Civic Square (former Civic Auditorium)

[Dusty]

Not all is lost. Bring a few trash cans and place them throughout the lot. Bam! We have ourselves a temporary Disc Golf course.. lol

[GenX]

Photo from last Thursday Night.

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Wow, there’s just so much… street…

[InTheRoom]

I mean, can we surmise that the developer actually had a leg to stand on in its fight against the city if all of that went away?

They're back to just sitting on their hands here following their little charade/ruse of pouring a sidewalk.

[NEDodger]

What a bunch of naysayers! I, for one, fully believe that this will be metropolitan-changing! Why, just imagine the possibilities with that 20 feet of paved street!

[CrankyOldDude]

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[Brad]

Seriously.... If you are going to do that, at least erase my watermark!

[Brad]

I'm gonna throw this photo from tonight out there... If someone would build a decent high rise on the back side of the Civic Auditorium lot, they would have one heck of a view!

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DJI_20261011183052_0171_D.jpg

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[thenewguy]

you ain't lyin! And that's a heck of a shot Brad!

[remline]

I'm gonna throw this photo from tonight out there... If someone would build a decent high rise on the back side of the Civic Auditorium lot, they would have one heck of a view!

Really excellent photo! But I feel kind of sorry for Trinity Episcopal there. It is really smashed between those parking garages.

[BIGO88]

I wonder if something happened here? The website is no longer working and the listings are no longer listed by White Lotus.

https://civicsquareomaha.com/

[Louie]

I wonder if something happened here? The website is no longer working and the listings are no longer listed by White Lotus.

https://civicsquareomaha.com/

Good

[djc311]

This should have been shut down a year ago... better off sodding the lot and mowing it each week than let it sit like it does.

[Garrett]

Knowing White Lotus they just let the domain expire out of laziness but are still fighting

[BIGO88]

They are no longer on there listings on Crexi and Loopnet either so guessing something happened. Re reading the reddit post from a few months ago it basically stated that White lotus had 2 grocery stores commit and fell through so they were trying to switch the original plans but the City wasnt letting them because Susie Buffet now wanted the land to build a new swimming pool for CHS. I wonder if there trying to do something similar to the last 3 OPS schools and do a partnership with the YMCA and build a new on there while opening up the old location for development to go along with the childrens museum block.

[nebport5]

They are no longer on there listings on Crexi and Loopnet either so guessing something happened. Re reading the reddit post from a few months ago it basically stated that White lotus had 2 grocery stores commit and fell through so they were trying to switch the original plans but the City wasnt letting them because Susie Buffet now wanted the land to build a new swimming pool for CHS. I wonder if there trying to do something similar to the last 3 OPS schools and do a partnership with the YMCA and build a new on there while opening up the old location for development to go along with the childrens museum block.

Interesting. That's not a bad plan if it doesn't take up the whole space which it shouldn't. A swimming pool and new Y could fit easily on 1/3 of the space(or less) and leave the other 2/3s for something that generates tax revenue.

[ita]

Knowing White Lotus they just let the domain expire out of laziness but are still fighting

From what I can tell, the litigation is ongoing.

[Garrett]

As noted by Mr. Engineer in the planning board thread:

Looks like there is an item for Civic Corner TIF approval on the meeting agenda for November.

The agenda item is from the city, not White Lotus. Interesting interesting.

[OutoftheCanyon]

As noted by Mr. Engineer in the planning board thread:

Looks like there is an item for Civic Corner TIF approval on the meeting agenda for November.

The agenda item is from the city, not White Lotus. Interesting interesting.

From my understanding the city has completely backed off of getting the site back. No idea what this could be.

[CompSci99]

As noted by Mr. Engineer in the planning board thread:

Looks like there is an item for Civic Corner TIF approval on the meeting agenda for November.

The agenda item is from the city, not White Lotus. Interesting interesting.

From my understanding the city has completely backed off of getting the site back. No idea what this could be.

Absolutely ridiculous that the city already made this mistake once and never learned from it. Guess the civic site is destined to have a couple 4 over 1's and a 2 story megasaver convenience store, probably with its own surface parking lot.

[Garrett]

As noted by Mr. Engineer in the planning board thread:

Looks like there is an item for Civic Corner TIF approval on the meeting agenda for November.

The agenda item is from the city, not White Lotus. Interesting interesting.

From my understanding the city has completely backed off of getting the site back. No idea what this could be.

Well, most optimistically, the city has made a feasible plan with White Lotus to get something built on the site. Most pessimistically(realistically?), that plan is gonna suck.

[ita]

As noted by Mr. Engineer in the planning board thread:

Looks like there is an item for Civic Corner TIF approval on the meeting agenda for November.

The agenda item is from the city, not White Lotus. Interesting interesting.

From my understanding the city has completely backed off of getting the site back. No idea what this could be.

Well, most optimistically, the city has made a feasible plan with White Lotus to get something built on the site. Most pessimistically(realistically?), that plan is gonna suck.

It's a bummer, isn't it? The developer initiated litigation over the city's attempt to exercise it's right to buy it back. They have been in the thick of litigation this whole calendar year. Yet, here they are with a TIF application on the planning board agenda.
My understanding is that the planning department submits applications to the planning board with a recommendation to approve or deny the application. Pretty much, if the developer presents a feasible plan that adheres to both TIF and building code/zoning requirements, the planning board really does not have a basis to recommend denial.
We'll see, but I highly doubt White Lotus provides anything but what has already been shown, if not worse. If they had something better, or had tenants secured, would that not have been in the news or one of their arguments in the litigation? I saw no such argument in the complaint. And with the property being tied up in litigation, there is very little chance a better plan was put together as I would imagine White Lotus would not be able to secure commitments from commercial users since filing its complaint. Hopefully I am proven wrong, but I think we should be prepared for the worst.

[djc311]

As noted by Mr. Engineer in the planning board thread:

Looks like there is an item for Civic Corner TIF approval on the meeting agenda for November.

The agenda item is from the city, not White Lotus. Interesting interesting.

From my understanding the city has completely backed off of getting the site back. No idea what this could be.

Well, most optimistically, the city has made a feasible plan with White Lotus to get something built on the site. Most pessimistically(realistically?), that plan is gonna suck.

It's a bummer, isn't it? The developer initiated litigation over the city's attempt to exercise it's right to buy it back. They have been in the thick of litigation this whole calendar year. Yet, here they are with a TIF application on the planning board agenda.
My understanding is that the planning department submits applications to the planning board with a recommendation to approve or deny the application. Pretty much, if the developer presents a feasible plan that adheres to both TIF and building code/zoning requirements, the planning board really does not have a basis to recommend denial.
We'll see, but I highly doubt White Lotus provides anything but what has already been shown, if not worse. If they had something better, or had tenants secured, would that not have been in the news or one of their arguments in the litigation? I saw no such argument in the complaint. And with the property being tied up in litigation, there is very little chance a better plan was put together as I would imagine White Lotus would not be able to secure commitments from commercial users since filing its complaint. Hopefully I am proven wrong, but I think we should be prepared for the worst.

Even if White Lotus is the only one with a plan, I would feel they can deny the approval/application simply due to them not following the "completed by" dates under the current agreement.

I'd rather have it sit with no movement than to give that clown show a chance to do anything again.

Easily one of the dumbest decisions made by city personnel in the past 10-20 years.

[nebport5]

In the wagers for "will anything ever get built here?"

Crossroads for the win.

[Hawkeye]

In the wagers for "will anything ever get built here?"

Crossroads for the win.

You're all such pessimists.

Just wait and see. In six to nine months, that one-lane superhighway will extend almost halfway across the entire property!

Then you'll be eating crow.

[nebport5]

In the wagers for "will anything ever get built here?"

Crossroads for the win.

You're all such pessimists.

Just wait and see. In six to nine months, that one-lane superhighway will extend almost halfway across the entire property!

Then you'll be eating crow.

Unless of course that fine superhighway continues to crumble and doesn't make it through the winter...

[Brad]

Concrete Curb? I thought Granite Curbs were required in the Urban Core?

[Hawkeye]

In the wagers for "will anything ever get built here?"

Crossroads for the win.

You're all such pessimists.

Just wait and see. In six to nine months, that one-lane superhighway will extend almost halfway across the entire property!

Then you'll be eating crow.

Unless of course that fine superhighway continues to crumble and doesn't make it through the winter...

Such a clown show. JFC.

[buildomaha]

At least they’re consistent (with their half-a$$manship) lol

[thenewguy]

that curb looks like they bought a bag of concrete at menards, mixed it in a bucket, and used a butter knife to shape the curb

[Garrett]

https://planning.omaha.gov/wp-content/u ... _PB_07.pdf

Nothing seems different really, though I haven't dived back to see what the plans were.

410 apartments
120 room hotel
30k sqft grocery store
70k sqft fitness center
50k sqft retail
125k sqft office

Edit: Scrolled all the way through the doc and got to a rendering of their Phase I 100 unit apartment building and ohhhhhhhh my god

[BIGO88]

It does also show that the fitness center will be a YMCA so at least that opens up the old YMCA block for re development. There is also a grocery store about the same size in the renderings for the builders district, will be interesting to see if any of the two developments can actually pull it off.

[Garrett]

It does also show that the fitness center will be a YMCA so at least that opens up the old YMCA block for re development. There is also a grocery store about the same size in the renderings for the builders district, will be interesting to see if any of the two developments can actually pull it off.

True, but those renderings also all feel very conceptual in a way that fully contradicts the actual rendering for this first building that I don't really trust them.

[nebport5]

Take it for what it's worth, but one of those renderings has "Super Target" which I suppose would be the grocer and more.


Edit: And that hotel design makes me think a|loft.

[ita]

https://planning.omaha.gov/wp-content/u ... _PB_07.pdf

Nothing seems different really, though I haven't dived back to see what the plans were.

410 apartments
120 room hotel
30k sqft grocery store
70k sqft fitness center
50k sqft retail
125k sqft office

Edit: Scrolled all the way through the doc and got to a rendering of their Phase I 100 unit apartment building and ohhhhhhhh my god

Hmmmmmm. We have seen some pretty bland apartment buildings, but this has to be near the top as most bland. I am trying to be nice. Unsurprisingly, the planning department is recommending approval. The conversation is going to be interesting in both the Planning Board and City Council meetings. Looking forward to it.

[almighty_tuna]

what a sh1tshow. if this was food, it would be a gluten free, low salt entree at a nursing home. how embarrassing and a massive waste of space.

[ita]

The brochure in the TIF application is not even the same one in the current online posting.

https://property.jll.com/listings/civic ... d-nebraska

[Linkin5]

Can the city renege on the original agreement simply due to that building rendering? I understand plans can change but building looks nothing like their original proposal and renderings. I am guessing the answer to this question is no but there really should have been some more guardrails put in place to assure this nightmare didn’t happen.

[nebport5]

https://planning.omaha.gov/wp-content/u ... _PB_07.pdf

Nothing seems different really, though I haven't dived back to see what the plans were.

410 apartments
120 room hotel
30k sqft grocery store
70k sqft fitness center
50k sqft retail
125k sqft office

6 phases to be completed between June '26 and 2032.

The Phase 1 project site will have a newly constructed mixed use building of four and five stories, located on the southeast quadrant of the site. It will have 120 apartment units and about 10,000 square feet of first floor retail and commercial space.
The Phase 2 project site will contain the 120 room hotel, and will include about 5,000 square feet of retail space.
The Phase 3 project site is located in the southwest quadrant of the site, and will consist of a newly constructed mixed use building with 100 apartment units and about 3,500 square feet of commercial space.
The Phase 4 project site is located in the northeast quadrant of the site and will contain a newly constructed mixed use building with 125,000 square feet of office space, and about 8,000 square feet of commercial space.
The Phase 5 redevelopment consists of a new fitness center of about 70,000 square feet. The building will also have about 15,500 square feet of retail space.
The Phase 6 project site is located in the southwest quadrant of the site. A new mixed use building with 160 apartment units, a 30,000 square foot grocery store, 8,000 square feet of other retail space, and 30 for-sale residential condominium units.


So at best 6+ years to get "full service" grocery.

It's really hard to want to root for this project. Think of the indoor community garden we could've had, well before the alfalfa, while nothing continues to get built.

what a sh1tshow. if this was food, it would be a gluten free, low salt entree at a nursing home. how embarrassing and a massive waste of space.

So basically a rice cake.

[GenX]

https://planning.omaha.gov/wp-content/u ... _PB_07.pdf

Nothing seems different really, though I haven't dived back to see what the plans were.

410 apartments
120 room hotel
30k sqft grocery store
70k sqft fitness center
50k sqft retail
125k sqft office

Edit: Scrolled all the way through the doc and got to a rendering of their Phase I 100 unit apartment building and ohhhhhhhh my god

Was the design inspired by a barcode?

[djc311]

Is this still all coming from White Lotus? If so, W T F are they even still involved. They did NOT meet previously set deadlines and the city already wanted out of working with them. I could throw something together with AI better looking than this garbage. And, if I had a shovel and wheelbarrow, I could make more progress on the site in the same amount of time.

Such a complete waste of time and an insult to the residents of Omaha, especially the downtown area.