizing or maintaining office space? And the construction timetable went from ending in 2025 (for three buildings!) to starting in 2026? Hypothetically, if he’s not full of |expletive| part of it will fall through as described because the ambition is moronic given the market conditions and timeline.
LOL. It was actually four buildings at the Mercantile that would finish in 2025 (one for a W Hotel, two office buildings for a medical company and an insurance company, and then the building for the online retailer. And the four buildings in Midtown would then start in 2026 (two office and two residential).
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Doctor Fate wrote: ↑Wed Jan 04, 2023 1:28 am
TitosBuritoBarn wrote: ↑Wed Jan 04, 2023 12:26 am Nothing about this rumor has any logic to it. Some giant online retailer suddenly has a need for space here, in Omaha, at a time when everyone is downsizing or maintaining office space? And the construction timetable went from ending in 2025 (for three buildings!) to starting in 2026? Hypothetically, if he’s not full of |expletive| part of it will fall through as described because the ambition is moronic given the market conditions and timeline.
LOL. It was actually four buildings at the Mercantile that would finish in 2025 (one for a W Hotel, two office buildings for a medical company and an insurance company, and then the building for the online retailer. And the four buildings in Midtown would then start in 2026 (two office and two residential).
:lol: Oh dear. My mistake I guess I gave him the benefit of the doubt. No, four new towers cannot be completed by 2025. One maybe. If they start immediately. Hopefully not for that "medical company" though. I'm not familiar with any medical company that needs an entire tower's worth of office space unless they're selling pharmaceuticals or something. Upper management there may need to recheck their figures on space needs.

Sounds like the same person who was figuring space needs for the medical company also calculated the parking needs for the four new towers in midtown. Not one new spot needed for four towers, huh? Maybe that means like three new streetcar lines are part of the deal!

And the W Hotel folks must be desperate these days to expand to Omaha given that their website's About page states "W was born from the mix of eclectic cultures and vibrant energy of New York City. Today, W takes that 24/7 vigour worldwide, bringing the best of music, fashion, design and fuel to stunning destinations around the globe." and the least touristy North American market they're currently in is Minneapolis.
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All bologna imo
Npdodger12
Midtown development utilizes an existing parking structure, but will also include a NEW parking structure. The downtown development will also include a very large, NEW parking structure. After all, this is Omaha, and many of us love to drive our cars everywhere. It gets extremely cold and extremely hot here. It’s not ideal for walking and riding bike several months out of the year, and not everyone is going to ride a streetcar or bus.

Downtown development still schedule to be announced in January. Midtown development probably not until fall at the earliest.

Online retailer company will NOT have a brick and mortar store here. Only offices that were previously intended for other cities. Why they chose Omaha, I don’t know.