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Thursday, September 7, 2006 - "From your lips to our colored pencils." That's the rallying cry in the studio today, as the design team works to incorporate ideas and guidance from Wednesday's meetings and an end-of-day critique of the first day's sketches.
The out-of-town planners were encouraged by initial reactions and positive participation from the local officials, as well as an enlightening reaction from former Omaha planning director Bob Peters.
"It was amazing," continued Henderson. "We'd been grappling with, of all things, where to put utility meters. With the help of Jeffrey Loll from the Metropolitan Utilities District, the issue was essentially resolved on the spot. It went straight into the drawings."
Appreciation for the process was a two-way, traffic-calmed street. "This is great what you're doing. I hope people learn from this," offered Jim Suttle of the Omaha City Council.
Everyone realizes, of course, there will have to be give and take before the emerging plans become a reality. "There are places we can flex, and places where we don't flex," said Jeffrey Loll, Director of Engineering Design, Metropolitan Utilities District.
Immediately following the morning meetings, the design team began working suggestions into first drafts of site plans and architecture. By the end of the day, when designers pinned up their work for a team critique, transportation planner Dewayne Carver had already followed through on discussions with city officials. Dewayne's initial sketches visualized State Street, on the southern boundary of developer Herb Freeman's property, as an arterial road reworked as a boulevard able to move the traffic predicted by city planners, but bordered by a row of buffering trees.
Architect Victor Deupi worked on preliminary ideas for preserving Herb's 12-year-old Georgian home, which sits atop the highest point in the rolling landscape. Impressed by the views from Herb's porch, Victor wants to make the house a focal point of the site plan. And planner Howard Blackson had already begun work on a plan for retail in the southwest corner of the property.
Today, the team hears more ideas from builders and real estate professionals. Based on that, they'll refine their ideas in progress and evaluate everything again in an end-of-day pin-up. Watch this space to follow the evolution of some of the exciting ideas, including proposals for a skating rink, sledding slopes, and a croquet lawn.
Also, don't forget to suggest a name for Herb's new neighborhood. Check out some of the ideas sent in so far. Herb is offering a $500 award for any idea selected as the formal name of the project.
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 Sit in on the meetings.
Spend the day in the
studio.
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Architecture
