February 01, 2009
Visioning Workshop for Downtown, North Downtown Master Plan Feb. 18
Omahans can share their thoughts on what should be included in the city’s new master plan for downtown and north downtown at a visioning workshop set for Wednesday, Feb. 18. The event will be held at the Embassy Suites Downtown, 555 S. 10th St., from 6 to 10 p.m.
Mayor Mike Fahey will kick off the meeting, followed by presentations from the City of Omaha Planning Department and HDR. The workshop will include an overview of the planning process, followed by small group discussions to share ideas and determine the public’s vision for the project area.
The Omaha City Council approved the Downtown and North Downtown Master Plan update along with a streetcar feasibility study in November 2008. The city’s current master plan for the downtown area was created in 1973.
Great Minds Series Feb. 26
The 2009 KANEKO Great Minds Series opens Thursday, Feb. 26, with a presentation by Sir Ken Robinson, an internationally recognized leader in the development of creativity and innovation. The event will begin at 7 p.m. at KANEKO’s Bow Truss Presentation Space, 1111 Jones St. Tickets are $25 for adults, and $15 for students and seniors.
Robinson is the recipient of the prestigious Peabody Award and the Benjamin Franklin Medal given by the Royal Society of the Arts in London. In 1998, he led the UK National Commission on Creativity, Education and the Economy. His report, “All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture and Education,” was published to huge acclaim.
The Feb. 26 presentation, based on Robinson’s latest book – “The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything” – draws meaning from the stories of Paul McCartney, Matt Groening, Meg Ryan, physicist Richard Feynman and others.
To reserve a ticket, call 402.341.3800, or email info@thekaneko.org. For more information about KANEKO, visit www.thekaneko.org.
Green Home Building and Remodeling Feb. 26
The Sierra Club will host a program on green home building and remodeling Thursday, Feb. 26. Paul Vonderfecht, owner of Energy Smart Company, is the guest speaker. The program begins at 7 p.m. at Vonderfecht’s store in Rockbrook Village.
Vonderfecht worked in New York for a company that helped businesses reduce their energy consumption and environmental impact. His store is designed to help homeowners and small businesses receive the same energy-saving services.
For more information about Energy Smart Company, visit www.energysmartcompany.com. For more information about the Feb. 26 program, contact Mary Green at 402.556.1830 or mary.green@sierraclub.org.
Restore Omaha Feb. 28
Noted architect Kelly Sutherlin McLeod will deliver the keynote lecture at the 2009 Restore Omaha Conference. The event – which offers professionals and enthusiasts information on restoring, renovating and preserving older properties – is set for Saturday, Feb. 28, at the south campus of Metropolitan Community College, 27th and Q streets.
McLeod served as the project architect for the nationally recognized conservation of the Gamble House in Pasadena, Calif., one of the country’s most notable Arts & Crafts homes. In addition to the keynote, the 2009 conference will feature 16 sessions. Topics include porch restoration, repairing plaster, painting exterior woodwork, landscaping, preservation basics, small commercial projects and a panel discussion on the effects of development on historic neighborhoods.
An opening reception at Prouty Place Dos, a renovated mixed use building in South Omaha, is set for Friday, Feb. 27, from 7 to 10 p.m. The cost is $15.
The conference registration fee is $35, and admission includes the keynote lecture, three educational sessions, lunch and attendance at the Restoration JAM! reception.
The conference is made possible with support from the Metropolitan Community College Foundation, the Omaha Chapter of the American Institute of Architects, B.G. Peterson Co., Omaha Main Streets and by funding from the Douglas County Historical Grant and The National Trust for Historic Preservation.
For more information or to register, visit http://restoreomaha.org.