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| By Joanna Miller | |
| Friday, 01 June 2007 | |
 With a variety of high-profile new construction and historic renovation projects in downtown Omaha, Neb., Lund-Ross Constructors is beginning to look at other markets, as well. The $8 million facility, which is designed to complement the city’s Old Market downtown area, includes space for Saddle Creek Records and Film Streams. Saddle Creek, an independent record label, was founded in Omaha in 1993 and represents popular bands such as Bright Eyes, Cursive and The Faint. The Saddle Creek space includes offices, a warehouse, bar and music venue. Film Streams is a local non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of film as an art form. Its new space will include office space and the Ruth Sokolof Theater, a two-screen cinema. According to Thompson, this is the latest project in downtown Omaha’s revitalization efforts, which have totaled roughly $2 billion in public and private funds in the last six years. The Saddle Creek development will also include apartments and retail space, including an Urban Outfitters store. Thompson says many developers have tried to bring the retailer to Omaha in recent years, but this is the first development it felt was a fit. “People think that’s a neat deal for the development,” he says. “It’s a totally different retailer for this area, and it fits with the Saddle Creek Records client.” The 60,000-square-foot Saddle Creek space will be completed in May, the movie theater will be completed in June, and the rest of the retail space will be completed in July. “It’s a steel structure, but the exterior uses older brick and other features to look like the Old Market,” Thompson says. “It has the feel of being a downtown warehouse structure that will fit with the area.” Lund-Ross is also working on the Rows at Soma on the south side of the Old Market neighborhood. This $20 million project includes a series of 15 buildings which house 83 three-story row houses. The company has been working on the project for more than two years and expects to complete it in July. It has already turned over 70 of the luxury units, which range from 1,500 to 2,600 square feet and sell for $275,000 to $600,000. “This project is fairly unique to the downtown area,” Thompson says. “They are the only new-construction town home units in the area, or they were when we started the project. Another project came out after this one started – Riverfront Place. We started that trend.” Booming Renovation Projects Renovation work is still a large part of the business. Lund-Ross is working on two large renovation projects, including the Paxton Hotel in downtown Omaha. The $10 million project will turn the 1900s-era building into condominium, retail and office space. Also in downtown Omaha is Kutak Rock, a $19 million, 160,000-square-foot renovation project. The building was originally built in 1889, designed by the architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White. It is one of the most architecturally prominent buildings in Omaha, Thompson says, and, at 11 stories high, was Omaha’s first skyscraper. The renovation work includes an eight-story atrium with skywalks to each floor level. The company is working to expand its reputation as more than a historic renovation contractor, as well as its geographic reach. “We are looking at new construction more than we ever have,” Thompson says. “We have fallen into the historic renovation niche market, and people associate us with those projects. Over the next few years, we have to make sure we’re getting our name out there so people understand we do new construction, as well, and that we’re not just a downtown Omaha contractor.” As a small company, he explains, everyone on staff is encouraged to contribute their ideas. “We want them to bring things to us,” he says. “From the top to the bottom, we try to operate like a small group.” |
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