Official: North Downtown Discussion

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Wed Jun 27, 2007 11:42 pm

Pry not in North Downtown particularly but there is pleeeeeeeeenty of room left them.

Post by **Brad** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 2:44 am

For now the Highrise will probably stick to the core and North Downtown will have mid rise, however its just a rendering, if someone walked in with the money and wanted to build a highrise, I bet the would let them.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 4:02 am

ShawJ wrote:here my question about the whole project. please feel free to point me out if this is an idiotic question, because it probably is.

looking at the renderings, does this project hurt the downtown area in that there wont be able to be any high rise ish bulidings in that area? or is there plenty of room in other parts of downtown to have the higher buildings go? i haven't really looked at the renderings too much so i don't really have a good grasp on this whole project. it was just a thought i had...

Well, yes, it's a bit of an idiotic question. No offense. You said to call you on it, so I did.

If you drive down there, you will see that there is NOTHING but room to grow in North Downtown. These developments are an EXCELLENT start and will hopefully set a great precedent for mid-rise density. Down the line, I wouldn't be surprised to start seeing mid-rises on the taller side, like 10 to 15 stories, but high-rise development will most likely stick closer to the core of downtown.

ShawJ · Post by **ShawJ** » Thu Jun 28, 2007 5:01 am

i guess i'm thinking way too far in to the future with this whole thing. it's not like high rises are going to pop up every day (wouldn't that be nice?). i figured most of the higher buildings would be in the core of downtown.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Sat Jul 14, 2007 8:42 pm

On Thursday and Friday, the final northernmost section of the slab foundation for the Fairfield was poured, steel supports went up on the southern end, and on Friday, the walls of the first floor started being put into place. Yes, we have the beginnings of an actual structure.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 12:59 am

According to the project manager for Tackett Construction, the Holiday Inn will begin construction next week. The piledriver was delivered today.

The Fairfield now has a first floor. Add another week and the second floor should begin construction.

The GM at the Hampton Inn says they are planning on a mid-to-late October opening. The Homewood should open in December. The front corner of the Homewood has an "addition" which adds almost a story and a half to that front corner.

Film Streams opens TOMORROW!!!

A new false front was built on the Urban Outfitters first floor entrance so that the display windows and doors can be put in place. Work on this and the apartments above is moving ahead at a fast pace. The Blue Line Coffee space is ready for tenant improvements.

And that is your weekly update from North Downtown.

Post by **Brad** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 12:42 am

Photo Update:

Post by **nebugeater** » Mon Jul 30, 2007 12:48 am

Brad wrote:Fairfield Inn

Man, I thought the Fairfield Inn would be bigger than that! :mrgreen:

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 6:46 pm

Nope! One room per floor, 4 floors. It is a boutique Fairfield Inn.

The project manager for the Holiday Inn told us they have rented some of the first floor retail space to a restaurant called Venues, which is apparently located in Lincoln.

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Tue Aug 07, 2007 8:22 pm

OmahaChef wrote: The project manager for the Holiday Inn told us they have rented some of the first floor retail space to a restaurant called Venues, which is apparently located in Lincoln.

http://www.yourvenue.net/

Looks like a really neat, modern, upscale restaurant and lounge. I really like the "character" it'll bring to the area. Having an extensive wine list and lounge area, it'll be much more than just a restaurant, and will hopefully be another draw to this area in the evenings. I'm extremely pleased that they didn't take the easy out route and go TGI Fridays or some cheesy chain place that normally shows up near hotels, as that would have totally gone against the feel this area is trying to develop.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Wed Aug 08, 2007 6:21 pm

OmahaChef wrote:Nope! One room per floor, 4 floors. It is a boutique Fairfield Inn.

At first I was like "Whaaaaa?" and then I looked at the picture and realized you were being facetious. Sarcasm doesn't translate too well over le intreweb.

agibson95 · Post by **agibson95** » Thu Aug 09, 2007 12:09 pm

Swift wrote:
OmahaChef wrote:Nope! One room per floor, 4 floors. It is a boutique Fairfield Inn.

I thought it was one of those pod hotels that are so big in Japan. That one room holds 50 pods. Its amazing. That hotel will hold 400 people when completed.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 1:44 am

Sorry Swift! A smiley face at the end of the sentence would have been most helpful.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 2:41 am

By the way, the second floor of the Fairfield is now up, the floor joists in place, and next week they will lay the plywood for the next floor. They are averaging a floor every two weeks! Pre-building the wall sections off-site means they can raise a floor in 3-4 days. It is an amazing process to watch!

Post by **Brad** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 7:33 am

OmahaChef wrote:By the way, the second floor of the Fairfield is now up, the floor joists in place, and next week they will lay the plywood for the next floor. They are averaging a floor every two weeks! Pre-building the wall sections off-site means they can raise a floor in 3-4 days. It is an amazing process to watch!

That's on Sunday's plan. I got kind of sidetracked by the OMAX trains in town today...

Post by **Brad** » Sun Aug 12, 2007 9:36 pm

Photo Update:

Fairfield Inn:

Holiday in is moving:

Post by **Brad** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 1:42 am

Finishing up the outside:

Third Floor Up:

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 6:43 pm

This is somewhat about the ballpark but more about North Downtown's future so I put it here instead of the stadium discussion.

It's a pretty balanced article. I'd check it out.

Changes to ballpark proposal will enhance the vision for north downtown
BY CHRISTINE LAUE
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

OWH wrote:So how does moving a planned anchor from the epicenter to the edge change the vision for north downtown?

It doesn't, say Mayor Mike Fahey, officials with the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, the original plan's authors and other city planners. They say the overall vision for an urban village with a mix of high-density land uses remains the same. The mayor's proposal — which was part of a pitch last week to the NCAA in an effort to extend the College World Series' commitment to Omaha — is better, they say, for several reasons:

• It could keep the CWS in Omaha.

• It would save money, because the city already owns the new proposed site, a parking lot north of Qwest Center Omaha.

• It could keep the previously targeted ballpark land on the tax rolls and in the hands of private developers, who ultimately could build another anchor.

• And if that happens, the north downtown area would get a double shot of momentum — because that private anchor combined with a ballpark could spark the retail, residential and entertainment development key to the urban village concept.

***

The overall vision is for the area between those two potential anchors to fill in with retail, residential, office and entertainment that would wrap around, or mask, parking structures that would replace surface parking.

Bob Peters, a former Omaha planning director who was co-chairman of the committee that drafted the 2005 plan, said moving the ballpark to another site takes that vision to another level.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 7:38 pm

Weird. That's exactly what some of us were saying when they announced the new location...

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Sun Sep 02, 2007 8:27 pm

So does that mean we're expeprts?

Post by **Brad** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 2:55 am

EPA Watches North Downtown Development Closely

http://www.action3news.com/Global/story.asp?S=7033048

New hotels, a sports arena and now possibly a new baseball stadium. It's all part of the north downtown redevelopment. It's a plan the EPA is keeping close tabs on after finding dangerous chemicals in the ground.

Lead, Arsenic, Trichloroethylene. They are all poisons and all can be deadly.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, those chemicals can be found in the soil of north downtown.

South of Cuming Street and Abbott Drive, the EPA tells Action 3 News is up to code for commercial and some residential construction.

"That area has already been remediate to the EPA standard so it's a very easy area to do more work in," says Jensen.

But north of there, on land still undeveloped the EPA says arsenic, lead and trichloroethylene could stand in the way of progress.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:05 am

The sky is falling.

Post by **Brad** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:08 am

DTO Luv wrote:The sky is falling.

Not really, it was tied in to the led recalls form all the Chinese toys.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:10 am

I'm just saying the Save Rosenblatt people will probably latch on to this as a reason not to build a new stadium.

Uffda · Post by **Uffda** » Thu Sep 06, 2007 3:26 am

Take a look at this golf course on the site of an old Amoco Refinery in Casper WY

Three Crowns Golf Course is built on a former Amoco Oil Refinery site in Casper, Wyoming along the North Platte River. The golf course is built atop a remediation project that will be ongoing. The whole site is known as the Platte River Commons which will comprise a golf course, business park, jogging trail, and parks, is about 350 acres in total.

http://www.threecrownsgolfclub.com/

I lived about a half a mile from it for 5-6 years in the mid to late 80s. It was finally closed in 1991. When they decided to recover the land it was a long and expensive process as the refinery had been there since 1913 and lots of chemicals and oil waste had just been dump into the ground. BUT it was recovered enough to create the world class golf course and the business park is just starting up.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 4:40 am

The fourth and top floor of the Fairfield is now in place. Exterior extensions are now being put on as some portions of the facade go beyond 4 floors. I guess the roof will be put in place next and then , according to the designs, it looks like this hotel will have the ever popular heliport landing pad so popular on hotels in North Downtown now. Got an elevator shaft rising to high from your building? Disguise it as a helicopter landing pad!

The Holiday Inn is continuing on their foundation, etc. Very boring, but then this phase always is. In another 30 days or less, we should see some steel go up.

The Hampton has crews working even on Sunday now to get it finished by October 24th. Working six days a week on the Homewood has meant the front corner is now bricked almost to the top, and the exterior work continues, while the inside pace is frantic. Looks like they are pushing hard for their December opening.

About it from North Downtown....where I still work....sigh!

Post by **Brad** » Tue Sep 11, 2007 1:09 pm

They have Helicopter landing pads

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Wed Sep 12, 2007 1:10 am

That is our name for them at work.

Both the Hampton and Homewood have these decoative attachments to the roof at the front corner of each. Kind of reminds you of what could be used for a helicopter landing pad. The one on the Homewood is sloped, which would make it a bit challenging I suppose. The one on the Fairfield looks rather small, perhaps just the size of the helicopter you ride to take ariel shots!

Post by **Brad** » Tue Sep 18, 2007 2:45 am

Photo Update:

UNOstudent · Post by **UNOstudent** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 4:52 pm

Saturday 9/22

Homewood Suites

Hampton Inn

From the roof of the Hampton Inn

Post by **Brad** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 6:03 pm

Nice, How did you get up there? the1wags and I were up there then we had to explain to 4 cops why we were up there.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:20 pm

Great pics UNOStudent!

Mr.Nuke · Post by **Mr.Nuke** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:38 pm

Brad wrote:
DTO Luv wrote:The sky is falling.
Not really, it was tied in to the led recalls form all the Chinese toys.

Or the fact Asarco was within a mile of the site.

Post by **Brad** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 10:31 pm

Mr.Nuke wrote:
Brad wrote:
DTO Luv wrote:The sky is falling.
Not really, it was tied in to the led recalls form all the Chinese toys.
Or the fact Asarco was within a mile of the site.

no it was about the toys and they compared them to asarco....

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 3:47 am

The Fairfield has all of it's decorative trim on top now, including two of the ever popular helicopter landing pads, although in miniature version. Brick and stone trim are being applied to the first floor, windows are starting to be put in and one third of the parking lot has been poured. This coming week they will start putting the stucco work on the south side as well.

The Holiday Inn has just about completed the foundation work, but it seems they have only an excavating permit, not an actual construction permit, It seems they only are providing 55 parking spaces, but a lot more rooms than that, plus they leased some first floor space to a restaurant. They have yet to get the construction permit, but told city officials parking is no issue as they have permission to park at inPlay and Fairfield parking lots. :lol: :lol: :lol: Oh how Bam's Towing is going to love all these businesses next year!

The GM of the Fairfield reported this week that the completion date for the Homewood has been pushed back from December to January or later. The Hampton is still scheduled for Octiber 24th or so.

15th Street and Izard Street around the Hampton and Homewood are being completely re-constructed. Lots of work going on with this project. The pedestrian plaza between the Homewood and Hampton is progressing nicely.

Urban Outfitters is open, as we all know. The coffee shop has done no work on their space, and the restaurant space is still not rented.

That is al from North Downtown.....

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 1:11 pm

OmahaChef wrote: The coffee shop has done no work on their space, and the restaurant space is still not rented.

I think we've all heard about the struggles of finding a restaurant tenant that fits the desires of the Saddle Creek guys, but this news on the coffee shop is slightly concerning. I thought Blue Line was a lock. If so, why wouldn't they have started work? If I remember correctly, they had said "late fall" opening. If that's the case, shouldn't they have started by now?

Does anyone have any insider knowledge on what's going on here?

Also, I'll see if I can get an updated timeline on the Holiday Inn later this week when they Tackett folks are here for a HOA meeting at my building...

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 7:41 pm

Blue Line IS a lock, and to my knowledge they have sarted work. There just hasn't been any progression lately.

I sure hope they get on top of things. It would have behooved them to be open by the time UO opened.

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 1:03 am

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Fri Oct 12, 2007 3:38 am

Here's a quick Holiday Inn update after I talked with the Tackett guys earlier this evening. The reason for the delay is several redesigns by the owner, not anything related to the city or permit approval. Steel should be showing up early next week, and the first floor will begin to rise by the end of the week. Construction will be a combo of steel (on the high ceiling first floor) with regular stick construction for the upper floors. Looks like the first floor design will please the urban density crowd - there will be no 1st floor hotel rooms, only the hotel lobby, the previously mentioned restaurant/winebar "yourvenue" and 3 retail bays (no tenants secured yet). The "waterpark" that they had talked up so much when the project was first announced has been scaled down significantly, now resembling a pool with a couple of slides and small lazy river, about 1/10 scale of CoCo Key at the 72nd St Holiday Inn.

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 1:55 am

A bit of an update on North Downtown projects....

Holiday Inn. No steel yet, but then it rained a lot last week and the lot is full of mud! However, they are getting ready to pour a retaining wall. All of the foundation is in place.

Blue Line Coffee. Work has actually started on this. A slab was poured for the outside patio seating, and the floor of the shop was torn up for additional plumbing, which is now in place and sealed back up.

Hampton Inn. This was supposed to open October 24th. My source on the North Central Group hotels is out of town for a month, but all the rooms are furnished, down to paintings on the walls, and work is occurring at a steady space on the pedestrian walkway between the two hotels (the "visual" extension of 13th Street). If you live downtown, you may have received a teaser postcard for the Hampton opening in the mail earlier this week. The corner decorative roof thing, which resembles a helicopter landing pad, is uplighted at night. Looks pretty nice.

Izard Street, from 14th to 12th Street. This two block section is being redone, with what looks like diagonal parking, etc. It is coming along nicely. 14th Street from Cuming north is also being redone, but is not nearly as far along.

Homewood Suites. Exterior work, especially on the Cuming and 13th Street sides is really getting done. The back of the building is not as far along, but getting there. Sheetrocking is completed, and finishing work on the lower floors progresses.

Fairfield Inn. Part of the parking lot was poured, but rain has halted completion of that project. The backordered wndows finally arrived and they are being installed. Brick, Stone, metal and styrofoam/stucco is also going on the exterior. The project remains a few weeks behind schedule.

The Apartments at Slowdown are now for rent. The Slowdown restaurant space is still unleased. If I had the money, I'd open up there. Newstreet LLC isn't doing a thing with the land across from Urbanm Outfitters till there is some resolution as to where the ballpark is going to go. Speaking of which, people walk out of Urban Outfitters daily with bags in their hands, so it is doing business. Need to find out if the sales are meeting their projections.

About all I know.