Aksarben Village (67th & Center)

[lpgforms]

I just heard on KFAB 12:00 news that there is going to be an announcement at 2:30 today about what is going to be developed on the remaining Aksarben property.

They weren't too specific, but mentioned that it would be a combination of commercial, residential and park space.

[Coyote]

Ak plan includes hotel, park, shops

The most storied vacant lot in Omaha, Ak-Sar-Ben, would give rise to shops, restaurants, offices, apartments, town homes, a hotel and a park under plans revealed by the property's owners Monday.

[CountOfMC]

I'm losing track of all the developments going on. Guess it's a big city sign.

[OmahaDevelopmentMan]

Wow, we've had one heck of a day in way of new announcements. With the Saddle Creek, Mutual, Bob's rumor, and now this, man I can't wait to see what else is comming. Think, its only monday, and, it may just be me, but don't announcements normally come at the end of the week?

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Wow, that looks very impressive. But 7-10 years? I want it now...

[Omaha Cowboy]

Wow, that looks very impressive. But 7-10 years? I want it now...

Good things come to those who wait grasshopper..

..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

[OmahaDevelopmentMan]

Wow, that looks very impressive. But 7-10 years? I want it now...

Immagine Omaha in 7-10 years. We will have North Downtown fully taking off, Midtown Mutual of Omaha taking off, and now Ak-sar-ben taking off. Oh, and we will have 6 new skyscrapers and 1 million people. (wishful thinking w/ the skyscrapers).

[jjjjhskr]

I know this sounds freaky but I'm much more excited about the North Downtown (my apologies to anyone who doesn't like the name) and the Mutual development. It's great if it all happens but improving the core of Omaha (downtown, Dodge corridor, and near downtown) is more important to me. There are other areas of town that would be better served by this type of development.

I was hoping that all that is going on with UNO and the Tech center that it would develop more as a technology campus.

I'm sure it will be nice but to me the area had bigger possibilities. Heck, we've got a similar development going on in Lubbock.

http://lubbockonline.com/stories/091402 ... 0005.shtml

http://www.mcdougal.com/construction/residential.shtml

http://www.mcdougal.com/real_estate/Condos_index.shtml

350 acre development with a pretty large percentage already completed or under construction.

[Adam]

I think this really is a great opportunity for UNO to expand. It looks like they are aquiring more land, but I would like to see them pick up even more of it. This could be their chance to actually put up some dorms plus some additional buildings and allow the University to really take off.

[redfield]

I can't wait to see what Omaha looks like in about 10 years. It's awesome to see all this infill and redevelopment going on.

[omahastylee459]

this is exactly what the students at UNO need, a place that they can walk to for entertainment and shopping. I was always jealous of other campuses that i have gone to that have everything in walking distance. Im glad to see that businesses in omaha finally have the sense to build their stores near college kids who rarely want to drive anywhere and would want to spend a lot of money on entertainment

[Brad]

TitosBuritoBarn
I think its going to be like you are use to up there in ames at college town. I think this will be great for helping uno attract students and further expansion. I noticed however it looks like a road is going to run right through a soccer field?

[Brad]

Ak vision: Be a destination again

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=1419305

Bisson said the Aksarben Village plan mimics pre-World War II neighborhoods that grew up near college campuses.

[WT]

Ak vision: Be a destination again

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=1419305

Bisson said the Aksarben Village plan mimics pre-World War II neighborhoods that grew up near college campuses.

What is the deal with this Bisson guy, he's everywhere.

[Coyote]

What is the deal with this Bisson guy, he's everywhere.

HDR is one big firm. He's the Community Planning Manager

[omahapropertymanager]

More on Aksarben plans from UNO http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1640&u_sid=1420032

[Coyote]

Signs, signs everywhere there's signs!

[eomaha]

Wow. If it looks even half like that rendering looks... it will be spectacular!

[almighty_tuna]

That looks great! However, I must confess that I've been tainted with Washington DC. Streets lined with 6 story buildings created a killer urban feel that I'd love to see reproduced here. With any luck the majority of those building will be taller than the 3stories they appear to be. Roll your eyes if you must, but Finn can attest to the awesome feel in DT DC. I'm sure Aksarben Village will be great though.

It doesn't seem that aksarbenvillage.com is what its supposed to be.

[Finn]

Wow, that rendering has me excited!

I agree, Tuna! DC urban neighborhoods are amazing and vibrant. I know it might sound like blasphemy to some but, great urban neighborhoods have density, mixed-uses and vibrancy without the necessity of height. The renderings show a pedestrian scale that is important to create activity nodes.

[eomaha]

Thank you.

[DTO Luv]

DT should have the height.

[OmahaDevelopmentMan]

Wow, that is awsome. Mabye we could make this our own little plaza type area.

[almighty_tuna]

DT should have the height.

Yes, and 5/6 stories is not 'the height' so there's nothing to worry about. Three stories says suburban to me. In the rendering there are a few buildings which are 5 stories and to me that is a good target height for such an area which calls itself urban.

[eomaha]

Three stories might say suburban if there were seas of parking lots separating each structure. This is NOT suburban (although it remains to be seen what is actually built).

[OmahaDevelopmentMan]

yea 3-5 stories is PLENTY tall. Its freakin central Omaha. Save the tall stuff for downtown or midtown. And don't worry, they could build a few midrise hotels.

[almighty_tuna]

I'm not hoping for mid-rises, geez guys. Apparently I should not hope for something slightly taller unless its east of 35th st.

[omahapropertymanager]

An open house is going to be held tonight at the Scott Conference Center with information about the new Aksarben Development. See this OWH article for more information http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=1464887

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Great. If anyone goes, please fill us in.

[Bob from Omaha]

I stopped by. Maybe its just been a hard week, but I was less than impressed with Jay's proposal. It just strikes me as really contrived. Maybe it would have been better if the whole of the Aksarben property was planned and developed, instead of the boring FDR buildings, the haphazard UNO buildings, the Shoppes at Aksarben, and now this. It doesn't seem very cohesive.

Could just be me...but I really think it could have been better

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Well, if Doug Bisson's original vision is realized, it will be an amazing project.

However, I am rarely impressed by the work of Jay Noddle.

[Harpoon]

It is tough to come up with a plan that satisfies everyone. Developing Aksarben was a little tricky because it had to be for the public good (since it was governed by the Aksarben future trust). So a plan had to be developed that had something for everyone (UNO, the general public, business interests, civic spaces, etc), as well as thinking about a cool development. Noddle's plan tries to get parts that will please everyone, utilitizing different housing types and denser office spaces than is tpically available in Omaha. And the key to it all is to have a true mix of uses within the same building. Access to the Keystone Trail will be cool as well, where you can take a break out of your long bike ride to tip back a few frosty beverages. It should be an exciting project when it gets developed.

[Linkin5]

The only development proposal I remember from Noddle was his crappy Riverfront condo proposal, judging from that I'm sure we can expect something conservative.

[Brad]

Exactly what I was hopeing for!

http://www.aksarbenvillage.com/

[StreetsOfOmaha]

First of all, it's Doug Bisson and HDR's plan, not Jay Noddle's (he's just the developer), and if it is truly realized it will be spectacular, exactly what UNO needs!!!

[StreetsOfOmaha]

I wonder what the time table is for this. For some reason it seems like the only major projects that can be completed quickly are the ones way the heck out west. I can't help but anticipate beaucoup de setbacks for this project.

I hope it gets done as fast as Village Pointe.

Actually, it's already lost that battle since I know for a fact that this Aksarban project has been in the planning stages for years, and I doubt Village Pointe took that long to throw together .

[Harpoon]

Actually Streets, from what I remember from the press conference, HDR was involved in the initial planning stages of the study, but Noddle is the master developer and commissioned another architecture company from out east to come up with the master plan.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

That may be, but it seems pretty sketchy to me as all the renderings look exactly like what the HDR team came up with about a year and a half ago.

Either way, I hope it is constructed EXACTLY as it is or better, and QUICKLY.