Design Notes
May 01, 2009
Hidden Treasures/Fading Places
What do Omaha’s Joslyn Castle, the Nicholas Street Historic District, Prospect Hill Cemetery and Caretaker Residence, and the Webster Telephone Exchange Building have in common? They all made Heritage Nebraska’s first-ever list of Hidden Treasures and Fading Places.
Heritage Nebraska, a new statewide historic preservation advocacy and education group, released the list May 2 at its first-ever statewide annual meeting. Using nominations from preservationists and preservation groups, the list was finalized by Heritage Nebraska’s Preservation Advisory Committee. “We want to make everyone aware of the dangers of losing some of these well-known places as well as the opportunities for sharing the lesser-known,” said J.L. Schmidt, the group’s executive director.
To access the list in its entirety, visit www.nebraskamainstreet.org.
Public Art Tour
Omaha’s Public Art Commission will host its first public art tour in downtown Omaha Sunday, May 17. The event, which is free and open to the public, will showcase 21 pieces, including works at Qwest Center Omaha, First National Bank and the W. Dale Clark Library.
Walking tours are set to begin at 1:00, 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. All tours will begin and end at the Omaha Convention and Visitors Bureau, 1001 Farnam St. The route is two miles long and is expected to take about two hours. A short tour of Gene Leahy Mall’s public art is also planned.
The Public Art Commission is made up of nine members appointed by the mayor. It oversees a system for reviewing, accepting and maintaining public art; aims to increase the public’s exposure to art; and strives to educate the public about the visual and cultural aspects of the city.
For more information about the tour, contact Catherine Leo at 402.444.5921. For more information about the Public Art Commission, visit http://www.ci.omaha.ne.us/departments/mayor/commissions/PAC/pac.htm.
Produce, Poultry, Plants
The Benson Farmers Market kicked off its 2009 season May 2. The market – sponsored by the Benson Neighborhood Association, the Benson Business Association and area businesses – will set up shop each Saturday until Sept. 26 from 8:00 a.m. to noon at Military Avenue and Maple Street between 61st and 62nd. Stop by for produce, meat, poultry, bedding plants, heirloom tomato and pepper plants, smoked turkey legs, knife sharpening, handmade soap and jewelry, beef jerky, community events and more. For more information, contact Janelle Grieco at 402.571.1785 or Mary Pat Johnson at 402.390.9650.
Improving Omaha’s Neighborhoods
Twenty-four neighborhood projects received a total of $80,000 in funding from Mayor Fahey’s 2009 Neighborhood Grants Program. Grants were awarded in two categories: neighborhood improvement and crime prevention. To view the complete list of funded projects, visit http://www.co.douglas.ne.us/omaha/mayor/neighborhoods and click on “Mayor Fahey’s 2009 Neighborhood Grants Recipient List.”
Well Workplace Honorees
The Wellness Council of the Midlands held its 2009 Well Workplace Awards luncheon April 22 at Qwest Center Omaha. Awards are given at four levels: Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. Six businesses were honored for demonstrating outstanding efforts in addressing employee health at the workplace. They are:
Gold award recipients
- Fremont Area Medical Center
- Professional Veterinary Products, Ltd.
- SilverStone Group
- Visiting Nurse Association
- YMCA of Greater Omaha
Silver award recipients
- Boys Town
For more information about the Wellness Council of the Midlands, visit www.wellnesscouncil.org.
Park Mural Dedication
The dedication ceremony for the Dewey Park Mural is set for Monday, June 1, at 11:30 a.m. Dewey Park is located at 550 Turner Boulevard.
Green Street Honors
Two publications designed to help green Omaha’s streets – The Omaha Streetscape Handbook and Green Streets for Omaha – will receive an honor award in the Communications category from the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA) Central States at a ceremony set for May 16 at the DoubleTree Hotel. The ASLA’s central states region includes North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Oklahoma.