16th Street Master Plan

[PWL73316]

As others have mentioned on the board, it is amazing how many dollars are spent rehabbing streets in west Omaha that don't really need it when areas like this could surely use it.

The street bond money is being used to re-pave culs-de-sac in West Omaha that are in fine shape and used by literally three families, max. It's shameful.

Is this really happening??

This specific example? No.

Here's the list:
https://bloximages.newyork1.vip.townnew ... 1c.pdf.pdf

It is happening, you could have come out to my neighborhood and watched it. The "residential street resurfacing" and concrete repair in West Omaha is a joke. It also represents the vast majority of the total on that list. It's make work that no one could justify with a straight face, at least in my neighborhood and the ones around it. Patching perfectly fine surface for no reason, then spending even more money on sodding curb cuts and everything else, while potholes continue to swallow cars in eastern Omaha.

This is not me being a fuddy duddy or thinking that some structural issue was "fine" or something like that. I'm talking perfectly smooth surfaces that didn't need updating for a decade or more, cut out and replaced to get some city contractors paid, and for no other reason.

[ita]

Capacity issues are always going to take precedence over a "nice-to-have" like a redo of 16th Street. I'm all for that being redone because I do think it looks better, but if I'm administering the specific street budget and it's between widening 168th between Blondo and Dodge to four lanes or trimming sidewalks along 16th Street....

You bring up a good point and I understand the complex the administration faces when budgeting. I think the argument for City cap-ex to be spent on projects like finishing up 16th street versus widening 168th south of Center, is defining what our priorities are. Clearly, the City is concerned about car traffic and flow, that is a top priority, even if it costs tens of millions to reduce traffic (or potential traffic) by a few minutes. Arguably, projects that reduce car lanes, introduce bike lanes, and improvements to sidewalk infrastructure have higher potential for increasing the productivity of a City than wider lanes and that completing a project like completing the 16th street improvement project has a better ROI than widening 168th, especially when you consider the increased speeds that result from creating a 5 lane, median divided highway and future maintenance/replacement costs. I've probably read too much propaganda on walking, pedestrian, and transit investments, so I am biased on these issues.

[skinzfan23]

My neighborhood has the same issue with streets. The biggest difference is that it is a SID. But still, they came out last summer and cut out and replaced sections of the street that were completely fine, meanwhile 5 years ago the SID had to take out another bond b/c they were bankrupt. It makes you wonder who is in charge of making these decisions.

[Brad]

My neighborhood has the same issue with streets. The biggest difference is that it is a SID. But still, they came out last summer and cut out and replaced sections of the street that were completely fine, meanwhile 5 years ago the SID had to take out another bond b/c they were bankrupt. It makes you wonder who is in charge of making these decisions.

SID's are completely different animals. Most SID's want the roads, parks and landscaping as perfect as possible before they get annexed because after annexation they will never be maintained in the same way. So while it may have been completely fine now for driving, if a panel has a crack in it and they felt they crack was going to keep getting worse over time, they probably replaced. Most SID's repair pavement every summer.

Also, a SID going bankrupt isn't the same as a person or business going bankrupt. Its just a reorganization of the current debt, nobody really looses anything. Unless something crazy happened like a flood wiped out part of the SID and they were not allowed to rebuild, SID's are a fairly safe long term investment for the people holding the bonds.

[skinzfan23]

Wow thanks for the insight Brad. I had no idea. If a SID declares bankruptcy is there a good chance that they will increase bonds or taxes for the residents?

[Cermak]

I was on 16th st today, King Fongs is looking a little seedy. It would be nice if this building could get renovated, it’s an Omaha gem. I still think this is Omaha’s most urban feeling street, especially between Farnam and Harney.

[Louie]

I was on 16th st today, King Fongs is looking a little seedy. It would be nice if this building could get renovated, an Omaha gem.

I remember the original plan was to renovate and reopen, but that plan fizzled years ago.

[skinzfan23]

Does Alexander Payne still own it?

[ita]

Does Alexander Payne still own it?

According to the county site, yes.

[BIGO88]

Cumbia Diner is going in here where the old Coffee shop was.

https://www.facebook.com/CumbiaOmaha/

[ita]

Cumbia Diner is going in here where the old Coffee shop was.

https://www.facebook.com/CumbiaOmaha/

Nice find. It's good to see a new restaurant concept in Downtown, especially on 16th.

[ita]

Cumbia Diner is going in here where the old Coffee shop was.

https://www.facebook.com/CumbiaOmaha/

Cumbia diner and bar brings Latino flair to downtown Omaha's 16th Street

Cindy Gonzalez
The prose written in Spanish across the windows of a new downtown business recently stopped a native Omahan in his tracks. He listened curiously to the Latino tunes piping through the patio speaker.

Then he popped inside, struck up a conversation with a few of the owners and checked out the menu offering Choripan and other South American street foods.

It was what Andrea Macias and her team of Colombian transplants had hoped would happen as they launched their Cumbia diner and bar just north of Harney Street along the spotty 16th Street corridor of downtown Omaha.

“People want to explore new things and other cultures,” said Macias, whose day job at Omaha’s Chamber of Commerce puts her in a position to hear what young talent, visitors and others want in a city.

[OutoftheCanyon]

Cumbia Diner is going in here where the old Coffee shop was.

https://www.facebook.com/CumbiaOmaha/

Cumbia diner and bar brings Latino flair to downtown Omaha's 16th Street

Cindy Gonzalez
The prose written in Spanish across the windows of a new downtown business recently stopped a native Omahan in his tracks. He listened curiously to the Latino tunes piping through the patio speaker.

Then he popped inside, struck up a conversation with a few of the owners and checked out the menu offering Choripan and other South American street foods.

It was what Andrea Macias and her team of Colombian transplants had hoped would happen as they launched their Cumbia diner and bar just north of Harney Street along the spotty 16th Street corridor of downtown Omaha.

“People want to explore new things and other cultures,” said Macias, whose day job at Omaha’s Chamber of Commerce puts her in a position to hear what young talent, visitors and others want in a city.

We stopped in here on the way down to dinner the other night. Great atmosphere and good cocktails. We will definitely be going back to try the food. They looked and smelled amazing.

[Omaha Cowboy]

Definitely a nice and needed addition to the 16th corridor…

Ciao..LiO…Peace

[ita]

Orpheum Tower building in downtown Omaha sold to national buyer

Kelsey Stewart
The Orpheum Tower — the apartment building attached to the Orpheum Theater — has been sold to a national buyer.

The Lincoln-based owner of the 132-unit building had been trying to sell it for some time, said Grant Palmer, managing director with Mohr Partners Inc., which helped to facilitate the sale on behalf of the new buyer.

The purchaser asked to remain private, Palmer said. He declined to provide the building’s sale price.

The sale included the apartment building at 405 S. 16th St. as well as the adjacent parking garage.

I found the buyer, at least a tenant in common:

Downtown Omaha Orpheum Tower is Acquired by SR Realty Trust

December 21, 2021 (Minneapolis, MN) — SR Realty Trust, Inc. is pleased to announce the acquisition, as a tenant in common, of the Orpheum Tower, a 132-unit market rate multifamily property. The property is located at 405 South 16th Street in downtown Omaha, Nebraska. Originally designed as the City National Bank Building, the property was built in 1910. In 1927, the adjacent Orpheum Theater expanded into the first floor of the building, and in 1987 the upper floors of the building were converted into apartments.

As part of the transaction, SR Realty Trust, Inc. facilitated the down-leg of a 1031 exchange for an investor.

“With this acquisition, we now have ownership in five properties in Nebraska,” said Evan Richardson, Senior Vice President – Investments, SR Realty Trust.

[daveoma]

From Investopedia:

"In real estate, a 1031 exchange is a swap of one investment property for another that allows capital gains taxes to be deferred."

It looks like one of the sellers made a lot of money when they sold, and they'll defer capital gains by investing in another property.

[ItsAllAboutMe]

16th street is between Douglas and Harney is simply tragic. The streetscape is fine in front of OPPD & the Orpheum. I wish they would have made this the standard for the rest of the street (Parallel parking vs the back-in parking). A cleaner more cohesive design would have been much better. Then the city halted the progress for the 1/2 block where Culprit cafe/King Fong's. etc. It's a mess. There excuse for stopping the progress, so many years ago, was that the design would change if a street car was ever built. Yes, we will get one now but they never really thought it would happen thus it has set derelict for a decade. So, many problems with this stretch of road. Empty store fronts, the twin towers parking garage to name a few.

[JDJase]

16th street is between Douglas and Harney is simply tragic. The streetscape is fine in front of OPPD & the Orpheum. I wish they would have made this the standard for the rest of the street (Parallel parking vs the back-in parking). A cleaner more cohesive design would have been much better. Then the city halted the progress for the 1/2 block where Culprit cafe/King Fong's. etc. It's a mess. There excuse for stopping the progress, so many years ago, was that the design would change if a street car was ever built. Yes, we will get one now but they never really thought it would happen thus it has set derelict for a decade. So, many problems with this stretch of road. Empty store fronts, the twin towers parking garage to name a few.

Agreed. I live on 16th and every time I walk down it I get angry at how horrible it looks and how they just gave up in the middle of the project.

[skinzfan23]

Agreed, they had a good thing going and gave up.

[halgy]

Well now that the streetcar is happening, that stretch of 16th is going to be a pretty prime location. Lots of possibilities for fresh development and updates. Yeah it sucks that it was abandoned for so long, but upgrading these types of underdeveloped areas is largely why I'm excited for the streetcar in general.

[ita]

Well now that the streetcar is happening, that stretch of 16th is going to be a pretty prime location. Lots of possibilities for fresh development and updates. Yeah it sucks that it was abandoned for so long, but upgrading these types of underdeveloped areas is largely why I'm excited for the streetcar in general.

This! I tried contacting City+Ventures last fall, and they indicated some changes to their plans for Central Park Plaza since MOO and the streetcar were announced earlier in the year including incorporating multifamily. I can only hope that Parkfair Garage gets a revamp. I personally want to see multifamily built on top of Parkfair along with activation on the street level.

I don't know if it's under new property management, but the retail spaces at the Securities Building are finally being marketed for lease. If those get some tenants and Payne finally gets King Fong's going again, that would be a big boost to 16th while we see what happens with Parkfair and CPP.

[nebport5]

Well now that the streetcar is happening, that stretch of 16th is going to be a pretty prime location. Lots of possibilities for fresh development and updates. Yeah it sucks that it was abandoned for so long, but upgrading these types of underdeveloped areas is largely why I'm excited for the streetcar in general.

This! I tried contacting City+Ventures last fall, and they indicated some changes to their plans for Central Park Plaza since MOO and the streetcar were announced earlier in the year including incorporating multifamily. I can only hope that Parkfair Garage gets a revamp. I personally want to see multifamily built on top of Parkfair along with activation on the street level.

I don't know if it's under new property management, but the retail spaces at the Securities Building are finally being marketed for lease. If those get some tenants and Payne finally gets King Fong's going again, that would be a big boost to 16th while we see what happens with Parkfair and CPP.

If CPP redeveloped the west side of the property it could be a significant catalyst for 16th St.

Let's also not forget elements of the master plan than involve terminating a terminating hotel. We could perhaps, plant a new Tree, say on the old U.P. lot.

[mistergutierrez]

16th street is between Douglas and Harney is simply tragic. The streetscape is fine in front of OPPD & the Orpheum. I wish they would have made this the standard for the rest of the street (Parallel parking vs the back-in parking). A cleaner more cohesive design would have been much better. Then the city halted the progress for the 1/2 block where Culprit cafe/King Fong's. etc. It's a mess. There excuse for stopping the progress, so many years ago, was that the design would change if a street car was ever built. Yes, we will get one now but they never really thought it would happen thus it has set derelict for a decade. So, many problems with this stretch of road. Empty store fronts, the twin towers parking garage to name a few.

Agreed. I live on 16th and every time I walk down it I get angry at how horrible it looks and how they just gave up in the middle of the project.

The worst part for me is the SW corner of 16th and Farnam, where Culprit cafe used to be, all covered in pigeons´ |expletive|. Shouldn´t someone be responsible for power washing that corner once in a while?

[ita]

Well now that the streetcar is happening, that stretch of 16th is going to be a pretty prime location. Lots of possibilities for fresh development and updates. Yeah it sucks that it was abandoned for so long, but upgrading these types of underdeveloped areas is largely why I'm excited for the streetcar in general.

This! I tried contacting City+Ventures last fall, and they indicated some changes to their plans for Central Park Plaza since MOO and the streetcar were announced earlier in the year including incorporating multifamily. I can only hope that Parkfair Garage gets a revamp. I personally want to see multifamily built on top of Parkfair along with activation on the street level.

I don't know if it's under new property management, but the retail spaces at the Securities Building are finally being marketed for lease. If those get some tenants and Payne finally gets King Fong's going again, that would be a big boost to 16th while we see what happens with Parkfair and CPP.

If CPP redeveloped the west side of the property it could be a significant catalyst for 16th St.

Let's also not forget elements of the master plan than involve terminating a terminating hotel. We could perhaps, plant a new Tree, say on the old U.P. lot.

I know everyone hates the doubletree because it cuts off 16th Street, but wanting to demolish it is unnecessary, at least for a while. If you're concerned about 16th Street, let's take care of the bunches of parking lots/garages between dodge and Jones with no street level activation first. If you want to rectify cutting off downtown and north downtown, let's take down i-480 and redevelop those lots. If you want to further activate the area, let's get civic site and old UP site developed. If you really want to open up 16th to connect the first national data center (or whatever that is), federal office building and 16th parking garage with historic 16th, let's explore doing so for pedestrians and bikes. If after all that you want to knock down one of the few highrises we have downtown, just so cars can drive through 16th Street, go right ahead, as long as we have a developer willing to develop the small skinny lot it will leave behind with something of similar height.

[NEDodger]

Agreed. If the Doubletree was falling apart/vacant….sure. But it’s one of the few buildings we have that has some actual height…. . It blocks access on 16th less than someone who lives south of Douglas is cut off from Dodge.

[Garrett]

It definitely did damage historically but with how Downtown functions now I don’t see the need to take out this one particular super block.

[nebport5]

Well now that the streetcar is happening, that stretch of 16th is going to be a pretty prime location. Lots of possibilities for fresh development and updates. Yeah it sucks that it was abandoned for so long, but upgrading these types of underdeveloped areas is largely why I'm excited for the streetcar in general.

This! I tried contacting City+Ventures last fall, and they indicated some changes to their plans for Central Park Plaza since MOO and the streetcar were announced earlier in the year including incorporating multifamily. I can only hope that Parkfair Garage gets a revamp. I personally want to see multifamily built on top of Parkfair along with activation on the street level.

I don't know if it's under new property management, but the retail spaces at the Securities Building are finally being marketed for lease. If those get some tenants and Payne finally gets King Fong's going again, that would be a big boost to 16th while we see what happens with Parkfair and CPP.

If CPP redeveloped the west side of the property it could be a significant catalyst for 16th St.

Let's also not forget elements of the master plan than involve terminating a terminating hotel. We could perhaps, plant a new Tree, say on the old U.P. lot.

I know everyone hates the doubletree because it cuts off 16th Street, but wanting to demolish it is unnecessary, at least for a while. If you're concerned about 16th Street, let's take care of the bunches of parking lots/garages between dodge and Jones with no street level activation first.

If you want to rectify cutting off downtown and north downtown, let's take down i-480 and redevelop those lots. If you want to further activate the area, let's get civic site and old UP site developed. If you really want to open up 16th to connect the first national data center (or whatever that is), federal office building and 16th parking garage with historic 16th, let's explore doing so for pedestrians and bikes. If after all that you want to knock down one of the few highrises we have downtown, just so cars can drive through 16th Street, go right ahead, as long as we have a developer willing to develop the small skinny lot it will leave behind with something of similar height.

Some of this is apparently more radical than taking down the Double Tree. And I'm all for it. Yet, the point of taking down the Double Tree is not really about cars but pedestrian traffic and maybe bikes if we can develop a non-suicidal infrastructure.

[nebport5]

It definitely did damage historically but with how Downtown functions now I don’t see the need to take out this one particular super block.

Yes, but isn't it also about how downtown will and should function? Think of the forthcoming Noddle development in the context of Ita's point and it all links together(or could).

[ita]

Well now that the streetcar is happening, that stretch of 16th is going to be a pretty prime location. Lots of possibilities for fresh development and updates. Yeah it sucks that it was abandoned for so long, but upgrading these types of underdeveloped areas is largely why I'm excited for the streetcar in general.

This! I tried contacting City+Ventures last fall, and they indicated some changes to their plans for Central Park Plaza since MOO and the streetcar were announced earlier in the year including incorporating multifamily. I can only hope that Parkfair Garage gets a revamp. I personally want to see multifamily built on top of Parkfair along with activation on the street level.

I don't know if it's under new property management, but the retail spaces at the Securities Building are finally being marketed for lease. If those get some tenants and Payne finally gets King Fong's going again, that would be a big boost to 16th while we see what happens with Parkfair and CPP.

If CPP redeveloped the west side of the property it could be a significant catalyst for 16th St.

Let's also not forget elements of the master plan than involve terminating a terminating hotel. We could perhaps, plant a new Tree, say on the old U.P. lot.

I know everyone hates the doubletree because it cuts off 16th Street, but wanting to demolish it is unnecessary, at least for a while. If you're concerned about 16th Street, let's take care of the bunches of parking lots/garages between dodge and Jones with no street level activation first.

If you want to rectify cutting off downtown and north downtown, let's take down i-480 and redevelop those lots. If you want to further activate the area, let's get civic site and old UP site developed. If you really want to open up 16th to connect the first national data center (or whatever that is), federal office building and 16th parking garage with historic 16th, let's explore doing so for pedestrians and bikes. If after all that you want to knock down one of the few highrises we have downtown, just so cars can drive through 16th Street, go right ahead, as long as we have a developer willing to develop the small skinny lot it will leave behind with something of similar height.

Some of this is apparently more radical than taking down the Double Tree. And I'm all for it. Yet, the point of taking down the Double Tree is not really about cars but pedestrian traffic and maybe bikes if we can develop a non-suicidal infrastructure.

I think knocking down a perfectly usable building versus developing huge empty lots in downtown is much more radical, particularly if the point is to open 16th for pedestrians. I think the City, if they were concerned about connectivity of 16th, could require some better wayfinding or access through the lobby. There is even a back door on Capitol Street.



Anyone can walk through the Regus/Landmark lobby to get to and from Farnam and Harney.

From a practicality standpoint in coming up with some solution, whatever it could be, ownership of the property is more complicated than most lots. FNBO owns the land, while there is a standing lease to the owner of the building, which has passed hands a few times over the decades since it was built. So, if the City wants some better connectivity there, they will have to work with split ownership.

Still, I hope there is some future development south of the Doubletree. As I stated before, Parkfair is a candidate for some street level activation and there could be a huge residential component to CPP if City+Ventures and its billionaire owner can do something about it. Maybe the Omaha Building garage on the NW corner of Harney and 16th is redeveloped due to the streetcar? High rise residential/mixed use with street level retail/office space? Brandeis ground floor units get leased up. Securities building and King Fong fill up. Then you could have two solid blocks of potential retail and services to activate the area? Might not be the glory of the past, but it could be a nice strip that would support the FNBO campus and Orpheum Theater on the bookends, County and City offices nearby, and all the residents already living there and potentially living there post-streetcar.

[nebport5]

Well now that the streetcar is happening, that stretch of 16th is going to be a pretty prime location. Lots of possibilities for fresh development and updates. Yeah it sucks that it was abandoned for so long, but upgrading these types of underdeveloped areas is largely why I'm excited for the streetcar in general.

This! I tried contacting City+Ventures last fall, and they indicated some changes to their plans for Central Park Plaza since MOO and the streetcar were announced earlier in the year including incorporating multifamily. I can only hope that Parkfair Garage gets a revamp. I personally want to see multifamily built on top of Parkfair along with activation on the street level.

I don't know if it's under new property management, but the retail spaces at the Securities Building are finally being marketed for lease. If those get some tenants and Payne finally gets King Fong's going again, that would be a big boost to 16th while we see what happens with Parkfair and CPP.

If CPP redeveloped the west side of the property it could be a significant catalyst for 16th St.

Let's also not forget elements of the master plan than involve terminating a terminating hotel. We could perhaps, plant a new Tree, say on the old U.P. lot.

I know everyone hates the doubletree because it cuts off 16th Street, but wanting to demolish it is unnecessary, at least for a while. If you're concerned about 16th Street, let's take care of the bunches of parking lots/garages between dodge and Jones with no street level activation first.

If you want to rectify cutting off downtown and north downtown, let's take down i-480 and redevelop those lots. If you want to further activate the area, let's get civic site and old UP site developed. If you really want to open up 16th to connect the first national data center (or whatever that is), federal office building and 16th parking garage with historic 16th, let's explore doing so for pedestrians and bikes. If after all that you want to knock down one of the few highrises we have downtown, just so cars can drive through 16th Street, go right ahead, as long as we have a developer willing to develop the small skinny lot it will leave behind with something of similar height.

Some of this is apparently more radical than taking down the Double Tree. And I'm all for it. Yet, the point of taking down the Double Tree is not really about cars but pedestrian traffic and maybe bikes if we can develop a non-suicidal infrastructure.

I think knocking down a perfectly usable building versus developing huge empty lots in downtown is much more radical, particularly if the point is to open 16th for pedestrians. I think the City, if they were concerned about connectivity of 16th, could require some better wayfinding or access through the lobby. There is even a back door on Capitol Street.



Anyone can walk through the Regus/Landmark lobby to get to and from Farnam and Harney.

From a practicality standpoint in coming up with some solution, whatever it could be, ownership of the property is more complicated than most lots. FNBO owns the land, while there is a standing lease to the owner of the building, which has passed hands a few times over the decades since it was built. So, if the City wants some better connectivity there, they will have to work with split ownership.

Still, I hope there is some future development south of the Doubletree. As I stated before, Parkfair is a candidate for some street level activation and there could be a huge residential component to CPP if City+Ventures and its billionaire owner can do something about it. Maybe the Omaha Building garage on the NW corner of Harney and 16th is redeveloped due to the streetcar? High rise residential/mixed use with street level retail/office space? Brandeis ground floor units get leased up. Securities building and King Fong fill up. Then you could have two solid blocks of potential retail and services to activate the area? Might not be the glory of the past, but it could be a nice strip that would support the FNBO campus and Orpheum Theater on the bookends, County and City offices nearby, and all the residents already living there and potentially living there post-streetcar.

I can appreciate your point(as well as Garrett's and NEDodger's). I'm not saying we should tear it down tomorrow but I think it still makes sense in the grand scheme of the master plan. As north downtown develops and the streetcar hopefully becomes a catalyst for 16th it would be worthy of consideration in the not too distant future. I love the other potential 16th St ideas you mention. Getting the back of CPP developed especially would be a huge boost.

In the meantime, I'm not sure how thrilled Doubletree would be with people using their lobby as a thoroughfare. You also mention FNB owns the land. To me I see that as a future opportunity for them to expand as FNB continues to grow. As I mentioned above Doubletree could inhabit new digs hopefully in a new mixed use tower. And as for the loss of height, if it were torn down, consider Doubletree only really has a minimal presence on the skyline from the north.

[Dusty]

Yes, the Doubletree disrupts flow to the streets, but so does the Embassy Suites on 10th and Jackson. It prevents us from expanding the old market back to the glory days (Jobbers Canyon). I think the 2 hotels will be addressed in time, but we could be focusing on other projects that cost less with bigger impact.

The pedestrian mall is an awesome concept, needs an overhaul. What I'm getting annoyed by is everyone thinks that a Farnam St streetcar will magically fix the area. Streetcars do not bring economic development! Good transit design does.
We can spend millions of dollars on a streetcar and still fail miserably. Businesses are not deterred from renting here because it lacks a streetcar. The big issue is a lot of homeless along the corridor. Many people sleeping on the streets or in the run down bus enclosures and tons of trash left behind from them. Until we help the homeless (not displacing), then we can help this area.

[ProgKingHughesker]

Does anyone have pictures of Parkfair back when it was a mall?

[Fort Calhoun]

The lobby for the Doubletree is above street level. The area beneath the lobby is a large underutilized hallway. Is there any possibility of opening this up and have 16th street pass under the hotel

[ita]

The lobby for the Doubletree is above street level. The area beneath the lobby is a large underutilized hallway. Is there any possibility of opening this up and have 16th street pass under the hotel

So I walked around and through the property the other day just to check it out. You're right about the level change from Capitol from Dodge. However, it is accessible by stairs and open to the public between 7 AM to 7 PM. Outside of those times it's accessible from Capitol by guest key only. The issue I saw with that hallway from Capitol is it runs into FNBO property. I think connects to an underground tunnel, which I also tried to access from the 16th street parking garage north of the federal office building. Access to the tunnel is limited to FNBO employees. Another interesting thing that I didn't realize until I walked around is just east of where 16th would be, FNBO has drive thru ATM lanes; one way from Dodge and exits at Capitol. No ped/bike access, but they could accommodate, if they really wanted to. I suspect that if they extended that hallway from Capitol to Dodge, it's going to cost a small fortune to complete a tunnel to reach Dodge Street. They would have to angle it to the east or west so it comes out on either the NE or NW corner or Dodge and 16th.

Hallway off Capitol backdoor:


Sign outside backdoor:


Edit: I couldn't tell what was in or who was using the several offices in the hallway. Could be an area from some retail/office space, though there is no obvious backdoors to any of those spaces.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

The lobby for the Doubletree is above street level. The area beneath the lobby is a large underutilized hallway. Is there any possibility of opening this up and have 16th street pass under the hotel

I suppose you could, but you wouldn't negate the barrier a large tunnel creates to non-motorized traffic unless you jazzed the absolute f out of it. I'm not sure there are enough benefits to the urban fabric to rationalize going that route as opposed to keeping it a super block.

[PWL73316]

Counter-point, think how awesome it would be.

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Counter-point, think how awesome it would be.

For sure. I mean if they were to put in a Fremont Street style LED board on the ceiling and walls, we'd have influencer catnip for days. Unfortunately there aren't many funding streams for that.

[nebport5]

Yes, nice idea, but I imagine it would be more cost effective to just tear it down.

[ProgKingHughesker]

The lobby for the Doubletree is above street level. The area beneath the lobby is a large underutilized hallway. Is there any possibility of opening this up and have 16th street pass under the hotel

I suppose you could, but you wouldn't negate the barrier a large tunnel creates to non-motorized traffic unless you jazzed the absolute f out of it. I'm not sure there are enough benefits to the urban fabric to rationalize going that route as opposed to keeping it a super block.

The tunnel would be less than a block long, how hard would it be to add sidewalks?

[TitosBuritoBarn]

The lobby for the Doubletree is above street level. The area beneath the lobby is a large underutilized hallway. Is there any possibility of opening this up and have 16th street pass under the hotel

I suppose you could, but you wouldn't negate the barrier a large tunnel creates to non-motorized traffic unless you jazzed the absolute f out of it. I'm not sure there are enough benefits to the urban fabric to rationalize going that route as opposed to keeping it a super block.

The tunnel would be less than a block long, how hard would it be to add sidewalks?

It's not a matter of adding the sidewalks, it's a matter of who is going to want to walk through a dark, scary tunnel. What would draw someone to choose that route and, at the same time, why would we spend money on offering that route when more appealing options are available?