Zorinsky Federal Building (16 & Capitol Ave)

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 7:14 pm

Does anyone have any updates or pictures of the Zorinsky building renovation? I was downtown Monday night for the Omaha Sister City Association's annual meeting and didn't get a chance to stop by and see how progress is moving along.

I hope the all the aqua panels are gone by Spring. Still have to look at the old UP HQ building though.

OmahaDevelopmentMan · Post by **OmahaDevelopmentMan** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 7:22 pm

The aqua pannels actually are no more. The building is basically support beams and concrete at the moment. I can't wait till this is done. I will make the skyline view from the north look so much better!

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 7:30 pm

Agreed 100%. Too bad they aren't adding 30 stories on top.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 9:47 pm

Yeah, it pretty well looks like a bare parking garage now. Nothing but concrete left. I was downtown this afternoon... but didn't have my camera with me.

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 9:59 pm

Damn it Jeff! Keep that thing with you! We out-of-towners are relying on your updates.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Wed Jan 26, 2005 10:08 pm

projectman wrote:Agreed 100%. Too bad they aren't adding 30 stories on top.

I'm sure that would go over real well with the taxpayers of America!

Raraavis · Post by **Raraavis** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 3:30 pm

icejammer wrote:

I'm sure that would go over real well with the taxpayers of America!

Since when did the taxpayers of America have any say on how the Fed spends money.

FatGuy · Post by **FatGuy** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 4:33 pm

A good use of federal money. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals located in St. Louis.

http://www.emporis.com/en/wm/bu/?id=127223

nativeomahan · Post by **nativeomahan** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 11:00 pm

And we have perhaps the ugliest federal courthouse (from the exterior) in the world.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 11:06 pm

Go figure... and IM Pei no less.

The Zorinsky building will be a HUGE improvement over what we had previously however.

DMRyan · Post by **DMRyan** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 11:30 pm

What's wrong with the Roman Courthouse? It isn't flashy and it's the creme color of West Omaha suburban subdivision 24-A7, but it's a nice newer touch on the downtown landscape.

Luckily, Omaha got their courthouse built before 9/11 because most federal courthouse projects that were planned have now been delayed.

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 11:37 pm

Just as the Zorinsky renovation was delayed.

The brick actually bugs me as much as anything with the court house. I've never really cared for 'blonde' colored brick work. The atrium is actually quite impressive.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 1:55 am

I think the most UN-inviting and intimidating federal building is the fed building in Lincoln. Its very cold and borg-ish (pardon the star trek reference). I think Omaha's courthouse is better than average but I prefer not to have to see the inside! ;)

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Wed Feb 02, 2005 8:49 am

^

Don't ever get into the Douglas County court house. The holding cells are very ugly.

ItsAllAboutMe · Post by **ItsAllAboutMe** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:51 pm

Today I noticed the new facade is just beginning to be attached to the North face of the bulding. After being an eyesore for so many years this building is going to look really nice.

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:52 pm

What - no photos?

ItsAllAboutMe · Post by **ItsAllAboutMe** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 2:56 pm

I've heard you can get in trouble taking photo's of Government buildings

Post by **Brad** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 3:08 pm

I've heard you can get in trouble taking photo's of Government buildings

Only when you wear shoes that are too small.(other post)

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Mar 31, 2005 5:01 pm

I learned you actually can't take pics of a Federal building. Although since no one works in the building security probably won't stop you. I have pictures of it from 480.

Post by **Brad** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 6:46 pm

So there I was in my VW beetle on I680, nothing new that looks "finished".

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Sun Apr 03, 2005 9:41 pm

Since the building will look more modern it will look in place among FNC and UP with a tiered effect.

ItsAllAboutMe · Post by **ItsAllAboutMe** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 6:16 am

As I said, the have just begun installing the new panels. However, at this point your not going to see them from I-680 because they have started on the lower floors on the north side. The view would be blocke by the parking garage.

RyaninOrangeCounty · Post by **RyaninOrangeCounty** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 11:38 am

I'm surprised you could even see the Zorinsky Building at all from I-680...it's almost 10 miles from downtown! Perhaps you meant I-480?

Post by **Brad** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 4:38 pm

OOPS.... yeah my VW Bug was driving along 480 when I noticed the Zornski Federal Building.

OmahaDevelopmentMan · Post by **OmahaDevelopmentMan** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 5:33 pm

Pictures anyone???

mchine73 · Post by **mchine73** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 5:02 pm

I was DT this afternoon and snapped this quick pic with my phone.

Sorry for the very poor quality. All that I could tell that was new was it looks like they're encasing the concreet pillars with some cladding.

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 5:08 pm

Thanks for the photo update.

OmahaDevelopmentMan · Post by **OmahaDevelopmentMan** » Wed Apr 06, 2005 8:10 pm

Very nice. This building will look wonderful in the skyline view from the north after this is completed. It will look like a brand new building, only its not.

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Thu Apr 07, 2005 1:40 pm

It can also be very expensive to demolish a building, especially one as structurally sound as the Zorinsky with that much concrete (look at the estimates being thrown around for demolishing the old UP building).

Post by **Brad** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 12:05 pm

2/5/2006

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Sun Feb 05, 2006 9:13 pm

Thanks for posting the new pics Brad. Just the other day, I popped up out of the First National tunnel at the Omaha Park whicheveritis, and was taking in the progress of the Federal Building. Remember that nasty blue metal paneled 1960's eyesore? This building looks so much more modern now.

projectman · Post by **projectman** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 7:52 pm

What an improvement! Wow!

eomaha · Post by **eomaha** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 7:53 pm

In case anyone had forgotten...

nebport5 · Post by **nebport5** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 10:00 pm

now what about the double tree makeover next door?

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 8:20 am

You mean where they bulldoze it and rebuild the coolest Post office in history?

-Big E

Zephyr · Post by **Zephyr** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 9:56 am

That sounds like a good makeover!

adam186 · Post by **adam186** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:59 pm

Taken 4-11-06

MTO · Post by **MTO** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:59 pm

now thats extreme building make overs

adam186 · Post by **adam186** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 12:46 pm

Zorinsky Building's renovation hasn't been smooth
http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_pg=1636&u_sid=2156178

OWH:

If finished by mid-2007 as now projected, the renovation would conclude three years behind schedule and cost a total of $58.7 million, about $10 million more than anticipated in a 1999 government analysis.

Managers with the agency that oversees federal buildings stand by their decision to renovate the downtown building rather than build anew. Yes, they say, there have been problems, but it would have cost more to erect a new building.

The renovated structure will provide excellent office space for the Army Corps of Engineers and other federal agencies, they say.

A former Nebraska senator and a current congressman question the decision.

"They're understandably whistling in the graveyard," former U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey said, meaning federal administrators are making noise to avoid confronting reality. "A new building would have been the right decision."

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 9:22 am

I like how Kerrey is trying to wash his hands of anything to do with the project, when he was the one that secured the funding, by saying he wasn't in a position to get any substantial funds any more when this came down the pike (guess that ped bridge funding that came after this wasn't significant).

Anyway, nice to see how the taxpayer dollars are being spent (albeit slowly).