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OmahaRiverFront.com
- RIVER NEWS
Riverfront development moving
forward
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Thursday
February 7, 2002
By Nancy Neurohr
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 hat was once a dream
for many Omahans, is now becoming reality. The debris from Aaron
Ferer and the Asarco locations has been removed and in it's place,
we will soon see a new Omaha Convention Center-Arena, a Hilton
Hotel, the Gallup Organization's new riverfront campus, and a
23-acre plaza called Lewis and Clark Landing. In addition, the old
Miller's Landing will be converted into a park with a small lake
and trails and a new National Park Service building will be built.
Plans are also unfolding to build a pedestrian bridge over the
Missouri River to Iowa.
All this beautification does come with a price however, and some
of that price may have to come from us, the taxpayers. The Omaha
City Council unanimously approved selling $92 million in bonds this
past Tuesday to help support these projects and Mayor Mike Fahey
has warned there my be a need to raise property taxes if uncertain
funding sources don't materialize.
Many folks feel that the city is moving too fast and should slow
down but the train is already moving on most of these projects and
the outcome will be something we can all be proud of.
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following is a break down on the status of some of the
riverfront development projects already underway, not including
the convention center which you can see by this picture is
definitely beginning to take form - |
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GALLUP ORGANIZATION CAMPUS
- Infrastructure for Gallup Organization
campus
construction |
STATUS:
About half finished. Land acquired; two-thirds of initial
site preparation and grading
completed. Demolition and site preparation contract
to be awarded in March; paving contract
to come later this year. |
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NATIONAL
PARK SERVICE BUILDING - Site work on five acres
for National Park Service
headquarters north of Lewis and Clark Landing |
STATUS:
Initial agreement approved, city signed memorandum of
understanding to proceed,
land acquired, demolition expected this spring,
redevelopment plan goes to City Council in
the spring/summer. Developer to award contracts in
November 2002 and complete by
summer 2004. |
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MILLER'S
LANDING PARK - 15-acre city park with trails and
a small lake between
downtown and the airport |
STATUS:
Design contract awarded. First site preparation to be
included in March contract
for Gallup. |
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LEWIS
AND CLARK LANDING - 23-acre plaza with boardwalk
on former Asarco property
along the river |
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STATUS:
Contracts awarded, land acquired, work nearing completion |
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 Future
projects include a walkway linking Lewis and Clark Landing with the
convention center, the pedestrian bridge over the river, riverfront
boat docks and several lots that will be sold for commercial use.
Yes, the city does appear to be on the fast track right now with
so many new projects underway, but this is an investment in the
future of our city, one which has been talked about for years, and
one that we can all be proud of by the year 2004 when our city will
be visited by people from all over the world during the 200th
Anniversary Celebration of Lewis and Clarks 'Corps
of Discovery'.  |
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