Lack of urban living options in suburbs.

Post by **Admin** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 6:44 pm

Let's keep this thread civil now.

GetUrban · Post by **GetUrban** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:55 pm

If suburban development in Omaha were to adopt more of a "New Urbanist" approach, I think urbanites & suburbanites would all find things they like about it.

Some of the principles of New Urbanism include:

- Walkability
- Connectivity
- Mixed-Use and Diversity
- Mixed Housing
- Quality Architecture and Urban Design
- Sustainability
...to name a few

This website explains it well....

http://www.newurbanism.org/newurbanism/principles.html

Some of these ideas are being tried in Lincoln at a new development called Village Gardens.

http://www.villagegardenslincoln.com/

Dundee/Memorial Park, Benson, Gold Coast, Field Club neighborhoods all have some of the qualities New Urbanists seek. I think walkability and mixed uses within close proximity to the neighborhood center are probably the most important things for a neighborhood to have. It helps that Dundee and Benson used to be their own cities before annexation, but there's no reason new developments couldn't be planned around mixed use centers, instead of just the neighborhood elementary school.

Edit: I should also add that Downtown Omaha needs to be careful it doesn't lose more of the small-scale diversity of businesses and activities it once had. It seems many small buildings housing many diverse uses have been displaced by fewer large-scale entities. It would be interesting to compare the number of different business in downtown now with those in the 40's & 50's. It does have alot more residential now though.

TechnicalDisaster · Post by **TechnicalDisaster** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 7:57 pm

I do not need a 3,000 fsf home. I was shooting for nothing less than 2000, and just found the deal of the century in my price range. I also don't need 4 bedrooms or 4 bathrooms, but again, DEAL OF THE FREAKIN CENTURY.

At least 3 bed, 2 bath. The dining area needs to be big enough to accommodate 10-15 people pretty regularly (we have a weekly Sunday lunch with all the in-laws). An office would be a plus, but I can live with a computer desk in a corner somewhere.

I have no problems with a shared green space, especially if I don't have to mow. I need to be able push my kids out the door and play where I can keep half an eye on them, so that means I want a ground level unit. I would hope the green space is enclosed, so I don't worry about them running off.

I need storage. I don't want to fill my precious closet space up with seasonal decorations and seasonal clothes. I need to be able to store them somewhere. I used off-site storage in my old house, and I don't really prefer it if I can help it.

I want both my cars parked in a secure garage.

Must have its own washer/dryer.

It would be nice if the school bus made a stop at the building, so my kids can wait together with all the other kids like DTO mentioned. And make it a covered area for them to wait in. That would be a luxury I don't have now, but would like.

Close to my work is a plus.

There would be no way I could afford 300K with kids in daycare. Figure that daycare costs my family $1,400 per month ($700 per child). We only have one car payment, the house payment, and no credit or other debt whatsoever, but a $240,000 mortgage (assuming 20% down like we put on our current house) would make for some tight living. 200K is max I'm willing to pay.

I could live in a Triton like home, if it was a little bit bigger.

thenewguy · Post by **thenewguy** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 9:29 pm

i was watching on house hunters (someone looking to relocate to Denver, i think) and they had some old neighborhoods that were reclaimed from the old airport. The neighborhood had integrated sidewalks & bike trails, which were missing from many of the other traditional developments that had many cauldesacs. Also, they had worked into the development an old style main street type area that had some restaurants, shopping and bars. The homes were somewhat close together, although not like row houses you'd see in San Francisco. The couple that was buying the home picked a 3 bed/3 bath (i think) and was around 2100 sq/ft. Had a decent back yard, maybe 50 x 40ish and was like $310k (i think?). A little high priced for what bradley was describing, but it made very good use of the area utilizing in-fill, with the houses close enough together and integrated pedestrian qualities very well. Also, only like 10 min from downtown.

In fact, i found it:
http://discover.stapletondenver.com/#/discover

Uffda · Post by **Uffda** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:24 pm

Although living downtown sounds interesting, there is no way I could afford a 200,000+ condo. I am single middle age guy who thought he made a good living teaching but a 175000+ out west or down or anywhere is out of my range. I teach (with a masters and 29 yrs experience) and work 3 jobs....

but just found out the head engineer (custodian) at my school makes 15000 more than I do and he has only worked in OPS for 5 years... definitely went into the wrong end of Ed.

thenewguy · Post by **thenewguy** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 11:43 pm

that IS |expletive| ridiculous.

Uffda · Post by **Uffda** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 6:02 am

what is?

the1wags · Post by **the1wags** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:17 am

I'm thinking he means the "engineer" making 15K more than the teacher with a masters. I'd agree.

Stapleton is a great example of a TND. It's terrible that the economy is so bad, I've really wanted to see how Herb Freeman's Leytham TND would have an effect of other west O development.

windsor · Post by **windsor** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:47 pm

They need more urban styled mixed use out west. It seems that mixed use out west means building apartments behind the super store to block the view of the super store from the houses. Try building the apartments above the super store and strip malls.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 12:53 pm

windsor wrote:They need more urban styled mixed use out west. It seems that mixed use out west means building apartments behind the super store to block the view of the super store from the houses. Try building the apartments above the super store and strip malls.

The other problem is there is nothing built on a pedestrian scale. heck, the neighborhood I grew up in doesn't even have sidewalks to this day.

Putting a giant block of apartments down and then going "There. Density." doesn't work either.

S33 · Post by **S33** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 1:01 pm

Big E wrote:
windsor wrote:They need more urban styled mixed use out west. It seems that mixed use out west means building apartments behind the super store to block the view of the super store from the houses. Try building the apartments above the super store and strip malls.
The other problem is there is nothing built on a pedestrian scale. heck, the neighborhood I grew up in doesn't even have sidewalks to this day.

Putting a giant block of apartments down and then going "There. Density." doesn't work either.

What if there's a cafeteria in the apartments?

TechnicalDisaster · Post by **TechnicalDisaster** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 1:10 pm

Big E wrote:
windsor wrote:They need more urban styled mixed use out west. It seems that mixed use out west means building apartments behind the super store to block the view of the super store from the houses. Try building the apartments above the super store and strip malls.
The other problem is there is nothing built on a pedestrian scale. heck, the neighborhood I grew up in doesn't even have sidewalks to this day.

Putting a giant block of apartments down and then going "There. Density." doesn't work either.

Agreed. Can you believe there isn't a sidewalk that connects the Chalco neighborhood to Wehrspann recreational area? You have to drive your car from the neighborhood to the lake across the street. Unless you're okay with riding in traffic, with no shoulder, and making your way across dirt, gravel, and a drainage ditch. It would promote so much more foot traffic to and from the park if they just built sidewalks connecting the trails.

windsor · Post by **windsor** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 1:18 pm

I would guess the problem with the lake is that you have too many government ententes in the way. With the Papio/Missouri NRD, the county, the state, etc.

However in new areas the developers are forced to ring their project in sidewalk as well as have that sidewalk connect to the sidewalk in front of every building. Its happening, its just going to take a long time to fix all the old developments.

My comment about the apartments is that even thought the new developments are connected, they are still sectioned off use by use, not mixed use in my book.

MrPoloShirt · Post by **MrPoloShirt** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 7:01 pm

Let me give my opinion on this issue.

If I want urban living, I will live in an urban environment.

I personally do not want to live in a townhouse in 192nd street.

I would much rather have it where it belongs, in an urban area.

This would be akin to complaining that there are not suburban style homes with big yards on 14th and harney.

Stargazer · Post by **Stargazer** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 11:04 am

Is this about urban architecture or urban living?

The whole pedestrian friendly aspect of 'urban living' in Omaha goes bust when you realize most of our cities 'urban' neighborhoods have no decent amenities within walking distance.

I would argue that I have more options available to me within 'walking distance' of my home in far west Omaha, than most folks do east of 72nd Street.

Maybe we should create a 'lack of suburban living options in urban Omaha'.

the1wags · Post by **the1wags** » Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:33 pm

I guess you have to define what you consider as "decent amenities". Grocery stores? Resturants? Big box retail? Who walks to Target?

I'd say that this is focused on the architecture as opposed to livestyle. Providing some denser urban style living options in the "suburbs".

I totally get people wanting a single family home, but I'd like to see a better mix of the land use. Or more specifically, better mix of the housing on the land. A full square mile of the same house is terrible.

P.S. Come on Jeff, we know you drive everywhere. :;):

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 8:43 am

the1wags wrote:I totally get people wanting a single family home, but I'd like to see a better mix of the land use. Or more specifically, better mix of the housing on the land. A full square mile of the same house is terrible.

So, should they be more like, say, the row houses off 8th?

the1wags · Post by **the1wags** » Sat Apr 25, 2009 9:43 am

Not all of them, of course. But why not offer a product like that mixed in here and there? Or how about a building of lofts? What if Village Point had 4 or 5 levels or apartments or lofts above the retail?

joeglow · Post by **joeglow** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 12:42 pm

the1wags wrote: lofts above the retail?

-I would have liked to see that.

Post by **Brad** » Tue Apr 28, 2009 1:10 pm

I was just driving through legacy and thinking how cool residential would be above the retail in the "urban area". You know the part with angled parking and the buildings real close to the street by Blue and Shucks.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Sat Aug 01, 2009 9:46 pm

I had a change of heart. Omahacowboy, stargazer, brad, and coyote made me chang my mind. West omaha is amazing. It offers so much more potential. Need to sell my place and buy a new celeberty home west of 180th street. My children will go to millard schools and I will shop at village pointe.

Post by **Brad** » Sat Aug 01, 2009 9:57 pm

DTO Luv wrote:I had a change of heart. Omahacowboy, stargazer, brad, and coyote made me chang my mind. West omaha is amazing. It offers so much more potential. Need to sell my place and buy a new celeberty home west of 180th street. My children will go to millard schools and I will shop at village pointe.

Wow!

Coyote · Post by **Coyote** » Sat Aug 01, 2009 10:02 pm

DTO Luv wrote:I had a change of heart. Omahacowboy, stargazer, brad, and coyote made me chang my mind. West omaha is amazing. It offers so much more potential. Need to sell my place and buy a new celeberty home west of 180th street. My children will go to millard schools and I will shop at village pointe.

Best DTO drunk post ever. Are you still at Myth or are you at Urban now?
You never pass out at Myth ( at least Brian says so ) so you are probably at Urban.

TechnicalDisaster · Post by **TechnicalDisaster** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 4:19 pm

DTO Luv wrote:I had a change of heart. Omahacowboy, stargazer, brad, and coyote made me chang my mind. West omaha is amazing. It offers so much more potential. Need to sell my place and buy a new celeberty home west of 180th street. My children will go to millard schools and I will shop at village pointe.

What West Omaha church will you go to?

Post by **Brad** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 10:57 pm

I can't believe he still hasn't responded to this!!!

FYI, if you borrow my phone to post a message..... Log out when you are done!

TechnicalDisaster · Post by **TechnicalDisaster** » Sun Aug 02, 2009 11:34 pm

Brad wrote:I can't believe he still hasn't responded to this!!!

FYI, if you borrow my phone to post a message..... Log out when you are done!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Best WOW???!!!??? moment in a long time.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 8:14 am

bradley414 wrote:
DTO Luv wrote:I had a change of heart. Omahacowboy, stargazer, brad, and coyote made me chang my mind. West omaha is amazing. It offers so much more potential. Need to sell my place and buy a new celeberty home west of 180th street. My children will go to millard schools and I will shop at village pointe.
What West Omaha church will you go to?

I barely check this forum so it's a wonder I even saw it.

j4nu · Post by **j4nu** » Mon Aug 03, 2009 11:50 am

joeglow wrote:
the1wags wrote: lofts above the retail?
-I would have liked to see that.

At Village Pointe's sister mall in KC, Zona Rosa, several of the main street buildings do have homes above them. It looks real nice.