Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is grow Omaha, the only radio show that talks
about economic development, construction, business expansion, and all of those
things that make Omaha a great place to live or visit.
Grow Omaha on news Radio eleven ten kfab.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good morning, and welcome to the gro Omaha Show, brought
to you by Digmann's Plision Center and Cheer Athletics. My
today's just co host Jeff Biels is taking the weekend off, however,
and please to have our friend and very active grow
Omaha media contributor Brad Williams join me today as co host.
You know Brad as the creator and talent behind Brad
(00:38):
Williams Photography. He does our grow Omaha Brad Williams construction
updates and he's also a partner and shareholder in e and.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
A consulting group. He is one busy boy. Welcome back, Brad, Hey,
good morning. I was downtown this morning working on the
next grow Omaha construction updates, So look forward to.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
The end of the month.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
We can always count on Brad Williams. Check out Brad
Williams Photography dot com because there's some great things and
the holidays are coming up and there's great presence. If
you need to fill a wall with something beautiful, a
skyline or a nature scene. Brad's got it all and
they're all on his website. Also joining us today in
the studio as a gentleman who has been on Groham
(01:20):
Hall a number of times over the last twenty two years,
but I was lucky enough to catch him when he
had a spare time this morning. Steve Jensen, Mary Ewing's
Deputy chief of Staff for Economic Development and Development Services
as well as a former Omaha planning director who has
dedicated his career to serve our great city going, is
(01:42):
going to talk to us about several aspects of the
streetcar projects, affordable housing, the urban core, and whatever else
we can get out of him. Great to have you back, Steve.
Good to be here, Thanks for having me.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
Well, ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Many thanks to our title sponsors, Degman's Clision Center, great
friends of mine and they do great work for you.
It's been family owned since nineteen ninety six. Four locations
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They get you what you need and they will serve
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If you have kids or grandkids who want to develop
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Go to caomaha dot com to register your athlete and
(02:59):
join the All Star Cheer Revolution. Located at one four
six two zero Gold Coast Road in Papilion, Cheer Athletics
Omaha competes at the highest level of All Star Cheer.
It's the only one of nineteen cheer athletics in the
entire world. Did you sign your kids up.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Bread No, not not yet. They're busy with a lot
of activities right now. Cheers not one of them.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Yet.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
There is plenty of time. It is now time for
the development News of the Week sponsored by Eagle Mortgage Company.
We talk a lot about Eagle Mortgage Company. Go to
Eagle Mortgage Company dot com. Holly Schneidewen and her team
of mortgage specialists, especially with the recent drop in federal
mortgage rates. They are not a bank. What they do
(03:46):
is go see them. Doesn't cost anything. Go see them
at one hundred and fourteenth in Davenport, or again, go
to Eagle Mortgage Company dot com and ask them for
a consultation. They will tell you what you need to
qualify for a loan. So when you go house hunting,
you have a pre approval letter in front of you,
(04:07):
and they shop the banks and they can get you
the best rate. So Eagle Mortgage will do you right. Well,
let's see what's going on in our fair city. Brad
I had the privilege of going to the groundbreaking yesterday
afternoon at two hundred and fourth and Q new Baker's Marketplace.
(04:29):
There's gonna be two new bakers Marketplace grocery stores coming
to Maha nout. Baker's bought some of the buildings where
Albertson's are and things like that over the years. But
what people don't realize it's been twenty six years since
we've had a new Baker store open in Omaha.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
You know what they are? When the last.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Two were, Yeah, Pepperwood and Lakeside and I there are
a number of regional representatives and local representatives and there
was kind of a battle. You looked up the building
permits for Lakeside at one hundred and call it seventy
first and West Center Road and Pepperwood one hundred and
fifty six and West Dodge. They both opened in ninety nine.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Right, yes, so twenty six years ago. But which is
so either one of those could have been the last one.
We'll call it a tie because even the audience was
split at the press conference. They this is unique because
this will be a one hundred and twenty three thousand
feet It should open in twenty twenty six. It is
(05:40):
part of the Kensington Park development and when they say
Baker's Marketplace, it's never been done before. It's about fifty
five thousand square feet larger than a traditional Baker store.
You think they're trying to get some of that some
of that business back from Hive.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Well, it's like they're trying to compete with the world
largest HIV in there in Gretina. Yeah, absolutely. So the
other store they did a pretty quick deal.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Fleet Farm was threatening to come to Omaha and over
the last ten years and we reported on it, and
then they were falling out.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
And finally I think the one.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Over by the world's largest highve on one hundred and
ninety second and three seventy.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
I know a lot of people are looking at it.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I wouldn't be surprised if that became a target or something.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
That's just my speculation.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
I don't know what's going on over there, but we
do know that an affiliated company, Dylan Stores, which is Baker's,
and they announced that yesterday as well, is about one
hundred thousand square foot store at one hundred and eighty
second Avenue and West Maple Road. And if you go
to Groamha and you see some of our back issues,
(06:48):
there's about one hundred and eighty thousand square foot sports
facility that is trying to get turnback tacks and that
will go right at one hundred and eightieth and West Maple.
It's the same people that have have that ubt behind
Minards in Elkhorn, So we'll see if that develops. But
another huge sports complex and that's almost as big as
(07:10):
a Walmart supercenter.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
You know, I recently went by Kroger out in Colorado
and it looks just like this new Baker's and from
the street it is huge. So I'm sure this one's
going to have a great, big presence on two hundred
and four Street.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
And another reason to talk to me about that Bakers
is Spencer Morrisey and I an ai MP Dodge. We
have two pat sites right next to two hundred and
fifth and Q Street for sale, for lease, for bill
a suit. We can do drive throughs, we can do
carwa washes, all kinds of things. We have two lots there.
(07:46):
And then across the street, right next to the Sunshine
it's called South Streams, we have another lot and I
have a client that wants to sell it and we
can do a drive through there as well. So any
real estate brokers, any franchisees, any owner users you have
trying to call, because I need to pay for what
I'm doing, and so we appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Let's jump all the way to the other end of
town and talk about the Lawrence and Gardens. Lawrence and
Gardens is undergoing a transfermative project, according to a Facebook
post by AO and local architecture firm. They're building a
wooden flyway that will basically be a new entrance to
the garden. The project consists of an elevated walkway from
the Visitors Center and Education Center to the Garden of Memories.
(08:32):
The walkway will allow visitors to be separated from the
staff and vehicles and also give you better views of
the gardens. And this will be cool because it will
you know, when you go to the gardens, you walk
down that huge hill, you have a great day in
the gardens, then you got to walk back up. This
will kind of level that out a little bit more.
(08:52):
And another project that we didn't mention that I found
out about is they are repainting when you come to
Omaha and you see that huge welcome Omaha sign with
the Big Boys team look kennfflick KENI Park. They're repainting
the Big Boy right now too. So if you wow
come by, you'll see people up there working and part
of the locomotive is in like a primer Gray.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
I wonder what they're doing up there the UH And
also have you taken your young kids to UH the
new playground, the thirteen million dollars playground.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
They've been there. Not with me. My mother in law
took them.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Okay, I was gonna say, you know, you kids are
going to talk at school, you know if you they have,
and they have not.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
So they have been to all of these amazing playgrounds
we have in this town.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
Have they been to the new one at Zarinsky?
Speaker 3 (09:33):
My son has? Okay, good, well, you got it. You
got life cover for your kids. I appreciate that. And also,
let's let's go out west again.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
The uh people have heard about the Good Life Districts
and Avenue one Good Life District one hundred and ninety
second and West Dodge Row. This has been a project
for a couple of decades that the developers have owned
the land, but they got approved as an applicant and
it appears to getting closer to construction. Jasperstone plans to
build the district's first two retail buildings northeast of one
(10:06):
hundred and ninety second in Burke Street, so south of Dodge.
One of the proposed buildings is thirteen thousand, five hundred
square feet, while the other is about twenty eight hundred
square feet, according to the City of Omaha Planning Department documents.
No documents have been officially announced, But what do you
think could fit in a thirteen thousand, five hundred square
for a building when you look at those plans.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Well, I know some of our loyal Groom Hall listeners
have comment on Facebook that they're hoping for a fan
favorite grocery store there that one of the smaller grocery
stores in the metro. But we don't know anything as
far as if that will happen or not.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
It sounds like, I mean, it looks like the plans
look like Trader Joe's. I've heard some people say that,
and I know that people have chimed in that they
would love to see that.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
Avenue One is among five Good.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Life Districts, special special zones for large scale, unique retail
and entertainment developments that are designed to attract visitors and
great jobs and tourism. With the state collecting only half
of its regular sales tax, the two point seventy five
percent of the sales tax of the five point five
from the state's portion goes back to the developers of
the projects for worthwhile projects as an incentive. In addition
(11:18):
to Avenue One, West Omaha, the other Good Life Districts
are Gretna, Bellevue, Grand Island, and Carney.
Speaker 4 (11:25):
We haven't seen a lot going on in Gretna yet.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
And you know, I know that they've got all the
mechanisms in place, and so there's been a lot of
proposed by a couple of developers out there, and some
of these projects are so huge you wonder how they
can pull them together. It seems like Bellevue is off
to a great start with their Bellevue Bay water Park.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
I haven't been by Bellevue Bay in person, but I
was told that maybe the foundation of the water park
was already going in, So it's a good sign.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
We hit one more thing before we go to the break.
How about how about this one?
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Let's talk about the Omaha Riverfront. The gene Leahy Mall,
part of the Omaha Riverfront is already been there for
three years, and so that means they are switching out
the five sculptures along the north end of the park.
Earlier this week, Cruise came and they removed the sculptures
that everyone have been admiring for the past three years,
and they had started installing the new ones. The first
(12:22):
one I saw looked like a big giant red snake,
so it's gonna be cool to get down there and
see something different.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
It's really public art is something cool.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
You know. You can look at those console bluffs, Edward
scissorhand things wherever they are at twenty fourth and I
eighty and have your own opinions on them.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
But at least it gets people talking.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
And so when we come back after this short break,
we're gonna be with Steve Jensen with the Mayor's Office,
who's going to go over all kinds of things regarding
the streetcar, affordable housing, urban core stuff. And you are
listening to Trenton Maggot and Brad Williams right here on
the GROMA Show eleven ten kfab. We'll be back in
(13:05):
two and two and welcome back to the Gromawa Show.
There is only Economic Development Commercial Radio, our commercial real
estate show, and it's brought to you by Dingman's, Clision
Center and Cheer Athletics. Jeff Beal's has a well deserved
weekend off and the very capable Brad Williams is my
co host and we are joined by Steve Jensen from
(13:29):
the City of Omaha.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
And I have a challenge for everybody.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
A couple of weeks ago, I said, we need people
to sign up for our newsletter, Brad, And right now
we're closing in on sixty thousand Facebook followers. I know
everybody goes. I know everybody has the newsletter. They've signed
up for the newsletter. It's free. We have fourteen contributors.
We cover everything but crime, politics, politics, and religion. So
(14:02):
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keep adding segments. It's all brief. Share it with your friends.
So all you have to do is go first, last name,
and your email address. We send you one email in
(14:24):
your inbox. And then also every day we have new
briefs at gromha dot com and today if you go
to the Facebook page, and just like us, we're going
to have sixty thousand people with the next couple days.
And I give everyone credit and we appreciate your accolades,
and we promise to continue to deliver the facts, cut
(14:47):
the fat, and allow you to have great information.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
For you, your.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Salespeople and your friends. So why the newsletter is every Thursday.
The Facebook page and the website or update multiple times
a day. So if you want fresh breaking news, that's
a good place to find it.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Absolutely, and that reminds me an important announcement Jeff, who
very ably gets our email out on time for the newsletter.
The Gromaha Newsletter, I want you all to know and
if not, we're getting a lot of hate mail is
next week for only probably a second time in our
(15:26):
history of the newsletter. It's coming out on Friday, September
twenty sixth September twenty six, not the usual Thursday, so
Thursday afternoon. Just remember and spread the word that it
will come out on Friday. The streetcar is in everybody's mind.
(15:47):
And Steve Jensen, who started as an intern with the
City of Omaha in nineteen seventy two when I was three,
has just been an amazing person to champion Omaha's growth.
He he knows where everything is buried, not just the bodies.
(16:08):
And uh, Steve, give us a quick overview of your
position uh in John Ewing's office and what your charges
with the streetcar.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (16:21):
Well, primarily I work on projects that are in the
urban core.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (16:26):
And then also work on the streetcar. I'm on the
Omaha street Car Authority Board as well, and so I'm
also representing the city in that way. So primarily those
are the things I work on. I do work on
projects across the city, but those are the areas that
I focus on.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
So what what is the There's been some talk about
the streetcar. Maybe it's gonna take a little bit longer
than we thought. Is there it's it's now going to open.
The first cars are going to be out of the
barn in twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
Right, Well, we'll have with the cars will end up
being delivered beginning in late in twenty seven, so we
can begin testing and so forth. But yeah, we'll be operating.
The target date now is basically Labor Day of twenty
twenty eight.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
And it's taking a little longer because, well.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
It's taking longer because when we decided to essentially completely
replace all of the gas, water sewer lines, all of
the infrastructure, underground infrastructure. When the decision was made to
do that, it added about a year to the construction project.
It's added a lot of disruption. But the good news
(17:40):
is once that's done, we won't have to worry about
line breaks or cave ins or other things that might happen.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
I just sold a building twenty ninth and Harni and
you know those bridges are sold that when you guys
got into the investigation everything, I can see why now
is the time to do it?
Speaker 5 (17:59):
Well, the state, Yeah, the state has a plan to
replace those I four eighty bridges over a period of time,
and so these bridges would have been replaced sometime in
the next ten years or so, and so this was
a good time to get that done again. Another major
project that has you know, that adds to that timeline.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
You know, when the streetcars first announced, there was a
lot of criticism and public questioning of it. Have you
started to see as we're seeing actual construction now, is
that tide started to change where people are less critical
and more excited about it? Well, I hope so.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
I think that, you know, there's just been a lot
of misunderstanding of what we're doing, why we're doing it,
how we're doing it, how it's being paid for. So
I think, you know, as we have been out and
talking to people and trying to help them understand, I
hope that they now have a better handle on why
we're why we're doing the streetcar. But I think for
(18:55):
those people who I guess live in the urban corps,
who often come to the urban core for events and
so forth, I think it probably is starting to make
a little more sense. So I hope that that tide
is changing.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
But like a lot of.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
Other major projects, we had criticism when we did the Arena,
Convention Center, when we did the Bob Carey Bridge, when
we did the ballparks, and so I think as once
it's up and operating and people see the benefits of it,
I think that they'll they'll come around and they'll understand
the benefit.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
We had Eric Miller on a couple months ago, and
one of the points that I brought up with him was,
you know, people are very critical about this, saying I
live in West Omaha, I'm never going to use it.
But you know, we have pools all over town. Not
everyone swims. We have libraries, I understand, not everyone wants
to go check out a book. We have city golf courses.
Not everyone golf's. It's just another part of making Omaha
a complete city and having something for everyone and things
(19:49):
to attract certain people. You know, there's not one size
fits all for city amenities, and this is just another
piece of that puzzle.
Speaker 5 (19:57):
True, I think I think the other thing too, is
people don't understand that in our downtown from the nineteen
sixties until when we looked at it in about twenty fifteen,
we'd lost twenty one thousand jobs in downtown. We'd also
reached a point where we devoted about fifty percent of
the land in downtown to parking, and about fifty percent
(20:18):
of that parking set vacant at any given point in time.
So one of the things I think that people don't
understand is that the purpose of the streetcar primarily is
to be able to change that parking dynamic so that
we make better use of the land in downtown. You know,
there was just shy it was about three point eight
billion dollars worth of value in the corridor of the streetcar.
(20:41):
We will add about four billion dollars, so we'll about
double that over a fifteen year period, will almost quadruple
that value in that corridor over thirty year period. So
when you think about adding to the tax base of
the city and the increased value, it's all about sort
of expanding the tax base, and the more we can
(21:02):
expand the tax base, the more it benefits the city
as a whole. So it really is about maximizing the
square footage, if you will, of the space we have
in downtown, and then the tax revenue that comes from that.
I think one other thing I'll throw in there, And
if you look at the downtown area and you go
back to say the nineteen fifties, virtually every square inch
of downtown had a building that was paying taxes. When
(21:24):
you look at that same area today, it is not
the same thing. And so you have a lot of
land voted parking that's not paying taxes. That's not only
a bad thing for the city and the county and
so forth, but when you think about it, the school district,
the OPS school district, is the biggest recipient of property taxes.
So being able to quadruple the tax base in that
(21:45):
downtown area without adding a lot of kids will really
be a benefit to OPS as much as anybody else.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
Good stuff.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
When we come back after the break, we're going to
have a not all development spotlight, but we're also going
to continue our discussion with Steve Jensen with the Mayor's office.
And you are listening to Trenton maggot, Brad Williams and
Steve Jensen right here on eleven to ten Cafe B
the gro Maha Show. Welcome back to the Gromaha Show
sponsored by Dingman's Collision Center and Cheer Athletics. I'm Trenton Maggot.
(22:16):
Jeff Beals will be here next week. I am joined
with by Brad Williams and Steve Jensen with the City
of Omaha. We've been talking about the street car and
Steve is in charge a lot of the different aspects
from from the cities purview, and we left off talking
(22:39):
about Yep, we left talking.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
About the work that needs to be done on the
street car.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
What is Are we within budget? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (22:53):
The city Council authorized spending up to four hundred and
forty dollars for the streetcar. We announced last summer that
we were at four hundred and twenty one million dollars
and that includes all of that utility work we talked
about earlier. We have since that time approved a couple
of contracts. We have a few more to approve it
(23:14):
next month's OSA board meeting. At that point we'll pretty
much have the contracts done and we will be well
below that four forty.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
Oh sorry, I thought you were getting to read something.
Or Initially the plan was the street car was going
to go all the way to the Med Center, and
then that kind of got pulled back just a little bit.
While they're still kind of planning on how that Medcenter
tie in. Do you have an update on that or
is that still in the works or still in planning.
Speaker 5 (23:38):
Yeah, we're continuing to talk with the Med Center and
looking at ways in which we could extend it to
the Med Center. We think that's important in terms of
being able to make that connection. The Med Center folks
would also like to do that. Of course, the way
we're funding it is through the increased development and the
increased taxes that come from that new development. Medcenter doesn't
(23:59):
pay property tax, so that gives us a little different twist.
So we're looking at ways that we might be able
to finance that extension, and we're talking to them about
how we might do that.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
I guess I never never thought about that part of
it where the tiff would not apply to the med Center.
So that makes a little more sense, right, makes it
makes a little more challenging, Steve, How certain are you
that the streetcar will not add more cost to the city.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
The city is budgeted well.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
We had originally projected had hired a company to do
projections for the development along the route of the streetcar
over a fifteen year period. They projected about two billion
dollars in total over a fifteen year period. We already
have over one point three billion dollars worth of projects
in the pipeline, over thirty two hundred housing units. You know,
(24:49):
we have already seen a tremendous amount of development which
we knew we would see at the rate that we
are going. We project now that we will have four
billion dollars worth.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
Of development along the route over that fifteen year period.
Speaker 5 (25:02):
That actually generates almost a billion dollars in proper additional
property tax revenue. It's enough to finance about five hundred
and fifty million dollars in bonds. And as I said,
we're only using about four forty for the streetcar. And
so yes, we're we're well on track in terms of
development and how we would pay for it. So that
(25:25):
there's no no money coming from a property outside that corridor.
There's no citywide tax rate increase or taxes being used.
Only the multifamily and commercial properties within seven blocks of
the streetcar itself. Those are the only properties that are
paying for the streetcar. And so basically, if you don't
(25:46):
own an office building or an apartment complex within seven
blocks of the streetcar, you're not paying for it.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
And there's a lot of accomplished developers that have stepped up,
a lot of them local that these are expensive projects.
They understand what they're doing. The Bond Council, the people
that handle tiff with the City of Omaha, Bridget Hadley,
which which who is awesome and has been doing it
for a long time. It's it's amazing because people don't
(26:14):
realize that if we don't have a strong urban core,
we don't have anything. And you you've gone to cities
and you've seen some of that in Denver and a
bunch of other cities where you have a lot of
empty office buildings and people are shying away. They're they're
building things outside the urban core where you know, First
National did it with with with their tower and some
(26:36):
of their other buildings, and now Mutual of Omaha has
stepped up, and these could have been a lot less
than six hundred million dollars to build that tower if
it was a campus out west or anywhere, and good
stakeholders realize that we need employees, We need everybody down
there in the streetcar is kind of what ties it
(26:57):
all together.
Speaker 4 (26:58):
Correct, Yeah, you know.
Speaker 5 (26:59):
I think as you mentioned, you know, when cities reach
the point at which they can't expand at the edge,
which Omaha will do in about twenty fifty, you have
a fixed tax base. And when you have that fixed
tax base, but you have aging infrastructure that's requiring more
and more money, and your taxable value on that property
is not going up as quickly as it did when
it was new, you really don't have much of a choice.
(27:21):
You have to go back to that urban core area
where you can increase the value and basically make a
bigger pie to help pay for the costs that you have.
So absolutely it's critical that we revitalize and continue to
grow in our urban core because we'll reach a point
where we can't expand at the edge and capture that value.
Speaker 4 (27:42):
Absolutely. Thanks for that. Let's switch gears a little bit.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
But speaking of the urban core, it is time for
the motel development Spotlight of the Week, and this is
a huge announcement by Crighton University. We talk about projects
associated with with Notel and who's one of the most
prolific developers in the Midwest. Zavon Village, Kewitt Headquarters, Builders District,
(28:08):
Valmont Headquarters, Back of the Day, first National Business Park,
just to name a few. Fly Together is a nearly
three hundred million dollar investment in Creighton athletics and recreation
through new and upgraded facilities across Seventeenth Street from the
Rising Builders District and Kewitt Corporation's headquarters. Entirely donor funded,
(28:30):
Fly Together has launched one hundred was launched with one
hundred million dollar gift with a Hider Family Foundation, the
largest gift in Creighton's history Charles and Mary Hyder, who
have been huge philanthropists throughout their lifetimes.
Speaker 4 (28:43):
Now it's headed by Scott Hider, and I'm sure Steve
you remember we used to work with Scott Hider, who
was a very capable.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Office leasing agent and consultant does what we do, and
he did a great job, and we thank Scott for
leading the Family Foundation one hundred million dollars, largest ever
in Creighton history. Fly Together connects Creighton Universities to the
Builders District, a ten block urban village totaling more than
(29:13):
six hundred and fifty million dollars in private development achored
by Keywitt Corporations headquarters. Fly Together's blending of the university
with the rising mixed use district gives Creighton students something
they've never had before, a city campus, merging Creighton's academic, recreational,
social life with new bustling hub of retail, dining, nightlife, entertainment,
(29:35):
hotel and office space. As the developer of the Builders District,
the not a Companies partners with the district, partners on
the district with the City of Omaha, Union Pacific, and
Kewitt Corporation. And that the vision that all these all
these stakeholders have is just incredible. And Creighton has just
(30:02):
taken over the world. I mean, to get one hundred
million dollars to raise another two hundred million dollars scholarships.
What are your take, Steve on that Coming Street corridor
and what you've seen it over the last twenty years.
Speaker 4 (30:17):
Yeah, it's just incredible.
Speaker 5 (30:18):
I mean, the you know what if you go back
twenty years or more ago, I mean it was really
a truck route and it was a route to the airport,
and you saw some industrial uses, and that's completely changed now.
So now it becomes a great front door for Creighton
and this latest expansion to the east and connecting the
Builders District and then of course the Builders District itself,
(30:41):
and that connection onto the ballpark and the arena convention center.
That area between coming and I four eighty overpasses is
just booming right now.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
What we didn't see twenty years ago is these districts
and these projects, they didn't talk to each other that
the say, like Civic Square and the Builder's District and
the Capitol District and Creighton University. Now they get in
the same room and make sure they compliment each other
instead of just compete with each other.
Speaker 5 (31:12):
Sure, you know, and I think that's again one of
the great things we have going in the city is
that we have all of these districts and across all
the way from you and MC to the riverfront and
then to the north, and it's great to be able
to connect all of them and bring them all together
so it becomes kind of a seamless transition from one
to the other.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
That's great stuff. And unfortunately we have to go to
one more break. Ladies and gentlemen, it's a short one
great stuff on the streetcar with Steve Jensen. You're listening
to Trenton Maggot and Brad Williams right here on grome
haa eleven ten kfab. We will have the Lightning Around
next brought to you by Perkins Crates Construction and welcome
(31:54):
back to the Gromaha Show sponsored by Dingman's Colision Center
and Sheer Athletics. I'm Trenton and this is Brad Williams
filling in for Jeff Fields, who will be here next week.
It is time for the Perkins Chrysler Construction Lightning Round
where we talk about a lot of stuff in a
fast paced environment. And Perkins Chrisler Construction is a full
(32:18):
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industrial and financial institutions, and restaurants. You see their signs
around the market.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
Well.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Bradilliamsburg Pizza, a New York based chain, plans to open
a second location north of one hundred and fifty six
in Maple right next to a What's the Coffee Place? Stories? Yeah,
Stories Coffee on September twenty third, following a hood system
(33:17):
issue delay. The brand opened its first non New York
location in Omaha in twenty twenty three, near one hundred
and sixty eighth in Harrison and fun Fact and Omaha Nata.
Speaker 4 (33:28):
There's probably five.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Location in Williamsburg, and Omaha native started this chain, so
that might ex start chain in New York.
Speaker 3 (33:37):
Yeah, and then brought the concept back to Omaha. That's
really cool. You gotta love it.
Speaker 5 (33:40):
So.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
The fuel Bar, a shake and tea shop, opened September
thirteenth at seventy seven to ninety nine L Street in Ralston.
The menu includes meal replacement shakes, energy teas, protein coffees,
and snacks.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
If you're wondering what's going up right next to home
two suites near one hundred and eightieth and Burke you
can see it very well from one hundred and eight.
You can also see it from West Dodge Road. It's
a new construction. It's an eight thousand square foot Twin
Peaks national sports bar chain. I happened to pick that
side out and sold the land to the new owners.
(34:16):
It's three to one three North one seventy ninth Street
in Village Point West. Much of it is already enclosed.
They're gonna have a huge patio.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
It's they have a scratch kitchen, and they.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
Should be opened by the end of the year. The
previous restaurant wasn't a true Twin Peaks for the record,
it was a converted famous Daves out on Westerner Road,
So let's say that doesn't count. And the food is great,
and the nearest Twin Peaks to Omaha is Kansas City, so.
Speaker 3 (34:49):
We head over to Council Bluffs and Counts. The Bluff's
only Runza at twenty one forty six West Broadway reopened
this week after being close since March for full teardown
and rebuild. I was actually over there Monday and Tuesday
the opening two days to photograph the building, and it's
really nice, very nice, warm, bright, and I actually got
(35:10):
to see how they make runs, so that was pretty cool.
It's like a bout the sausage is made or how
the runs made. All the runs is made.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
So I've done a couple of runs of locations and
their head of real estate is Dan Rudolph, and I
can't say enough nice things. Dan Rudolph serves the family,
the Everett family, and he's been there a long time.
So so cheers to Dan Rudolf. You're doing a great
job of filling out these markets. The ups Store and
(35:38):
Great Clips plans to open next to each other at
one eight eight seven zero Oakmont Drive, in a recently
constructed retail center just east of the world's largest high
ve and gret which is one hundred and ninety second
and Highway three seventy. The center is already home to
missus NaIO.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
Salon Cat Cafe and Rescue has taken over a coffee
bar operation from Bad Seed Coffee and supply to organizations
shared the space and a building at fifty to fifteen
Dodge Street. Felis is stepping into continue offering drinks and
pastries while maintaining its nonprofit mission creating meaningful connections between
(36:19):
people and rescue cats. All proceeds from the coffee bar
help fund cat adoption efforts.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
I don't know if you've been there. My wife loves
it and we're cat people. Were, as they say, between cats,
were either morning a cat or two, or we're scared
to have the maintenance and make sure we take care
of the cat well. But here's an opportunity for people
to go to Pelias and not have to own a cat.
(36:48):
So call it a timeshare cat if you will. The
Camp Blackstone has gotten some press lightly this This was
the food hall at thirty six eighteen Farnam Street, recently
closed its doors permanently. The local, locally owned business had
(37:08):
several quick serve restaurants concepts including Olas Soul, Taco Company,
Nice Roles, and Single Double. I want to remind everyone
again that due to unavoidable scheduling issues, next week's newsletter
will be released Friday, September twenty sixth instead of Thursday afternoon,
(37:32):
So just tell your friends and family about that. We
appreciate everyone. Thank you Steve Jensen for being on the show.
Thank you Brad Williams, and we'll be right here next
week at eleven to ten cafab.
Speaker 4 (37:47):
Thank you
This is grow Omaha, the only radio show that talks
about economic development, construction, business expansion, and all of those
things that make Omaha a great place to live or visit.
Grow Omaha on news Radio eleven ten kfab.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Good morning, and welcome to the gro Omaha Show, brought
to you by Digmann's Plision Center and Cheer Athletics. My
today's just co host Jeff Biels is taking the weekend off, however,
and please to have our friend and very active grow
Omaha media contributor Brad Williams join me today as co host.
You know Brad as the creator and talent behind Brad
(00:38):
Williams Photography. He does our grow Omaha Brad Williams construction
updates and he's also a partner and shareholder in e and.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
A consulting group. He is one busy boy. Welcome back, Brad, Hey,
good morning. I was downtown this morning working on the
next grow Omaha construction updates, So look forward to.
Speaker 4 (01:00):
The end of the month.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
We can always count on Brad Williams. Check out Brad
Williams Photography dot com because there's some great things and
the holidays are coming up and there's great presence. If
you need to fill a wall with something beautiful, a
skyline or a nature scene. Brad's got it all and
they're all on his website. Also joining us today in
the studio as a gentleman who has been on Groham
(01:20):
Hall a number of times over the last twenty two years,
but I was lucky enough to catch him when he
had a spare time this morning. Steve Jensen, Mary Ewing's
Deputy chief of Staff for Economic Development and Development Services
as well as a former Omaha planning director who has
dedicated his career to serve our great city going, is
(01:42):
going to talk to us about several aspects of the
streetcar projects, affordable housing, the urban core, and whatever else
we can get out of him. Great to have you back, Steve.
Good to be here, Thanks for having me.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
Well, ladies and gentlemen.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
Many thanks to our title sponsors, Degman's Clision Center, great
friends of mine and they do great work for you.
It's been family owned since nineteen ninety six. Four locations
northwest Midtown Omaha, Southwest Papillion at one hundred and twentieth
and Maple. They also have a mechanic shop. They have
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They get you what you need and they will serve
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in Gretna. Our other title sponsor, Cheer Athletics, is doing
great things with huge plans for the future. Ladies and gentlemen.
If you have kids or grandkids who want to develop
tumbling and stunning skills, you should check out Cheer Athletics Omaha.
Go to caomaha dot com to register your athlete and
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join the All Star Cheer Revolution. Located at one four
six two zero Gold Coast Road in Papilion, Cheer Athletics
Omaha competes at the highest level of All Star Cheer.
It's the only one of nineteen cheer athletics in the
entire world. Did you sign your kids up.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
Bread No, not not yet. They're busy with a lot
of activities right now. Cheers not one of them.
Speaker 4 (03:23):
Yet.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
There is plenty of time. It is now time for
the development News of the Week sponsored by Eagle Mortgage Company.
We talk a lot about Eagle Mortgage Company. Go to
Eagle Mortgage Company dot com. Holly Schneidewen and her team
of mortgage specialists, especially with the recent drop in federal
mortgage rates. They are not a bank. What they do
(03:46):
is go see them. Doesn't cost anything. Go see them
at one hundred and fourteenth in Davenport, or again, go
to Eagle Mortgage Company dot com and ask them for
a consultation. They will tell you what you need to
qualify for a loan. So when you go house hunting,
you have a pre approval letter in front of you,
(04:07):
and they shop the banks and they can get you
the best rate. So Eagle Mortgage will do you right. Well,
let's see what's going on in our fair city. Brad
I had the privilege of going to the groundbreaking yesterday
afternoon at two hundred and fourth and Q new Baker's Marketplace.
(04:29):
There's gonna be two new bakers Marketplace grocery stores coming
to Maha nout. Baker's bought some of the buildings where
Albertson's are and things like that over the years. But
what people don't realize it's been twenty six years since
we've had a new Baker store open in Omaha.
Speaker 4 (04:51):
You know what they are? When the last.
Speaker 3 (04:54):
Two were, Yeah, Pepperwood and Lakeside and I there are
a number of regional representatives and local representatives and there
was kind of a battle. You looked up the building
permits for Lakeside at one hundred and call it seventy
first and West Center Road and Pepperwood one hundred and
fifty six and West Dodge. They both opened in ninety nine.
Speaker 2 (05:19):
Right, yes, so twenty six years ago. But which is
so either one of those could have been the last one.
We'll call it a tie because even the audience was
split at the press conference. They this is unique because
this will be a one hundred and twenty three thousand
feet It should open in twenty twenty six. It is
(05:40):
part of the Kensington Park development and when they say
Baker's Marketplace, it's never been done before. It's about fifty
five thousand square feet larger than a traditional Baker store.
You think they're trying to get some of that some
of that business back from Hive.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Well, it's like they're trying to compete with the world
largest HIV in there in Gretina. Yeah, absolutely. So the
other store they did a pretty quick deal.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Fleet Farm was threatening to come to Omaha and over
the last ten years and we reported on it, and
then they were falling out.
Speaker 4 (06:14):
And finally I think the one.
Speaker 2 (06:16):
Over by the world's largest highve on one hundred and
ninety second and three seventy.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
I know a lot of people are looking at it.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
I wouldn't be surprised if that became a target or something.
Speaker 4 (06:26):
That's just my speculation.
Speaker 2 (06:27):
I don't know what's going on over there, but we
do know that an affiliated company, Dylan Stores, which is Baker's,
and they announced that yesterday as well, is about one
hundred thousand square foot store at one hundred and eighty
second Avenue and West Maple Road. And if you go
to Groamha and you see some of our back issues,
(06:48):
there's about one hundred and eighty thousand square foot sports
facility that is trying to get turnback tacks and that
will go right at one hundred and eightieth and West Maple.
It's the same people that have have that ubt behind
Minards in Elkhorn, So we'll see if that develops. But
another huge sports complex and that's almost as big as
(07:10):
a Walmart supercenter.
Speaker 3 (07:12):
You know, I recently went by Kroger out in Colorado
and it looks just like this new Baker's and from
the street it is huge. So I'm sure this one's
going to have a great, big presence on two hundred
and four Street.
Speaker 2 (07:24):
And another reason to talk to me about that Bakers
is Spencer Morrisey and I an ai MP Dodge. We
have two pat sites right next to two hundred and
fifth and Q Street for sale, for lease, for bill
a suit. We can do drive throughs, we can do
carwa washes, all kinds of things. We have two lots there.
(07:46):
And then across the street, right next to the Sunshine
it's called South Streams, we have another lot and I
have a client that wants to sell it and we
can do a drive through there as well. So any
real estate brokers, any franchisees, any owner users you have
trying to call, because I need to pay for what
I'm doing, and so we appreciate that.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Let's jump all the way to the other end of
town and talk about the Lawrence and Gardens. Lawrence and
Gardens is undergoing a transfermative project, according to a Facebook
post by AO and local architecture firm. They're building a
wooden flyway that will basically be a new entrance to
the garden. The project consists of an elevated walkway from
the Visitors Center and Education Center to the Garden of Memories.
(08:32):
The walkway will allow visitors to be separated from the
staff and vehicles and also give you better views of
the gardens. And this will be cool because it will
you know, when you go to the gardens, you walk
down that huge hill, you have a great day in
the gardens, then you got to walk back up. This
will kind of level that out a little bit more.
(08:52):
And another project that we didn't mention that I found
out about is they are repainting when you come to
Omaha and you see that huge welcome Omaha sign with
the Big Boys team look kennfflick KENI Park. They're repainting
the Big Boy right now too. So if you wow
come by, you'll see people up there working and part
of the locomotive is in like a primer Gray.
Speaker 2 (09:09):
I wonder what they're doing up there the UH And
also have you taken your young kids to UH the
new playground, the thirteen million dollars playground.
Speaker 4 (09:18):
They've been there. Not with me. My mother in law
took them.
Speaker 2 (09:21):
Okay, I was gonna say, you know, you kids are
going to talk at school, you know if you they have,
and they have not.
Speaker 3 (09:27):
So they have been to all of these amazing playgrounds
we have in this town.
Speaker 4 (09:30):
Have they been to the new one at Zarinsky?
Speaker 3 (09:33):
My son has? Okay, good, well, you got it. You
got life cover for your kids. I appreciate that. And also,
let's let's go out west again.
Speaker 2 (09:41):
The uh people have heard about the Good Life Districts
and Avenue one Good Life District one hundred and ninety
second and West Dodge Row. This has been a project
for a couple of decades that the developers have owned
the land, but they got approved as an applicant and
it appears to getting closer to construction. Jasperstone plans to
build the district's first two retail buildings northeast of one
(10:06):
hundred and ninety second in Burke Street, so south of Dodge.
One of the proposed buildings is thirteen thousand, five hundred
square feet, while the other is about twenty eight hundred
square feet, according to the City of Omaha Planning Department documents.
No documents have been officially announced, But what do you
think could fit in a thirteen thousand, five hundred square
for a building when you look at those plans.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
Well, I know some of our loyal Groom Hall listeners
have comment on Facebook that they're hoping for a fan
favorite grocery store there that one of the smaller grocery
stores in the metro. But we don't know anything as
far as if that will happen or not.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
It sounds like, I mean, it looks like the plans
look like Trader Joe's. I've heard some people say that,
and I know that people have chimed in that they
would love to see that.
Speaker 4 (10:51):
Avenue One is among five Good.
Speaker 2 (10:53):
Life Districts, special special zones for large scale, unique retail
and entertainment developments that are designed to attract visitors and
great jobs and tourism. With the state collecting only half
of its regular sales tax, the two point seventy five
percent of the sales tax of the five point five
from the state's portion goes back to the developers of
the projects for worthwhile projects as an incentive. In addition
(11:18):
to Avenue One, West Omaha, the other Good Life Districts
are Gretna, Bellevue, Grand Island, and Carney.
Speaker 4 (11:25):
We haven't seen a lot going on in Gretna yet.
Speaker 2 (11:28):
And you know, I know that they've got all the
mechanisms in place, and so there's been a lot of
proposed by a couple of developers out there, and some
of these projects are so huge you wonder how they
can pull them together. It seems like Bellevue is off
to a great start with their Bellevue Bay water Park.
Speaker 4 (11:49):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:49):
I haven't been by Bellevue Bay in person, but I
was told that maybe the foundation of the water park
was already going in, So it's a good sign.
Speaker 4 (11:57):
We hit one more thing before we go to the break.
How about how about this one?
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Let's talk about the Omaha Riverfront. The gene Leahy Mall,
part of the Omaha Riverfront is already been there for
three years, and so that means they are switching out
the five sculptures along the north end of the park.
Earlier this week, Cruise came and they removed the sculptures
that everyone have been admiring for the past three years,
and they had started installing the new ones. The first
(12:22):
one I saw looked like a big giant red snake,
so it's gonna be cool to get down there and
see something different.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
It's really public art is something cool.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
You know. You can look at those console bluffs, Edward
scissorhand things wherever they are at twenty fourth and I
eighty and have your own opinions on them.
Speaker 4 (12:41):
But at least it gets people talking.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
And so when we come back after this short break,
we're gonna be with Steve Jensen with the Mayor's Office,
who's going to go over all kinds of things regarding
the streetcar, affordable housing, urban core stuff. And you are
listening to Trenton Maggot and Brad Williams right here on
the GROMA Show eleven ten kfab. We'll be back in
(13:05):
two and two and welcome back to the Gromawa Show.
There is only Economic Development Commercial Radio, our commercial real
estate show, and it's brought to you by Dingman's, Clision
Center and Cheer Athletics. Jeff Beal's has a well deserved
weekend off and the very capable Brad Williams is my
co host and we are joined by Steve Jensen from
(13:29):
the City of Omaha.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
And I have a challenge for everybody.
Speaker 2 (13:36):
A couple of weeks ago, I said, we need people
to sign up for our newsletter, Brad, And right now
we're closing in on sixty thousand Facebook followers. I know
everybody goes. I know everybody has the newsletter. They've signed
up for the newsletter. It's free. We have fourteen contributors.
We cover everything but crime, politics, politics, and religion. So
(14:02):
it's what the stuff you want to hear. And all
the time we get feedback that people are like, I
don't need that other newspaper. I don't want to pay
forty dollars a month. Everything here is free and we
keep adding segments. It's all brief. Share it with your friends.
So all you have to do is go first, last name,
and your email address. We send you one email in
(14:24):
your inbox. And then also every day we have new
briefs at gromha dot com and today if you go
to the Facebook page, and just like us, we're going
to have sixty thousand people with the next couple days.
And I give everyone credit and we appreciate your accolades,
and we promise to continue to deliver the facts, cut
(14:47):
the fat, and allow you to have great information.
Speaker 4 (14:51):
For you, your.
Speaker 3 (14:53):
Salespeople and your friends. So why the newsletter is every Thursday.
The Facebook page and the website or update multiple times
a day. So if you want fresh breaking news, that's
a good place to find it.
Speaker 2 (15:06):
Absolutely, and that reminds me an important announcement Jeff, who
very ably gets our email out on time for the newsletter.
The Gromaha Newsletter, I want you all to know and
if not, we're getting a lot of hate mail is
next week for only probably a second time in our
(15:26):
history of the newsletter. It's coming out on Friday, September
twenty sixth September twenty six, not the usual Thursday, so
Thursday afternoon. Just remember and spread the word that it
will come out on Friday. The streetcar is in everybody's mind.
(15:47):
And Steve Jensen, who started as an intern with the
City of Omaha in nineteen seventy two when I was three,
has just been an amazing person to champion Omaha's growth.
He he knows where everything is buried, not just the bodies.
(16:08):
And uh, Steve, give us a quick overview of your
position uh in John Ewing's office and what your charges
with the streetcar.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (16:21):
Well, primarily I work on projects that are in the
urban core.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
Uh.
Speaker 5 (16:26):
And then also work on the streetcar. I'm on the
Omaha street Car Authority Board as well, and so I'm
also representing the city in that way. So primarily those
are the things I work on. I do work on
projects across the city, but those are the areas that
I focus on.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
So what what is the There's been some talk about
the streetcar. Maybe it's gonna take a little bit longer
than we thought. Is there it's it's now going to open.
The first cars are going to be out of the
barn in twenty twenty eight.
Speaker 5 (17:01):
Right, Well, we'll have with the cars will end up
being delivered beginning in late in twenty seven, so we
can begin testing and so forth. But yeah, we'll be operating.
The target date now is basically Labor Day of twenty
twenty eight.
Speaker 4 (17:17):
And it's taking a little longer because, well.
Speaker 5 (17:20):
It's taking longer because when we decided to essentially completely
replace all of the gas, water sewer lines, all of
the infrastructure, underground infrastructure. When the decision was made to
do that, it added about a year to the construction project.
It's added a lot of disruption. But the good news
(17:40):
is once that's done, we won't have to worry about
line breaks or cave ins or other things that might happen.
Speaker 2 (17:47):
I just sold a building twenty ninth and Harni and
you know those bridges are sold that when you guys
got into the investigation everything, I can see why now
is the time to do it?
Speaker 5 (17:59):
Well, the state, Yeah, the state has a plan to
replace those I four eighty bridges over a period of time,
and so these bridges would have been replaced sometime in
the next ten years or so, and so this was
a good time to get that done again. Another major
project that has you know, that adds to that timeline.
Speaker 3 (18:18):
You know, when the streetcars first announced, there was a
lot of criticism and public questioning of it. Have you
started to see as we're seeing actual construction now, is
that tide started to change where people are less critical
and more excited about it? Well, I hope so.
Speaker 5 (18:34):
I think that, you know, there's just been a lot
of misunderstanding of what we're doing, why we're doing it,
how we're doing it, how it's being paid for. So
I think, you know, as we have been out and
talking to people and trying to help them understand, I
hope that they now have a better handle on why
we're why we're doing the streetcar. But I think for
(18:55):
those people who I guess live in the urban corps,
who often come to the urban core for events and
so forth, I think it probably is starting to make
a little more sense. So I hope that that tide
is changing.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
But like a lot of.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
Other major projects, we had criticism when we did the Arena,
Convention Center, when we did the Bob Carey Bridge, when
we did the ballparks, and so I think as once
it's up and operating and people see the benefits of it,
I think that they'll they'll come around and they'll understand
the benefit.
Speaker 3 (19:26):
We had Eric Miller on a couple months ago, and
one of the points that I brought up with him was,
you know, people are very critical about this, saying I
live in West Omaha, I'm never going to use it.
But you know, we have pools all over town. Not
everyone swims. We have libraries, I understand, not everyone wants
to go check out a book. We have city golf courses.
Not everyone golf's. It's just another part of making Omaha
a complete city and having something for everyone and things
(19:49):
to attract certain people. You know, there's not one size
fits all for city amenities, and this is just another
piece of that puzzle.
Speaker 5 (19:57):
True, I think I think the other thing too, is
people don't understand that in our downtown from the nineteen
sixties until when we looked at it in about twenty fifteen,
we'd lost twenty one thousand jobs in downtown. We'd also
reached a point where we devoted about fifty percent of
the land in downtown to parking, and about fifty percent
(20:18):
of that parking set vacant at any given point in time.
So one of the things I think that people don't
understand is that the purpose of the streetcar primarily is
to be able to change that parking dynamic so that
we make better use of the land in downtown. You know,
there was just shy it was about three point eight
billion dollars worth of value in the corridor of the streetcar.
(20:41):
We will add about four billion dollars, so we'll about
double that over a fifteen year period, will almost quadruple
that value in that corridor over thirty year period. So
when you think about adding to the tax base of
the city and the increased value, it's all about sort
of expanding the tax base, and the more we can
(21:02):
expand the tax base, the more it benefits the city
as a whole. So it really is about maximizing the
square footage, if you will, of the space we have
in downtown, and then the tax revenue that comes from that.
I think one other thing I'll throw in there, And
if you look at the downtown area and you go
back to say the nineteen fifties, virtually every square inch
of downtown had a building that was paying taxes. When
(21:24):
you look at that same area today, it is not
the same thing. And so you have a lot of
land voted parking that's not paying taxes. That's not only
a bad thing for the city and the county and
so forth, but when you think about it, the school district,
the OPS school district, is the biggest recipient of property taxes.
So being able to quadruple the tax base in that
(21:45):
downtown area without adding a lot of kids will really
be a benefit to OPS as much as anybody else.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
Good stuff.
Speaker 2 (21:53):
When we come back after the break, we're going to
have a not all development spotlight, but we're also going
to continue our discussion with Steve Jensen with the Mayor's office.
And you are listening to Trenton maggot, Brad Williams and
Steve Jensen right here on eleven to ten Cafe B
the gro Maha Show. Welcome back to the Gromaha Show
sponsored by Dingman's Collision Center and Cheer Athletics. I'm Trenton Maggot.
(22:16):
Jeff Beals will be here next week. I am joined
with by Brad Williams and Steve Jensen with the City
of Omaha. We've been talking about the street car and
Steve is in charge a lot of the different aspects
from from the cities purview, and we left off talking
(22:39):
about Yep, we left talking.
Speaker 3 (22:44):
About the work that needs to be done on the
street car.
Speaker 4 (22:49):
What is Are we within budget? Yeah?
Speaker 5 (22:53):
The city Council authorized spending up to four hundred and
forty dollars for the streetcar. We announced last summer that
we were at four hundred and twenty one million dollars
and that includes all of that utility work we talked
about earlier. We have since that time approved a couple
of contracts. We have a few more to approve it
(23:14):
next month's OSA board meeting. At that point we'll pretty
much have the contracts done and we will be well
below that four forty.
Speaker 3 (23:23):
Oh sorry, I thought you were getting to read something.
Or Initially the plan was the street car was going
to go all the way to the Med Center, and
then that kind of got pulled back just a little bit.
While they're still kind of planning on how that Medcenter
tie in. Do you have an update on that or
is that still in the works or still in planning.
Speaker 5 (23:38):
Yeah, we're continuing to talk with the Med Center and
looking at ways in which we could extend it to
the Med Center. We think that's important in terms of
being able to make that connection. The Med Center folks
would also like to do that. Of course, the way
we're funding it is through the increased development and the
increased taxes that come from that new development. Medcenter doesn't
(23:59):
pay property tax, so that gives us a little different twist.
So we're looking at ways that we might be able
to finance that extension, and we're talking to them about
how we might do that.
Speaker 3 (24:10):
I guess I never never thought about that part of
it where the tiff would not apply to the med Center.
So that makes a little more sense, right, makes it
makes a little more challenging, Steve, How certain are you
that the streetcar will not add more cost to the city.
Speaker 4 (24:24):
The city is budgeted well.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
We had originally projected had hired a company to do
projections for the development along the route of the streetcar
over a fifteen year period. They projected about two billion
dollars in total over a fifteen year period. We already
have over one point three billion dollars worth of projects
in the pipeline, over thirty two hundred housing units. You know,
(24:49):
we have already seen a tremendous amount of development which
we knew we would see at the rate that we
are going. We project now that we will have four
billion dollars worth.
Speaker 4 (24:58):
Of development along the route over that fifteen year period.
Speaker 5 (25:02):
That actually generates almost a billion dollars in proper additional
property tax revenue. It's enough to finance about five hundred
and fifty million dollars in bonds. And as I said,
we're only using about four forty for the streetcar. And
so yes, we're we're well on track in terms of
development and how we would pay for it. So that
(25:25):
there's no no money coming from a property outside that corridor.
There's no citywide tax rate increase or taxes being used.
Only the multifamily and commercial properties within seven blocks of
the streetcar itself. Those are the only properties that are
paying for the streetcar. And so basically, if you don't
(25:46):
own an office building or an apartment complex within seven
blocks of the streetcar, you're not paying for it.
Speaker 2 (25:52):
And there's a lot of accomplished developers that have stepped up,
a lot of them local that these are expensive projects.
They understand what they're doing. The Bond Council, the people
that handle tiff with the City of Omaha, Bridget Hadley,
which which who is awesome and has been doing it
for a long time. It's it's amazing because people don't
(26:14):
realize that if we don't have a strong urban core,
we don't have anything. And you you've gone to cities
and you've seen some of that in Denver and a
bunch of other cities where you have a lot of
empty office buildings and people are shying away. They're they're
building things outside the urban core where you know, First
National did it with with with their tower and some
(26:36):
of their other buildings, and now Mutual of Omaha has
stepped up, and these could have been a lot less
than six hundred million dollars to build that tower if
it was a campus out west or anywhere, and good
stakeholders realize that we need employees, We need everybody down
there in the streetcar is kind of what ties it
(26:57):
all together.
Speaker 4 (26:58):
Correct, Yeah, you know.
Speaker 5 (26:59):
I think as you mentioned, you know, when cities reach
the point at which they can't expand at the edge,
which Omaha will do in about twenty fifty, you have
a fixed tax base. And when you have that fixed
tax base, but you have aging infrastructure that's requiring more
and more money, and your taxable value on that property
is not going up as quickly as it did when
it was new, you really don't have much of a choice.
(27:21):
You have to go back to that urban core area
where you can increase the value and basically make a
bigger pie to help pay for the costs that you have.
So absolutely it's critical that we revitalize and continue to
grow in our urban core because we'll reach a point
where we can't expand at the edge and capture that value.
Speaker 4 (27:42):
Absolutely. Thanks for that. Let's switch gears a little bit.
Speaker 2 (27:45):
But speaking of the urban core, it is time for
the motel development Spotlight of the Week, and this is
a huge announcement by Crighton University. We talk about projects
associated with with Notel and who's one of the most
prolific developers in the Midwest. Zavon Village, Kewitt Headquarters, Builders District,
(28:08):
Valmont Headquarters, Back of the Day, first National Business Park,
just to name a few. Fly Together is a nearly
three hundred million dollar investment in Creighton athletics and recreation
through new and upgraded facilities across Seventeenth Street from the
Rising Builders District and Kewitt Corporation's headquarters. Entirely donor funded,
(28:30):
Fly Together has launched one hundred was launched with one
hundred million dollar gift with a Hider Family Foundation, the
largest gift in Creighton's history Charles and Mary Hyder, who
have been huge philanthropists throughout their lifetimes.
Speaker 4 (28:43):
Now it's headed by Scott Hider, and I'm sure Steve
you remember we used to work with Scott Hider, who
was a very capable.
Speaker 2 (28:53):
Office leasing agent and consultant does what we do, and
he did a great job, and we thank Scott for
leading the Family Foundation one hundred million dollars, largest ever
in Creighton history. Fly Together connects Creighton Universities to the
Builders District, a ten block urban village totaling more than
(29:13):
six hundred and fifty million dollars in private development achored
by Keywitt Corporations headquarters. Fly Together's blending of the university
with the rising mixed use district gives Creighton students something
they've never had before, a city campus, merging Creighton's academic, recreational,
social life with new bustling hub of retail, dining, nightlife, entertainment,
(29:35):
hotel and office space. As the developer of the Builders District,
the not a Companies partners with the district, partners on
the district with the City of Omaha, Union Pacific, and
Kewitt Corporation. And that the vision that all these all
these stakeholders have is just incredible. And Creighton has just
(30:02):
taken over the world. I mean, to get one hundred
million dollars to raise another two hundred million dollars scholarships.
What are your take, Steve on that Coming Street corridor
and what you've seen it over the last twenty years.
Speaker 4 (30:17):
Yeah, it's just incredible.
Speaker 5 (30:18):
I mean, the you know what if you go back
twenty years or more ago, I mean it was really
a truck route and it was a route to the airport,
and you saw some industrial uses, and that's completely changed now.
So now it becomes a great front door for Creighton
and this latest expansion to the east and connecting the
Builders District and then of course the Builders District itself,
(30:41):
and that connection onto the ballpark and the arena convention center.
That area between coming and I four eighty overpasses is
just booming right now.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
What we didn't see twenty years ago is these districts
and these projects, they didn't talk to each other that
the say, like Civic Square and the Builder's District and
the Capitol District and Creighton University. Now they get in
the same room and make sure they compliment each other
instead of just compete with each other.
Speaker 5 (31:12):
Sure, you know, and I think that's again one of
the great things we have going in the city is
that we have all of these districts and across all
the way from you and MC to the riverfront and
then to the north, and it's great to be able
to connect all of them and bring them all together
so it becomes kind of a seamless transition from one
to the other.
Speaker 2 (31:33):
That's great stuff. And unfortunately we have to go to
one more break. Ladies and gentlemen, it's a short one
great stuff on the streetcar with Steve Jensen. You're listening
to Trenton Maggot and Brad Williams right here on grome
haa eleven ten kfab. We will have the Lightning Around
next brought to you by Perkins Crates Construction and welcome
(31:54):
back to the Gromaha Show sponsored by Dingman's Colision Center
and Sheer Athletics. I'm Trenton and this is Brad Williams
filling in for Jeff Fields, who will be here next week.
It is time for the Perkins Chrysler Construction Lightning Round
where we talk about a lot of stuff in a
fast paced environment. And Perkins Chrisler Construction is a full
(32:18):
service class a general contractor based in Omaha that serves Omaha,
Lincoln Council, Blossom surrounding areas. Please go to pedshcconstruction dot
com and check out their several projects. They have experienced
construction team of project managers, project administrators, superintendents, carpenters and
labor as many with over thirty years of experience. They're
(32:39):
a commercial general contractor that works on projects from small
renovations and repairs to multi million dollar new developments, experience, healthcare, retail, office, educational, religious,
industrial and financial institutions, and restaurants. You see their signs
around the market.
Speaker 4 (32:57):
Well.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
Bradilliamsburg Pizza, a New York based chain, plans to open
a second location north of one hundred and fifty six
in Maple right next to a What's the Coffee Place? Stories? Yeah,
Stories Coffee on September twenty third, following a hood system
(33:17):
issue delay. The brand opened its first non New York
location in Omaha in twenty twenty three, near one hundred
and sixty eighth in Harrison and fun Fact and Omaha Nata.
Speaker 4 (33:28):
There's probably five.
Speaker 2 (33:29):
Location in Williamsburg, and Omaha native started this chain, so
that might ex start chain in New York.
Speaker 3 (33:37):
Yeah, and then brought the concept back to Omaha. That's
really cool. You gotta love it.
Speaker 5 (33:40):
So.
Speaker 3 (33:40):
The fuel Bar, a shake and tea shop, opened September
thirteenth at seventy seven to ninety nine L Street in Ralston.
The menu includes meal replacement shakes, energy teas, protein coffees,
and snacks.
Speaker 2 (33:54):
If you're wondering what's going up right next to home
two suites near one hundred and eightieth and Burke you
can see it very well from one hundred and eight.
You can also see it from West Dodge Road. It's
a new construction. It's an eight thousand square foot Twin
Peaks national sports bar chain. I happened to pick that
side out and sold the land to the new owners.
(34:16):
It's three to one three North one seventy ninth Street
in Village Point West. Much of it is already enclosed.
They're gonna have a huge patio.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
It's they have a scratch kitchen, and they.
Speaker 2 (34:32):
Should be opened by the end of the year. The
previous restaurant wasn't a true Twin Peaks for the record,
it was a converted famous Daves out on Westerner Road,
So let's say that doesn't count. And the food is great,
and the nearest Twin Peaks to Omaha is Kansas City, so.
Speaker 3 (34:49):
We head over to Council Bluffs and Counts. The Bluff's
only Runza at twenty one forty six West Broadway reopened
this week after being close since March for full teardown
and rebuild. I was actually over there Monday and Tuesday
the opening two days to photograph the building, and it's
really nice, very nice, warm, bright, and I actually got
(35:10):
to see how they make runs, so that was pretty cool.
It's like a bout the sausage is made or how
the runs made. All the runs is made.
Speaker 2 (35:17):
So I've done a couple of runs of locations and
their head of real estate is Dan Rudolph, and I
can't say enough nice things. Dan Rudolph serves the family,
the Everett family, and he's been there a long time.
So so cheers to Dan Rudolf. You're doing a great
job of filling out these markets. The ups Store and
(35:38):
Great Clips plans to open next to each other at
one eight eight seven zero Oakmont Drive, in a recently
constructed retail center just east of the world's largest high
ve and gret which is one hundred and ninety second
and Highway three seventy. The center is already home to
missus NaIO.
Speaker 3 (35:57):
Salon Cat Cafe and Rescue has taken over a coffee
bar operation from Bad Seed Coffee and supply to organizations
shared the space and a building at fifty to fifteen
Dodge Street. Felis is stepping into continue offering drinks and
pastries while maintaining its nonprofit mission creating meaningful connections between
(36:19):
people and rescue cats. All proceeds from the coffee bar
help fund cat adoption efforts.
Speaker 2 (36:25):
I don't know if you've been there. My wife loves
it and we're cat people. Were, as they say, between cats,
were either morning a cat or two, or we're scared
to have the maintenance and make sure we take care
of the cat well. But here's an opportunity for people
to go to Pelias and not have to own a cat.
(36:48):
So call it a timeshare cat if you will. The
Camp Blackstone has gotten some press lightly this This was
the food hall at thirty six eighteen Farnam Street, recently
closed its doors permanently. The local, locally owned business had
(37:08):
several quick serve restaurants concepts including Olas Soul, Taco Company,
Nice Roles, and Single Double. I want to remind everyone
again that due to unavoidable scheduling issues, next week's newsletter
will be released Friday, September twenty sixth instead of Thursday afternoon,
(37:32):
So just tell your friends and family about that. We
appreciate everyone. Thank you Steve Jensen for being on the show.
Thank you Brad Williams, and we'll be right here next
week at eleven to ten cafab.
Speaker 4 (37:47):
Thank you
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