CHRIS FORD OFFICE

North 30th Street Development

Omaha NE

June 2007

The North 30th Street Development emerged from a positive dialogue with an enthusiastic client.

 

Originally from the neighborhood of North Omaha, the client (a veteran of both the Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars) is an aspiring residential developer and has acquired 40+ lots throughout North Omaha over a timespan of twenty years.  These vacant urban infill lots were purchased from the City of Omaha in a piece-meal fashion and were often of a size or geometry that were not “buildable” as permitted by the 2007 City of Omaha zoning code.  Familiar with the Barrio Metalico development in Tucson AZ by Rob Paulus Architects, this client wanted to move forward with a similar development strategy for residential “model plan” units on urban infill lots, despite requiring additional municipal approval.

 

Upon conducting a zoning analysis, we identified (3) adjacent lots on North 30th Street, immediately east of a pedestrian entry to Metropolitan Community College.  Zoned R-4, these lots would allow for either free-standing single-family residences or conjoined dual-family residences with a zero-lot-line condition.  To further capitalize upon the pedestrian density in the area, Live-Work residential schemes would enable tenants to operate small businesses within their private residences.

This project has been postponed indefinitely for reasons that include a wait-and-see approach with the recently adopted Omaha By Design re-zoning initiative.