How far is too far west?

lisanstan · Post by **lisanstan** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 12:29 pm

As I was browsing through the board today, the thread on the Cheesecake Factory and Apple store really got me thinking about how often I go out west to shop. I live on 52nd street and truthfully I rarely go beyond Westroads. When I even consider going to Village Pointe my first thought is do I really want to drive that far. I've only been to Oakview twice and then only to see what was there. I can't see any reason to go there again.

The funny thing is that we moved here from outside Dallas. We lived in a very small town (pop 3000) and if I wanted to do any shopping I had to drive 45-50 miles into Dallas. So in reality this minor trek to VP should feel like a breeze. But it feels the opposite.

I know the main reason is the lack of easy access. Why Omaha has no decent east/west highway, considering where the damn suburbs are, is beyond stupid. I know they are trying to remedy that with the Dodge St construction at 114th, but that doesn't clear up all the congestion east of 114th.

So the point being, if they put the Apple store out there and the Cheesecake Factory, I may go out there once/twice to check them out, but not more than that. These aren't new places to me so it won't be for the newness factor. However, if they were closer, I would definitely go more often (cause my other half loves to browse the Apple store even if the only products we use are iPods).

So, how far is too far west for the rest of you? Or am I just tired of driving so much after leaving Texas?

ETA: I realize that I-80 goes east-west, however it feels even more out of my way to go down to 80 just get on 680 to loop back on to Dodge.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 1:23 pm

Is this a generational thing (or...I suppose we are actually in the same generation)...or maybe all my friends in Omaha are just really awesome? None of my friends enjoy driving (sans the occasional road trip) and always complain about how bad Omaha's public transit is. I have at least three friends who are auto-less by choice. Most of them shudder at the idea of living in a house with a large yard.

But then again, I guess they are mostly artists and musicians and about 35% of them work at either Whole Foods or Wild Oats.

I plan on selling my car when I move back to Omaha.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 1:58 pm

I think there's something to be said about the generational cycle, but I think it has more to do with economics than just age. I remember a neighbor in Baltimore telling me about his parents. They raised him in the city when it was falling apart. Later, when they could afford it, they moved out of the city into the county (burbs). Later, when the kid could afford it, HE moved back to the city as it was being reinvigorated. His dad was furious, and gave him the "I didn't work my whole life to move you out of the city so you could move back!" speech.

When one group sees another group and wants what they have (or thinks they want what they have), they start associating everything about that group with success. One chapter in the book "Freakonomics" talks about childrens' names. Over the years, names have filtered down from the wealthier families to the poorer families as the poorer families associate those names with success. (ex: 20 years ago, "Britney" was big with the Volvo and Harvard crowd. Now it and all of it's variations are very popular among lower economic whites.) I don't think it's a stretch to equate cars, yards and houses.

I'm always astounded by the number of empty-nesters in Omaha with 5000+ sqft homes and 4 cars and two country club memberships and another home in Arizona over 3000 sqft with 3 more cars and another membership. I'm all for wealth and I'm as capitalist as you can get, but have never understood the need to demonstrate your wealth by proving how much you can waste.

-Big E

lisanstan · Post by **lisanstan** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 2:37 pm

Big E - I'm jealous about SOMA. Except the stairs, I would sooo love to live there. However, my husband is more the house type. He likes having a yard and fixing stuff. And boy is he gonna be fixing stuff for a while. There are no small projects in an 84 year old house.

On the subejct of vibrant downtown areas. It's funny to hear people talk about all the big cities with their great downtowns, but coming from Dallas, I can say the big cities have problems too. Dallas has been trying to revitalize their DT for quite a while. They were finally hoping to get a grocery store. Now just north of Dallas in uptown, it's booming like crazy. But DT, not so much, dead on the weekends and lots of homeless.

Post by **nebugeater** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 2:37 pm

Opps, nothing to see here... move along, just hit the wrong icon

Minneapolis Boy · Post by **Minneapolis Boy** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 2:37 pm

Lisastan, back in the 60s there was a plan to develop a west freeway from downtown [where 480 and the North Freeway] meet. However, due to concerns about the damage done to midtown and Dundee, the plan was dropped. It would be nice if Omaha had another e/w freeway.

Having said that, I'm all for much better public transportation in Omaha.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 3:42 pm

Well I'm in the opposite situation... I live near 168th street, and while I'd like to leave my empty nest (when that time comes) and move closer to the core.. I really have never found the drive downtown bothersome at all, I'm constantly making spontaneous trips downtown and elsewhere. I'm a little surprised Lisa, that you find the 45-50 mile freeway commute you made in Dallas... in any way more tolerable than a paltry 20 minute drive down Dodge (once you're past 90th heading west, there's only one street light... and that will be gone within the year).

Uffda · Post by **Uffda** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 4:21 pm

I feel driving relative to where you live. I lived in Wyoming for 21 years and the next closest city was 180 miles -- people drove to Denver from Casper for day shopping trips (240+ miles)

Omaha is the largest city I have ever lived and for the most part I find it very easy to quickly get from one part of town to another.

I bought a house in the Glenbrook subdiv (78th and Sorensen Parkway) two years ago. Although my yard is pretty small I like the yard -- also my house sits on a hill with a nice view to the south -- I like openness.

BUT I can be to my school on Florence Blvd in about 10 minutes and to the QWEST in 10-15 minutes. I can make it out to VP in usually about the 15-20 min and the same is true for 84th and L.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Sat Mar 04, 2006 11:56 pm

78th and Sorensen Parkway

With all the forthcoming retail as a catalyst, I suspect the secret will be getting out on this part of the metro.

lisanstan · Post by **lisanstan** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 2:49 pm

I really can't explain my aversion to driving out to Village Pointe either. It really may be due to all the driving I've been doing for the past 15 years. We always seem to live in the boonies, and now that I've moved close to the city, all the shopping is out in the boonies. Maybe I'm just upset about that!

When I lived in San Angelo Texas, we used to drive 230+ miles (1 way) to San Antonio for decent shopping.

Post by **nebugeater** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 5:00 pm

lisanstan wrote:
When I lived in San Angelo Texas, we used to drive 230+ miles (1 way) to San Antonio for decent shopping.

Bet that was a real bite when you needed a Gallon of Milk !!!!!

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Sun Mar 05, 2006 5:11 pm

Living in mto it’s quite nice that everything is really close (yes a better transit system is needed though). And if I need to go very far I just jump on the freeway and before I know it I’m there. Heck for many things it’s easier to jump over to Iowa and get it.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 9:52 am

So, how far is too far west for the rest of you?

Uhhhh, west of the Missouri River?

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:35 am

My Village Pointe anecdotes from the weekend:

1) Did you know there is SHUTTLE at Village Point on Friday and Saturday nights? That's right... rather than face the horrors of walking a couple of blocks (outside even!) from your car to the restaurant and back, you can drive your Hummer to the lot and have someone pick your fat butt up to take you to the door. Holy smokes.

2) Waiting in traffic to get out of the parking lot, some punk kid in front of us threw a styrofoam to-go box out the window. I got out, grabbed the trash, and threw it back in his window. I think he thought he was getting carjacked. Some soccer mom in a Landcruiser behind us honked and applauded. I felt good about myself.

I posted that here because it is the most recent anti-burbs thread, and I just neeed to share.

-Big E

loyalomahan · Post by **loyalomahan** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 11:54 am

Did you know there is SHUTTLE at Village Point on Friday and Saturday nights?

That's funny.

2) Waiting in traffic to get out of the parking lot, some punk kid in front of us threw a styrofoam to-go box out the window.[/quote]

Not funny, but not unique to the suburbs (and I would have done the same thing, in tossing that box back in his window, good for you).

jsheets · Post by **jsheets** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:00 pm

Big E wrote: 2) Waiting in traffic to get out of the parking lot, some punk kid in front of us threw a styrofoam to-go box out the window. I got out, grabbed the trash, and threw it back in his window. I think he thought he was getting carjacked.

That was you E? I was upset! That thing had ants all over it and I didn't want them in my car, and there's no trash cans anywhere close by...

:-)
Just kidding... Funny story, and way to go!

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 1:16 pm

On one hand I would shove that trash up that punks |expletive| but on the other if someone did that to me I would get out and light them up.
Shuttle at VP……… pathetic but thank god I’m never out there enough to even find out. Why go to a suburban mall on a weekend when we have an amazing nightlife east of 72nd??
BTWTM. Unfortunately I have to go to 180th and Dodge soon to pick up a new taillight for my fiancés car. It is going to be a treat since I haven’t been out that way in months. Maybe ill stop by ol’ Jeff’s house to say hi.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 2:03 pm

FYI- I was there Sunday afternoon and saw the sign advertising the shuttle. And, to be fair, the Funnybone would be worth a trip on the weekend depending on the act.

And MTO: I know you wouldn't litter anyway, right? ;)

-Big E

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 2:41 pm

The bone is off my list since they moved unless I suppose there was something amazing like The Aristocrats Live.
And I only litter west of 72nd street don’t you know?

adam186 · Post by **adam186** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 2:44 pm

MTO wrote:And I only litter west of 72nd street don’t you know?

Haha, you have to fit in I guess.

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 6:33 pm

Big E wrote: I'm always astounded by the number of empty-nesters in Omaha with 5000+ sqft homes and 4 cars and two country club memberships and another home in Arizona over 3000 sqft with 3 more cars and another membership. I'm all for wealth and I'm as capitalist as you can get, but have never understood the need to demonstrate your wealth by proving how much you can waste.

-Big E

-Then what should these people spend money on? If they enjoy big houses, a number of cars, and playing a few different clubs, should they not spend their money on it?

adam186 · Post by **adam186** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 7:18 pm

joeglow wrote:
Big E wrote: I'm always astounded by the number of empty-nesters in Omaha with 5000+ sqft homes and 4 cars and two country club memberships and another home in Arizona over 3000 sqft with 3 more cars and another membership. I'm all for wealth and I'm as capitalist as you can get, but have never understood the need to demonstrate your wealth by proving how much you can waste.

-Big E
-Then what should these people spend money on? If they enjoy big houses, a number of cars, and playing a few different clubs, should they not spend their money on it?

Good point! Atleast the money is helping the economy and actually givng money back to us in tax form. Who knows, their tax dollars may be paying for the ped. bridge.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 8:26 pm

I didn't say don't be rich and I didn't say don't spend your money. I was simply stating that I am always astounded by the WASTE of that wealth.

-Big E

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:09 pm

The sad thing is... I'd much rather have a 3 bedroom row house at SoMa... but it is twice as much as my 3,800 sq foot two story in west Omaha. I simply can't afford one. I'm hoping by the time my nest is empty, I can afford a two bedroom one.

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