JUNE2008
IN THIS ISSUE

Omaha by Design, UNO Announce Strategic Partnership

Chris Hall Joins ObD Staff

Benson Summer Festival June 14

Save the Date: 2008 Green Homes Tour Sept. 6

Design Notes

Support Sought for S. 24th Street Tree of Life Project

Green Homes: Turning Your Kids Green on a Dime

Omaha by Design, UNO Announce
Strategic Partnership

Omaha by Design has a new strategic partner – the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO).

“This partnership will help infuse local academic expertise into projects that will result in the creation of a better Omaha,” said Connie Spellman, director of Omaha by Design.

Spellman and the staff of the organization will move to the UNO campus later this summer, taking up residence in the College of Public Affairs and Community Service’s School of Public Administration. The move will bolster the organization’s ability to collaborate with researchers from a variety of disciplines.

An initiative of the Omaha Community Foundation (OCF), Omaha by Design facilitates partnerships between the public and private sectors to execute projects that improve the quality of the natural and built environments throughout the metro. The OCF, which has provided Omaha by Design with office space and support services since 2001, will continue its support services role following the relocation, Spellman said.

“The OCF has allowed us to develop into an organization that has a strategic role in our city’s future,” she added. “Thanks to the support of Mike Leighton and his board and staff, we’ve been able to help the city’s leaders and general public understand how urban design and planning can improve the economic and social health of Omaha. We value our partnership with the foundation and are grateful for its continuing support.”

Rex Fisher, president of Qwest Nebraska and chair of the Omaha by Design Advisory Committee, views the partnership as an important step in securing the organization’s sustainability. Omaha by Design relies upon the support of corporate and family philanthropists for operating expenses as well as technical experts and other volunteers who contribute their resources to the organization. All projects rely upon fund raising as the primary method of support.

“The work of Omaha by Design is not yet complete,” Fisher said. “We now have two strategic partners, UNO and the OCF, to help us continue our mission of making our city the best Omaha it can be for our citizens, visitors to the city, and companies or families looking to make it their new home.”

UNO Chancellor John Christensen said the collaboration possibilities between Omaha by Design and the campus community are particularly attractive. “As a metropolitan institution, we need and want to be part of making our city a better place to live and work in,” he said. “This new relationship with Omaha by Design is exciting for our campus because of the organization’s innovative approach to both urban design and citizen engagement.”

For more information, contact Spellman at 402.342.3458 or connie@omahabydesign.org.

[top of the page]
Chris Hall

Chris Hall Joins ObD Staff

Chris Hall has joined the staff of Omaha by Design.

Hall is the organization’s new executive assistant. She began her duties May 16.

A native of Missouri Valley, Iowa, Hall received her bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from Iowa State University. She has extensive experience in the landscaping industry, having worked as a landscape designer at Lanoha Nurseries and as a member of the nursery staff at Moore’s Nursery and Landscaping, both in Omaha. She also served as a landscape architect assistant for the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Council Bluffs.

“Chris is a welcome addition to Omaha by Design,” said Connie Spellman, the organization’s director. “Her skills and expertise will give us the support we need to strategically focus on a plan of work that will help move Omaha forward.”

Hall can be reached at 402.342.3458 or chris@omahabydesign.org.

[top of the page]

The recent opening of Sweet Georgine’s Bakeshop, 6109 Maple, is one of the many changes taking place in downtown Benson.
Benson Summer Festival June 14

The community of Benson will be rolling out the red carpet on Maple Street Saturday, June 14, in conjunction with its annual summer event.

The 2008 Benson Summer Festival will feature a mix of local music, art, food, film and the traditional sidewalk sale. The event, previously known as Benson Days, acquired its new name to reflect the area’s growing artistic and entrepreneurial environment. Activities will occur from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. along Maple Street between 59th and 63rd streets.

"The festival is an opportunity for people of all ages to come and see what wonderful things Benson has to offer,” said Amy Ryan, owner and operator of the Pizza Shoppe and PS Collective.

The day will begin with a pancake feed at 8:30 a.m., and the 22nd annual Omaha Ford Show – featuring the 100th anniversary of the Model T - will begin at 9 a.m. The first musical act will take the stage at 10 a.m. Live entertainment will continue throughout the day, as slam poets and comedians will entertain the crowd between band sets.

The festival also will feature activities for kids as well as foods courts and beer gardens.

For more information about the festival, contact Ryan at 402.884.8680 or Raechel Achelpohl at 402.515.7447.

[top of the page]

 

Save the Date: 2008 Green Homes Tour Sept. 6

Metro area residents will have the opportunity to learn how to green their living environments this fall in conjunction with the 2008 Green Homes Tour. The event, the first of its kind in Omaha, is set for Saturday, Sept. 6, from 1 to 5 p.m.

The tour, presented by the Green Omaha Coalition’s Green Neighborhood Council, will feature four homes. Each will focus on a different sustainability topic – food, water, energy and materials. Participants will also be able to take a guided walking tour of the Gifford Park neighborhood, including stops at the Gifford Park Community Garden and the Community Bicycle Shop of Omaha.

“We want the public to know that greening your home or apartment can be easy, affordable and even fun,” said event organizer Tim Hemsath, chair of the Flatwater Chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. “The tour will be a great way for people to learn about sustainable practices by observing them firsthand.”

The cost of the tour will be $5 per person. Proceeds will help fund the Green Neighborhood Council’s programs and activities.

More information about the tour will be provided as the event nears. For more information about the Green Omaha Coalition, visit www.greenomahacoalition.org. For more information about the Green Neighborhood Council, visit http://omahagreenneighborhoods.wetpaint.com.

[top of the page]

Design Notes

Vision for 10th, 13th Streets Unveiled
The City of Omaha and local residents have announced a new effort to preserve and enhance 10th and 13th streets with community-driven initiatives. The vision for the area, known as “Parkway 10,” was unveiled to the public June 2.

City planners will be meeting with local residents and businesses to create the regulatory framework for this initiative, which connects some of the city’s most significant attractions. The 10th Street Corridor between the Old Market and Henry Doorly Zoo has been designated as an Area of Civic Importance by the City of Omaha. The 13th Street Corridor serves as an important commercial corridor and transportation arterial for the area.

“I’ve been waiting a lifetime to see 10th Street realize its full potential,” said area resident Nancy Calinger.

Parkway 10 began to take shape in 2006 when – with the assistance of Omaha by Design and the blessing of the city’s planning department – local community leaders and neighbors formulated a plan to breathe new life into the area. “Each of us who has been involved in this redevelopment plan shares a vision that we believe to be quite unique for Omaha,” said My Boes, owner of the Burlington Station condominium project. “We truly are partners with the city in this initiative.”

The vision calls for the creation of an elegant boulevard with a towering tree canopy, inspiring green spaces and flower gardens, charming street lights, restored brickwork, fountains, original sculpture and pocket parks. A possible streetcar line would transport millions of annual visitors between Henry Doorly Zoo and the Old Market.

Also under consideration is the introduction of Omaha’s first public squares. These squares could host corridor events that embrace the neighborhood’s rich cultural diversity and celebrate the excitement of nearby major civic attractions. The resulting economic stimulus would allow for expansion and enhancement of the existing mixed-use nodes to revive this walking community.

“I’m thrilled with the vision we all have put together for our future,” said Jason Smith, vice president of the South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance. “We are proud to join with our city leadership in support of the future greatness that will develop from Parkway 10.”

Updates on the Parkway 10 initiative will be provided as new information becomes available.


KOB Launches Phase II of Highway Beautification Project
Keep Omaha Beautiful Inc. (KOB) officially launched phase II of its largest highway beautification project to date June 3 at Rockbrook Village.

KOB, which has operated in the city for 48 years, plans to plant colorful native grasses in large concentric circles on the northwest corner of the I-680/Center Street interchange. Phase I, located on the northwest corner of 72nd and Center streets, has been completed. In recent years, the organization also has worked to beautify the Abbott Drive medians and the medians at 90th and Dodge.

The cost of phase II is $159,510. Funding will be sought from corporate foundations and the Rockbrook business community. The shops of Rockbrook are located on the corner of 108th and Center streets near the interchange. KOB has already received funding from Waste Management of Nebraska and Beneficial Financial.

For more information, contact Cindy Smilley, executive director of Keep Omaha Beautiful, at 402.444.7774 or csmilley@ci.omaha.ne.us.


“Spirit of Nebraska’s Wilderness” Honored
Wildlife sculptor Kent Ullberg, First National Bank’s Bruce Lauritzen and the late Jim Reeves of JVR and Associates are the recipients of the Henry Hering Memorial Medal for Art and Architecture for “Spirit of Nebraska’s Wilderness.”

“Spirit of Nebraska’s Wilderness” is one of two downtown Omaha sculpture parks commissioned by First National Bank. The National Sculpture Society awards the Hering Medal as warranted for outstanding collaboration between architect, owner and sculptor in the distinguished use of sculpture in an architectural project. It is considered to be the most important award given for sculpture in architecture.

The medal was presented May 17 at a black tie dinner in New York City as part of the National Sculpture Society’s annual Sculpture Celebration Weekend.


Simply the Best
Omaha is one of the 10 Best Cities of 2008, according to the online edition of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance.

The publication selects locales that offer strong economies, abundant jobs, reasonable cost of living and fun things to do. Marc A. Wojno, senior associate editor with Kiplinger’s, visited Omaha this spring to conduct his research. The city checked in at No. 3 on the list. Click here to read Wojno’s report.

Among the “fun facts” compiled by the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce to support this ranking:

The other cities in the 2008 top 10 are Houston, Raleigh, Boise, Colorado Springs, Austin, Fayetteville, Sacramento, Des Moines and Provo.

[top of the page]


The Tree of Life, a 36-foot steel sculpture, will honor the diversity and culture of South 24th Street past and present.
Support Sought for Tree of Life Project

Editor’s Note: This is the seventh in a continuing series of entries from the first Omaha Catalogue of Urban Design Philanthropy, a compendium of strategic giving opportunities that focus on the city’s natural and built environments. The Omaha Catalogue was published in December 2007 by Omaha by Design and the Omaha Community Foundation. It has attracted donations from Omaha’s philanthropic community at both the foundation and individual level, including a $10,000 gift to the Big Garden. For more information on how to donate to a project, contact Connie Spellman, director of Omaha by Design, or Sara Boyd, vice president of the Omaha Community Foundation, at 402.342.3458.

The Tree of Life, a 36-foot steel sculpture designed to honor the diversity and culture of South 24th Street past and present, is on its way to taking root.

The South Omaha Neighborhood Alliance (SONA) kicked off its Tree of Life campaign June 5 at the organization’s annual community awards banquet. The sculpture, to be erected just south of 24th and L streets, has received a $25,000 donation from Cox Communications and an additional $4,000 in donations from the June 5 event.

The tree icon is common to the ethnic groups that call South Omaha home. The sculpture will feature cut-metal pendants honoring timeless cultural icons. It’s part of a larger project launched by the City of Omaha, in collaboration with local businesses and residents, to turn S. 24th Street from L to Q into a vibrant ethnic townscape.

To date, traffic has been reduced from four to two lanes. Curbside diagonal parking has been added, and the streetlights at M, N, O and P have been replaced with four-way stop signs. Beyond the tree, the corridor will feature colorful tile and varied paving, uniquely designed streetlights, ample seating, and a restructured plaza at 24th and N that is conducive to holding special events.  

The total estimated cost of the Tree of Life is $150,000. To help raise funds for the project, SONA is selling bricks that will be placed at the base of the sculpture. The cost is:

To make a donation or for more information, contact Crystal Rhoades at 402.561.7569 or crhoades@mail.unomaha.edu.

The overall streetscape project has received long-term funding from city block grants and numerous private foundations, including First National Bank, Bank of the West and the ConAgra Foundation. Private funded is needed to complete the project between L and N streets.

[top of the page]


Green Homes: Turning Your Kids Green on a Dime

Editor’s Note: This is the fifth in a continuing series of articles provided by the Green Omaha Coalition’s Green Neighborhood Council. The Green Omaha Coalition is dedicated to promoting a healthy, sustainable community through partnerships, policy and smart solutions. Omaha by Design is a founding partner. This month’s author is Alaina Hickman.

By Alaina Hickman
When I became pregnant with my first child, I recall fretting to my grandmother over how expensive having a baby would be. In her aged wisdom she replied with a smile, “Dear, the only thing you really need is a dresser drawer and some cloth diapers. If you don’t have any cloth diapers, then you can use dishrags.” Looking back on this pearl of wisdom, it has occurred to me that my grandmother captured the essence of raising green children: simplicity. As I walk through the aisles of the local shopping center and see all the fancy toys made out of newly manufactured plastic, I can’t but help hear her words ringing in my head.

Our environment and the way we use it is growing more and more important. With food shortages, landfills of massive proportion, decreasing amounts of fossil fuels and impending global warming, it is our responsibility as parents to raise our children to be conscious of how they consume. My husband and I have always felt it important to raise our children with an awareness of the environment, but what we weren’t expecting was that in so doing, it actually made our lives easier and less expensive. Here are some ways for you to green up your lives and, at the same time, teach your children valuable environmental lessons.
  1. No-birthday-present parties for kids reduce the amount of plastic toy clutter in your house. The parents of other children will really appreciate not having to spend $5-$10 on a toy. Handmade birthday cards are more memorable and easier to scrapbook than molded hunks of plastic. When you do purchase gifts, buy green. Some easy green gifts are books, toys made from wood or bamboo, or craft kits like paper airplanes or origami.

  2. For every new piece of clothing or household item produced, there is also some waste produced. That is why it’s important to teach kids not to just throw away what they don’t want but to donate it instead. Great web sites for secondhand clothes and other children’s items are www.freecycle.org and www.rerunsrfun.net.

  3. There is a great web site dedicated exclusively to handmade items, www.etsy.com, which supports craftsmen and artists and can direct you to local sellers. Don't forget about your local thrift store! Buying secondhand saves money and cuts down on the amount of new products produced, which also cuts down on the waste produced. Things bought secondhand or handmade are just as good as things bought new.

  4. Find durable and sensible lunch boxes that are made to last for years at www.laptoplunches.com. Using these will drastically cut down on the brown and plastic bags that inevitably end up in the trash.

  5. Raising green children also means teaching them how to be green consumers. Buying secondhand and handmade is a great start, but that doesn’t cover the weekly grocery trip. Buying in bulk greatly reduces the amount of packaging and saves you money. Organic foods are prepared with much fewer chemicals. The chemicals used in regular food build up in ground soil and eventually diminish the amount of usable land for foods. Foods that have traveled a long way to the store did so by burning fossil fuels, and foods from factory farms are the leading producers of methane gas in this country. So when you can try to shop local, organic and plant based for the health of the earth and your family.

  6. Educating children on green living can be a family experience that gives lifelong lessons on living independently. Beneath our kitchen table is a worm bin in which we put our dinner leftovers and other foods that have sat in the fridge too long. My youngest daughter is absolutely fascinated by the worms, and we often work on them together. My children are able to see how nature really works when they put their food scraps in the worm bin and watch the worms make healthy fertilized soil. Then we use the soil in our garden. My kids actually get to see and experience the full circle of nature and, in the end, get to reap the “fruits” of it. Part of being green is being self-sustainable, which is not often taught in schools today. So even if having a box of worms in your kitchen is just not your thing, gardening with your children in the backyard or even a pot on the table can be fun and give them a sense of pride for having grown their own food.

There isn’t a trick to raising kids green. All you have to do is become mindful of what you consume and throw away. Being green is just living more simply, not spending as much money and being more self-sustaining, all of which would benefit us, our families, our communities and our earth.

This month’s Green Living Workshop, “Growing Up Green,” will be held Saturday, June 28, from 10 a.m. to noon at the Omaha Children’s Museum, 500 S. 20th St. (The workshop is free, but if you wish to visit the museum afterward, you’ll need to pay admission). For more information or to R.S.V.P., send an email to wasserfarms@gmail.com. The event, sponsored by the Green Omaha Coalition’s Green Neighborhood Council, is free and open to the public. 

[top of the page]


obddesignline, Omaha by Design’s e-newsletter, is published the second Wednesday of each month. To remove your name from our mailing list, please click here and write "unsubscribe" in the subject line. If you have questions, comments or ideas for people and places to feature in future articles, please send them to teresa@omahabydesign.org or call 402.342.3458.

VISIT THE OMAHA BY DESIGN WEB SITE