Nebraska Medicine

[Athomsfere]

It's not always the developers that want the parking. Some developers want to do the minimum parking allowed by the TOD but its the neighbors who are worried people will be parking in front of their houses if the apartments don't have enough parking.

And the banks... Not sure how much banks will bend on financing just because something is in a TOD.

[Brad]

It's not always the developers that want the parking. Some developers want to do the minimum parking allowed by the TOD but its the neighbors who are worried people will be parking in front of their houses if the apartments don't have enough parking.

And the banks... Not sure how much banks will bend on financing just because something is in a TOD.

The latest TOD project I have been working on, the owner wanted 1 parking stall per unit, which is a little more than required by TOD, but still way less than the typical. Omaha requires 1.5 stalls for one bedroom and 2.0 stalls for a two bedroom.

Say it had 40 units (Half one bed and half two bed), typically that would require 70 parking stalls (30 for the one bed and 40 for the two bed). TOD would cut that in half and require 35, and this owner would prefer 40, which I think is a good marketing plan to say each unit comes with one parking stall. Even though their plan would be to mostly use transit, most people still have a car.

[Spice Johnson]

Anyone have an idea where the admin tower is at, in terms of process for ground breaking?

[S.O.Boy]

The old school at 4469 Farnam St is gone.

[Flyer14]

One of the research towers should put up a construction cam to monitor all the progress across Saddle Creek. Every time I look there is more equipment and more progress being made. Add in the old M-M site and the hotel across Farnam and its nonstop action.

[ita]

I want to pull this statement from Noddle into the UNMC NExT conversation:

https://www.ketv.com/article/omaha-stre ... s/42234617

Streetcar Authority President Jay Noddle declined to comment on the rate conflict on Tuesday. He says his team is focusing on the route at Nebraska Medical Center, talking to leaders there.

"Should it go alongside? Should it go through? When do they want to do that? What route would they like to take?" Noddle said.

It must still be in the design phase. The streetcar will be in the design phase in 2023, so are we getting a joint reveal later in 2023? I thought the original route only made it to 42nd. The NExT project is at 44th and the admin tower/steelworks project at Saddle Creek. Are they already planning to lengthen the route in this initial phase?

[S.O.Boy]

One of the research towers should put up a construction cam to monitor all the progress across Saddle Creek. Every time I look there is more equipment and more progress being made. Add in the old M-M site and the hotel across Farnam and its nonstop action.

I like this.

[Mapguy]

Those water mains under Farnam are fairly big. The cost is going to be high to move or re-enforce them. Some parts have double mains side by side. We might as well do a full depth full width reconstruction of the whole street and streetscaping of the entire length of Farnam.

[labguy]

I want to pull this statement from Noddle into the UNMC NExT conversation:

https://www.ketv.com/article/omaha-stre ... s/42234617

Streetcar Authority President Jay Noddle declined to comment on the rate conflict on Tuesday. He says his team is focusing on the route at Nebraska Medical Center, talking to leaders there.

"Should it go alongside? Should it go through? When do they want to do that? What route would they like to take?" Noddle said.

It must still be in the design phase. The streetcar will be in the design phase in 2023, so are we getting a joint reveal later in 2023? I thought the original route only made it to 42nd. The NExT project is at 44th and the admin tower/steelworks project at Saddle Creek. Are they already planning to lengthen the route in this initial phase?

If you look back at the route recommendation from September, it was a solid line up to about 40th and then a dashed line after that with a note saying "Western terminus to be refined". So exactly how far west it goes and where it will turn around is still to be determined.

[almighty_tuna]

Yeah, IIRC the idea of extending to Saddle Creek was definitely on the table. And with the $3B NExT project as the gargantuan carrot I think there's plenty of flex by UNMC to get it wherever they want on that end.

[Mapguy]

IMO a western terminus on Saddle creek makes way more sense than 42nd. Its much closer to Bakers and the shopping district north of Dodge. Probably more bus connections on Saddle Creek and Leavenworth as well.

[Athomsfere]

Yeah, IIRC the idea of extending to Saddle Creek was definitely on the table. And with the $3B NExT project as the gargantuan carrot I think there's plenty of flex by UNMC to get it wherever they want on that end.

I think the innovation campus would have some space to gift to the city for a turnaround and maybe even a true terminal fir transit.

Imagine something like a bike garage!!!

[ita]

Alumnus makes transformational gift to College of Pharmacy

Joe Williams’ first gift to the University of Nebraska was $10 in 1958. He was eight years out of school.

His final gift was $20 million to the UNMC College of Pharmacy.

Williams, who had an enormous impact on UNMC and its pharmacy college, died March 20, 2021, and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery with military honors.

His estate gift allows the College of Pharmacy to endow its deanship and to endow a student scholarship fund and funds for faculty support, which include available matching dollars to spur even more giving from the college’s supporters. It includes funds to further develop the UNMC Center for Drug Discovery and provides unrestricted dollars, which the college will use to bring its strategic initiatives to life.

“It allows the college to truly change its trajectory,” said UNMC College of Pharmacy Dean Keith Olsen, PharmD.

[almighty_tuna]

I feel like there's a missed opportunity here to say that Williams "filled a prescription for a brighter future with a $20M donation to the UNMC College of Pharmacy."

[Greg S]

I feel like there's a missed opportunity here to say that Williams "filled a prescription for a brighter future with a $20M donation to the UNMC College of Pharmacy."

That's awesome....wish I had thought of it.

[ita]

There are a couple tidbits regarding the admin building, Innovation Campus and UNMC NExT in a year in review release.

2022: UNMC’s year in review

The building will be located at the corner of Saddle Creek Road and Farnam Street and replace UNMC’s current and inefficient administrative building at the corner of 40th Street and Dewey Avenue, which was built in 1950 and originally designed as a children’s hospital. The new administrative building will provide a work environment reflective of both hybrid and in-office working models. Construction on the $21 million project will start this summer and run through December 2025.
...
The Innovation Hub will be a UNMC-owned facility within the larger office development project known as Catalyst. Remaining space will be unfinished and leased to a wide spectrum of biotech and technology startups.

“The UNMC Innovation Hub at Catalyst is the next step to transform the Saddle Creek Campus from industry to innovation,” said UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD. “The flexible lease space will support entrepreneurial businesses in a collaborative environment, will generate income for UNMC and spur regional economic development.”

With approval from the University of Nebraska System Board of Regents, the former home of the Munroe-Meyer Institute, on the UNMC campus near the Fred & Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, was razed in 2022. The project included razing the old Hattie B. Munroe and C.L. Meyer buildings, which made up the MMI complex, as well as the former J.P. Lord School, which was attached to the MMI structure.

The demolition may provide space, in part, for the future home of Project NExT, a public-private partnership that creates a federal, all-hazard health security disease response space.

So, while MMI's previous campus has longed been identified as the location of Project Next, it may only be a part of it. Sounds like more existing buildings may be on the demo list?

[Ben]

So, while MMI's previous campus has longed been identified as the location of Project Next, it may only be a part of it. Sounds like more existing buildings may be on the demo list?

Yes, there are several more structures that would need to come down. I don't remember where I saw an overlay of project Next with the current campus map, but I believe Clarkson Doctors Building South is the most significant of the additional buildings that would have to come down.

[TransitOriented]

Yeah, IIRC the idea of extending to Saddle Creek was definitely on the table. And with the $3B NExT project as the gargantuan carrot I think there's plenty of flex by UNMC to get it wherever they want on that end.

I think the innovation campus would have some space to gift to the city for a turnaround and maybe even a true terminal fir transit.

Imagine something like a bike garage!!!

Hopefully open to the public and not reserved for UNMC staff/students.

[Athomsfere]

Yeah, IIRC the idea of extending to Saddle Creek was definitely on the table. And with the $3B NExT project as the gargantuan carrot I think there's plenty of flex by UNMC to get it wherever they want on that end.

I think the innovation campus would have some space to gift to the city for a turnaround and maybe even a true terminal fir transit.

Imagine something like a bike garage!!!

Hopefully open to the public and not reserved for UNMC staff/students.

If they gift the land to the streetcar, that would hopefully mean the amenities would be open for all...

[labguy]

A couple updates:

The new admin building is scheduled to start construction this summer. It's been confirmed that the rendering that was released back in 2021 is not happening. (They said it was scaled back due to changing priorities and changing fiscal outlook.) The admin building is only 5 or 6 floors now. There have been no new renderings to show what, if any, type of pedestrian bridge will go over Saddle Creek.

Also, the university is (or will be) asking the legislature to amend the Nebraska Transformation Project Act to move the deadline to apply for the $300 million in Project NExT money to December 2025. When the law was first passed in 2020, the original deadline was December 2021.

I dug around in the recently passed DOD budget and found that the DOD did not request any money for the project, but Congress allocated $20 million to keep it going. It's under "NATIONAL DISASTER MEDICAL SYSTEM PILOT AND JOINT CIVILIAN-MILITARY MEDICAL SURGE CAPACITY" if you're curious. Since Project NExT moving forward is so dependent on federal money, I will be surprised if we hear any major updates in 2023.

[almighty_tuna]

Nice work on the update details. Unfortunate on the content, but it is what it is.

[Coyote]

UNMC getting CDC grant to cover school nurse program
The University of Nebraska Medical Center is getting federal money aimed at addressing the urgent need for nurses in Nebraska.

The University of Nebraska Medical Center is getting federal money aimed at addressing the urgent need for school nurses in Nebraska. UNMC's College of Nursing has been awarded a $915,163 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention subcontract through the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services for its new School Nurse Scholars program, which addresses the urgent nursing shortage in Nebraska schools.

[mgoett]

Ok ?. I was to believe that project next was a go. I also thought the admin tower was a go. Can someone tell me what is a go and what type of timeline?

[Brad]

Ok ?. I was to believe that project next was a go. I also thought the admin tower was a go. Can someone tell me what is a go and what type of timeline?

From a couple weeks ago (3 posts before this):

A couple updates:

The new admin building is scheduled to start construction this summer. It's been confirmed that the rendering that was released back in 2021 is not happening. (They said it was scaled back due to changing priorities and changing fiscal outlook.) The admin building is only 5 or 6 floors now. There have been no new renderings to show what, if any, type of pedestrian bridge will go over Saddle Creek.

Also, the university is (or will be) asking the legislature to amend the Nebraska Transformation Project Act to move the deadline to apply for the $300 million in Project NExT money to December 2025. When the law was first passed in 2020, the original deadline was December 2021.

I dug around in the recently passed DOD budget and found that the DOD did not request any money for the project, but Congress allocated $20 million to keep it going. It's under "NATIONAL DISASTER MEDICAL SYSTEM PILOT AND JOINT CIVILIAN-MILITARY MEDICAL SURGE CAPACITY" if you're curious. Since Project NExT moving forward is so dependent on federal money, I will be surprised if we hear any major updates in 2023.

[mgoett]

Thx Brad. Hopefully the 7000 permanent jobs come to fruition? Seems like that is necessary for the streetcar and midtown development

[labguy]

A bit last minute, but this was posted late yesterday.

UNMC and the City of Omaha will host a public pre-construction meeting Wednesday, Feb. 15, to share the planned improvements near UNMC’s campus at Saddle Creek Road. The meeting will be held at the Durham Research Center Auditorium, 550 S. 45th St. Parking for the public meeting is available across the street in Lot 2 (Green Parking).

The meeting will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Project team members will be on hand to share information, answer questions and receive feedback. Meeting materials will be posted on the project website following the meeting.

Public improvements to the Saddle Creek development include new and improved roadway connections, sidewalks and street lighting. Updated traffic signals will be constructed on Saddle Creek Road at the Emile Street and Leavenworth Street intersections, and a new signal will be installed at 46th and Farnam streets.

The meeting will not focus on the potential conversion of Farnam Street to two-way traffic or the building projects within the Saddle Creek Campus development.

The improvements are necessary to improve existing traffic flow and safety, as well as accommodate traffic flow within the new Saddle Creek development and expansion of UNMC’s campus west of Saddle Creek Road.

Questions or concerns about the project? Contact Archie Carpenter by email or phone at 402-559-4734.

Also, last Friday, the Board of Regents approved the purchase of the Metro Credit Union property at 414 S Saddle Creek. The University will then lease the property at 4444 Farnam to Metro for a new location. I'm curious if they will build a full-service branch or stick with the drive-through only. The Saddle Creek location is the only branch to still have it's lobby closed.

[Coyote]

UNMC hears public input on upcoming Saddle Creek corridor changes
The changes that will impact community members are based on public safety and traffic flow.

As the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus continues to expand, some changes to the Saddle Creek Road corridor over the next two years could have some impacts on commutes in the area.“[They’re] important projects to improve public safety, support greater traffic flow, and generate better pedestrian ways through this part of town,” says Brian Spencer, the Executive Director of Real Estate and Campus Development from UNMC and Nebraska Medicine.

Wednesday night, UNMC officials met with community members to discuss some of those changes. It comes as the health system expands to the other side of Saddle Creek. “I live in the area and I’ve owned a place for over 30 years and I was kind of curious about what’s going on,” says neighbor Randy Anderson at Wednesday’s meeting.

[Louie]

I love Randy’s take lol. Been here forever, just saw some fences and cones and said ‘huh whats that all about’.

[labguy]

Here's the website with the information that was shared last night.

https://www.saddlecreekcampus.com/

[Athomsfere]

Dedicated Bike Way! Man that made my day. I can't wait to see more on what that's supposed to look like.

[Coyote]

UNMC announces changes coming to Saddle Creek and intersecting streets

Saddle Creek Road and intersecting streets near the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) will soon be undergoing improvements. It's part of UNMC's plan to increase the size of the campus and increase overall safety among vehicles, and pedestrians. “[They're] Important projects to improve public safety, support greater traffic flow, and generate better pedestrian ways through this part of town,” said Brian Spencer, executive director of campus development at UNMC. Officials say you can expect the roads to improve on Saddle Creek, and 46th St.- as well as surrounding streets such as Leavenworth and Emile.

[Mapguy]

I mostly like this plan. Its unfortunate that the streetcar didnt make the cut.

The bike path is an interesting touch---being as it doesnt actually connect anything being 2 blocks long lol. I would have preferred the bike path being on Saddle Creek so people who dont own cars could use it to get to where theyre going in a safer way.

It would be nice to see the city put in legitimate pedestrian/bike infrastructure on a thoroughfare the carless actually use to get around---not just side streets where its convenient.

[Coyote]

UNMC is out with a new announcement about funding, several areas to be addressed

The University of Nebraska Medical Center is now out with a new announcement. It's opening applications for its next round of pandemic relief funding for the Behavioral Health Education Center of Nebraska next week. Out of the more than $25 million it started with last year, there's about $5 million left. That money will be distributed to several project areas. Those areas include, but are not limited to, telebehavioral health support in rural areas and health training opportunities. The funding comes from the American Rescue Plan Act or ARPA for short.

[ita]

Work approaching around Saddle Creek Development

This summer will be a busy one for UNMC’s Saddle Creek Development project.

Officials held a visioning workshop with stakeholders last month as the project moves forward.

“There are four major things people will start to see activate in a real way this summer,” said Brian Spencer, executive director of campus development and real estate for UNMC and Nebraska Medicine.

Saddle Creek Public Improvements, a joint venture between UNMC and the City of Omaha. Construction soon will begin on new roadway connections, sidewalks and street lighting. Updated traffic signals will be constructed on Saddle Creek Road at the Emile Street intersection. A new traffic signal will be installed at 46th and Farnam streets. Information will be announced later about street closures during construction. (Information presented at the Feb. 15 public pre-construction meeting can be viewed online).

Parking garage. Construction will begin this summer on the new parking garage, a joint venture between UNMC and the City of Omaha, that will be in the middle of the district within a short walk of each building. Spencer said construction will be complete on the garage by the time the first building is ready to open.

Catalyst. Officials have finished asbestos abatement, so Spencer said he expects to break ground on construction in a couple weeks. The project will bring UNMC’s UNeMed and UneTech branches together to facilitate the growth of research and innovation and allow entrepreneurs, investors and innovators to collaborate. UNMC will house its Innovation Hub within the larger Catalyst office development project. Remaining space will be unfinished and leased to a wide spectrum of biotech and technology startups. Spencer said he expects this building to be finished by December 2024.

CORE. The new administrative and research building will be constructed at the southwest corner of Saddle Creek Road and Farnam Street and will replace UNMC’s current and inefficient administrative building at the corner of 40th Street and Dewey Avenue, which was built in 1950 and originally designed as a children’s hospital. The new administrative space will provide a work environment reflective of both hybrid and in-office working models. Growth of UNMC’s research enterprise also has created a demand for additional research space. Officials are finalizing bids and designs now, Spencer said, and construction will begin this summer and continue through early 2026.

Looking further ahead, the summer of 2024 will see work on a new intersection at Saddle Creek Road and Leavenworth Street to improve both traffic flow and traffic and pedestrian safety. This fall should see the formal announcement of a name and identity for this important area of the campus and midtown Omaha.

The Saddle Creek Development site was formerly home to Omaha Steel Castings.

With the admin building at 40th and Dewey being abandoned in a few years, I wonder what happens there? It's a decent size lot adjacent to Blackstone District.

[Doctor Fate]

Work approaching around Saddle Creek Development

CORE. The new administrative and research building will be constructed at the southwest corner of Saddle Creek Road and Farnam Street and will replace UNMC’s current and inefficient administrative building at the corner of 40th Street and Dewey Avenue, which was built in 1950 and originally designed as a children’s hospital. The new administrative space will provide a work environment reflective of both hybrid and in-office working models. Growth of UNMC’s research enterprise also has created a demand for additional research space. Officials are finalizing bids and designs now, Spencer said, and construction will begin this summer and continue through early 2026.

Wow, so the Admin Building will begin construction this summer and finish around the same time as the Mutual Tower and streetcar. Sounds like we should be seeing final designs soon too and if the rumor awhile back that the height had been scaled back quite a bit is true.

[Flyer14]

FWIW I have a connection at the med center (works directly with Linder) who has been spot on with all their construction/ purchases etc. and he hadn’t heard that the height was reduced, but he was going to ask around. If I hear anything more “official” I’ll post here. It would seriously bring an unmatched presence to the midtown area, and the exploding Saddle Creek Corridor.

[thenewguy]

FWIW I have a connection at the med center (works directly with Linder) who has been spot on with all their construction/ purchases etc. and he hadn’t heard that the height was reduced, but he was going to ask around. If I hear anything more “official” I’ll post here. It would seriously bring an unmatched presence to the midtown area, and the exploding Saddle Creek Corridor.

Not that it holds a lot of weight, but we had a new neighbor move to the area I live and in talking, he said he relocated to CB because he is "working at the med center where they are going to build that 12 story building."

It's maybe just subjective at this point because I'm sure when he was told about the project, that was what was planned at the time. But I figure it's worth a mention

[ita]

FWIW I have a connection at the med center (works directly with Linder) who has been spot on with all their construction/ purchases etc. and he hadn’t heard that the height was reduced, but he was going to ask around. If I hear anything more “official” I’ll post here. It would seriously bring an unmatched presence to the midtown area, and the exploding Saddle Creek Corridor.

Not that it holds a lot of weight, but we had a new neighbor move to the area I live and in talking, he said he relocated to CB because he is "working at the med center where they are going to build that 12 story building."

It's maybe just subjective at this point because I'm sure when he was told about the project, that was what was planned at the time. But I figure it's worth a mention

Someone reported previously that they dropped the 16 story design for 7 stories. Now your neighbor is saying 12. Thankfully we don't have to wait very long to find out what they are actually doing with construction to start this summer.

[S.O.Boy]

Looks like the hill at Southeast corner of Farnam and Saddle Creek is going away completely.

[Athomsfere]

Not that it holds a lot of weight, but we had a new neighbor move to the area I live and in talking, he said he relocated to CB because he is "working at the med center where they are going to build that 12 story building."

12 and 15 seem like two numbers people would just flip between magically in their head if it's a topic that doesn't intrigue them like it does us. I imagine if the average person saw an email saying something along the lines of

"You're new position will eventually be based at the Admin building. The building is still being planned, and construction to be complete in 2026. You'll have great access to midtown working from this brand new, state of the art 15 story building. (...)"

I think most people would, in a couple weeks time just remember "It's more than 10, less than 20... 12 feels about right"