Proposed La Vista Embassy Suites height restricted

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Thu Nov 18, 2004 12:37 am

Omaha World Herald wrote: Hotel can't stand as tall as proposed

Developers of a proposed $50 million hotel in La Vista would have to lop off a third of the design's height to fit under the Federal Aviation Administration's airspace restrictions around the Millard Airport.

The FAA has ruled that the 10-story hotel would create a hazard for aircraft trying to land.

Developer John Q. Hammons' proposed Embassy Suites Hotel near 126th and Harrison Streets would be, at 120 feet, 39 feet too high, according to the FAA.

Hammons is developing the 280- to 300-room hotel in partnership with a planned $15 million conference center to be owned by the City of La Vista. The site is just off Interstate 80 and less than a mile from the small airport operated by the Omaha Airport Authority.

The FAA ruling became final Nov. 7. Hammons did not respond to the FAA after the agency sent notice in July that the hazard was presumed, and he did not appeal the hazard ruling issued in September, according to the FAA document.

Hammons and other representatives of his company in Springfield, Mo., could not immediately be reached for comment.

As far as the 10-story design, "There really isn't a next step," said Elizabeth Wallis, manager of the FAA airspace branch. "It's a final determination."

The agency did not ask for public comment regarding the ruling because there was no question, she said.

"It flat out was a hazard," Wallis said. "If we can make a determination of hazard without having public comment, we just go ahead and make the determination."

Structures within the air traffic pattern could affect navigation or distract a pilot, according to the ruling.

The hotel would create a "substantial adverse effect" on pilots using visual flight rules - rather than instruments - to land on one of the airport's two runways, the ruling stated. About 142 aircraft are based at the airport, and a majority of the airport's daily takeoffs and landings are done under visual flight rules, the document indicated.

La Vista's city administrator voiced optimism that the hotel design can be modified to fit FAA regulations.

"I don't see this as a hurdle that isn't surmountable," said Cara Pavlicek. "This is a piece of any development project that you work through."

The city is prepared for ongoing discussions about how the project can be completed, she said.

The hotel-conference center site is in Southport West, a high-profile development that La Vista officials aggressively have sought to fill.

The City of La Vista plans to contribute $18 million toward the hotel's cost and to finance the conference center and parking area with a $15 million bond issue.

The plan called for Hammons to buy 15 acres at Southport West and sell 12 of them to the city for $3 million for the conference center. He would finance, build, own and operate the hotel and would operate the conference center, paying the city $300,000 per year.

Don Smithey, executive director of the Omaha Airport Authority, said the authority ordered an airspace analysis of the hotel site in March after learning of the development.

The study results were given that month to Hammons' engineering consultants and the Southport developer, as well as La Vista city officials, Smithey said.

He said there should be no question that air space is under federal regulation.

"We do not have to buy air space rights," he said. "That's federal law."

Planning a tall structure requires filing a form with the FAA so the agency can determine whether it will interfere with air traffic patterns.

"Even if we, the airport authority, want to put up a light pole, we have to get the FAA's approval," he said.

adam186 · Post by **adam186** » Thu Nov 18, 2004 12:45 am

A 10-story hotel and small convention center in La Vista.

An 8-story hotel with large convention center and 17,000 seat arena in Omaha.

We should've stuck with the Marriot. Do you think the Marriot could've helped bring in larger conventions?

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Thu Nov 18, 2004 1:20 am

It's unfortunate we missed out on the Marriott... but the Hilton isn't costing us any conventions. And while the Hilton ended up being 78 rooms smaller than the proposed Marriot... I just don't think that difference is going to make or break a deal... especially given all the other hotel rooms in downtown Omaha. No doubt the 28 story Marriott would have impressed attendees... but it's certainly not a consideration on any convention planners list of attributes (although a larger number of rooms on a given floor might actually be one to some).

Will · Post by **Will** » Thu Nov 18, 2004 8:08 am

I wonder if the hotel were to be placed south of paypal would it sit low enough in the valley to make the federal guid lines?

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Thu Nov 18, 2004 11:01 am

I think if it was placed south of paypal it would be directly in the path of a Final Approach!. This is really too bad it won't work as designed. Not that anyone couldn't say they didn't see it coming. I hope they can find another high-profile site which allows them to build as originally planned. A project like this would be a great cornerstone of a second "downtown" area for a small town. Similar to what DT Overland Park is to the KC metro- anchored by the Sheraton Hotel (of course resembling the Marriott proposal) and attached convention center. For those not too familiar with the area it is at I-435 and Metcalf Road (south).

redfield · Post by **redfield** » Thu Nov 18, 2004 11:38 am

I've seen taller buildings closer to bigger airports. I'm dissapointed with this.

Besides, I think the hotel will be more important to the area than the millard airport ever was or will be.

TitosBuritoBarn · Post by **TitosBuritoBarn** » Thu Nov 18, 2004 3:42 pm

Hmmm...well, as long as they decided to not cancel the entire prject because of this, it doesn't really bother me. West Des Moines has a Marriot, and I've always been kind of jealous about that as West Omaha doesn't have such a nice hotel. In fact, West Omaha really doesn't have any hotels at all. This Embassy Suites would definitely fill a couple voids.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Thu Nov 18, 2004 3:49 pm

I wouldn't consider La Vista west Omaha. Just a mile to the west of the proposed Embassy in Sarpy County there are a cluster of mid-low range motels around Sapp Brothers(144th and I-80). It's a definite value add for Sarpy.

The area from Center St to Blondo St between 120th and 204th seems to be the new west Omaha IMO. And you are right there are no hotels out there at all.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Thu Nov 18, 2004 7:14 pm

Most consider 680 and West Dodge and L St and I-80 west Omaha. There are a bunch of hotels in these areas. No doubt Embassy Suites will be a very nice one though... regardless of height.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Fri Nov 19, 2004 11:47 am

There was another article about this in today's paper, talking about changing the flight pattern at the airport as a solution.

For starters, I think this whole dispute is RIDICULOUS. If a plane is flying at 120 ft. a mile away from the airport, it's going to crash anyway. A 10 story building is not going to be a flight hazard.

And another thing, the OWH needs to stop calling this 10 story building a high-rise! I guess to the WH, an 8 story building (ie Hilton) is a "mid-rise", but add two more floors, and it's a "high-rise".

redfield · Post by **redfield** » Fri Nov 19, 2004 2:30 pm

This hotel will be, to some degree, the door to Omaha as people drive in North on I-80, and the door to LaVista as people come in on 370 or from I-80.

If you knock 4 stories off the plan, it just won't have nearly the impact, even if you spread the building over a larger area and maintain the number of rooms.

In my opinion, the millard airport just serves too limited a number of people and purpose to be worth altering a major project like this over.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Fri Nov 19, 2004 10:05 pm

It would sure be nice to see a 10 story hotel out there... although you'll note thet Embassy Suites downtown is only 6 floors (above street level anyway).

(I just noticed the Butternut can in the background

still no news on this front)

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 1:07 am

jhuston wrote: (I just noticed the Butternut can in the background still no news on this front)

Not to derail the thread any more, but wasn't there supposed to be an official announcement on that subject way back on Nov. 6?

Post by **Brad** » Sat Nov 20, 2004 3:01 am

I don't see how the building would affect the flight path, the airport runs north-south and the new hotel is almost west of the ariport, planes don't turn that sharp on approach anyway?

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 7:26 pm

That's what I'm saying, Brad. It seems like a non issue.