OCTOBER2007
IN THIS ISSUE

ObD, OCF to Publish Omaha Catalogue of Urban Design Philanthropy

First National Bank to Receive Inaugural Civic Leaf

Rejuvenating Historic Florence

North Omaha Alliance Strategy Announced

Green Omaha Coalition Names Board of Directors

ObD Projects Cited in Midwest Real Estate News

Idea for Neighborhood Sculpture Stems from Place Game

The Missouri River Pedestrian Bridge Plaza is one of the entries featured in the Omaha Catalogue of Urban Design Philanthropy. (Rendering courtesy of HNTB Urban Planning/Design.)
ObD, OCF to Publish Omaha Catalogue
of Urban Design Philanthropy

Omaha enjoys a storied tradition of private support for the public good.  From the founding of the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben in 1895 to the recently launched Building Bright Futures initiative, public/private partnerships have helped shape a community that believes in caring for its own.

Later this month, Omaha by Design, in partnership with the Omaha Community Foundation, will introduce a new tool designed to foster philanthropic support for projects that lead to a better Omaha. The organizations will publish the inaugural Omaha Catalogue of Urban Design Philanthropy, a compendium of strategic giving opportunities that focus on the city’s natural and built environments.

“In the field of giving, the philanthropy catalogue concept is relatively new,” said Connie Spellman, director of Omaha by Design.  “We’ve taken this innovation a step further by focusing our catalogue on urban design – a first in the United States.”

The Omaha Catalogue’s 22 projects fall under three categories – Green Omaha, Civic Omaha and Neighborhood Omaha.  Each category corresponds to a component of the Urban Design Element, a planning tool approved by the Omaha City Council and incorporated into the City of Omaha’s Master Plan in December 2004. Green Omaha seeks to preserve and enhance the city’s natural setting and public park system, Civic Omaha seeks to define and improve the city’s civic places and public image, and Neighborhood Omaha seeks to preserve and enhance the diversity of the city’s residential neighborhoods. 

Projects for the Omaha Catalogue were selected based upon their ability to bring the goals of the Urban Design Element to life, Spellman said.  They range from establishing a parks and landscape conservancy to renovating Gene Leahy Mall to supporting a garden project focused on nutrition and preventive health education.

“We hope the Omaha Catalogue will inspire philanthropists interested in our city to make gifts they may not have otherwise known possible,” said Sara Boyd, vice president of the Omaha Community Foundation.

The Omaha Catalogue of Urban Design Philanthropy was made possible by grants from the Fund for Omaha, the Millard Foundation, the Parker Family Foundation and the Qwest Foundation.

For more information, contact Spellman or Boyd at 402.342.3458.

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Five bison link the two downtown sculpture parks commissioned by First National Bank.
First National Bank to Receive
Inaugural Civic Leaf

Editor’s Note: First National Bank is the inaugural recipient of Omaha by Design’s Civic Leaf. The award will be presented annually to an individual, organization or business that has worked to define and improve the metropolitan area’s civic places and public image. The bank will be honored at the Oct. 17 meeting of the Omaha by Design Advisory Committee.

A wagon train filled with determined pioneer families is winding its way along a Midwestern creek bed.  It happens upon a herd of grazing bison, whose sudden movement flushes a flock of geese from atop the nearby water.

This story of early Nebraska - captured in bronze by artists Blair Buswell, Edward Fraughton and Kent Ullberg – is now part of downtown Omaha’s civic identity.  The work, commissioned by First National Bank, is one of the largest installments of bronze sculptures in the world.

In 2000, the bank designated two parcels of green space – one at 14th and Capitol and another at 16th and Dodge – as the future site of two sculpture parks, Spirit of Nebraska’s Wilderness and Pioneer Courage. 

Today, Spirit of Nebraska’s Wilderness consists of a freestanding mature bull bison, a bison cow, a calf and 58 Canada geese. Upon completion, Pioneer Courage will consist of 29 bronze sculptures of early pioneers with their covered wagons.

Linking the two sculpture parks are five bison - four adults and one calf - all designed by Ullberg in his Loveland, Colo., studio. One of the adults, a bison cow, appears to be running through the parking structure on the northwest corner of 15th and Dodge.  It was delivered last summer in three separate pieces: the head portion, which weighed 350 pounds; the midsection, which tipped the scale at 240 pounds; and the legs and tail, 25 pounds.

The sculptures exist much as they would have in real life over 100 years ago before downtown Omaha was developed, said Brenda Dooley, president, First National Buildings. Each sculpture is 1.25 times life size. 

“The image of a city is reflected in its physical environment, and public art is an integral component of this environment,” said Connie Spellman, director of Omaha by Design. “Omahans are indebted to First National Bank for its leadership in this important civic arena.”

For more information about public art in Omaha, visit www.omahabydesign.org and click on the public art link at the top of the page.

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Rejuvenating Historic Florence

A bold master plan aimed at rejuvenating Omaha’s historic Florence area was unveiled Sept. 19 by Florence Futures at the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, the evolution of a vision born at a town hall meeting almost two years ago.

“This plan celebrates our rich heritage while renewing us for a brilliant future,” said Linda Meigs, chairperson of Florence Futures. “With this plan, Florence is poised to become a historic entrance to Omaha and a link to regional tourism.”

The $25 million plan outlines several downtown redevelopment and streetscape recommendations and lays out a blueprint for a new gateway park, an attraction that would feature a celebration fountain, historic village and winter quarters garden. It also calls for the establishment of a neighborhood revitalization area from State Street to Craig Avenue.

“We’ve done a lot of urban planning like this, and every time this happens, people are renewed. There is a sense of pride, a sense of worth,” said Dave Ciaccio of BCDM, a full-service architectural firm based in Omaha. BCDM crafted the plan along with urban planners from Olsson Associates. The master plan incorporates input from more than a dozen organizations and entities, including Florence Futures, Omaha by Design, the City of Omaha Department of Planning and the chamber.

“When a plan is in place, it sends a signal to the broader community and to the region that new things are beginning to happen, and, as a result, private investors begin to seek new opportunities,” Ciaccio said. “This whole process is about building new community spirit, new energy in the community and attracting private investment.”

Omaha City Councilman Jim Suttle, who represents the Florence area, said he believes the vision can be made real. “If you can dream it, you can do it. That’s what we’re doing to this city. We can dream a convention center, and we did it. We can dream landing the Olympic swimming trials, and we did it. It’s a matter of capturing the dream and then settling down on how you implement it.”

Suttle said he is already working on that next step. “I’ve already engaged the Mormon church in discussions. We have two hotel groups that are now stepping forward with interest. There are some other commercial interests that are actively looking at locations in downtown Florence,” Suttle said.

While revitalizing the downtown commercial district is a key part of the master plan, it also focuses on capitalizing upon the 60,000 to 80,000 tourists who visit the Mormon Trail Center and the Mormon Pioneer Cemetery each year. Paul Bogard, president of the Florence Historical Foundation, said right now, those tourists are bypassing Florence because it doesn’t have the facilities to feed, entertain or accommodate them.

“We have the potential of taking care of thousands of people who come to us without any push, but we’re not captivating them,” Bogard said. “We want to beautify our area and make it desirable for that tourist dollar.”

The master plan explains how Florence can position itself as a hub for regional tourism and details how the Florence Mill can be adapted into a virtual visitor center. The Florence community raised the $180,000 to pay for the master plan, making it Omaha’s only master plan paid for without city funds.

“I just think that says a lot about this area,” said Mele Mason, a member of the Florence Futures board. “We have a lot of pride in Florence, and we want to show it.”

Suttle has spoken with Omaha’s mayor and planning director about adopting the Florence master plan into the city’s comprehensive master plan. He said he hopes to have public hearings before the planning board and city council before the end of the year.

Click here to download a PDF file of the plan.

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A rendering of 24th Street, one of four specific development areas announced Oct. 3.
North Omaha Alliance Strategy Announced

The development of North Omaha should occur within a three-step framework - building inward from strategic assets that border the area to achieve short-term success, completing a feature at the core of the neighborhood that has the power to generate surrounding investment, and expanding this development momentum throughout the neighborhoods.

The North Omaha Development Project Steering Committee and its consultants announced this development strategy for community and business investment at a public meeting Oct. 3. The strategy outlines next steps for infrastructure improvements, public transportation, community development opportunities, entertainment options and housing initiatives, all of which are geared toward creating job opportunities.

The consultants announced four specific areas for development - 16th and Cuming streets, the 24th Street and Lake Street corridors, the neighborhoods surrounding 30th Street and Ames Avenue, and the Adams Park area at 30th and Bedford streets. Feedback from North Omaha residents who attended a community meeting July 19 prompted the steering committee to add the 16th and Cuming streets area.

The North Omaha Development Project Steering Committee and the newly-created position of executive director, along with the support of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, will be responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the plan. Seven task forces, chaired by members of the steering committee and community leaders, have been established to address transportation, business development, workforce development, capacity building, housing, finance and communications. In addition, the chamber has designated additional staff to focus on workforce development and capacity building for minority-owned businesses.

"Our current funding allows for a three-year implementation period, but everyone involved with this project, from our steering committee to North Omaha business leaders, is committed to promoting business development and community growth in North Omaha for years to come," said Dennis O'Neal, co-chair of the North Omaha Development Project Steering Committee and executive vice president of First National of Nebraska.

By applying this framework to the four opportunity areas in North Omaha, consultants identified five building blocks for business and community development:
Employment Creating Development - creating more jobs and opportunities for the community;
Medical and Health Care - building on the fastest growing sector of Omaha's economy and a critical future demand;
Retail - providing goods and services that people now leave the neighborhood to obtain;
Mixed Income Residential - increasing both the population and economic diversity of North Omaha, building markets and restoring vacant land to productive use; and
Culture, Entertainment and Image - building on North Omaha's rich heritage to improve the neighborhood's quality of life and fundamentally change community perceptions.

The initial study - conducted by RDG Planning and Design, Economics Research Associates, and Alex Garvin & Associates - focuses on the area bordered by Sorensen Parkway on the north, Cuming Street on the south, 16th Street on the east and 52nd Street on the west.

For more information, visit www.ProjectNorthOmaha.org and click on “Implementation Plan Brochure.”

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Green Omaha Coalition Names Board of Directors

A new organization dedicated to the greening of Omaha has named its inaugural board of directors.

The Green Omaha Coalition (GOC) was formed in December 2006 to facilitate and accelerate the adoption of green practices, policies and programs in the Omaha metro area through partnerships, policy initiatives and smart solutions.

Its 2007 board members are:


Omaha by Design is one of the organization’s founding partners.

The coalition has created five councils that form the backbone of the organization: the Public Agency Council, a forum for local municipalities and public utility groups to collaborate on green initiatives, including those for buildings; the Learning Green Education Council, which will work with local school districts and universities to infuse sustainable education into curriculum and green operations in educational facilities; the Green Neighborhood Council, a forum for neighborhood associations, homeowners and nonprofit groups committed to educating residential neighborhoods on the collective benefits of sustainable home ownership; the Green Business Council, a resource for local businesses of all sizes and functions on greening business operations, products and services; and the Design and Construction Council, a collaborative of design and construction professionals designed to increase sustainability awareness in the construction community through educational program and resource development.

The GOC Board of Directors will elect officers at its October meeting.  For more information about the organization, visit www.greenomahacoalition.org.

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ObD Projects Cited in
Midwest Real Estate News

Two projects managed by Omaha by Design are featured in the September 2007 issue of Midwest Real Estate News.

Urban Design Element Implementation
In an article titled “All According to Plan,” author Patrick Rollens recounts the Omaha City Council’s August 2007 approval of a groundbreaking package of revisions and additions to the city’s zoning and subdivision codes that give legal authority to the Urban Design Element (UDE). The UDE’s 73 recommendations are designed to improve the quality of development in Omaha while protecting and enhancing the city’s natural environment.

Omaha developers Jay Noddle and John Lund were interviewed for the article, as was Coldwell Banker Commercial World Group’s Jeff Beals and Connie Spellman, director of Omaha by Design. 

Benson-Ames Alliance
The Maple Street Corridor Project, the first priority area of the Benson-Ames Alliance (www.benson-ames.org), was also featured in the magazine’s September issue.  The project – managed by Omaha by Design in conjunction with the Benson-Ames Alliance Steering Council, the Benson Business Association, the Benson Neighborhood Association and the City of Omaha Departments of Planning and Public Works – calls for streetscape improvements to the historic corridor, as well as a housing and retail market analysis of the Benson area.

Published monthly, Midwest Real Estate News covers the commercial real estate market in the Dakotas, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Tennessee and Wisconsin.

For more information, visit http://www.mwrealestatenews.com/.

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Al Rhea’s “Parent and Child” in Clarkson Park.

Idea for Neighborhood Sculpture
Stems from Place Game

The Place Game process works.

Just ask Margie Magnuson, president of the Joslyn Castle Neighborhood Association (JCNA). Last month, her organization unveiled the latest addition to the neighborhood – “Parent and Child” by local sculptor Al Rhea. The work of art is now at home in Clarkson Park.

Magnuson said the idea of adding a public art component to the neighborhood originated at a Place Game workshop hosted by JCNA in 2002. The Place Game workshop, a free service of Omaha by Design, helps citizen groups identify potential opportunities for improving the public spaces in their neighborhoods.

The JCNA public art project was supported by a $5,000 grant from the Mayor’s Neighborhood Grant Program.  Rhea’s stainless steel sculpture, which depicts a larger figure bending toward a smaller one, was selected through a competitive process.  Seven local artists submitted proposals to JCNA’s Public Art Committee.  Rhea’s work was selected for its artistic merit as well as its suitability for the park location, Magnuson said.

The neighborhood association will take care of the sculpture. Its presence may lead to more public art in other sectors of the Joslyn Castle area. “It’s a great way to enhance your neighborhood,” Magnuson said. 

For more information about the Place Game workshop, contact Teresa Gleason at 402.342.3458 or teresa@omahabydesign.org.

For more information about the Joslyn Castle Neighborhood Association, visit www.joslyn-castle.org.

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