Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
We have much to do, including a chat right now
with Omaha City Council and Brinker Harding on what if anything,
is going on with the Crossroads project.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Brinker, good morning, Good morning Gary A.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Well, good to have you back here. I know the
council approved the deal the other day that gets the
city directly financially involved, and it's a little bit complicated.
I guess you can kind of connect the dots between
what the city is doing and Woodbury is doing and
acquiring pieces of that property from other entities and so on.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
I will, I will try to do that.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Okay, to begin with well, let's start with this. Now
we can get into into the weeds a little bit.
But is the city putting any pressure on I don't
know itself or Woodbury or whoever to at least maintain
(00:59):
that that property a little better because we keep hearing
and I going, you know, it's dust and mud basically, Now,
is there anything that can be done before the building starts?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Actually, so, the very short answer would be yes, And
that is in part what took place on this last
Tuesday for the passing of the ordinance that allowed for
this process to start. So the reason the answer is yes,
and maybe it hasn't been at least to this point.
(01:31):
Is that would vary. The new developer in the property
or the program will actually end up managing the entire site,
even though they may not own the entire site going forward.
(01:52):
So yes, they will put up fencing around, it will
be screen it will help to keep some of that down.
And I know, look, it's been it's been frustrating for
certainly the residents who probably live on the far side
(02:13):
of the prevailing winds coming from the south to the north,
that neighborhood with some of the dust and construction and interruption,
as well as the traffic interruptions. But as subianz Alda
used to say, and I don't mean to make light
of it, but in those behind every one of those
orange construction cones is a little bit of progress and
(02:37):
I do know's it's taking some time to do it.
I think right now, with would very involved, the project
is definitely moving forward and it will be very successful.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Okay, So describe this deal that the council approved the
other day in English if possible, okay.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Okay, So what will happen is so kJ which is
the current partnership ownership of the ground will sell. This
is getting into weeds, but not to be or phases
or B, D and E to Woodbury in October. But
(03:26):
in order for that to happen, this agreement that we
put in place on Tuesday had to be passed. So
what will then happen is after Woodbury closes on those
portions of the property, the city will then acquire those
from Woodbury. And this goes to your first question, because
(03:47):
then the city will be the owner of those properties
or those portions of the property. In essence, Woodbury is
in the tenant of the City of Omaha, and therefore
the City of Omaha, being the landlord, can demand certain
things that the tenant, and those will be in part
(04:08):
some of the things that you asked for earlier with
the you know, the construction and controlling some of those, uh,
you know, the dust and disruption.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
So when we see when do we see buildings coming
out of the ground.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
I think you'll see, I'm sorry, twenty six or next
year or what? Yeah, I think twenty six into twenty seven.
I think that, you know, I think Jeff Woodbury, who
was here last week, was was you know, very very
confident that they think there are timelines that they've suggested
(04:46):
will come even quicker I might mention too. Look again,
I'm not making excuses for anyone, but development is a
tough business, and when people and people are putting their
money at risk and wanting to make sure that they're
going to get a return on that investment, they want
to make sure that they're doing you know, doing things correctly.
(05:07):
And that's this is an eight hundred and fifty million
dollar project. I'll kind of point to a project in Indianapolis.
It actually started in nineteen seventy nine when the study
was finally completed on something called Circle Center Mall in
downtown Indianapolis. It took sixteen years and three mayors and
(05:31):
many different versions of what the original idea was to
complete that project. So I know there's a little frustration
because we've been through a couple you know, i'll say
false maybe false starts or but I am completely confident
right now with the Woodberry Group being involved in this process.
(05:56):
You're going to see some announcements on some of the
tenants for you know, kind of in the entertainment block area,
excuse me, coming pretty soon. I think Omahans will be
very proud of what will end up being there in
just a few years.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
But you can understand break or the frustration of those
people over there. They've been told so many made so
many promises over the years, it's insane. And they see
other parts of town getting development. They see downtown development
overnight happening, they see buildings going up overnight. They see
mutual of Omaha, their sixty story building will be done
(06:34):
before anything is done at Crossroads. First National Bank put
up a forty five million story tower in three years.
I mean, who owns that property and who's put money
into that property? Is there any has anybody written a check,
a large check for Crossroads so that they are married
to this property? Or are we just kind of dancing
(06:56):
around with public financing and maybe's got about a minute left, Brinker,
go ahead, I'll.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Try to do it in that well again, Jim. I
think part of it is what I said. I mean,
you when there's private investment in it and they want
to make sure that they're doing it right. It's eight
hundred and fifty million dollar project. So yeah, there are
we see tremendous development happening all around town. Do you
(07:25):
forgot to mention the library right across our street? That's
going quickly, but you know, this is a you know,
forty fifty eight or site. There's a lot that goes
into that. Actually we didn't even talk about that, all
the infrastructure work that actually has already been done, and
in large part that's probably what's caused some of the
additional dust and dirt to be flying. But Woodberry is
(07:50):
the perfect partner in this public private partnership and I
think you're going to see tremendous results of it. And
as I said, I think in just a couple of
short years, Omaha is going to be very proud of
what seventy second dogs looks like compared to what it
is today.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
I'm glad you're confident. I'm glad you're confident. I appreciate
the time, Breaker, Thank you, Thanks City Council and Breaker
Herding here on kfab's Morning News
We have much to do, including a chat right now
with Omaha City Council and Brinker Harding on what if anything,
is going on with the Crossroads project.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
Brinker, good morning, Good morning Gary A.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Well, good to have you back here. I know the
council approved the deal the other day that gets the
city directly financially involved, and it's a little bit complicated.
I guess you can kind of connect the dots between
what the city is doing and Woodbury is doing and
acquiring pieces of that property from other entities and so on.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
I will, I will try to do that.
Speaker 1 (00:38):
Okay, to begin with well, let's start with this. Now
we can get into into the weeds a little bit.
But is the city putting any pressure on I don't
know itself or Woodbury or whoever to at least maintain
(00:59):
that that property a little better because we keep hearing
and I going, you know, it's dust and mud basically, Now,
is there anything that can be done before the building starts?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
Actually, so, the very short answer would be yes, And
that is in part what took place on this last
Tuesday for the passing of the ordinance that allowed for
this process to start. So the reason the answer is yes,
and maybe it hasn't been at least to this point.
(01:31):
Is that would vary. The new developer in the property
or the program will actually end up managing the entire site,
even though they may not own the entire site going forward.
(01:52):
So yes, they will put up fencing around, it will
be screen it will help to keep some of that down.
And I know, look, it's been it's been frustrating for
certainly the residents who probably live on the far side
(02:13):
of the prevailing winds coming from the south to the north,
that neighborhood with some of the dust and construction and interruption,
as well as the traffic interruptions. But as subianz Alda
used to say, and I don't mean to make light
of it, but in those behind every one of those
orange construction cones is a little bit of progress and
(02:37):
I do know's it's taking some time to do it.
I think right now, with would very involved, the project
is definitely moving forward and it will be very successful.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Okay, So describe this deal that the council approved the
other day in English if possible, okay.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
Okay, So what will happen is so kJ which is
the current partnership ownership of the ground will sell. This
is getting into weeds, but not to be or phases
or B, D and E to Woodbury in October. But
(03:26):
in order for that to happen, this agreement that we
put in place on Tuesday had to be passed. So
what will then happen is after Woodbury closes on those
portions of the property, the city will then acquire those
from Woodbury. And this goes to your first question, because
(03:47):
then the city will be the owner of those properties
or those portions of the property. In essence, Woodbury is
in the tenant of the City of Omaha, and therefore
the City of Omaha, being the landlord, can demand certain
things that the tenant, and those will be in part
(04:08):
some of the things that you asked for earlier with
the you know, the construction and controlling some of those, uh,
you know, the dust and disruption.
Speaker 1 (04:18):
So when we see when do we see buildings coming
out of the ground.
Speaker 2 (04:23):
I think you'll see, I'm sorry, twenty six or next
year or what? Yeah, I think twenty six into twenty seven.
I think that, you know, I think Jeff Woodbury, who
was here last week, was was you know, very very
confident that they think there are timelines that they've suggested
(04:46):
will come even quicker I might mention too. Look again,
I'm not making excuses for anyone, but development is a
tough business, and when people and people are putting their
money at risk and wanting to make sure that they're
going to get a return on that investment, they want
to make sure that they're doing you know, doing things correctly.
(05:07):
And that's this is an eight hundred and fifty million
dollar project. I'll kind of point to a project in Indianapolis.
It actually started in nineteen seventy nine when the study
was finally completed on something called Circle Center Mall in
downtown Indianapolis. It took sixteen years and three mayors and
(05:31):
many different versions of what the original idea was to
complete that project. So I know there's a little frustration
because we've been through a couple you know, i'll say
false maybe false starts or but I am completely confident
right now with the Woodberry Group being involved in this process.
(05:56):
You're going to see some announcements on some of the
tenants for you know, kind of in the entertainment block area,
excuse me, coming pretty soon. I think Omahans will be
very proud of what will end up being there in
just a few years.
Speaker 3 (06:12):
But you can understand break or the frustration of those
people over there. They've been told so many made so
many promises over the years, it's insane. And they see
other parts of town getting development. They see downtown development
overnight happening, they see buildings going up overnight. They see
mutual of Omaha, their sixty story building will be done
(06:34):
before anything is done at Crossroads. First National Bank put
up a forty five million story tower in three years.
I mean, who owns that property and who's put money
into that property? Is there any has anybody written a check,
a large check for Crossroads so that they are married
to this property? Or are we just kind of dancing
(06:56):
around with public financing and maybe's got about a minute left, Brinker,
go ahead, I'll.
Speaker 2 (07:02):
Try to do it in that well again, Jim. I
think part of it is what I said. I mean,
you when there's private investment in it and they want
to make sure that they're doing it right. It's eight
hundred and fifty million dollar project. So yeah, there are
we see tremendous development happening all around town. Do you
(07:25):
forgot to mention the library right across our street? That's
going quickly, but you know, this is a you know,
forty fifty eight or site. There's a lot that goes
into that. Actually we didn't even talk about that, all
the infrastructure work that actually has already been done, and
in large part that's probably what's caused some of the
additional dust and dirt to be flying. But Woodberry is
(07:50):
the perfect partner in this public private partnership and I
think you're going to see tremendous results of it. And
as I said, I think in just a couple of
short years, Omaha is going to be very proud of
what seventy second dogs looks like compared to what it
is today.
Speaker 1 (08:05):
I'm glad you're confident. I'm glad you're confident. I appreciate
the time, Breaker, Thank you, Thanks City Council and Breaker
Herding here on kfab's Morning News
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