Garrett wrote: Fri Apr 04, 2025 4:39 pm
If the impending downtown boom busts out because of this trade war I’m gonna lose it
I would be quite upset if that happens. These are the major projects that could stall out (though some have really dragged regardless) or be significantly delayed:
- Crossroads
- Civic Square
- The Beam
- Project Health
- 3rd convention center hotel
- Union Omaha Stadium
- Mutual Midtown Campus redevelopment
- The Stitch
Any I am forgetting?
I believe these are the projects most at risk:
- Civic Square
- Project Health (funding cuts)
- 3rd convention center hotel (recession)
- Mutual Midtown Campus redevelopment
- The Stitch (more concept than reality at this time)
You can also put a nail in the coffin of a shopping-centric Good Life district.
The White Lotus Group says it has been submitting platting and permitting applications to the city of Omaha since the fourth quarter of 2024, but it’s still waiting a timely response.
The company has expressed concern that any delays in the permitting process could hinder the ability to meet the development milestones as required by their agreement with the city.
Meanwhile, Omaha city officials say they are waiting on White Lotus to record the layout of the project before they can process with building.
in a recent debate, the Mayor mentioned they have another developer interested in this site with "an incredible plan".
Looks like they are scouting replacement developers.
Dusty wrote: Mon Apr 28, 2025 11:53 am
in a recent debate, the Mayor mentioned they have another developer interested in this site with "an incredible plan".
Looks like they are scouting replacement developers.
Rod Yates, downtown mega sports complex on top of an IKEA.
She said W.L. didn’t meet their deadlines and grating started after they told them the city was considering taking the property back. Why wait if there’s another developer with a good plan? No one wants to see a lengthy court battle but what’s the benefit of letting White Louts drag this out further? It seems they failed to secure a grocer and are not likely to anytime soon.
I agree. Why establish deadlines and expectations, then let them continue to drag their feet? I know developments tend to do this and shiz happens, but the initial expectations set by the city were pretty gracious.
Argawal has a fair point; large developments take time. However, if they do not meet the timelines set under the agreement, the City has every right to terminate the agreement and work with someone else. White Lotus can't complain about timelines that they agreed to. By the same token, if White Lotus does meet the deadline this summer for infrastructure/construction, then the City can't complain and terminate the agreement without repercussions. The two entities agreed to the terms, and both are bound by them.
Argawal has a fair point; large developments take time. However, if they do not meet the timelines set under the agreement, the City has every right to terminate the agreement and work with someone else. White Lotus can't complain about timelines that they agreed to. By the same token, if White Lotus does meet the deadline this summer for infrastructure/construction, then the City can't complain and terminate the agreement without repercussions. The two entities agreed to the terms, and both are bound by them.
If I am going to be honest, the White Lotus message "Beacons aren't built overnight" is laughable, considering the fact that they are talking about "a bunch of 4 over ones, a few townhomes, and maybeeeeee... a grocery store. That is a broken streetlight, not a beacon. Might be bad to say, considering the lack of luck we have had with this site since 2016, but I hope they don't meet their summer benchmarks. I truly believe the scale of their development on that site is a total waste of those 4 blocks. Might be harsh, but I'd rather wait another 2 years for a worthwhile correct scale project. Anything less than some actual med-high rise developments on the site isn't worth it IMO.
Argawal has a fair point; large developments take time. However, if they do not meet the timelines set under the agreement, the City has every right to terminate the agreement and work with someone else. White Lotus can't complain about timelines that they agreed to. By the same token, if White Lotus does meet the deadline this summer for infrastructure/construction, then the City can't complain and terminate the agreement without repercussions. The two entities agreed to the terms, and both are bound by them.
If I am going to be honest, the White Lotus message "Beacons aren't built overnight" is laughable, considering the fact that they are talking about "a bunch of 4 over ones, a few townhomes, and maybeeeeee... a grocery store. That is a broken streetlight, not a beacon. Might be bad to say, considering the lack of luck we have had with this site since 2016, but I hope they don't meet their summer benchmarks. I truly believe the scale of their development on that site is a total waste of those 4 blocks. Might be harsh, but I'd rather wait another 2 years for a worthwhile correct scale project. Anything less than some actual med-high rise developments on the site isn't worth it IMO.
That site has been "cleaned up" for years... Their plan doesn't include anything extraordinary at all, TBH. Village Pointe's infrastructure and construction probably required more effort. Projects going up in midtown and west O are being done in significantly shorter timeframes. Heck, Mutual's Tower has moved along at a record pace and we're talking the tallest building in Nebraska when it's all said and done.
They've been dragging their feet and if it's true that they didn't approach the city at all for permits until the mayor mentioned someone else being interested, then that's also on the developer. This is Crossroads all over again.
I drove past the site and it's all graded. It made me think about the recent hubbub between the City and White Lotus. White Lotus has limited time to reach 50% of completed infrastructure. If the City does not intend to allow any extensions, which they are telegraphing that they will not, it's best to figure that out now so White Lotus does not sink additional costs into a site they will not be able to develop.
ita wrote: Thu May 01, 2025 3:47 pm
I drove past the site and it's all graded. It made me think about the recent hubbub between the City and White Lotus. White Lotus has limited time to reach 50% of completed infrastructure. If the City does not intend to allow any extensions, which they are telegraphing that they will not, it's best to figure that out now so White Lotus does not sink additional costs into a site they will not be able to develop.
I noticed the heavy equipment was gone too.
I wonder if the “another developer with a great plan” Stothert mentioned could be an alternate Union Omaha Stadium site with Hines. If the city took back the property in this scenario it could address Union Omaha getting a site that takes the pressure of the expense of land acquisition. If the state funding is indeed in jeopardy all the more reason for Hines/Union Omaha to present such a plan.
Looks like their plan was indeed to break dirt and bug out. Now, runoff from the loose dirt is covering the sidewalk in a few spots along 17th and I know of at least one person who has slipped. This is becoming a bit of a liability for the city. I have it on my to-do list to open a hotline ticket to hopefully clean up the sidewalk, but I hope this isn't an ongoing issue for the next months/years while this lot continues to stagnate.
Saw a story on KETV that the developer says they are going to have $2.7 million in infrastructure up soon. That’s almost laughable, they have had the property for 19 months and he is acting like this is a quick timeline. Not to mention that $2 million is hardly anything, there are houses that cost more than that.
skinzfan23 wrote: Tue Jun 17, 2025 8:27 pm
Saw a story on KETV that the developer says they are going to have $2.7 million in infrastructure up soon. That’s almost laughable, they have had the property for 19 months and he is acting like this is a quick timeline. Not to mention that $2 million is hardly anything, there are houses that cost more than that.
HAHA - in today's money, that would be a few sewer pipes and a run of electrical to a construction pole.
skinzfan23 wrote: Tue Jun 17, 2025 8:27 pm
Saw a story on KETV that the developer says they are going to have $2.7 million in infrastructure up soon. That’s almost laughable, they have had the property for 19 months and he is acting like this is a quick timeline. Not to mention that $2 million is hardly anything, there are houses that cost more than that.
My guess, its about $1.5 Million to pave the streets and the other $1.2 for sewers and water.
skinzfan23 wrote: Tue Jun 17, 2025 8:27 pm
Saw a story on KETV that the developer says they are going to have $2.7 million in infrastructure up soon. That’s almost laughable, they have had the property for 19 months and he is acting like this is a quick timeline. Not to mention that $2 million is hardly anything, there are houses that cost more than that.
HAHA - in today's money, that would be a few sewer pipes and a run of electrical to a construction pole.
I thought these guys were getting the boot?!
Doesn’t look like it. City Council voted 7-0 to approve the final plat.
WOWT wrote:During the meeting, site owner White Lotus Group, discussed “the Nest.” Its a multi-use district similar to what Aksarben is for UNO. White Lotus CEO Arun Agarwal says Creighton University plays a big role in the project.
“Every great university has this collegiate extension,” said Agarwal. “You think about Wrigleyville in Chicago, Aggieville in Kansas State, Haymarket in Lincoln, I think Creighton has an opportunity to have this collegiate extension.”
Through conversations with Creighton, he believes the addition can bring and keep more folks in the area.
What? Comparing this to Aksarben is big stretch.
WOWT wrote:I[Agarwal] need to make sure the Creighton campus which is a big attraction for people out of our state and out of our city into our city. So making sure that we do this project right, adds to that pitch,” said Agarwal.
“We have to do this the right way.
Ok, sure but the plans we’ve seen thus far do not invoke the feel of doing this right or being an out of state attraction.
Let's just call it Heartwood East and prepare for the inevitable disappointment. The comparison to Wrigleyville or some sort of magical extension of CU's campus is laughable. Sh1t, Aksarben Village is more urban than this.
almighty_tuna wrote: Wed Jun 18, 2025 9:52 am
Let's just call it Heartwood East and prepare for the inevitable disappointment. The comparison to Wrigleyville or some sort of magical extension of CU's campus is laughable. Sh1t, Aksarben Village is more urban than this.
Breaking News... largest Mega Saver in Omaha to be constructed as first big tenant of Heartwood Reserve East. This will bring both convenience and luxury to the students of Creighton University with the hope to draw an expansion NHL team to the metro area within the next 24 months.
almighty_tuna wrote: Wed Jun 18, 2025 9:52 am
Let's just call it Heartwood East and prepare for the inevitable disappointment. The comparison to Wrigleyville or some sort of magical extension of CU's campus is laughable. Sh1t, Aksarben Village is more urban than this.
Breaking News... largest Mega Saver in Omaha to be constructed as first big tenant of Heartwood Reserve East. This will bring both convenience and luxury to the students of Creighton University with the hope to draw an expansion NHL team to the metro area within the next 24 months.
Common, get your eomaha jokes correct. It should be within 60-90 Days.
That said, we all know this dog and pony show will never happen.
i really hope this doesn’t happen here. i mean it’s cool and all but somewhere else. ever since i can remember this has been a grassy out of place feild in the middle of prime downtown. i always dreamed of something really tall and cool going there. i mean, that’s like one of the best unused peice of land downtown. what i don’t want is a couple low rises with meh design. looking at renderings i think it would really disorientate what that peice of downtown has shaped into and throw off the entire proportion and aesthetic of the area. it would be one thing if it was all low rise with something truly unique i could get behind. but a grocery store isn’t enough reason for me to like this project.
Omahayngin wrote: Wed Jun 18, 2025 8:48 pm
i really hope this doesn’t happen here. i mean it’s cool and all but somewhere else. ever since i can remember this has been a grassy out of place feild in the middle of prime downtown. i always dreamed of something really tall and cool going there. i mean, that’s like one of the best unused peice of land downtown. what i don’t want is a couple low rises with meh design. looking at renderings i think it would really disorientate what that peice of downtown has shaped into and throw off the entire proportion and aesthetic of the area. it would be one thing if it was all low rise with something truly unique i could get behind. but a grocery store isn’t enough reason for me to like this project.
Especially considering the previous proposals. I mean, we have a new downtown library so if we wanted a plan like that ideally it wouldn't be included but those proposals were way better. Even if some of them were just one big building with a glassy design to them, that had more density and looked more pleasing then what this is. I agree that something like this could be really good for Creighton bridging the gap between the two especially if it ever happens, including if it goes well, something under I-480 in the future making it more pleasing to enter as apart of a project like this. It's a pretty good location for at least way more stories. Like this in their original proposal quite some time ago.
I still don't understand why every development downtown needs the whole city block. This seems to be short-sighted on the city's behalf. They should have only offered up smaller parcels. Not every development needs a whole city block. If they broke it up, chances are that we would end up with way more diverse buildings.
skinzfan23 wrote: Thu Jun 19, 2025 9:03 am
I still don't understand why every development downtown needs the whole city block. This seems to be short-sighted on the city's behalf. They should have only offered up smaller parcels. Not every development needs a whole city block. If they broke it up, chances are that we would end up with way more diverse buildings.
