KC developer Townsend considering Omaha condo tower

[KC0KEK]

now wait just a second....you guys want THIS torn down?

Are you KIDDING me?  Keep that building....fight for it all you can.  There are plenty of close surface parking lots I'm sure.

Agreed. Looks like a building worth saving. Is it really in that bad shape?

[Omaha Cowboy]

Guys really..From what I understand, the building while looking stately from the outside, is a nightmare on the inside..So bad in fact, that the cost of rennovation would be too high for anyone to want to come in with any serious plan/coin to develop it as it presently sits..So the choice is, either the building sits empty and continues to rot..Or the city is provided a dynamic plan that will justify its demolation..

The city wants to boot the building IF the right RFP comes along..The Townsend plan is indeed one of those proposals..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

[KCPowercat]

OC.....we are skeptical of reports that a building can't be repaired....we've had that situation here in the past and it finally comes out it could have been done...sometimes it is too late (TWA building for example).  Luckily we saved some that were reported to be unrepairable....Union Station and Empire theatre are 2 primary examples.

I think you guys need to fight for this building.....let Townsend build his tower on a surrounding block.

[Omaha Cowboy]

I can appreciate what you're saying..Really..But for most (including it's owner, The city of Omaha), the building is considered mainly a liability and a bit of an eyesore..UP couldn't move their employees out of the place fast enough when the new UPC opened..And were happy to 'hand the building off' to the city when the process was complete..

Omaha has demolished grander buildings than this for new highrises to spring forth..For example, the old Medical Arts building was taken out to make way for the FNC..There wasen't much public outcry then..

And there certainly wont be much now when the old UP building comes down..

I'm not saying its right or wrong Powercat. In fact many may rather, in an ideal world, have the building remain and the Townsend project moved to another location (you could count me in here). But in the reality of now, most in the name of progress will support tearing it down for a dynamic new highrise that will be a symbol for DT Omaha for most of the rest of this century (count me in on that)..

..Ciao..LiO....Peace

[eomaha.com]

Not only is it full of asbestos... but the exterior facade is crumbling sendnig debris dropping onto the sidewalk below.  This building was not constructed to stand the test of time.  On top of that, you've got this cancer of a 60's expansion affixed to the side. It will be sad to see go, but it really has no place remaining in this part of downtown... in the state that it is in.  It is estimated that it will cost $6 million to bring the building down.  It would cost FAR more to made it habitable.  The Vista Del Rio someone gave earlier is an entirely different situation.  Here you had essentially nothing but a concrete shell left.  The developer had little more to worry about than hanging glass and finishing the interior.

[DTO]

I know some people who used to work in that building and they said it was shit on the inside. The only redeeming quality that it has is that it was home to Union Pacific (just the history of that company alone is amazing). BUT when UP sold it ot the city for $1 (yes $1) that shows you how useless the building is. No one would miss this building. And I have seen them block of sections of sidewalk because of parts of it falling off. Even for an old building it's not that good looking.

[KCDevin]

I think we need to show them more pic's of the Vista Del Rio, achem... cough... excuse me, The View, before it was renovated...

[DTO]

Give it up. No one that posts here is going to listen about keeping this building and knocking it over was already in the plans. IT WON'T BE SAVED. If you all love it so much we'll ship the pieces down to you and you can rebuild it.

[Big Red Storm]

I know some people who used to work in that building and they said it was shit on the inside.

My dad used to work in that building, and he said the same thing.  They couldn't wait to get out of there.  However, it seems that Omaha is giving up on this building pretty easily.  It is a beautiful building, and we must treasure our history.

[eliphar17]

Here is the original thread for the Omaha tower.

Give it up. No one that posts here is going to listen about keeping this building and knocking it over was already in the plans. IT WON'T BE SAVED. If you all love it so much we'll ship the pieces down to you and you can rebuild it.

[beautyfromashes]

HUGE mistake!  You guys are going to be kicking yourselves for not keeping that in a few years.

[KCPowercat]

Agreed.  This is a mistake.

[dangerboy]

It would be a big mistake to tear this down, no matter how sexy you think it's replacement will be.  Especially when two sides of this building are adjacent to 2-3 storey buildings that wouldn't be missed if they were replaced with Townsend's skyscraper.  It's sad that Omaha appears to be more concerned with height than preservation. 

[eomaha.com]

So does DTO have me on ignore?  Is that why I can't reply to his other thread?  Duh.

Guys, I don't know if it was shared earlier... but the old UP headquarters is so full of abestos and deteriorating to such an extent, no developer is willing to even renovate it due to the prohibitively high costs.  Not to speak of it's basterdized appearance with it's mix of early 20th century and mid 60's design (have we posted photos of the 'modern' side here?)

At any rate, the structure will be torn down. 

As for what lay ahead... here's the Townsend proposal just released today...



Another developer is proposing  this considerably shorter design, predominantly office space...

[Tosspot]

Eomaha, that other thread was locked so the discussion would be confined to this original one.

[KCPowercat]

BMA is full of asbestos....it's being renovated into million dollar condos.

The View didn't even have a SKIN and it's being turned into condos.

Sorry Omaha folks, we've seen it all renovated....it's hard to accept that it couldn't be saved. 

I like the proposals so far...the townsend one seems like a paintshop of the same 3 stories over and over but it's a first rendering so got to take that with a grain of salt.....I like the glass style overall.

[eomaha.com]

Okay, well maybe you'll be content in considering that Omaha couldn't sell enough $1 million condos in the UP building to recoup the renovation costs.

[dangerboy]

I don't buy the argument it's too contaminated to be saved.  If the structure is sound it's salvagable.  The question is whether or not your community is willing to pay the price to save an historic structure.  Appareantly the answer is no.

[beautyfromashes]

I sure like the picture of the old builiding more than the renderings of the new building.

[KC ROO]

I would really be a shame to loose a building  like that, it has so much character and presence, that no new shiny glass tower can replace. While I like the rendering for the first glass tower I enjoy the historical character and detailing of the original building much more.