Capitol District (NWC 10th & Capitol)

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:34 pm

I hate to bump this without any news.. But with the economy looking to be gaining momentum the value of the dollar rising I think the over-under for this thing happening should be raised. I seen a buttload of new projects breaking ground across the country hopefully we can capitalize on the momentum.

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 12:51 pm

Well, the CWS is coming up in a few months....maybe we'll at least get another ground-breaking ceremony with all the dignitaries lined-up for a nice photo-op.

Seriously though...I think we'll see some real action this year.

Garrett · Post by **Garrett** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 2:22 pm

Well as speculated in the labor shortage thread, that could very easily be a huge part of what is delaying the project.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 2:43 pm

They are working with JE Dunn as the builder. I wonder how many employees they have in Omaha, not sure if I have ever seen their name in front of a project around town.

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 3:18 pm

It's a good-sized company. #11/400 nationally, according to their website. They did the Memorial Stadium Expansion in Lincoln...not sure if it was the most recent one. Hopefully, they'd have the ability to bring in outside workers as needed.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:20 pm

GetUrban wrote:It's a good-sized company. #11/400 nationally, according to their website. They did the Memorial Stadium Expansion in Lincoln...not sure if it was the most recent one. Hopefully, they'd have the ability to bring in outside workers as needed.

Yeah I know they are doing a bunch of projects this kind of scale around the country, heck maybe they have a shortage too and can't start this until equipment/crews open up elsewhere.

Greg S · Post by **Greg S** » Fri Mar 13, 2015 9:49 am

Garrett wrote:Well as speculated in the labor shortage thread, that could very easily be a huge part of what is delaying the project.

I think if the labor shortage was the last hurdle we'd know about it by know. I'd be willing to be it's tenants or financing, or both.

Greg

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 12:02 pm

We really need to see this development take off. Can't wait to see the hotel and restaurant busy next time the NCAA is hosted in Omaha. Right now its the C Link and sea of parking.

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 12:06 pm

Do they even use it for parking right now? If not, just use the damn thing.

skinzfan23 · Post by **skinzfan23** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 12:15 pm

RNcyanide wrote:Do they even use it for parking right now? If not, just use the darn thing.

Yeah, the whole lot is full, but still could be so much more.

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 12:19 pm

Oh okay. Not the most flattering view of the Hilton, either.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 12:25 pm

All of those guests get to see the biggest April fools hoax played on Omaha as they walk by the Shamrock "coming soon" sign.

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 12:32 pm

.....almost nothing but cars as far as the eye can see.

Seth · Post by **Seth** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 3:30 pm

RNcyanide wrote:Oh okay. Not the most flattering view of the Hilton, either.

Wow, no kidding! I've seen a lot of postwar Soviet buildings that looked better!

Garrett · Post by **Garrett** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 3:37 pm

Is there even a flattering view of the Hilton?

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 4:56 pm

Garrett wrote:Is there even a flattering view of the Hilton?

Nope.

TitosBuritoBarn · Post by **TitosBuritoBarn** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 5:01 pm

I think it would look a lot better if they put some street front retail on the grassy area on the northwest side of the property.

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 5:07 pm

TitosBuritoBarn wrote:I think it would look a lot better if they put some street front retail on the grassy area on the northwest side of the property.

I think it would look a lot better if it were just not there at all.

Bob from Omaha · Post by **Bob from Omaha** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 5:37 pm

Just stand the damn thing up already!

Linkin5 · Post by **Linkin5** » Fri Mar 20, 2015 6:02 pm

Garrett wrote:Is there even a flattering view of the Hilton?

The Great Wall of Hilton is an architecture anomaly.

Bobcat · Post by **Bobcat** » Sat Mar 21, 2015 9:44 am

Seeing that image demonstrates how nonsensical it is to build a new hotel right next to one that is already connected to C-Link, is struggling with occupancy and debt payments and could be expanded even more with a tower where the parking deck is located. An expansion with a tower could be flagged with Hilton's higher end brand to distinguish it.

That would free up the 10th and Capital site for a more robust development that does not require being anchored by a hotel that is difficult to finance. As I've mentioned before, a large mixed use development like this one needs to take place directly across from the C-link, not in this lot. This was pointed out in the recently completed North Downtown Study.

Mix a MECA Board that still is bitter about the Hilton decision 15 years ago with an undercapitalized developer that's in over his head, the result is a poorly executed and planned development that will ensure a tertiary spot behind Kansas City and Lincoln.

The entire thing should be scrapped and rebooted in the lot across from C-link with the Noddle Company as developer.

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Sat Mar 21, 2015 10:19 am

Can we start a new thread called 'Kvetching about Shamrock Development' in the General Discussion forum? Maybe move the last 5 or so pages there?

S33 · Post by **S33** » Sat Mar 21, 2015 10:23 am

Funny to think, that immediately adjacent to the CLC, is a monstrous hotel, and nothing else. Then, adjacent to the Sprint Center, you have the P&L district, which takes up about the same sized foot print as the Hilton, but is so much more.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Sat Mar 21, 2015 10:59 am

Jay Noddle is I the MECA board. He has agreed to not develop downtown to not create a conflict of interest. Obviously that doesn't apply to the Iowa side of the bridge.

As for P&L Cordish took KC to the cleaners with that development. Yes it is a great event space to have across from and arena. The question with it is if we would be willing to sell our financial soul to a developer for something of that scale. KC is having a debate about wether to pay off the bonds on P&L or try and pay into their underfunded pension system. The tax payers owe ~$15 million on the development this year.

Garrett · Post by **Garrett** » Sat Mar 21, 2015 12:14 pm

Honestly I wish we could hand all of North Downtown over to Noddle and say "Here. Have fun." I'm tired of being pulled around by terrible developers who are either in over their heads or just want to sit on surface lots.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Sat Mar 21, 2015 12:35 pm

Tetrad, Waitt and UNO all were major factors for A/V. It helps to have a strong vision and having all the major players on the same general page.

MadMartin8 · Post by **MadMartin8** » Sat Mar 21, 2015 12:58 pm

iamjacobm wrote:Tetrad, Waitt and UNO all were major factors for A/V. It helps to have a strong vision and having all the major players on the same general page.

And having city and other business backing like Lincoln did.

Omaha is easily dupped by underfunded/prepared developers who don't deliver the large promises they make.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Sat Mar 21, 2015 1:00 pm

It isn't really dupping. We all want the vey best but a lot of times it is very difficult to pull hat off in a market like Omaha.

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Sat Mar 21, 2015 1:03 pm

iamjacobm wrote:It isn't really dupping. We all want the vey best but a lot of times it is very difficult to pull hat off in a market like Omaha.

Additionally, we actually try to use our money wisely. As was mentioned earlier, that kind of deal with the Power and Light District would have never worked in Omaha unless another funding source could be procured. And honestly, I'm okay with that. One of the things that makes me proud of Omaha is that we don't throw money blindly at something shiny; most of the time. The downside is not having the latest and greatest ball of wax and sometimes having lack-luster projects such as North Downtown and the Hilton at the CLC.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Sun Mar 22, 2015 8:09 am

And look what that gets us.

S33 · Post by **S33** » Sun Mar 22, 2015 10:26 am

I just felt like the Hilton was a colossal waste of land. Using P&L as an example was simply to illustrate that instead of developing that area into something more usable for everyone, we accepted a proposal that would effectively kill off the largest piece of real estate next to the Arena.

Stoopid

MadMartin8 · Post by **MadMartin8** » Sun Mar 22, 2015 1:31 pm

MTO wrote:And look what that gets us.

Exactly.

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Sun Mar 22, 2015 1:36 pm

MTO wrote:And look what that gets us.

Look at what not being financially prudent got us: WallStreet Hole. Yeah, the economic downturn played a big role in that, but we sold the land for a dollar and had then buy it back from Townsend for a million times that.

Correct me if my history is a little shady, please.

In conclusion, while Hilton might have been a smart move for the money, it was a terrible development idea and does nearly nothing for the area, except being the seed that inspired the mediocrity of North Downtown.

iamjacobm · Post by **iamjacobm** » Sun Mar 22, 2015 2:39 pm

We sold the WST lot for a buck but the developer paid to demo the old UP HQ on the site. Probably close to a wash.

It would of been wise to dangle the prospect of having a huge anchor hotel under by the tax payers to a developer if we used the land more efficiently. As it sits now though we have a very nice(on the inside) massive hotel that never would of happened without the city's paying for it. Swim Trials and future Sweet 16 Elite 8 events probably never happen without it. The city wants even more rooms because they think there is more potential for events that need huge blocks of rooms. That's why the hotel here has been the driving force behind MECA parting with their precious parking.

Post by **BRoss** » Sun Mar 22, 2015 5:15 pm

iamjacobm wrote:Swim Trials and future Sweet 16 Elite 8 events probably never happen without it.

Good point. While many on here find the hotel ugly, it has benefitted the area and Omaha in general. Maybe a few years down the line they can remodel the outside to make it look better. Maybe they can even add a tower to it. It's a great asset that we shouldn't really complain about too much. I mean just look at how long DSM has been trying to get their hotel in by their arena.

Bob from Omaha · Post by **Bob from Omaha** » Sun Mar 22, 2015 5:32 pm

I agree that it has been a huge asset to the arena & convention center. Of course I wish it was a 30 story high rise like the downtown Des Moines Marriot. The flip side is that there are 600 rooms available to the center without going outside.

Also, Kansas City and Des Moines are both still talking about their convention hotels.

MadMartin8 · Post by **MadMartin8** » Sun Mar 22, 2015 6:33 pm

The Hilton isn't the problem. Is it Ugly? Sure. Is it functional? Oh yes.

Having single developers biting off more than they can chew trying to develop oversized lots that are owned/directed by a semi-disfunctional organization is the problem.

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 5:14 pm

Just rolled by, KETV7 was shooting across the street from DJ's with lot behind them. I suppose an official project FAILED.

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 7:10 pm

MTO wrote:Just rolled by, KETV7 was shooting across the street from DJ's with lot behind them. I suppose an official project FAILED.

Nothing on KETVs site yet.

RNcyanide · Post by **RNcyanide** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 7:15 pm

http://m.ketv.com/news/omaha-evaluates- ... t/31972910

Could have been this.