Official: Paxton

[futrecndvlpr]

I don't know if anyone noticed in the Omaha 150 insert in today's paper the advertisment for the Paxton Condos. After not hearing anything for awhile, I guess the project is still a go.

[DMRyan]

This is very encouraging news. Actually, I can't beleive NuStyle hasn't already gotten this project accomplished. It's got one of the best locations in the entire city with its proximity to the mall and is a very attractive building.

Good riddance to downtown Omaha's most visable eye sore!

[j4nu]

The paxton building website is now up and running and looks real nice. http://www.thepaxton.com

[DMRyan]

This is so awesome! The Paxton is probably my personal favorite development in all of downtown Omaha right now. It's got such a great, highly visable location and will rid the city of what I deem the biggest blight in downtown currently.

I can't wait to make the trip to Omaha to see the scaffolding up and the dumpsters parked in front of this beauty of a building.

[eomaha]

You're absolutely right Ryan... a very highly visible location. Great to see this apparently in good hands... and thanks for sharing this j4nu!

[eomaha]

I didn't take any pictures of the Paxton model which was jammed with people. The one thing I came away with regarding this project... they have ALOT of work to do. This building must be completely gutted... and it's not as if there are exposed beams to leave as in a warehouse conversion. Everything must be refinished. The unit prices are likely what they are not just because it's right off of the mall and relatively close to the Old Market... but more likely because they're going to have to recoup some major renovation costs (plus construction of the parking garage on the southeast corner).

Rendering showing planned garage (to be connected by skywalk).. note balconies as well.


Rotting lobby shows signs of past greatness



Eden Bistro 'dressing up' for tour traffic on the northwest corner of the Paxton block

[OmahaDevelopmentMan]

Get any info on how many of the condos have been sold? I was wondering so we could get an idea when construction would start.

[Admin]

They had signs plastered everywhere saying pardon our mess... construction starts in July 2005. It struck me as odd that they picked the back corner of the building (overlooking the ugly roof on SWC of the block) for their model. Why not get people looking at the view of Gene Leahy Mall?

It's hard to imagine there were people living in this building just a few years ago. I can't imagine the Burlington Station looks much worse than what I saw in the lobby of the Paxton. They REALLY have their work cut out for them (you could smell the moisture through the open front door from the curb).

[OmahaDevelopmentMan]

Yea, from looking at the pictures you would have had to be out of your mind to be living there with the lobby looking like it is. Good thing is the lobby will be a real gem when redone. It's hard to immagine the a building being in worse condition (Burlington).

[Will]

My grandmother lived on the 7th floor before she died. She had a great view of the Mall. the building was trashy then I look forward to seeing it when it is done

[jjjjhskr]

I worked there when I was 15 and it was a retirement home. Pretty shocking to see the condition it was in - smelled badly of mold and mildew which will take an incredible amount of work to remove.

I was really impressed with the views from the Farnam 1600. It would be cool to look out and be able to see the mall.

Thanks for taking the photos! I had planned to but somehow left the camera in Lubbock.

[omahastylee459]

the lobby looks like the inside of the cruise ship from the movie ghost ship, the movie sucked, but the setting was cool

[Big E]

I went through the lobby last summer when we were looking for a place to buy. There is an unlimited amount of potential in restoring this building, but it's going to take more than just hard work. It's going to take the right people coordinating and executing that hard work.

My biggest problem with the Paxton was that it seemed like you were mostly paying for the priviledge to say you lived in the Paxton. By the time you bought a unit high enough in the building to get any of the great views, you're spending well over $250/sqft, and $300/sqft in some cases. (Compare that to sub-$200/sqft at SoMa, including two decks, 2-car garage and full skyline view).

Unless you have one of those south facing balconies, you have tiny windows that are set back into the facade, limiting your field of vision. It's a very nice view, yet fixed and very narrow. Additionally, a second parking spot was something like ad additional $30K. Granted, the amenities in the Paxton looked to be wonderful, and came standard. Im sure that was due in part to rennovation costs. Can't make-over that building selling people a bunch of Formica.

I'm sure it will make some people a very happy home, just not me. I'm sure I'll be over there begging to use their gym when it's finished, too.

-Big E

[Finn]

It looks like Shamrock Dev. is getting a nice mix of commercial/retail offerings at the Paxton.

American National Bank joins Paxton Center

In all, the $30 million project will have 30,000 square feet of retail and office space, including the full-service bank with a three-lane drive-through; the 200-seat Chop House at the Paxton prime steakhouse; and three other retail tenants.

The project also will include a restored ballroom and lobby that will be rented for public events and a 200-stall parking garage. Office spaces ranging from 500 square feet to 8,000 square feet will be for sale or rent, offering the possibility of a live-work environment that developer Mike Moylan said has proven popular in Denver, Minneapolis and Chicago.

[redfield]

Some residents, and retail openning as early as June.

Sweeeeet.......It's awesome to see some of the first projects announced getting close to completion.

Although it will take a couple years to feel the full impact of all the projects going on right now, it won't be long before we begin to see it.

[jimyedy15]

The Paxton has the potential to be the grandest of all the DT residential redevelopment. The work that has gone into restoring the ornate fixtures that once graced the building is just one example of the commitment that the developers are making to return this building to the regal stature it once enjoyed. I am convinced when this is completed it will be a gem.

Additionally, the Chophouse will quickley become the premier steakhouse in Omaha and the condos will be first-rate. Can't wait for this project to finish.

I have a feeling many people that are unfamiliar with this project will be extremely suprised at how great it turned out.

[Vince Furlong]

Hmmm.....bank placing a three-lane drive-through near 15th and Farnam. This may bode poorly for the surrounding retail, walkers, neighbors, etc. Hopefully, this has not been approved yet.

Do not want this corner to look like other downtown drive-thru banking corners, i.e, 20th and Harney with ComFed, 20th and Farnam with Norwest/Wells Fargo...

Omaha By Design/City of Omaha new zoning standard: No drive-thrus in downtown Omaha.

Vince Furlong
OMAHA MAIN STREETS

[adam186]

This reminds of the Commercial Federal drive-thru (w/ ATM) in Lincoln by University Square. I kinda like it and it doesn't really effect pedestrians or surrounding retail.

[adam186]

I bet they want to bank off all the new residents moving downtown (no pun intended). The drive-thru, however, doesn't make too much sense for the residents downtown because they won't need to drive. The drive-thru is probably oriented more towards the people out west in the burbs and tourists.

[OmahaJaysCU]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned this, but it looks as if this is goin in with the parking garage that looks as if it now involves retail. I wonder if shamrock is reading this site for ideas...

Here's the rendering:

[adam186]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned this, but it looks as if this is goin in with the parking garage that looks as if it now involves retail. I wonder if shamrock is reading this site for ideas...

Here's the rendering:

Not retail. It will be offices

[OmahaJaysCU]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned this, but it looks as if this is goin in with the parking garage that looks as if it now involves retail. I wonder if shamrock is reading this site for ideas...

Here's the rendering:

Not retail. It will be offices

Oh yea, I'm not quite sure why i said retail. The bank will atleast involve activity at street level. Which is much better that the original plan of wasting the entire half block w/ nothing at street level.

[ladyred]

Wow! I was in this building just a couple of years ago to help a client move to an assisted living facility. It was a real dump inside then! I was actually a little bit afraid to even be in the building.
What wonderful improvements! I am glad they were able to make it look so great!

[TitosBuritoBarn]

Ah....so this is what is going in the hole on Harney.

[Swift]

Wow, that looks a lot more appealing than the original rendering!

[OmahaChef]

I agree Swift! It looks a lot better and even realizes many of our wishes to have retail/office/anything but the first level of a parking garage at street level.

By the way, going home the other night, the construction lights were on in every floor of the Paxton. Looked wonderful all lighted inside! Made the building look like it should...in use, not dark like it was for years.

[eomaha]

This is great! I don't think they had any plans for anything other than cars in their parking structure initially. Not that crazy about the light color... realizing they are probably just trying to tie it in with the bare south side of the Paxton.

[StreetsOfOmaha]

Fantastic! Active Uses!!

I wonder if the city and/or OmahaByDesign had anything to do with the decision to add active uses to the parking garage. Fantastic. Various developers downtown are really setting some precedents. I love it. It's nice that downtown is finally starting to see some of the infill that it deserves.

And Chef, I know exactly what you mean about the Paxton being lit up. When I was at the grand opening of the Holland Center, there was a BEAUTIFUL view of the Paxton across the mall, and it was all lit up inside with the construction lights....and it was just great. It's like it had been this black whole for years and years, and I think people kind of forgot it was there. But it's going to "Be There" again.

[Finn]

The latest (from Omaha City Council agenda):

29. Ord. approving a Redevelopment and Tax Increment Financing loan agreement with Shamrock Parking, LLC, 1299 Farnam Street, Suite 1200, Omaha, NE 68102 for the renovation of the Paxton Building located at 1403 Farnam Street and conversion of the facility into residential and commercial condominiums including the provision of parking and other street level commercial services on abutting parcels - see attached. ((PUBLIC HEARING HELD 12/6/05 - CAN BE PASSED TODAY))

30. Ord. to approve a License Agreement between the City of Omaha and Shamrock Parking, LLC, a Nebraska Limited Liability Company for right-of-way at the southwest corner of 14th and Farnam Streets for a term of 99 years; to allow for the nonexclusive use of City property for an overhead pedestrian walkway, trash elevator and awning over, above and across City property; and to provide an effective date hereof - see attached. ((PUBLIC HEARING HELD 12/6/05 - CAN BE PASSED TODAY))

[Swift]

Where is the walk way going to be? From Paxton to the garage?

[Finn]

Correct.

[Raraavis]

Fantastic.

In the past it seems that to get a great project like the Paxton condos we would have to put up with a block of dead parking garage. I hope this sets a new standard for Omaha development.

To go from an empty Paxton and a surface lot to this.

[/i]

[Swift]

I was hoping the walkway would extend across 14th or Harney or Farnam St.s, signaling the begining of an extensive walkway system a la downtown Minneapolis.

[MTO]

Ours isn’t too shabby its just underground.

[Swift]

An no one knows about it or can see it.

[MTO]

I know what you mean but on the bad side extensive skywalks retract from street life.

[Finn]

^ Exactly!

[Asten]

I know what you mean but on the bad side extensive skywalks retract from street life.

Yeah, downtown des moines has plenty of places to go, but you go down there and there's cars parked everywhere, and you never see a soul. It's almost creepy.

[MTO]

Especially since they have 65,000 DT workers.

[nebugeater]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... %3AIT&rd=1


Shameless plug!!!,

I aquired a lot of old postcards and have been slowly selling them on Ebay over the last year or two. I came across this of the Paxton and have it listed right now on Ebay.