Parkfair Mall downtown?

ItsAllAboutMe · Post by **ItsAllAboutMe** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 12:28 pm

I noticed that he Parkfair mall is being completely gutted. Until recently it housed Blimpies, Walgreens & UP offices. They are ripping everything out right down to the contcrete. Anyone no what might be going on there?

Raraavis · Post by **Raraavis** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 2:56 pm

Condos? Just a million dollars for street level views of the homeless.

almighty_tuna · Post by **almighty_tuna** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 7:20 pm

Raraavis wrote:Condos? Just a million dollars for street level views of the homeless.

Street level?...not quite. The penthouses are the only units selling for that much. I haven't been in that part of downtown in a while though, perhaps I missed the flying homeless.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Mon Feb 14, 2005 8:35 pm

Well, I would hope they are gutting it to tear it down and make way for some sort of quality development. We'll see.

Raraavis · Post by **Raraavis** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 8:11 am

I hope they are not remodeling it into office space or some purpose other than retail. In three to five years as the residential boom continues a downtown mall may seem like a good idea again.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Wed Feb 16, 2005 10:40 pm

Either way, Park Fair needs to go. It's crappy architecture and development, even for the 80's. And it's, what, like 2 stories tall, RIGHT ON 16th Street?

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 10:14 am

The biggest problem with this building (and half of 16th Street Mall) is its opacity. It is just a brick wall at street level. This is supposed to be a pedestrian mall. That means windows, displays, etc. As the residential uses continue to evolve in the mall area, the storefronts and walls along the mall need to develop a pedestrian scale and need to be open and interesting with windows and inviting entrances.

RevitalizeOmaha · Post by **RevitalizeOmaha** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 10:23 am

No more condos, the Park Fair is going to be be made into a parking structure.

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 10:49 am

Can't say I'm anti-parking structure, but for the love of all that is holy PLEASE incorporate some sort of street-level use to the building, if this is the case.

-Big E

Ingersoll1978 · Post by **Ingersoll1978** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 12:26 pm

That would be a huge mistake if it doesn't include 1st street retail (at least). Kinda shocked they are turning it into a parking structure.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Thu Feb 17, 2005 10:29 pm

They might be doing it to attract tenants to the Central Park Plaza. I don't think they have any tenants yet and lack of parking was one of the reason companies are pressing west instead of DT.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 11:40 am

I think Central Park Plaza has a fair number of tenants currently. The building is already directly connected to one large parking structure (via skywalk over Douglas), and they also have underground parking (although I don't think there are many spots for that). Although CPP will lose a large tenant next year.

If Parkfair is to be made into a parking structure, they're going to have to do more than gut the thing, it'll have to come down. It may happen, but I don't see it.

The problem with store-front along 16th Street for Parkfair is the change in elevation between Douglas and Farnam, so it only really leaves entrance at those streets. I suppose you could incorporate a mid-level entrance along 16th Street, but you give up a lot of floor space.

It'll be interesting to see what transpires in the next several weeks....

AZCorey · Post by **AZCorey** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 12:44 pm

Is there not a company working on the 'gutting' that we could inquire as to what the intention is?? Certainly there's a sign with the construction/destruction company's logo on it. I would go there and ask what's the deelio!!!

Finn · Post by **Finn** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 2:39 pm

The problem with store-front along 16th Street for Parkfair is the change in elevation between Douglas and Farnam, so it only really leaves entrance at those streets. I suppose you could incorporate a mid-level entrance along 16th Street, but you give up a lot of floor space.

You don't need more entrances, just do not leave the opaque brick wall between them. Enhance the entrances, put some windows in that brick wall, add some awnings and maybe incorporate some display cases/windows. Anything but the feeling that you are walking next to a blank wall. This can all be accomplished despite the topography.

icejammer · Post by **icejammer** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 3:04 pm

Yes, I see what you're saying, but you already have a number of windows along that wall. The problem with the existing windows is that they're all on the level, not stepped with the elevation change. I think the only way to accomplish what you propose would be to make the windows 2 stories tall at the north end and carry that top level of window all along 16th. A "split-level" entryway would, in my opinion, make the 16th St side more inviting to pedestrian traffic.

Ingersoll1978 · Post by **Ingersoll1978** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 3:33 pm

Or just get a 2 story Virgin or Tower Records in there! ;)

Raraavis · Post by **Raraavis** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 6:42 pm

I believe the second or third floor of Parkfair mall was converted to Office space many years ago. There were U.P. offices in there before the new building was built.

Central Park Plaza has a ton of parking they are connected by skywalk to two large parking structures, one across Dodge and the Parking Structure over 17th Street can be reached by walking through Parkfair over the 16th street skywalk and through the Brandies building. The parking structure over 17th will have a lot of open space with Brandies building going condo.

guy4omaha · Post by **guy4omaha** » Fri Feb 18, 2005 7:59 pm

DTO Luv wrote:They might be doing it to attract tenants to the Central Park Plaza. I don't think they have any tenants yet and lack of parking was one of the reason companies are pressing west instead of DT.

Central Park Plaza Tower Two has at least one tenant. Business Growth International, a consulting firm, has their offices in the building at present.

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 1:34 pm

RevitalizeOmaha wrote:No more condos, the Park Fair is going to be be made into a parking structure.

Hahaha!

the1wags · Post by **the1wags** » Mon Feb 21, 2005 8:38 pm

I went down there today and checked this out. You would think that this would be hot property looking at this.

nebrwesleyan · Post by **nebrwesleyan** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 11:47 am

Off topic, there is only one tenant in central park plaza. What up?

scraper · Post by **scraper** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 2:52 pm

Central Park has more than one tenant. I know of a little accounting firm that is a tenant. You may have heard of it, KPMG Pete Marwick.

ItsAllAboutMe · Post by **ItsAllAboutMe** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 10:08 am

ParkFair is being turned into a parking garage. 125 heated spaces.

Swift · Post by **Swift** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 10:14 am

Disaster!

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 10:46 am

If one wanted to introduce legislation mandating any new parking structures downtown be a part of a mixed use building, where does one begin? I don't know the intricacies of local governemnt well enough to know where it starts.

It just absolutely baffles me that this city - oh so proud of its condo boom - can't see that slapping up parking-only structures is hindering the very development they are so concerned about.

It seriously makes me want to scream.

-Big E

AZCorey · Post by **AZCorey** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 2:07 pm

ItsAllAboutMe wrote:ParkFair is being turned into a parking garage. 125 heated spaces.

Who is the genius behind that decision?? What a horrible waste of opportunity....

StreetsOfOmaha · Post by **StreetsOfOmaha** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 7:19 pm

Hey, let's think positively. At least Park Fair will actually be USED as a parking structure, and might actually help Central Park Plaza attract more tenants.

And....since it will already be gutted out it will be much easier to tear down to make way for something WORTH A DAMN!!!!!

GoWest · Post by **GoWest** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 7:32 pm

StreetsOfOmaha wrote:Hey, let's think positively. At least Park Fair will actually be USED as a parking structure, and might actually help Central Park Plaza attract more tenants.

And....since it will already be gutted out it will be much easier to tear down to make way for something WORTH A DAMN!!!!!

Well you get an A+++ for positive thinking.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Mon Mar 21, 2005 10:56 am

Here's a picture of inside Parkfair I took last week. Sorry it's blurry.

Blazepaw · Post by **Blazepaw** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 10:38 am

I seam to remember that Parkfair in conjunction with the Galleria (The Brandies Building) was to be the hub of an extensive skywalk system.

That plan was dropped in favor of other projects like the riverfront development, renovations at the civic center and eventually the Qwest Center.

I'm not sure exactly what the details were as to why the plans was dropped. Does anybody out there Know?

I do remember what the mall was like in the beginning. There were a number of shops that sadly dried up. I believe in the other cities the stage where a mall was added happened after or in concordance with the completion of a large part of skywalk system. A stand alone mall never had a chance. The suburban malls have anchor department stores and a variety that Parkfair - The Galleria couldn't compete with. Not to mention the old market fills that need so well that a downtown mall will probably never work in Omaha.

The only success to come out of that project was the food court in the Galleria - the Brandies Building... I hope the new owners drop the "Galleria" name. Brandies was too important a part of our city history to be renamed so generically. I do know the conversion/renovation plans call for the food court to be expanded or at least improved. Does anyone out there know if they plan on retaining the retail sections on the first and second floors?

I'm glad we scraped the skywalk plan. It was hardly original and they have tended to kill the street life in other cities our size. I like Omaha's malls. I just don't want to see our downtown turn into one.

I am however disappointed that Walgreen's moved out. We need more stores like that downtown. A good drugstore, a movie house, a hardware store, and more restaurants and shops that serve the needs of customers that earn less than a hundred grand a year.

Blazepaw · Post by **Blazepaw** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 10:45 am

Opps... I stand corrected The Galleria name was dropped some time ago. Good!

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 10:04 pm

Blazepaw wrote: I seam to remember that Parkfair in conjunction with the Galleria (The Brandies Building) was to be the hub of an extensive skywalk system.

Does anyone out there know if they plan on retaining the retail sections on the first and second floors?

There aren't lots of skywalks but I know there are quite a few tunnels under the Brandies. You can walk all the way from the Woodmen to UPC underground. You have to have a card to get from Brandies to FNC but it's usually busy enough you can catch it when others come through.

I thought I read in a article that the developer did want to keep the lower sections open for retail.

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